Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

Child sexual exploitation is a specific type of sexual abuse. The exploitation usually involves gangs or groups of men who seek to identify vulnerable young people and draw them into sexual activity in exchange for things that they want. This may involve money, food, alcohol, drugs, phones etc but could also involve status, affection, or acceptance. Such children may have been tricked into believing they’re in a loving and consensual relationship. They may trust their abuser and not understand that they’re being abused. The abuser may also use coercion to manipulate them into doing what they want them to.

Sometimes abusers use violence and intimidation to frighten or force a child or young person, making them feel as if they’ve no choice. They may lend them large sums of money they know can’t be repaid or use financial abuse to control them.

Anybody can be a perpetrator of CSE, no matter their age, gender or race. The relationship could be framed as friendship, someone to look up to, or romantic. Children and young people who are exploited may also be used to identify or coerce others to participate.

Examples of CSE would be the abuse perpetrated in Rochdale and Rotherham and other cities in the UK, or the abuse perpetrated by Jeffrey Epstein. These have been well documented in a number of documentaries and books.

Documentaries such as the “Betrayed Girls” and the “Three girls” brought this horrific abuse into the public eye. CSE occurs up and down the country, but this was the start of its identification.

A summary of some of the issues can be found in this video. Please be aware that it discusses this matter very frankly, so please do not feel obliged to watch it. It is included here as optional additional information for those who wish to understand CSE in a little more detail.

Child Criminal Exploitation (County Lines)

County lines is a form of exploitation that draws young people into gang activity, usually revolving around the dealing of drugs. It involves established gangs, centred in major cities creating distribution lines into more rural areas (hence the title “county lines”).

The gangs will recruit vulnerable young people to carry the drugs for them, however, the young people very quickly discover that the situation is not what it seems and that they are trapped in a violent and exploitative situation where they may be harmed, trafficked or otherwise exploited.

The following video may be helpful in understanding this more.

There are various documentaries and books that explain this in more detail, including the BBC documentary “Britain’s Teenage Drug Runners: Gangs In The Countryside”

Financial exploitation of children

Children are also exploited financially and can be drawn into what is often referred to as “Modern slavery”.

This video describes on person’s story and was produced by the Salvation Army. Many other organisations work in this area, but this video is helpful in giving some insight into this form of exploitation.