Campaign raises awareness of child sexual exploitation to schools across the region

School students from across the region have been taught how to spot the signs of sexual exploitation.

Not In Our Community, a campaign set up to raise awareness of child grooming, ran a youth summit at Hessle High School with 24 schools.

Around 150 school pupils took part in a day full of activities yesterday. The activities included watching videos and a performance by three Hessle High School

students that told the stories of victims of child sexual exploitation. The students also received information from detective inspector Paul Welton and Charlene Kent from Corner House, who support victims and tackle the issue.

Campaign director John Gilbert said: “I think it’s our duty to make sure that young people are as best protected as they can be against people that mean them harm.

When you’re growing up there’s so much to deal with and sexual exploitation is certainly one of the ugliest things that blights our society. So whilst a lot of work is being done with adults, a lot of work is being done with perpetrators, we need to better equip the victims as to how to do what they can to not be hooked into one of these terrible situations.”

The schools that participated in the event were Hull Trinity House Academy, Longcroft School, Ormiston Maritime Academy, Withernsea, Axholme, Baysgarth, Cottingham High School, Frederick Gough School, Ganton School, Headlands School and Wolfreton.

Amy Knight, campaign manager, spoke more about the youth summit and what Not In Our Community do: