The sexual exploitation of children is child abuse and as such should be recognised as a mainstream child protection issue for all children under the age of 18. This form of abuse can have a devastating and enduring impact on children’s lives, leading to low self-esteem, substance misuse, self harming, mental ill-health and offending behaviour.
Through our Safe Choices service, Barnardo’s NI has been providing support to sexually exploited children in Northern Ireland (NI) since 2001. We recently published a two-year piece of exploratory research Not a world away, which indicates that sexual exploitation exists in NI and what we are aware of is only ‘the tip of the iceberg’ (Beckett, 2011). The research found that both looked after children and those in the general youth population were at risk.
To continue informing and supporting the development of CSE policy and practice here, this paper outlines some priority action areas. It also discusses some emerging trends we are identifying in our direct work with children and young people who are, or are at risk of, being sexually exploited.