"Don't be ashamed to talk"

Thursday 21 March 2019

The Youth Commission is visiting Guernsey's secondary schools this week, raising awareness of child sexual exploitation and asking students to think about how they could help.

It's part of a nationwide 'Helping Hands' campaign and ties in with Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day, which was on Monday.

The commission has set up stalls in both Les Beaucamps and St Sampson's high schools, and will also be heading to Elizabeth College and La Mare de Carteret this week, to speak with students over their lunch breaks and to encourage them to write down thoughts and advice.

"Child sexual exploitation is the sexual abuse of any child under the age of 18, maybe in a situation where they've either been forced or manipulated into a sexual relationship with another person," explained Emotional Health and Wellbeing Worker Grace Lindsay. "Sometimes they might receive something in return for that. Sometimes it's not the child themselves that receives something in return but it might be a third party.

"It's abuse and it's absolutely not acceptable."

Pictured: The Youth Commission and Guernsey Police representatives have visited St Sampson's school.

When asked to write down what advice they would give, students at St Sampson's High School came back with a variety of different responses.

"Talk to someone or tell them to stop," said student Elizabeth Fernandes.

Nell Verriour wrote: "Don't be pressured into doing something you don't want to do," and Jade Le Page asked that concerned children "speak to as many people as they can".

Pictured: St Sampson's students wrote down the advice they would give to any children being sexually exploited.

Guernsey Police has been backing the Youth Commission's attempts to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation and representatives attended St Sampson's High School yesterday to answer questions.

Police Constable in the Neighbourhood Policing Team, PC Nicholas Boughay asked that anyone with concerns about child sexual exploitation contact the police immediately: "It will be treated confidentially and dealt with efficiently and promptly, because it is a serious crime so it will take priority.

"I know it's an old cliché but prevention is better than cure. Not only that but you're talking about the prevention of the heartache for the families and victims. So it's not just preventing a crime but prevention for all the other people that are affected like mums, dads, brothers, sisters, family members and the community."