Child sexual exploitation and abuse have been recognized as issues of increasing concern by the UK and Scottish government, and a strategic policing priority. This is in part fuelled by media reporting of large scale, high profile cases involving groups and networks of perpetrators exploiting children and young people. In recent years there has been a welcome shift in the way child sexual exploitation is conceptualized and responses to it operationalized. However, there is a significant gap in research and understanding around the nature of group-associated child sexual exploitation.

This free to attend seminar will present new research findings on networks of offenders and victims involved in child sexual exploitation, providing an understanding of network structure, organisation and typologies and the nature and significance of victim networks, affording invaluable knowledge for supporting criminal investigation, disruption and prevention.

This event is jointly supported by Glasgow Caledonian University and the Scottish Institute for Policing Research Public Protection Research Network and will be of interest to practitioners working within a criminal justice context and those who work with victims and perpetrators of child sexual abuse and exploitation.