Seven ways to stop a kid being groomed
Every month in England and Wales 420 men are arrested for child sexual exploitation. And that figure continues to grow.
It’s proof, if any were needed, that the institutions put in place to protect our children are failing.
In some cases decisions taken by police, social services and local authorities have actually put vunerable childen at risk.
This can’t go on, and wearing black dresses or carrying white roses on the red carpet won’t change a thing.
So as part of our Never Too Late To Talk campaign, me and my Loose Women colleagues are now focusing all our firepower on educating parents about how to prevent sexual abuse before it starts.
I’ve teamed up with Maggie Oliver, the detective who fought to bring the Rochdale grooming gang to justice, and Sammy Woodhouse, one of the girls who survived that abuse, to help parents spot signs that their child is being targeted.
Sammy explains that victims can be boys or girls from any race, religion or background. Some abusers convince targets they are special, loved and cared about. Others use threats and violence.
She says: “When I was groomed I thought he was my boyfriend, I didn’t recognise it as grooming and abuse. I was 14 and he was 24. It was cool to have an older boyfriend.
“The grooming process was the fun and enjoyable part, the part that got me hooked. You don’t even realise it’s happening.” Ex-cop Maggie advises: “Your child may become secretive, stay out late, wear more make-up. Or they may not want to come home at all.
“Believe your instincts. Stay switched on, keep the lines of communication open.”
We use the acronym PROTECT to help parents. It stands for: peers: Know your children’s friends. Peer-to-peer grooming is a common method used to sexually exploit children. Abusers often make existing victims recruit fresh targets. record evidence: List dates, times, behaviour, names, car registrations. Keep a diary so that if your child goes missing or a case is brought to court you can give clear evidence. Open dialogue: Don’t “become the enemy”. If your child is being groomed, offer safety, protection and love. Anything else can backfire and put the child at greater risk. Technology: Check your children’s phones and activate safety features like location services so you can see where they are. Parents shouldn’t allow children to spend hours alone in their room with the door locked. Enlist help: If your child plays truant or goes missing from home, inform police, social services and the school. Pass on your suspicions. Changes: Be vigilant as a child goes through puberty. Look out for different social networks, different meeting places and different friends. Television: Show youngsters the ITV show Three Girls, which dramatises the Rochdale abuse case.
Maggie advises: “All schools should show Three Girls. It deflects conversation away from the child who may be in the early stages of being abused. They can talk about Three Girls and about grooming and not draw attention to themselves.”
And Maggie knows what she’s talking about. It’s not about frightening children – it’s about empowering them to resist paedophiles.
The consequences of failure are too awful to contemplate.
You can find out more – and get helpline numbers – at itv.com/ loosewomen