Exploitation and worse awaits runaways

QUARTER OF a million people go missing in the UK each year and more than half of those are children under the age of 18.

Home Office figures from 2010 show that around 140,000 under 18-year old go missing each year, with 100,000 of those under 16 years old.

Children flee their homes for a number of reasons but life on the streets is dangerous.

According to homeless charity Shelter, one in six children who run away from home suffer physical or sexual abuse.

Often, this is at the hands of adults who specifically target young runaways.

Barnardo’s, whose Family Services Project in Dundee works with children at risk of sexual exploitation, says the abuse can take a range of forms.

These include informal exchanges of sex for drugs, alcohol or accommodation or a more calculated process carried out by organised gangs.

After targeting a young person, often someone who has run away from home, the adult may shower gifts on their chosen victim and attempt to drive a wedge between them and their families and friends.

They may also be encouraged to experiment with drugs or alcohol so they become increasingly and eventually completely dependent on their abuser, who can then demand they pay their way through prostitution.

The charity warns that either way, the victim will suffer severe trauma and long-term psychological damage.

According to Joel Jamieson, depute children’s services manager with Barnardo’s Family Services Project, said: “In terms of sexual exploitation, the biggest indicator is still kids going missing.

“It’s a huge number of children who run away from home and the majority don’t experience sexual exploitation — but there is a huge correlation between the two.”

Mr Jamieson said in most cases, children are explotied by people they already know — or are introduced to by mutual acquaintances — rather than random strangers.

But he said those who intend to exploit children sexually do not just target one person at a time.

“What we are seeing is groups of young people being groomed,” he said.

“Through one vulnerable young person they’re able to access others.”

He said that charities like Barnardo’s, Shelter and organisations like Dundee City Council have developed close working relationships to support children who have run away from home or are regarded as being at risk of sexual exploitation.

The Barnardo’s project is currently working with nine young people who have either been sexually exploited or were at risk of of being exploited before support services intervened.