Sexual exploitation
Individuals, groups of people or gangs take advantage of (exploit) children/young people to take part in sexual acts, often using force, threats or manipulation. Sexual exploitation can happen in person and online, for example where adults may pretend to be a child/young person themselves and manipulate the child into sending indecent pictures to them. The child/young person may not realise they are being exploited and can sometimes think this is part of being in a relationship. Abusers are clever – they will show affection and buy gifts to make the child/young person think they care about them, but they also use threats or violence to get children to do what their abusers want them to do.
Criminal exploitation
Criminal and organised crime groups or individuals force children to commit offences like shoplifting, stealing cars, burglaries or getting involved with drugs or weapons, for example by drug dealing or delivering parcels. Drug dealing is sometimes called ‘county lines’. This is where networks of drug dealers and criminal gangs use children/young people to move and sell drugs across the country or county. This behaviour is often forced, but it may not always look like this, which can lead to children and young people being prosecuted for crimes rather than being seen as victims of exploitation. Children/young people are often asked to do favours, then when they try to say no, they are threatened, so the cycle of exploitation continues.
Financial exploitation
Financial exploitation of a child/young person happens when someone uses a child/young person’s money, assets or financial identity for their own benefit, without the child/young person’s understanding or agreement. The impact of this is often against the child/young person’s best interests. It includes things like:
- stealing or misusing a child/young person’s savings eg taking money from a child/young person’s bank account or trust fund
- using a child/young person’s identity to open credit cards or loans – known as child identity theft
- making a child/young person work and taking their earnings, without giving them fair control of their cash
- spending money meant for the child/young person’s care, such as benefit money, on unrelated personal expenses
- manipulating the child/young person into handing over money or gifts
Modern day slavery and trafficking
This is where the child/young person is forced to work or is controlled by others, and they cannot leave, even if they want to. It includes things like:
- human trafficking – when a child/young person is moved somewhere to be exploited
- forced labour – when a child/young person is forced to work and there will be consequences if they do not
- debt bondage – when a young person is trapped in work to pay off a debt they can never repay (for example drug debts)
Radicalisation
This is how a child/young person comes to support extreme ideas or actions, including those that could lead to violence or harm to others. It involves a child/young person being influenced or groomed – online or in person – by individuals or groups who want to convert them to a cause. It can include spreading hate based on race, religion or politics.