Appeal to commuters to help in the fight against child sexual exploitation

Passengers in Greater Manchester are being urged to look around as they travel and stay alert to anyone who may be at risk of child sexual exploitation as part of a large week of action

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Passengers in Greater Manchester are being urged to look around as they travel and stay alert to anyone who may be at risk of child sexual exploitation as part of a large week of action.

Greater Manchester Police have joined forces with British Transport Police, Transport for Greater Manchester, Barnardo’s, the Children’s Society, Survivors Manchester, the NHS and local authorities to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation, particularly among those who use public transport or work within the transport industry.

Young people that have been groomed online often use public transport to travel and meet offenders and during the week police and partner agencies will be speaking to commuters about the signs they can look out for.

Signs of exploitation may include a child or young person accompanying an older person who does not appear to be a relative or carer, or a younger person who looks anxious, distressed or upset.

People with concerns are being urged to report them to police, or alert transport staff.

The week of action is the latest from the ‘It’s Not Okay’ campaign and will see staff hosting a series of events throughout the week at transport hubs, schools and within the community to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation.

In addition, transport staff will receive training so that they can play their part in removing exploitation from the streets.

Enforcement work will also take place, with officers patrolling hotspot areas to deter and disrupt offenders.

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child abuse and occurs when anyone under the age of 18 is persuaded, coerced or forced into sexual activity in exchange for gifts, money, drugs, alcohol, reward, affection or status.

Detective Superintendent Joanne Rawlinson from Greater Manchester Police said: “We all have a role to play in tackling child sexual exploitation and as part of our week of action, we’re appealing to the public to take a look around as they travel and report anything that doesn’t look right or causes concern.

“A child doesn’t choose to be exploited but passengers can make the choice to report it. If something looks out of place then please share concerns and contact the police or alert a member of transport staff.”

John Fryer, TfGM’s safer travel manager, said: “The vast majority of the 267 million journeys made on public transport every year are completely safe and uneventful, but if something doesn’t look or feel right, report it, because we all have the potential to intervene and prevent a childhood from being lost.

“The devastating reality is that child sexual exploitation exists in our communities, so raising awareness of this abhorrent crime is extremely important.

“The sheer number of people who pass through the region’s interchanges, rail stations or bus and tram stops on a daily basis means there is a great opportunity to speak to a great many people about this issue.

“We fully support this campaign and encourage passengers to look out for the Project Phoenix teams that will be carrying out all sorts of activity and engaging with the travelling public throughout the week.”

Greater Manchester Mayor and Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd said: “Child sexual exploitation is everyone’s responsibility. It’s a hugely complex crime that the police can’t tackle alone. That’s why we’re asking people who work and travel around Greater Manchester to learn the signs of sexual exploitation, look around, and report any concerns. Bus drivers, shop workers, taxi drivers – your eyes and ears could prevent serious harm from coming to a child.”

Nic Dunn, Children’s Services Manager for Barnardo’s CSE Team in Manchester said: “Barnardo’s provides intensive support to young people assessed as being at high risk of CSE across Manchester and Salford, through the multi-agency Protect Team, working with children from as young as 11 up to 18.

“Our work to tackle CSE continues to evolve to deal with emerging issues, and we’ve developed our Real Love Rocks CSE awareness package to this week include scenarios surrounding public transport and how young people can spot the signs of exploitation in these situations. Earlier this year we also carried out CSE awareness training with workers in the city’s night time economy and what these workers should do if they spot any of these signs.”

For more information on child sexual exploitation, please visit www.itsnotokay.co.uk

To report child sexual exploitation, dial 101 or 999 in an emergency where a child is in immediate danger.