NOTA News Newsletter July 2018 1

Targeting And Reducing Grooming,
Exploitation and Trading of Children and
Young People Online (TARGET)
– Hayley Brown
The TARGET (Targeting And Reducing Grooming,
Exploitation and Trading of Children and Young People
Online) is a three year Big Lottery funded project at Service
Six, a Midlands based charity.
In 2015 Service Six recognised
that there was an increase in
demand by young people needing
support after experiencing
Online Sexual Exploitation and
Abuse (OSEA). On exploring
the wider scale and impact of
this emerging trend the TARGET
Project undertook initial research
in October 2015 to August
2016 in both Leicestershire
and Northamptonshire. This
research was undertaken with the
additional support of an ex-CEOP
operative, DS Carole Walton from
Northamptonshire Police, and
Dr Lee Haddlington, De Montfort
University’s Senior Lecturer
and Chartered Psychologist,
the Founder Member of the
Psychology and Technology
Research Group, East Midlands
Police Academic Collaboration
(EMPAC) and Network Lead
for Serious Organised Crime
(Cybercrime).
The research displayed the
trends and concerns of the
many dangers our children and
young people face in the online
world. This research and the
consultation saw the organisation
engaging with over 1000 children
and young people aged five years
plus. The research findings clearly
depict a disturbing reflection of
the children and young people’s
online experiences.
Over half of the children and
young people told us that they
are regularly contacted online by
strangers, with over 19% of them
having been asked to meet with
a stranger. Most shockingly was
that only 0.5% of the children and
young people ever reported any
of their concerns or experiences
to anyone. A comparison
evaluation was also conducted
between disadvantaged and nondisadvantaged
young people,
with only a 1% difference in
terms of stranger contact. This
clearly showed that the threats
in the online world cuts across
all demographics and affect
all children. However, it must
be noted that these were only
anonymous findings based upon
what the children and young
people were willing to tell us - the
true extent could be far worse.
Every day the development of
technology and the impact that
this places upon our children
and young people and future
generations to come, becomes
more and more obvious. Recent
Ofcom statistics in 2017 showed
that at least 83% of all 12-15 year
olds own their own smartphone,
with 74% of them also having
their own social media accounts.
Through the work that TARGET
is currently undertaking, these
statistics are already changing.
During delivery sessions with
TARGET, it has been recorded
that many 7 year olds already
have social media accounts and
children as young as 6 are playing
games online such as Grand Theft
Auto and Call of Duty. These
children are already exposed
to a world where people who
perpetrate abuse are awaiting an
opportunity.
Technology is now embedded
in everyday lifestyles as a social
norm connecting us all with
a wide range of individuals,
including those, of any age, who
may perpetrate abuse across
the world. Since 2015 the UK
government and other national
organisations have reported
the increase in technology
and its connection with Child
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