People urged to spot signs of child exploitation

AS we move into the winter months and children spend more time indoors – parents and schools across East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire are being urged to spot the signs or grooming.

Humberside Police say there were increased reports of grooming through lockdown. Officers are now raising awareness of the issue through a new campaign,

DCI Paul Welton is leading the campaign, he said:

"The whole idea of this campaign is to go on the front foot because it's much more successful if we can prevent something happening, then if we investigate it afterwards.

"In terms of online, it's important we are all aware and and that's parents, carers, schools.

"Where children are online are we aware of what they're doing and who they're with? And are they talking to people they know?

"And are they engaging with people they don't know?

"Are they looking to go out? And we're not sure where they are or who they are with.

"Anything that we think like we don't know what that child is doing at and they seem not to be open about their actions - It's worth digging that bit further and listening to the child obviously themselves important.

"In regards to what's happened during the lock down period. We've seen a move more to online to try to engage with people online because obviously there were less people out and about and I think that also reflects where we are generally as a society that that if you go back a few years, most exploitation was people approaching people in streets, befriending people, getting ever, take away, and that you can see the move now."

You can find out more information here: https://www.humberside.police.uk/child-sexual-exploitation-cse