Youth workers trained to spot paedophiles
Council staff who work with children and young people were given training this week on spotting the signs of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). The session at the Elsie Whitely Centre, Halifax, was run by Muslim campaign group Together Against Grooming (TAG) to raise awareness of sexual exploitation in response to recent cases where the perpetrators have mainly been from a Pakistani background.
TAG explained that CSE was not just being carried out against under age white girls by Muslim men, but that grooming was being carried out by men and women of all ages against boys and girls.
The audience were told about the many ways paedophiles work to groom their victims online or through ‘street’ grooming, operating as indivduals or in gangs.
TAG spokesperson Ansar Ali said: “We want people to walk away from this session with a clear understanding of what the signs are in potential victims in terms of vulnerable children, so if they do come across these signs they know what actions to take.
“It’s about getting behind the headlines and finding out what happens to children in reality in order to help us address that.” Know which services and websites your child uses - if you’re unsure how the service works, get the child to show you. Set reasonable rules and guidelines for computer use. Don’t overreact if your child tells you about a problem they are having online. Don’t use a PC or the internet as an electronic babysitter. Make using the internet a family activity, such as by coming up with family plans. Try to get to know your child’s online friends just as you would with their other friends. Monitor your child’s use and see if they are following your rules.