This week plain-clothes policemen are visiting London’s hotels with young people (volunteer cadets) as companions to book a hotel room in circumstances that should rise an alarm and end up by hotel staff calling the police.

Similar operation has been conducted last October and since that time level of awareness in UK capital city remains high. However, in the last five years since 2014, crime reporting linked to child sexual exploitation has increased by nearly 50%.

Child sexual exploit is a form of child sexual abuse and can occur when a young person or group of young people are manipulated or deceived into sexual activity. This can be by an adult but young people can also be exploited by other young people. It often involves the young person being offered drugs, alcohol, money or gifts, or friendship which ends in sexual exploitation whether by sexual activity or trade of sexual images.

Detective Inspector Anna Rice, from the City of London Police, said: “We all have a role to play in keeping children and young people safe from sexual exploitation. We work closely with our partners in law enforcement, and local businesses and the community to raise awareness of this terrible crime and hope that by working together we can identify, protect and safeguard those who may be at risk.

Operation against child exploit will last ten days and approximately 100 police officers and 30 young volunteers will take action to 100 hotels around London this week.

Officers want staff to know what action to take if they suspect a guest is booking a room for the purposes of child sexual exploitation (CSE).https://t.co/OQys5CkHJL

— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) March 18, 2019

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For more information on Operation Makesafe and what the Met and its partners are doing to tackle Child Sexual Exploitation:
– https://www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/child-sexual-exploitation/
– https://www.met.police.uk/police-forces/metropolitan-police/areas/about-us/about-the-met/campaigns/operation-makesafe/