18 March 2024 - National Child Exploitation Awareness Day
Devon & Cornwall Police supports National Child Exploitation Awareness Day which aims to highlight the issues surrounding Child Exploitation; encouraging everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero tolerance to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children or children exploiting and abusing their peers.
You can report Child Exploitation to Devon & Cornwall Police at www.devon-cornwall.police.uk
If you wish to remain completely anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. If someone is in immediate danger call 999.
Alternatively you can contact the NSPCC for advice on 0808 800 5000.
You will also find more information about Child Exploitation on the website for the charity NWG www.stop-ce.org and on The Children’s Society website www.childrenssociety.org.uk/what-we-do/our-work/child-criminal-exploitation-and-county-lines
Any child can be exploited and it can happen anywhere. Grooming and manipulation of children can happen online or offline. It can happen to both males and females. The child may be sexually abused (CSE - Child Sexual Exploitation), forced into labour (Modern Slavery), made to launder criminal money (CFE – Child Financial Exploitation) or coerced into transporting drugs (CCE - Child Criminal Exploitation).
Spot the signs. Think twice, think abuse. Say something if you see something.
- Travelling alone, particularly in school hours, late at night or frequently?
- Looking lost or in unfamiliar surroundings?
- Anxious, frightened, angry or displaying other behaviours that make you worried about them?
- In possession of more than one phone?
- Carrying lots of cash?
- Potentially under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
- Being instructed or controlled by another individual?
- Accompanied by individuals who are older than them?
- Seen begging in a public space?
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