New unit will tackle exploitation of vulnerable young people
Human Trafficking
The Government has announced a new national response unit will be established to help local authorities tackle the exploitation of young people.
What the new unit will do
The unit, which will be backed by up to £2million investment will provide bespoke support to local councils to help prevent child sexual exploitation, modern slavery and any other attempts by criminals to take advantage of vulnerable children.
Figures from the National Crime Agency last year showed over a third – 35 per cent – of police forces reported evidence of child sexual exploitation in relation to county lines (county lines is where children are exploited and used to traffic drugs in rural areas).
The new unit will run from 2019 up until 2022.
CARE’s response
CARE welcomes this initiative from the Government. The charity’s senior policy officer for Human Trafficking Louise Gleich said:
“The exploitation of children and young people is a truly awful crime and so it is good to see the Government being proactive in seeking to address it.
“If the new unit works as intended, it will help local authorities to protect vulnerable young people and give them the best possible support.”
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New unit will tackle exploitation of vulnerable young people