Study reveals scale of the sexual exploitation of boys

The sexual exploitation of boys and young men is a much bigger problem than previously thought, according to a study funded by the Nuffield Foundation, supported by Barnardo’s and carried out by NatCen and UCL (University College London).

The study underlines the dangers of underestimating the impact of child sexual exploitation on boys and young men. UCL’s analysis of records from 9,042 children and young people affected by child sexual exploitation supported by Barnardo’s since 2008 reveals that 1 in 3 (2,986) was male. This is a much higher figure than previous national studies have found.

Professionals interviewed by NatCen reported that those dealing with children can be less protective of boys than girls, meaning opportunities to protect boys, or recognise when they are being exploited, are missed.

Barnardo’s is calling for a radical shift in professional attitudes and practice. The charity wants agencies to challenge stereotypical views like these among front-line workers.

In order to better protect children, Barnardo’s believe that all schools should provide high quality, age-appropriate sex and relationship education. This should reflect that boys can be vulnerable to becoming victims, as well as girls.

Case study: Greg’s story

At the age of 12 Greg entered into a relationship with a 26-year-old male, who initially told him he was 18. He first developed this relationship online and met in person after two weeks.

The man made him feel like he was in an intimate relationship and he listened to him and agreed with him when he told him how unfair his life was.

Greg started being introduced to other adults by the man. He felt like these men were the only people he had. He felt that they liked him for being himself.

But then he was told to go to places and have sex with men, and train tickets and cabs were paid for him to get to the locations. The abuse he experienced became more severe and sadistic and he was put into very risky situations.

Eventually Greg was referred to Barnardo’s, who worked with him to help him to understand the reality of his abuse and how he had been groomed and taken advantage of.

Barnardo’s Chief Executuve Javed Khan said:

“We need to be brutally honest with ourselves. At the moment society is miserably and unacceptably failing sexually exploited boys and young men. The tell-tale signs are being missed because of a lack of awareness and stereotypes about the nature of this form of abuse.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the scale of this issue. Around a third of the young people supported by our specialist services over the last six years have been boys. We need to spread the message that it is not just girls who fall victim to this horrendous crime.

“However, we know this is only the tip of the iceberg. All children must have the knowledge to protect themselves. Urgent action is needed – we cannot in good conscience leave any boy or girl waiting in need of support to recover from sexual exploitation.”

Dr Carol McNaughton Nicholls, study lead from NatCen Social Research said:

“Gender discrimination is at the heart of what makes women and girls more likely to be victims of sexual abuse – including sexual exploitation.

“But from talking to professionals we know that it affects male victims, too; not only are they at risk of sexual exploitation, but they are also at risk of being overlooked as victims.

“We need to ensure we understand and address these risks, and protect young people from harm, regardless of gender.”

Dr Ella Cockbain, UCL Security and Crime Science, and principal investigator on the studies led by UCL, said:

“Male victims have largely been overlooked amid growing interest in child sexual exploitation (CSE) in recent years. This research marks a much needed step away from female-centric policy and practice – although it raises many questions that remain to be answered.

“For us, the inclusion of statistical analysis is particularly exciting as it moves beyond a discussion of individual cases only to the identification of overarching similarities and differences between boys and girls affected by CSE. Key examples include the higher rate of reported disabilities among boys than girls and their different pathways into services.

“Crucially, the finding that one in three service users was male highlights the danger in thinking CSE only really affects girls. We hope our study encourages policy-makers, practitioners and the general public to do their utmost to protect vulnerable boys and young men from sexual exploitation.”

Notes

1) This media release is relevant to the UK. Statistical analysis included England, Scotland and Northern Ireland combined which could mask national variations.

2) Three strands of research were conducted, with a report produced for each.

a) Rapid evidence assessment – what information is already out there? A systematic assessment of relevant prior research on the sexual abuse of boys and young men (led by UCL)

b) Interviews with professionals working with males and females affected by CSE (led by NatCen)

c) Analysis of Barnardo’s database of 9,042 CSE service users (led by UCL with support from Barnardo’s

3) The boys whose case files were analysed as part of the research were aged from 8 to 17 years inclusive.

4) Child sexual exploitation is used to cover a broad spectrum of activity from seemingly ‘consensual’ relationships or informal exchanges of sex for attention, accommodation, gifts or cigarettes through to serious, organised crime.

Related


Explore our projects

New

Welfare | 2024 - 2027

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Youth: mitigating exclusions using the digital?

View project
A front view of a father and his two children. He is carrying his young son in his arms and his daughter is riding her scooter along the footpath as he pushes his son's scooter along the way.
New

Justice | Welfare | 2024 - 2026

Challenging justice inequalities with children in conflict with the law 

View project
A young child splashing in a puddle next to his guardian and sister.
New

Justice | 2024 - 2026

Special guardianship families: experiences and support needs

View project
New

Justice | 2024 - 2024

Crossing Boundaries: Co-designing support for vulnerable young people

View project
New

Justice | 2024 - 2026

Breaking networks of youth serious violence

View project
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2027

Performance Tracker 

View project
Mother wearing hijab holding her toddler son on her knee, smiling at each other
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2025

Afghan resettlement in England: outcomes and experiences 

View project
A woman is sat on the edge of a bed staring at her phone while her daughter is in the background.
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Virtual parent support portals: a new research and practice agenda

View project
A middle-aged man sat at home is looking at this phone while sorting pension paperwork.
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Collective defined contribution pensions with investment choice

View project
three women walking along street laughing and smiling
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Revealing social capital

View project
Man getting professional advice

Justice | 2023 - 2025

Applicants’ experience of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC)

View project
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2026

Universal Credit, good work and progression

View project
A young child splashing in a puddle next to his guardian and sister.
New

Justice | 2024 - 2026

Special guardianship families: experiences and support needs

View project
A front view of a father and his two children. He is carrying his young son in his arms and his daughter is riding her scooter along the footpath as he pushes his son's scooter along the way.
New

Justice | Welfare | 2024 - 2026

Challenging justice inequalities with children in conflict with the law 

View project
New

Justice | 2024 - 2024

Crossing Boundaries: Co-designing support for vulnerable young people

View project
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2027

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Youth: mitigating exclusions using the digital?

View project
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2027

Performance Tracker 

View project
Mother wearing hijab holding her toddler son on her knee, smiling at each other
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2025

Afghan resettlement in England: outcomes and experiences 

View project
three women walking along street laughing and smiling
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Revealing social capital

View project
A middle-aged man sat at home is looking at this phone while sorting pension paperwork.
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Collective defined contribution pensions with investment choice

View project
New

Justice | 2024 - 2026

Breaking networks of youth serious violence

View project
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2026

Universal Credit, good work and progression

View project
A woman is sat on the edge of a bed staring at her phone while her daughter is in the background.
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Virtual parent support portals: a new research and practice agenda

View project
Man getting professional advice

Justice | 2023 - 2025

Applicants’ experience of the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC)

View project
A woman is sat on the edge of a bed staring at her phone while her daughter is in the background.
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Virtual parent support portals: a new research and practice agenda

View project
Two little boys and a little girl, all wearing primary school uniform, work together to solve a puzzle in their classroom.
In progress

Education | 2023 - 2025

What has ‘Free School Meals’ measured and what are the implications?

View project
Teenager hugging their mother
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2026

The long-term effects of being a young carer

View project
Elderly woman and adult daughter out shopping
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2026

Connecting pensions, health and care

View project
Male and female apprentices looking at car engine
In progress

Education | 2022 - 2025

Work or study? Gender and the transition from school to work

View project
Mother, father, son and daughter standing in front of their house
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

A regional regeneration index to track socioeconomic ‘Levelling Up’

View project
Man working on a laptop using sign language on a video call
In progress

Welfare | 2023 - 2024

Designing inclusive remote and hybrid working to support disabled workers

View project
Group of teenage boys at school in uniform
In progress

Justice | 2022 - 2025

Exploring racial disparity in diversion from the youth justice system

View project
Children walking with their parents in the countryside
In progress

Welfare | 2022 - 2024

Children’s lives in changing places

View project
Dad holding baby walking with two kids
In progress

Justice | 2022 - 2024

Administrative fairness in the digital welfare state

View project
In progress

Justice | 2022 - 2024

Transparency and judicial review: a study of the duty of candour

View project
Older man working from home on a video call
In progress

Welfare | 2022 - 2023

The impact of pension auto-enrolment and COVID-19 on saving behaviours

View project
A young child splashing in a puddle next to his guardian and sister.
New

Justice | 2024 - 2026

Special guardianship families: experiences and support needs

View project
New

Justice | 2024 - 2024

Crossing Boundaries: Co-designing support for vulnerable young people

View project
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2027

Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Youth: mitigating exclusions using the digital?

View project
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2027

Performance Tracker 

View project
Mother wearing hijab holding her toddler son on her knee, smiling at each other
New

Welfare | 2024 - 2025

Afghan resettlement in England: outcomes and experiences 

View project
three women walking along street laughing and smiling
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Revealing social capital

View project
A middle-aged man sat at home is looking at this phone while sorting pension paperwork.
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

Collective defined contribution pensions with investment choice

View project
New

Justice | 2024 - 2026

Breaking networks of youth serious violence

View project
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2026

Universal Credit, good work and progression

View project
Three colleagues smiling and talking at work
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2026

Arthritis, work and wellbeing: a mixed methods study with policy recommendations

View project
A man driving a van at work
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

The PAW Trial: feasibility and acceptability of the Pain-at-Work Toolkit

View project
Two older women swimming in their local pool
New

Welfare | 2023 - 2025

The psychological, social and economic impact of musculoskeletal conditions

View project
Reported

Justice | 2019 - 2023

Born into care: best practice guidelines

View project
Grandparents having fun outdoors with their granddaughter, who is eating an apple and laughing: Understanding family and community vulnerabilities in transition to net zero
Reported

Welfare | 2021 - 2023

Understanding family and community vulnerabilities in transition to net zero

View project
Father and son using laptop at home
Reported

Welfare | 2021 - 2024

Developing a minimum digital living standard for households with children

View project
Reported

Justice | 2021 - 2023

Delivering administrative justice after the pandemic

View project
Siblings play ball in a playground - Siblings Contact and the Law
Reported

Justice | 2020 - 2021

Guidance to judges on the anonymisation of children judgements

View project
Lawyer taking witness statement from male witness
Reported

Justice | 2019 - 2021

The production of witness statements by lawyers and litigants in person

View project
Close up of a young girl and her father wearing protective face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic outside.
Reported

Welfare | 2021 - 2023

The Economy 2030 Inquiry: navigating a decade of change

View project
Reported

Justice | 2020 - 2022

When is a wedding not a marriage? Exploring non-legally binding ceremonies

View project
Toddler-gleefully-eats-baked-beans-How-COVID-19-is-affecting-food-security-proj
Reported

Welfare | 2020 - 2021

How the COVID-19 crisis is affecting food security

View project
Teenage-girl-looks-at-smartphone-next-to-laptop-Growing-up-under-COVID-19-PROJ
Reported

Education | Welfare | 2020 - 2022

Growing up under COVID-19

View project
Mother carrying daughter outside their home
Reported

Welfare | 2020 - 2022

COVID realities: families on low incomes during the pandemic

View project
Woman-looks-at-smartphone-screen-How-the-UK-public-gets-information-about-COVID-19-PROJ
Reported

Welfare | 2020 - 2020

How the UK public gets information about COVID-19

View project
Search projects

We improve people’s lives by funding research that informs social policy, primarily in Education, Welfare and Justice. We also fund student programmes that give young people skills and confidence in science and research.

We offer our grant-holders the freedom to frame questions and enable new thinking. Our research must stand up to rigorous academic scrutiny, but we understand that to be successful in effecting change, it also needs to be relevant to people’s experience.

Profile