Up to 500 West Midlands children 'at risk of sex exploitation'

Almost 500 children across the West Midlands were victims of, or vulnerable to, sexual exploitation in the first half of last year, figures have revealed.

A report found some children were trafficked by gangs and often passed between offenders.

It is thought to be the first time data has been compiled for the whole region.

Stephen Rimmer, a senior civil servant who led the project, said it would help improve support for children.

'Significant underestimate'

He said it provided "a proper picture for the first time of the scale and nature" of child sexual exploitation (CSE) in the area.

"I think society has been slow to recognise that child sexual exploitation is insidious, it's spread right across the country - victims are often terrified and they will not be comfortable working with police and other agencies," he said.

The report has been complied by councils in Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Walsall, Solihull, Wolverhampton and Sandwell, as well as West Midlands Police.

Solihull recorded the greatest proportion of victims, although that was attributed to better systems for identifying those at risk.

The council's Chief Executive Nick Page, speaking on behalf of all seven local authorities, described the work as "an important staging post".

While 488 children were identified as having suffered or being at risk of sexual exploitation, the report said the number was probably "a significant underestimate".

Report's findings - covering January to June 2014

• 87% of those targeted were girls, although many did not consider themselves victims of abuse

• About a third of the children identified were in local authority care, while of those living at home, 25% had stayed in a care home at some point

• A "disproportionate" number of men from Asian Pakistani backgrounds were suspected of exploitation on the streets

• Online offending was more likely to involve white males

Mr Rimmer, strategic lead on child abuse in the West Midlands, said it was difficult to identify victims as many were either "terrified" of the position they were in, or did not see themselves as such.

"We need to give clear messages to those at risk, their families, the communities, that we're not going to put up with this abusive behaviour," he said.

One victim, who was first targeted when she was 14, said it took three years before she understood she had been manipulated.

"I always put it down to him being my boyfriend. I was in love with him," she said.

"It's like they put a spell on you. You don't even realise what is happening."

Civil injunctions

West Midlands Police said there were 70 ongoing CSE investigations involving individuals, gangs and organised criminals - with 97 people currently on bail.

The force was criticised last year for its handling of child protection cases, but said it had doubled the number of officers in its public protection unit to more than 800.

Mr Rimmer said the report showed authorities were "proactive" in facing the issue.

Birmingham City Council has previously acknowledged "serious child sexual exploitation" in the city, but said the true scale of the problem was unclear.

Its children's services department has been consistently rated inadequate by Ofsted and in 2013 was branded a "national disgrace".

Child social care in Coventry was also rated inadequate, after inspections last year.

Since July, Mr Rimmer said, a common system had been introduced across the West Midlands to make it easier to share information on both children and offenders.

The former Home Office director general said an awareness campaign had been launched, alongside training.

He said councils in the region were also prepared to use injunctions to stop potential offenders from approaching those at risk.

In November, Birmingham became the first authority in the country to use civil injunctions to ban men from approaching girls.