Summary
“Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a high priority for politicians and policy-makers and a prominent feature of government and National Crime Agency 2 strategic documents for serious and organized crime. A string of well-publicized cases in areas like Rochdale and Rotherham have led to an increased recognition and prioritization of the problem. Currently, knowledge of OCGs and the children and young people they exploit is limited. One study found gangs and groups were responsible for exploiting 2,400 victims in England over a 14-month period, however much less was known about the perpetrators involved. The true scale of organized CSE remains unclear, largely because it incorporates offenders, offending, and importantlyvictims, that tend to remain hidden to the authorities. Consequently, official crime statisticsand other recorded data are unlikely to represent the true extent of the problem. Focusing on the city of Bristol as a case study, the aim of this research was to examine the links between CSE and organized crime and the response to them…”—Page 1-2.