Devon and Cornwall Police and partner agencies including Cornwall Council have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the signs of child sexual exploitation.

The initiative coincides with Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day today, March 18, led by national charity National Working Group (NWG). The aim is to ensure people are aware of the signs of child sexual exploitation.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage everyone to know the signs of exploitation and, where necessary, to report information to police.

Further information about CSE, spotting the signs and how to get help can be found at the joint agency web page: www.dc.police.uk/cseawareness.

For help young people can call or text: 116000 – a free and anonymous service or visit www.faceuptoit.org, a website written for and by young people.

Frontline officers, support agencies, teachers and carers, taxi drivers and hotel workers have been trained to spot warning signs of grooming and exploitation, which include:

Receiving unexplained gifts or money

Using their mobile phone excessively and/or secretively.

Having significantly older friends.

Being picked up from home or school by someone you don’t know.

Associating with other young people who are already known to be vulnerable or involved in exploitation.

Playing truant from school or regularly going missing from home.

Suffering from a sexually-transmitted infection.

Self-harming.

Change in appearance.