viii. To find out more about the adult sexual exploitation of women, see Changing Lives (2021) on page 119 below.
ix. The ‘boyfriend model’ is when a perpetrator befriends a young person to make them believe they are in a loving ‘relationship’, before coercing them to have sex with friends or associates. Although a common phrase, this fails to acknowledge the abuse of young boys. For further information, see Barnardo’s (2011) on page 119.
However, there is not a legal or statutory definition of adult sexual exploitation with proponents highlighting that once an individual turns 18 they do not simply stop getting exploited.110 This has resulted in calls for the expansion of the definition of sexual exploitation to include vulnerable adults viii. Characteristics of CSE Child sexual exploitation is widely hidden in our society, as it is rare for a child to disclose if they have been victim to a form of sexual abuse or exploitation. Barriers to disclosure include threats from their abusers, being worried they will not be believed, concern they will get into trouble (particularly if having committed a crime as a result of their exploitation) and a false sense of shame which is often cultivated by a perpetrator.111 There can be added complexity when victims do not disclose due to a desire to protect their perpetrator, which is particularly common when victims are groomed through the boyfriend model.ix In addition to this, boys can face further concerns to disclosure, which will be explored below.112 From the data available, child sexual exploitation is occurring across the entirety of the United Kingdom, including urban and rural communities.113 When referring to child sexual exploitation, this can include abuse through the:
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exchange of sexual activity for a form of payment, including food, shelter, protection and affection
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production of indecent images, films and/or any other indecent material involving children
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grooming of children via direct contact or the use of technologies (such as mobile phones and the internet)
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trafficking for sexual purposes.114
Violence, coercion and intimidation usually play a significant role in these cases.115 In particular, alcohol and drugs are often used at parties to reduce a young person’s resistance and leaving them with hazy memories of what happened at the hands of the abusers.116
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