Missing children 'falling prey to sex trade'
A “frightening” number of children who go missing end up being sexually exploited, a charity warned today.
Barnardo’s said 55% of young people helped by its specialist sexual exploitation services were found to have gone missing on a regular basis.
The charity also found that one in six of the children forced into activities like prostitution and pornography were moved around the country by their abusers.
Barnardo’s chief executive in the UK Martin Narey said: “Children who repeatedly go missing are in grave danger of falling victim to those who prey upon them for sexual and financial gain.”
He has launched a campaign to raise £1.3m to beef up the charity’s 21 sexual exploitation services around the country. It is being fronted by actress Dame Helen Mirren and appeals are being broadcast next week.
It is estimated that around 100,000 young people under 16 run away from home or care across the UK each year.
Barnardo’s said that around one in six would sleep rough and one in 12 would come to some harm while they were away.
Wendy Shepherd, children’s service manager at the charity, said: “A frightening number of the children who go missing repeatedly are found to have been sexually exploited.
“The risk factor is huge and largely ignored. If we could identify these children, and the abusing adults who encourage them to run away, earlier, we could significantly reduce the number of children being exposed to these horrific risks.”
Barnardo’s is urging the Government’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) to probe the link between children at risk of sexual exploitation and those who go missing.
