Essex Police have launched a new hotline for people concerned about child sexual exploitation.
This is great news and shows that Essex Police are fully committed to combat the abuse of children.
Every case we have brought to Essex Police’s attention, have been dealt with extreme professionalism. Both our investigators and Essex Police officers have worked hard to bring offenders to justice and we currently have a 100% conviction rate.
The helpline is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 4pm, with voicemail available out of hours, the Essex Police initiative will provide support and a place to safely report concerns.
Child sexual exploitation is when a young person is manipulated, forced or deceived into sexual activity by a group or person for financial gain or to build status or control.
Criminal exploitation is where a child is recruited or forced by groups or gangs into criminal activity like selling drugs or attacking someone.
Detective superintendent Jason Hendy said: “We’re working hard to find and investigate these crimes, to help victims feel safer and to bring offenders to justice.
“As a parent, I need your help in that fight.“ I can only ask for your help if you know what to look out for. This is a complex area of crime and in some cases victims of CSE may not even see themselves to be victims and believe that they are in control of the situation.
“Anyone with a responsibility for care of young people needs to be aware of CSE and criminal exploitation and look out for the signs that it’s taking place.
“While communities rightly want action to tackle drug dealing and criminal activity, many of the children that may be involved in crime can also be victims themselves.”
The hotline number is 01245 452058.
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