In February 2017 the Government published its ‘Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation: Progress Report’ and announced a £40m package of measures to tackle all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation, including organised child sexual exploitation. The Progress Report details delivery of the ambitious programme of work set out in the 2015 Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation Report and signals a step change in our national response to sexual violence against children and young people.

We are helping the police to respond to changing demand and improving capacity and capability through the Police Transformation Fund and with a £460m increase in overall funding 2018/19.

To support the police to tackle organised sex-trafficking and other forms of modern slavery, the Government has provided £8.5m of additional funding to the police in England and Wales to provide bespoke and dedicated modern slavery capabilities. This police activity is supported at a national level by the National Crime Agency who lead multiagency operations to target key thematic slavery and trafficking threats including organised sexual exploitation.

In addition, on 3 September 2018, the Home Secretary made clear his personal commitment to tackling child sexual abuse and exploitation in all its forms, demanding industry raise their response to the horrifying scale of online child sexual abuse, and making clear there would be no ‘no-go areas’ of inquiry into the offline grooming, abuse and exploitation of children.

The Home Secretary announced additional investment in law enforcement capabilities; funding for prevention work through Lucy Faithful Foundation; investment in new technology like the Child Abuse Image Database, and; plans to lead concerted international action.