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Sexually Exploited and Trafficked Young People

  1. 1. Background

    • Young people are at risk of sexual exploitation. 75% of women working in prostitution started before they were 18; the majority want to get out.
    • Trafficking is a growing problem, with the UK recognised as a significant transit and destination country for trafficked children and young adults, and the internet continues to be used as a means of sexually exploiting young people.
    • Those trafficked for other reasons such as for domestic servitude, benefit fraud or growing cannabis are at also at high risk of sexual exploitation.
    • This exploitation has very harmful effects; trafficking and sexual exploitation puts young people at risk and damages the wellbeing of those affected, often pushing vulnerable young people further into poverty.

    Comic Relief has been funding work in this area for several years. Despite a welcome increase in the attention given to this issue by statutory and voluntary services, there is still a lack of accurate information, young people’s circumstances often go unrecognised by professionals and services on the ground remain patchy. For this reason, we continue to fund in this area.

  2. 2. Aim of the Programme

    To reduce the harm caused to young people by sexual exploitation and/or trafficking.

    We will fund work which addresses the above aim and one or more of the outcomes below. We are especially keen to help young people find routes out of prostitution or other forms of sexual exploitation, but we know for some this is difficult and will take time. We will therefore fund work which meets both immediate and longer term needs.

    We recognise that this remains a growing field of work, so if you have an innovative project that you feel addresses the overall aim rather than one of the outcomes below, please contact us for discussion as we may be interested in supporting your work.

  3. 3. Outcomes

    The organisations we fund will need to show how their work will help deliver one or more of the following outcomes:

    • Fewer young people will be sexually exploited or trafficked
    • More sexually exploited and/or trafficked young people and those at risk will know their rights, understand their situation and/or have access to the help and support they need
    • More sexually exploited and/or trafficked young people will have increased choice to make positive decisions about their futures

  4. 4. Who will we fund?

    We welcome applications from a range of organisations supporting young people aged 11-25 – some set up specifically to support sexually exploited young people and those at risk; others with a wider young people’s brief who want to target this group. We will also support other organisations working around sexual exploitation or trafficking who want to address young people’s needs; or projects in other fields whose work includes these young people at risk, such as housing.

    We recognise we need to be flexible around the age range of people supported. Some young people, for example, young men and some trafficked young people, may not come to the attention of professionals or realise their situation themselves until they are ‘older’. Therefore, although we expect that most of the services we fund will be aimed at younger people we will consider supporting projects working with those over the age of 25 where the case for need is made.