CHILDREN as young as 12 in Coventry are being groomed and sexually exploited by organised gangs, according to a charity.
At the Children’s Society in Coventry staff at its new Streetwise project currently know of more than 21 young girls and boys who have fallen victim to sexual exploitation within the city.
Working with young people aged between 12 and 16, the staff are now visiting schools, children’s centres and care homes to raise awareness of the alarming issue and warn teenagers about the dangers.
They say older men are befriending children - before luring them to parties and introducing them to other men.
Project manager Jenny Mahimbo said their biggest challenge was to educate people about the danger signs.
She says some youngsters are being groomed and ‘‘trafficked’’ around the city between men.
She said: “A lot of people think trafficking only happens abroad but what many people don’t realise is that internal trafficking is happening within the UK and these young people could just be moved to the next street, or even another part of the city.
“People don’t understand it can happen within a city and not necessarily just in London.
"It is happening here in Coventry.”
Jenny and her three staff are the only specialised child sexual exploitation team in Coventry and in recent months have been called upon for help and information from social services, the city council and police.
Problems with sexual exploitation in the city were highlighted to them while working with runaways in the city over three years.
