Sexual abuse involves forcing or persuading a child to take part in sexual activities whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This includes physical contact sexual assaults as well as exposing children to sexual materials or acts. Children can be sexually abused over the internet.
Since 2015 it has been a criminal offence to sexually communicate with a child. Grooming children relates to building a relationship of trust with a child for the purposes of manipulating, exploiting or abusing them. Children who experience sexual abuse are usually abused by someone they know, such as a family member or trusted adult (90%). Also, 30% of child sexual abuse victims are abused by another child. Harmful sexual behaviour by children is explored further below.
It is widely accepted that perpetrators will usually go through four steps in order to sexually abuse a child. David Finkelhor developed the ‘Four Preconditions Model’ in 1986. The Lucy Faithfull Foundation have explained this further.
Sarah's Law
Under the child sex offender disclosure scheme (also known as ‘Sarah’s Law’), anyone in England and Wales can formally ask the police if someone who has access to a child has a record for child sexual offences. Police will reveal relevant information to the person most able to protect the child (usually parent/carer). The disclosure scheme is available via the Home Office. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own similar schemes.
Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA)
Since 2003, Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) were set up in order for Police, Probation and Social Care to monitor the risks posed by offenders convicted of violent or sexual crimes.
Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. Sexual exploitation involves an imbalance of power in favour of the abuser where coercion, intimidation, violence and/or enticement are used to sexually abuse a child. This can emerge from a seemingly consensual relationship with the child. It can also include introductions to other abusers, formal prostitution of the child and/or the production and distribution of sexual images or exposure of the child to sexual images. It can be perpetrated by both males and female adults and also peers of the child. It can affect children from all social backgrounds irrespective of gender and ethnicity.
The most recent updated definition of child sexual exploitation is by the Department of Education in 2017 which was published alongside new practice guidance.
This guidance emphasises the distinction between child sexual exploitation and child sexual abuse, it explains that child sexual exploitation involves an 'exchange' and the guidance explains an exchange as;
and/or
Consent
There is a danger that not fully understanding consent could lead to missed safeguarding opportunities. Consent can only be given if a person has a choice and also has the freedom and capacity to make a choice. Children cannot consent to sexual exploitation as they cannot consent to their own abuse. 16 and 17 year olds can consent to sex but they can still be sexually exploited. A ‘social model of consent’ refers to consent and abusive sexual activity, it explains how various social and environmental factors constrain a young person’s capacity to provide consent. It is explained in this short film by Professor Jenny Pearce from the University of Bedfordshire.
The trap of child sexual exploitation is explored further in the trauma model and CE, this explains some of the reasons why a child may not alert safe adults to their abuse and may return to the perpetrator who harmed them. This behaviour can mean some professionals may not always identify a child as being exploited.
Views of the child
Children have shared they find it difficult to access and receive support. This is because they do not consider themselves to be a victim of exploitation or at risk. They do not always accept that they need help or that they may not be able to protect themselves. They also do not easily trust professionals and feel they have failed many victims in the past. Commonly children have repeated key themes about what they want from professionals who are reaching out to help them. They want professionals to notice what could be happening and ask them questions but at their pace and to feel they genuinely care. Children do not want to feel blamed or judged and they want their personal information respected and to feel they are working together with professionals. They want to feel professionals pay attention to their strengths as well as the risks in their life, thinking about all their needs, including their family. They want a professional who will help them to make sense of what has happened and find ways to offer consistent support.
The NSPCC state that “harmful sexual behaviour is developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour which is displayed by children and young people and which may be harmful or abusive" (derived from Hackett, 2014). It may also be referred to as sexually harmful behaviour or sexualised behaviour (NSPCC, updated 03 February 2020). This definition recognises that children’s sexual behaviour is on a continuum and should be considered in relation to their age and stage of development. Further reading from the NSPCC.
Harmful sexual behaviour in children can often be an expression of other problems or vulnerabilities. Children with harmful sexual behaviour will need a coordinated multi-agency response to assist them and their family. Many children may have specific needs that need to be identified and support offered whilst ensuring other children remain protected. A risk management plan should be agreed with all agencies supporting the child, which is developed and regularly reviewed separately from any child victims.
Harmful sexual behaviour training
AIM2 Assessment Framework
This is a specialist assessment and intervention framework for professionals from Social Care and Youth Offending Service to use with children displaying harmful sexual behaviour. It is based on the ‘Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families’ used by Social Care and the ‘Asset’ framework used by the Youth Offending Service. This enables professionals to develop a risk management plan and an intervention plan of direct work to increase a child’s resilience and therefore reduce the likelihood of future harmful sexual behaviour.