Scottish schoolchildren could soon be given lessons on how to spot the signs of sexual exploitation thanks to information gleaned from the streets of Dundee.
The Scottish Parliament’s Public Petitions Committee published its recommendations to tackle the sexual exploitation of children this week.
Sexual exploitation is where children are groomed by predators, isolated from their family and friends and abused. Often, they are forced into prostitution.
A 70-page report submitted to the Petitions Committee about the issue contained 10 case studies from Barnardo’s Scotland’s two Fighting Against Child Exploitation Projects in Dundee and Glasgow.
Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “The sexual exploitation of children is a sickening crime and I think the committee has been shocked by the evidence Barnardo’s Scotland and others have presented.
“One of the things we have learned is that the way the problem manifests itself changes. It used to be people out on the street but there is much more online contact.”
The committee’s recommendations include new services to help the victims of child sexual exploitation and an education programme.
