Figures out today show that 76 suspected cases of child sexual exploitation were reported to Island authorities in 2014.
‘What we don’t fully understand is the full extent and prevalence of the abuse’
During the same year 254 young people went missing a total of 392 times – one of the key signs that a young person could be being taken advantage of.
But the States police say the full scale of the problem is not known because many victims are not even aware that they are being exploited.
Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull now wants people to look out for the signs of child sexual exploitation, a form of sexual abuse that involves the manipulation and/or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity, and ask for help if they are being targeted.
‘We would be naive to think CSE doesn’t exist in Jersey because it does and there is evidence of it,’ he said. ‘What we don’t fully understand is the full extent and prevalence of it. As with all forms of abuse it is non-discriminatory and it can affect any individual at any given time.’
He added: ‘This is about power and control and manipulation.’
It comes weeks after the JEP revealed the details of two police operations which had investigated allegations that girls as young as 13 had been sexually exploited by men and male teenagers.
The two operations, codenamed Pegasus and Capricorn, were launched in June and October last year after officers were alerted to a number of missing person cases involving young people.
Officers involved in Operation Pegasus arrested one 28-year-old man and questioned several others but no charges were brought, as none of the alleged victims was willing to testify.
Now Det Supt Gull, the lead of CSE on the Island’s Safeguarding Partnership Board, which works to protect children in Jersey, has urged people to help tackle the crime in Jersey as part of a national awareness event taking place today.
‘CSE victims often do not see themselves as victims but rather in a loving relationship. They do not recognise they are being controlled by a manipulative individual and the reality of how they feel is usually something quite different,’ he said.
The signs to look out for include children going missing from home for hours or overnight, skipping school, having an older boyfriend or girlfriend, being given presents by an adult outside of the family, experimenting with drink and drugs and strained relationships at home.
Other potential signs include going off with strangers in cars, being secretive and talking to strangers online.
A number of events have been planned throughout this week to raise awareness of CSE, including visits to schools by Prison! Me! No Way! and a lunchtime seminar by the Children’s Service for colleagues from different agencies. The police chief, Mike Bowron, is also due to join colleagues from across the UK in a publicity photo condemning CSE.
Posters can also be downloaded from the States police’s website and awareness raised on social media using the hashtags #CSEDay15 and #CSE.
IN February, the JEP reported that child sexual exploitation is being ‘actively addressed’ in the Island, according to the head of a group charged with protecting children in Jersey.
Glenys Johnston, the chair of the Safeguarding Children Partnership Board that replaced the Jersey Child Protection Committee and is designed to protect children in Jersey, moved to reassure Islanders that work is being done to tackle the exploitation of children locally.
His comments followed the revelation of the details of two police operations which had looked into allegations that girls as young as 13 had been sexually exploited by men and male teenagers.
The two operations, codenamed Pegasus and Capricorn, were launched in June and October last year after officers were alerted to a number of missing person cases involving young people.
Officers involved in Operation Pegasus arrested one 28-year-old man and questioned several others but no charges were brought as none of the alleged victims were willing to testify.
Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull, who was involved in both investigations, said at the time that some of the alleged victims involved in Operation Pegasus had also been involved in another investigation, codenamed Operation Vessel.
That investigation in 2013 looked into claims that as many as eight men had engaged in sexual intercourse with up to 12 girls aged between 12 and 16 after plying them with alcohol. Again no charges were brought as the girls were unwilling to give evidence. Mrs Johnston, who would not speak to the JEP but issued a statement, said the board remained ‘vigilant about the vulnerability of young people’.
‘The SCPB has actively addressed the relatively new issue of child sexual exploitation and has established multi-agency procedures and include this issue in the training of professionals,’ she said. ‘We have also been supportive of the excellent States police awareness campaign, which has gained recognition in other jurisdictions, and the work it carried out in schools to raise awareness.
‘We remain vigilant about the vulnerability of young people being exploited and actively monitor reports of children who go missing. We have set up an operational sub-group to ensure effective information sharing and coordinated interventions to safeguard children and young people vulnerable to exploitation.’
Figures obtained by the JEP also showed the number of Child Protection Notifications, which are issued by police and other organisations where there is concern for a child’s welfare, issued in 2014 had reached the highest level since they were introduced in 2006.
Detective chief inspector Alison Fossey said the States police had seen an increase in the number of CPNs in the wake of the Savile inquiry and investigations into child sexual exploitation in Rochdale.
Mrs Johnston added: ‘We would continue to urge young people and their parents to make themselves aware of potential risks and use available information and support services to protect those who may be vulnerable.’
