Campaign is launched to stop child sex exploitation

The drive by Hampshire police is aimed at taxi drivers and staff working in hotels, takeaway outlets, bars and children’s care homes to raise awareness and encourage reporting of abuse.

Neighbourhood policing teams will visit all these establishments and deliver training packs, entitled Operation Make Safe.

Examples include hotel guests who are secretive about the identity of young people in their company or young people looking nervous or frightened in the company of an adult.

Detective Superintendent Victoria Dennis, the lead officer on the scheme, said: ‘Operation Make Safe has already been used successfully by the Metropolitan Police. We hope to see similar results here.

‘Young people may not always recognise that they are being exploited or aware of the risks. They are often groomed by the perpetrators or feel trapped and can’t see a way to escape the situation.’