MLA campaigning against sexual exploitation in North Antrim

In a bid to raise awareness on the issue, he is holding a public meeting in the Braid on Thursday, May 16, from 7.30-8.30pm which will be free to attend and open to all. Mr McIlveen says he hopes to help parents, professionals and young people spot the signs of exploitation and know what steps to take if they suspect someone is being sexually groomed.

He said: “Child sexual exploitation is a serious form of child abuse and unfortunately I am only too aware that it affects young people in the local area. Shockingly, Barnardo’s report ‘Not A World Away’ revealed that one in nine 16-year-olds in Northern Ireland have been sexually groomed in some way and 61% had not told anyone about it.

“The report also found that sexual exploitation was an issue of concern for two thirds of girls in care homes in Northern Ireland, based on responses from social workers. These figures are extremely worrying and we as a community need to work together to tackle this issue.

“Child sexual exploitation is a hidden crime which can be difficult to identify but can cause deep emotional and physical damage to its victims. Many parents don’t know that drug or alcohol misuse, regularly returning home late and associating with much older children or adults may be signs of sexual grooming.

“I would encourage anyone, whether they have concerns about a young person or not to attend the meeting in the Braid, where we will learn how to spot more signs of child exploitation and how to protect our young people against this heinous crime.”

The MLA has invited Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin, Manager of Barnardo’s Ni Safe Choices to give a presentation and answer questions at the evening.

She said: “Vulnerable girls and boys, who crave love and attention, are groomed then abused in the most callous and calculated way, leaving them deeply traumatised and possibly scarred for life. Yet victims continue to go unidentified as tell-tale signs are overlooked. We need to raise awareness of the issue as the earlier abuse is identified, the earlier we can stop it.

“Barnardos NI has had over 240 referrals to its Safe Choices service, which is dedicated to working with young people who are sexually exploited. However, we believe this is just the tip of the iceberg, with many victims failing to get the support they need as tell-tale signs are missed.

“If you have concerns about a young person please contact Barnardo’s Safe Choices service Tel: 028 9065 851.”