With pupils in Jersey as young as 11 having been investigated for possessing indecent images of children because of a rise in ‘sexting’, it has been announced that the internationally renowned Chelsea’s Choice will be performed for all pupils in Year 9 and above from next week.
Parents and education professionals are also being invited to watch the play, which tackles issues such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, sexting, safe use of the internet, consent and grooming.
Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull, vice-chairman of the Safeguarding Partnership Board, which is bringing the play to Jersey jointly with the Education Department, said most cases of CSE in Jersey involved inappropriate relationships with older people.
‘During the course of the last year there were 42 CSE referrals to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub, 19 of which have then been assessed and managed through the multi-agency sexual exploitation process,’ he said.
‘There is no evidence in Jersey of organised grooming or CSE – cases here almost exclusively centre on inappropriate relationships, often involving a gap in ages.’
Three major investigations into the alleged sexual exploitation of Jersey girls as young as 13 were carried out by the States police in 2013 and 2014, the JEP revealed.
One, codenamed Operation Vessel, led to the arrest of eight men, all living in Jersey, on charges of grooming and under-age sexual intercourse with up to 12 girls.
Two other operations, codenamed Capricorn and Pegasus, were launched almost a year later after officers were alerted to a number of missing-person cases involving young people.
In all cases no prosecutions were ever brought, as the teenage girls involved were unwilling to testify in court.
Meanwhile, it is estimated that if the rise of sexting – sending sexually explicit photographs or messages via mobile phone – continues at the current rate, then by the end of the year there will have been a 300 to 400 per cent increase in the number of cases involving indecent images of children investigated by the States police.
Speaking about the play, Education Minister Deputy Rod Bryans said: ‘It’s important that we give our young people information like this, even though it is a difficult subject. They need to be in a position to make good life decisions and keep themselves safe when they encounter challenging situations. Education is the key.’
The play, which is performed by AlterEgo applied theatre company and has been seen by more than 700,000 young people in the UK, will be shown 20 times over two weeks, including at every secondary school.
It tells the story of a group of three students who discover the diary of 15-year-old Chelsea, who met a man called Gary after falling out with her friends and family.
Gary was kind, understanding, had a nice car, had his own flat and listened to her. However, Gary was not what he seemed to be.
Chelsea’s story is played out and examined by the three students, who, along with their teacher, attempt to understand what happened to Chelsea and how it could have been prevented.
There will be an opportunity for parents of children who have seen the play at school to watch it at the Town Hall on 12 October.
To book tickets for that event click here
