Scale of child sexual exploitation in Cornwall laid bare: DETAILS

Cllr Andrew Wallis, cabinet member for children schools and familes has pubished the response from Cornwall Council and warned that while distressing subject , the truth is that "it does happen" here.

The FOI response to the question, "What is the total number of children who were referred this year (2014), or became known, to the council amid concerns that they are, or at some stage have been, at risk of sexual exploitation?"

The answer was that there were 31 requests to consider concerns about possible sexual exploitation at the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Forums since January 1 this year.

For the purposes of understanding the categories of concern discussed at the multi-agency Forums in 2014 they may be described as follows:

• Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for ‘gifts’ including alcohol/drugs
• Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Suspicion, allegation or evidence of a young person meeting a person believed to be grooming
• Suspicion, allegation or evidence of sexual activity/assault arising from the above.

Mr Wallis said: "We all must do everything within our powers to prevent this abhorrent crime. Doing nothing to tackle CSE is to fail our young people, as was shown in the Rotherham Report. If we really want to tackle Child Sexual Exploitation we all need to be honest that is does happen and only after we acknowledge this, then we can tackle this crime.

"It is also wrong to say CSE is committed by males on females. It is also females on males and same sex incidents. Though the media often narrows this down on male on female.

"The only way that CSE can be prevented and tackled effectively is through local agencies, particularly the Police and Children’s Social Care and Health agencies working together. The CSE Forums bring together professionals to discuss suspicion, allegation and evidence of concern that children are at risk of or have experienced sexual exploitation.

"The multi-agency Local Safeguarding Children Board has responsibility for overseeing agencies and checking that everything that can be done is being done to keep children as safe as we can. They hold us all to account.

Summary of Concerns in 2014:

• Female, age 14 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Female, age  14 – Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 15 – Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 14 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming Female 14 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of sexual activity/assault arising from 1, 2, 3 or 4.
• Female, age  13 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Female 14 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of a young person meeting a person believed to be grooming
• Female, age 15 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Male, age 17 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of sexual activity/assault arising from 1, 2, 3 or 4.
• Female, age 15 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of a young person meeting a person believed to be grooming
• Female, age 14 – Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age  16 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Male, age  17 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Female, age  19 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Male, age 15 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Male, age 16 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Female, age 16 – Suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for gifts, including alcohol/drugs
• Female, age 15 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Male, age 17- Suspicion, allegation or evidence of online/face to face grooming
• Female, age 16 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of a young person meeting a person believed to be grooming
• Male, age 16 – Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 17 – Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 15 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of sexual activity/assault 
• Male, age 16 -Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 15 -Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 14 – Suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for gifts, including alcohol/drugs
• Female, age 16 – Missing and/or suspicion of association with other young persons/adults where there are concerns
• Female, age 14 – Suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for gifts, including alcohol/drugs
• Male, age 15 – Suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for gifts, including alcohol/drugs
• Female, age 17 – Suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for gifts, including alcohol/drugs
• Male, age 17 – Suspicion, allegation or evidence of a young person meeting a person believed to be grooming plus suspicion or allegation of coercion/sexual favours within a relationship in return for gifts, including alcohol/drugs.

Finally, If you have concerns that a child you know may be at risk of CSE please contact the MARU.

 Main public number – 0300 1231 116 Secure email address is: MultiAgencyReferralUnit@cornwall.gcsx.gov.uk Intake (non-secure) email address is: cscintake@cornwall.gov.uk