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Staffordshire County Council launches campaign to warn teenagers of risks of grooming at parties (31 March 2016)

Date: 31/03/2016
Duncan Lewis, Child Care Solicitors, Staffordshire County Council launches campaign to warn teenagers of risks of grooming at parties

Staffordshire County Council is warning teenagers across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent about the risks of being invited to parties where they could be sexually exploited or groomed.

As part of the new Know About CSE campaign, the “Party Animal” initiative aims to send the message to young people that, by accepting free gifts or going to parties with people they do not know, young people may be putting themselves at risk of child sexual exploitation (CSE).

The campaign is being run by the partners of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Boards – including Staffordshire County Council, Staffordshire Police, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, health organisations and schools.

The council says that growing numbers of young adults across the country are being invited to parties through social media, with the promise of free drinks, gifts, lifts or even drugs. However, once at a party, young people are far more vulnerable to being sexually exploited by force – or because they may feel they have to take part in some sort of sexual activity in return.

Joint Chair of the Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Children Safeguarding Board, John Wood, said:

“Tackling child sexual exploitation and grooming remains a priority for us – and we continue to work closely with all our partner agencies to keep children safe.

“This is an issue we are increasingly worried about – and our message to young people is very simple: if someone that you don’t really know very well is inviting you to a party, offering free lifts, alcohol, drugs, etc, then it’s probably too good to be true. It’s very likely they are trying to groom you.

“If you have any doubts at all, or don’t know the person whose party it is, then don’t go.

“For parents, if your child is going to a house party – even if they are going with a friend – try to encourage them to take precautions, such as making sure that mobile phones are fully charged and have credit, and that they have enough money to get home.”

Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Community Safety, Mike Lawrence, added:

“This is all part of our work to help young people to act safely and understand when exploitation is taking place.

“To prevent children being exploited, we of course must get the wider public and parents to recognise the warning signs – but it’s also about prevention and that’s about getting young people to understand how grooming starts, and how a healthy relationship isn’t about feeling that you have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.

“I’m delighted that schools across the county and city are helping to spread the ‘Party Animal’ message.”

Executive director of people at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Louise Rees,
said:

“Young people need to ask themselves why someone is offering to give them something for free, and what they want in return. Free is never actually free.

“If young people really know the person or the people they’ll meet, then they will be much safer. I’m calling on everyone to listen to their gut feeling and go with their instinct – if it feels wrong after asking these questions, then it probably is.”

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