This Sunday is National Sexual Exploitation Awareness Raising Day – 18th March 2018.

We’re supporting the national charity NWG Network to ask all our Neighbourhood Watch supporters to unite against child sexual exploitation.

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a form of sexual abuse that involves the manipulation and/or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity.

National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Raising Day aims to highlight the issues surrounding child sexual exploitation; encouraging everyone to think, spot and speak out against abuse and adopt a zero tolerance to adults developing inappropriate relationships with children.

Previous National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Raising Days have seen hundreds of events take place across the UK, ranging from poster and leaflet displays to whole local authorities embarking on targeted campaigns across public services and shopping centres.

Working with over 14,000 professionals across the world to help prevent and raise awareness of child sexual exploitation, NWG Network continue to leverage the strength of that network in order to tackle the problem head on.

The National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day has a dedicated website educating all on the factors of CSE, what it is, potential indicators and how you can help to stop it.

A full suite of marketing and campaign materials is available for Neighbourhood Watch supporters to download from the website.

“The day offers an opportunity for focus, for education and for discussion across society,”

“In light of recent news reports it is timely that the 2018 National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Raising Day falls on a Sunday, not only will this enable the public campaigning in shopping centre and public areas to reach a greater audience but it will also enable police forces, organisations and projects to focus on the issue of child sexual exploitation in sports, an opportunity to target the large audiences at football matches and other sporting events taking place over the weekend period. Together we can create more positive outcomes for so many vulnerable young people.”

Sheila Taylor MBE, CEO of NWG Network

Click here to see what’s happening near you on an interactive map of events.

Show your support by writing a personal pledge and posting to your social media with the hashtag #HelpingHands to help them raise awareness of CSE.