This in from the police. Ed
Officers in Portsmouth have been working in partnership with Portsmouth City Council’s Children’s Social Care Teams & Safeguarding Children Safeguarding Board and Barnardo’s to raise awareness of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) within the business community in the city.
Six CSE seminars have been held at the Guildhall in Portsmouth, over the past two days (Sept 26 and 27), to raise awareness of CSE to licensees within the hospitality and leisure industry and local taxi drivers.
Recognising the signs
About 250 people attended the seminars, which aimed to train people to recognise the signs of CSE and to say something if they see something – by calling 101, or 999 if a crime is in progress.
As part of the awareness training a hard-hitting short film reconstructing a real-life CSE incident, which happened in Portsmouth in 2015, was shown.
Inspector Chris White, Portsmouth’s lead for CSE, said:
“The exploitation of children and young people is totally unacceptable; protecting those at risk is a shared priority with our local partners and the business community to keep children and young people safe.
“These sessions are being delivered to consolidate the ongoing work across Portsmouth, and the rest of Hampshire, to tackle CSE wherever in occurs.”
Important to raise awareness
Rachel McKernan, Assistant Director Children’s Services at Barnardo’s said:
“Barnardo’s has been working to tackle the devastating impact of child sexual exploitation for two decades. We see how this abuse inflicts devastating damage to vulnerable children and we work tirelessly to help these children pick up the pieces of their shattered lives.
“Events like this in Portsmouth are important for helping to raise awareness of the signs of child sexual exploitation and shows how we work alongside others to protect vulnerable children.”
Cllr Ryan Brent, Portsmouth City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said:
“CSE is a national issue but we’re determined to do our part in Portsmouth and tackle issues concerning young people being exploited.
“It’s important we engage with people who might not realise CSE is taking place, taxi drivers and those working in the hotel trade without knowing it could in fact witness vulnerable children involved in exploitation. We want to make sure they are aware of the signs and know who to report concerns to.
“I’m pleased so many trades were able to attend and can now share with colleagues the correct action to take if they suspect exploitation is taking place.”
