Advice for young people

It's not all right for someone to:

• Threaten to end your relationship if you don't have sex
• Ask or make you have sex with other people
• Expect sex in return for food or a place to stay
• Share drugs or alcohol with you in return for sexual acts
• Threaten to stop being friends if you don't perform sexual dares
• Give you gifts or money in return for sexual acts
• Ask you to take sexual photos of yourself or share them online or by text
• Threaten to humiliate or share sexual images of you if you don't carry out more sex acts

This isn't a complete list, but if any of the scenarios sound familiar then you may have been sexually exploited, even if the person who did it was a friend or girlfriend/boyfriend. If you are under 18, this behaviour towards you is against the law. No one is allowed to do these things to you and you should get help to report it.

• Advice for parents

• Advice for professionals

Keep safe

1. Stick with mates a similar age to you a good mate won't ask you to do stuff you're uncomfortable with
2. If you feel you can't say no, ask yourself: 'Am I in a safe situation?'
3. If someone offers you something for free, ask what they want in return
4. Listen to your body;  a fast, pounding heartbeat and churning stomach are signs you feel unsafe
5. Be careful what personal details including photos you give out online, by phone, or in real life
6. Make sure you know where you are going and how to get home. Have credit and charge on your phone
7. Make sure someone you trust always knows where you are
8. Drinking and taking drugs can make you unaware of unsafe situations and you can become a target for people who may hurt you

Think very carefully before going to a house party, hotel or leaving a pub or club with someone you have just met. If in doubt, don't go!

Plan your journey to and from home. If you get a taxi or minicab, make sure it's licensed. Don't accept lifts from someone who has taken drugs or had too much to drink.

Videos

YouTube: Kayleigh's Love Story (opens new window)

YouTube: Tea Consent (Clean) (opens new window)

YouTube: Losing Control - A Story About Sexual Exploitation (opens new window)