Sexual exploitation and missing young people

Children who go missing or run away regularly are at risk of becoming involved in sexual exploitation. Going missing may also be an indicator that sexual exploitation is occuring.

The entrapment of children and young people in sexual exploitation does not occur overnight. They may become more vulnerable if they are spendinhg a lot of time away form home, from their care placement or from school because they are running away. National reseacrh estimates that around 100,000young people under the age of 16 run away from home or care across the UK each year.

Each time a young person is reported missing the police assess their level of risk. If a young person goes missing regulalry there is a danger that professionals can become complacent, believing the young person will return as usual or that they can somehow manage.

Source – Barnardos Research Report on CSE 2011 – ‘Puppet on a String’