Sexual Exploitation of Young People

1. Sexual Exploitation of Young People Ann Lucas Sheffield Sexual Exploitation Service

2. Prostitution v Sexual Exploitation ‘The body of a young woman, aged between 15 and 22 years, has been found in a multi-storey car park in Doncaster…’

3. Fiona Ivison was murdered by a punter in a multi-storey car park in Doncaster when she was 17 She had been forced to work on the streets by her pimp for only a few weeks before her death From the age of 14 she had been groomed and exploited but nothing was done In the media she was portrayed as a ‘prostitute and hooker’

4. Who were the offenders in 1996? • Children were the offenders • ‘The Game’s Up published by the Children’s Society in 1996 highlighted that children as young as 10 were being cautioned for soliciting • No action was taken on the people exploiting them

5. CHILD PROSTITUTE PIMP PUNTER

6. ABUSED CHILD CHILD SEX OFFENDER ABUSING ADULT

7. Beginning to look at the problem in Sheffield • Bring children involved in prostitution into the child protection system • Does it really happen in Sheffield? • Work with Irene Ivison • 1998 procedure launched • Indicators of risk

8. Sheffield Sexual Exploitation Service • A multi-agency partnership • Safeguarding-Children & Young People’s Service • South Yorkshire Police • Sheffield Futures – Taking Stock

9. Sexual Exploitation Meetings • Plan of support for young person • Plan of support for parent • Action on offenders • Wider picture across the city • Identification of patterns and trends internet exploitation was not a feature until much later

10. What is Sexual Exploitation-2009 definition • Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result them performing, and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities.

11. What is Sexual Exploitation • Child sexual exploitation can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition; for example being persuaded to post sexual images on the internet/mobile phones without immediate payment or gain.

12. What is Sexual Exploitation • In all cases, those exploiting the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources. Violence, coercion and intimidation are common, involvement in exploitative relationships being characterised in the main by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability

13. Who are the young people? • Mostly female aged 12-17 but referrals of boys increasing year on year • In early years mostly young people found soliciting-all had heroin and/or crack habit • Increasing emphasis on early intervention to stop them progressing on path to selling sex • More cases involving technology

14. Who are the Offenders • Increasing concern about groups of men exploiting young girls between the ages of 12-15 • Taken to SYP but no dedicated resources-not a priority • Taken to UKHTC-argument made this was internal trafficking

15. 2006 • Sex Exp not on police priorities • Not on political agenda • Groups of men exploiting young people and subjecting them to extreme violence • Message was – you can get away with it • Need for prosecutions • Young people were dispensable-always more where they came from.

16. Karla’s Story • Up to her 13th birthday fine at home and at school • Meets Celia and the situation rapidly deteriorates • Missing from home and taken to other cities • Exploited by older Kurdish males

17. Karla’s disclosure • All girls forced into sexual acts-kicked, punched, burned with cigarettes • Use of date rape drug • Used to carry drugs to other cities • Knives and weapons shown to the girls • Threats to them and families if they tell anyone

18. Karla’s disclosure • When missing there are up to 15 men present in flats • Some of the man have sex with each other before having sex with the girls • Videos made of the sex • On one occasion raped by 5 men • Has seen and experienced physical violence

19. Offences committed • Rape – Life • False Imprisonment – Life • Sexual Activity with a child – 14 years • Causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent – Life • Assault by penetration – Life • Sexual Assault – 10 years • Abduction of a child by other persons – 7 years

20. Offences Committed • Cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity – 14 years • Engaging in sexual behaviour in the presence of a child – 10 years • Causing a child to watch a sexual act – 10 years • Take/ make/ distribute indecent images of children – 10 years • Meeting a child following sexual grooming – 10 years • Arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence – 14 years

21. Offences Committed • Causing or inciting child prostitution – 14 years • Arranging/ facilitating child prostitution – 14 years • Administering a substance with intent – 10 years • Actual bodily harm – 5 years • Supply intoxicating substance to U.18 – 6 months • Supply controlled drugs – Life/ 14 years • Trafficking within the UK for sexual exploitation – 14 years

22. Operation Glover • 32 victims were identified and a possible 18 offenders, all inextricably linked • All female aged between 12- 15 years • Offences included: Rape - Vaginal and anal, sex with a child, abduction, serious assaults and drug offences

23. Operation Glover • Sheffield Crown Ct – August 2007 • One 15 year old, vulnerable witness gave evidence • Main offender –sentencing 4 x sex with a child (2 per anus 2 vaginal), anal rape, attempt rape 10 year sentence • Additionally : • 5 other men charged with immigration offences – and now subject to deportation proceedings

24. Exploitation via Internet Technology-Differences • Not necessarily missing from home • Can be attending school • Not always drugs/alcohol involved • Faster route to swapping and selling • Exploitation at a distance-doesn’t have to involve sexual intercourse • Feel safe in their own home • Young people have more knowledge about internet technology than their parents • Fear of technology from parents

25. Exploitation via Internet Technology-Differences • Anonymity of perpetrators • May never meet but still sexual exploitation • Bribery and lack of control • Wide distribution of images-can go anywhere and can’t get them back • Indicators • Swapping and receiving presents tend to be the alerting factors • Or discovery of indecent images on phones • Swapping of indecent images-sexual bullying

26. Indicators of risk-Internet Technology • At Risk: • Spending increasing amount of time on social networking sites • Accessing dating agencies via mobile phone • Unexplained increased mobile phone/gaming credits • New contacts with people out of city • Spending increasing amounts of time with online friends and less time with people from school or neighbourhood • Going online during the night • Being secretive. Using mobile phone for accessing Bebo etc more than computers • Unwilling to share/show online contacts • Concern that online friendship has developed into an offline relationship • Concern that inappropriate images of a young person are being circulated via internet

27. Indicators of risk-Internet Technology • Swapping: • Arranging to meet people they have met online • Exchanging inappropriate images in exchange for gaming knowledge/phone and gaming credits • Receiving gifts through the post from someone the young person doesn’t know • Concern that young person is having an online relationship • Concern that young person is being coerced to provide images • Sharing of inappropriate images amongst friends

28. Indicators of risk-Internet Technology • Selling: • Concern that young person is being bribed by someone for their inappropriate online activity • Concern that young person is selling images via internet for money • Concern that young person is being drawn into providing increasingly provocative/sexualised images in exchange for payment • Negotiating a price for sexual activity/images • Concern that a young person is selling sexual images via internet

29. Sexual Exploitation and Technology • Sexual Exploitation isn’t new-the technology just makes it easier • The technology enables offenders to make contact with young people • It opens the door for wider forms of exploitation to take place • It allows for even more anonymity of offenders