Hampshire Constabulary supports CSE Awareness Day 2018
Hampshire Constabulary is supporting Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day on Sunday 18 March.
Exploitation of children is a force priority all year round and includes close work with our partners as part of the local safeguarding children’s boards to keep young people living in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight safer.
Safeguarding young people
The Missing and Exploited Team works with partners to safeguard young people we believe may be at risk of exploitation, target perpetrators and manage missing people.
The team links with others in force, including the Neighbourhood Policing teams, to co-ordinate information and take action. Over the past few weeks a number of operations have been taking place across the force area.
Young adults exploiting younger children
In Portsmouth officers have been targeting a group of children and young adults who are believed to be exploiting younger children, some as young as 12, to commit crimes, including drug supply, robberies and shoplifting.
To disrupt this criminal behaviour, Neighbourhood Policing Teams have issued Child Abduction Warning Notices (CAWNs) and conducted targeted patrols in hotspot locations.
As part of the operation, a 16-year-old old boy from Portsmouth and a 15-year-old boy from Southsea were arrested on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
Safeguarding high-risk victims
The week of action has been focused on safeguarding high-risk victims and proactively pursuing those committing crimes.
Search warrants and arrests carried out in separate actions in Waterlooville and Basingstoke, following intelligence gathered on child exploitation.
New Forest Neighbourhood officers also carry out regular operations with Dorset Police, British Transport Police and rail community officers from South Western Railway.
This involves highly visible activities aimed at deterring the activities of criminals using the rail network to travel between Dorset and Hampshire.
Isle of Wight focus
On the Isle of Wight Ryde’s Neighbourhood Policing Team were joined by the Community Safety Team and other partners, including Barnardo’s, to raise awareness of child criminal and sexual exploitation and ways to stop it.
On Friday night they spoke to young people and residents at Ryde Esplanade. The team also used the activity as an opportunity to speak with public transport providers and taxi drivers to remind them of the signs to look out for in relation to Child Sexual Exploitation.
Rely on info from community
Detective Inspector Ross Toms of the Hampshire Constabulary Missing and Exploited team said:
“This type of activity relies on information from the community and our partners. It helps us to build a picture of exploitation and risk to young people and identify opportunities for us to take action.
“I would encourage all parents, teachers and others who work with young people to be aware of the signs a child could be being exploited and contact us or one of our partners with information. In most cases these you are the key to victims getting help, as those wrapped up in the world of exploitation are often unable or refuse to admit there is an issue.”
Find out more about the signs of exploitation and our Alice’s Diary campaign.
Free resources
The Safe4me Education Resource Programme is a free resource available to schools, colleges, partners, parents, and young people in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight as part of Hampshire Constabulary’s ongoing commitment to working in partnership with education and agencies to safeguard children and young people.
You can find out more on the Website.
