Child TraffickingSexual Exploitation
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a form of sexual abuse that involves the grooming and/or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity. This includes abuse of the child for the production of child abuse images or videos. Children in such exploitative situations may receive gifts, money, drugs, cigarettes, alcohol or affection as a result of performing illegal sexual activities or others performing illegal sexually exploitative activities on them. The child may be tricked into thinking that they are in a relationship with the abuser.
Know the indicators
Children who have been trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation may:
- Have unexplained gifts or possess items such as phones or jewellery which they couldn't afford to buy themselves.
- Display changes in mood or become emotionally volatile.
- Be secretive about who they are talking to and where they are going.
- Show a lack of interest in activities and hobbies.
- Miss school.
- Present with sudden changes in their appearance and wear more revealing clothes.
- Use sexual language that wouldn't be typically used by them.
- Engage less with their usual friends.
- Appear controlled by their phone.
- Switch to a new screen when you come near the computer
- Be associated with a gang.
- Become estranged from family.
- Switch to a new screen when you come near the computer.
- Become involved in drugs or alcohol, particularly if you suspect they are being supplied by older men or women.
- Associate with older men and women, particularly if they go missing and are being defensive about where they are and what they're doing.
- Have more than one, or a secret phone.
- Be constantly moved from one location to the next, harboured (kept) or received.
- Be escorted whenever they go to and return from outside activities.
- Have tattoos or other marks indicating "ownership".
- Only have very few items of age-appropriate clothing.
- Only know how to say sex-related words in the local language.
- Evidence of physical assault/disclosure of sexual abuse and/or exploitation.
Are you worried about a child?
You can report anonymously by calling the
Garda Confidential Hotline or emailing Blue Blindfold
1800 666 111or
