Perspectives on CSE in a Rural County

1. Perspectives on CSE in a Rural County HEREFORDSHIRE SAFEGUARDING BOARD CONFERENCE 27.04.16 Dr.Peter Unwin

2. Rural Social Work is not Recognised Hackney is where it is at! or Rotherham/Derby/Oxford/Rochdale...

3. The Rural Reality

4. CSE: a reality across urban and rural settings? Det. Chief Supt. Andrew Murray, Thames Valley: “We have proved that if you look for this you will find it, we have found it not just in our large urban areas but in areas of Thames Valley you would consider as picturesque market towns” (Sky News, 2015)

5. Ducks Might Quack…. ‘Far from being idyllic, ‘real life’ problems, such as domestic violence, are as common in rural areas as anywhere else. Ducks might quack, sheep might baa, but the grass isn’t always greener’. (Carter 2003, p. 229)

6. The Rural Reality? Isolation Poverty Drug use Mental Health problems Domestic Violence CSE … plus a few chocolate box cottages! (Cheers and Pugh 2010; Unwin 2014)

7. Understanding of CSE in rural areas Closest knowledge we have is from the field of Domestic Violence (DV) and Rurality Are there messages we can learn from this (limited) literature base on DV in rural settings that could be applied to rural CSE?

8. ‘Scream As Loud As You Want - No One's Going To Hear You…’ Messages from DV in Rural Areas Personal /geographic isolation Lack of services (more costly to provide) Accessibility of support groups Greater stigma Easier to control e.g. take car keys away Professionals may have personal links More conservative culture Professional Isolation (Stalford, Baker & Beveridge 2003; Pugh et al. 2007)

9. Fear of Visibility? ‘Paradoxically, while both adults and children who have experienced domestic violence in rural areas are in many cases invisible to service providers and policy makers, they often fear being highly visible in their local community.’ (Stalford, Baker & Beveridge 2003, p. 81)

10. Eastman et al., (2007) Patriarchal values regarding gender roles and family solidarity are more evident in rural communities than in urban communities This ‘hegemony of tradition’ is maintained by informal systems and roles

11. Alder (1996) Rural communities often resist external services and interventions because of a value-base that believes in self-dependence and perseverance

12. Violence Against Women in Rural and Urban Areas Rural women perceive that violence against women happens more in urban areas. Over 70% of respondents (urban and rural women) said that violence against women is not openly discussed in their communities. Over a quarter of rural women and a fifth of urban women focused on the behaviour of female victims of violence and abuse, rather than on the actions of perpetrators. Rural and urban women are equally as likely to experience violence and abuse. (McCarry & Williamson, 2009)

13. Fears of Consequences “Social work will be told and they will come and take the weans away” (Women’s Aid Worker, Area B). GP - survivors often will not disclose abuse to service providers as they are frightened their children will be taken into care. [from Scobie, 2009]

14. Views from Scotland’s Rural Workers “If you live in [city] you could maybe disclose domestic abuse and your neighbour might never know, but in smaller areas, in smaller towns if you disclose it, it could be the talk of the village and that can be a lot for women and young people to deal with’’ (Women’s Aid Worker, Area A). [from Scobie 2009, p.47]

15. Views from Scotland’s Rural Workers (cont’d) “A lot of women are living in villages and if they walk out of the house with a black eye they are highly visible, visible to the whole village almost, if they walk into a local shop or post office someone is bound to see them. Again there’s the whole thing about women being quite ashamed to go out and not wanting others to know what is happening to them”. (Women’s Aid Worker, Area B). [from Scobie 2009, p.47]

16. Additional Challenges of CSE in Rural Areas ‘It doesn’t happen here’ Where to go for services/alternative accommodation Stigma / lack of anonymity (consultations / groups) Acultural to admit bad stuff goes on (professionals and young people) Young people’s lure of ’the big city’ – takeaways / nightclubs / taxi rides / hotels / ‘parties’ Media image of predominantly Asian men perpetrators of CSE

17. THE NATURE AND PERCEPTIONS OF CSE IN A RURAL COUNTY Slow to get Research Permission Political anxiety/ professional defensiveness? Keen ‘inside’ Research Ally ‘who you know’ 2012 - no identified CSE cases 2015 - 80 CSE cases System used is standard Safeguarding System – parents/carers excluded as potential allies

18. Data from 65 Case Reviews Aug 2012 – March 2015 DEMOGRAPHICS OF SHIRE COUNTY White British 92.4% (Eng. Av. 79.8%) All Asian 2.4% (Eng. Av. 6%) Alleged Perpetrators (all male, incl. multiple offenders + social media offenders) =75 ( approx.) White British 26/75 (35%) Asian 25/75 (33%) Unknown 20/75 (27%) African 4/75 (5%)

19. Demographics of CSE Victims 58 Female / 7 Male (90 % /10%) White British - 55/65 -84% White Other - 5/65 – 8% White/Black African - 3/65 -5% White/Black Caribbean – 2/65 – 3%

20. Ages of Victims 17 yrs - 7 16 yrs - 20 15 yrs - 15 14 yrs - 12 13 yrs - 5 12 yrs - 5 11 yrs -1

21. Victims known to services previously or at time of referral Child in Need -17 CP Plan - 7 LAC – 18 (28%) CAMHS - 6 Early Help -1 i.e. - 48/65 (74%)

22. MISSING EPISODES 29/65 (45%) previous missing episodes Range 1- 17 episodes What is the Herefordshire grip on this ‘missing’ phenomenon?

23. Protective Parents/Carers   Parents/carers will recognise that their child is being groomed and that this is impacting on their behaviours & relationships  Parents/ carers are Social Media /IT aware   Parents/carers accept support & mediation of relationships with young person  Parents/carers will work with police to facilitate prosecution of Harbourers, Groomers, Exploiters & Abusers

24. Additional Criterion Was their commitment to being protective a pro-active and effective one or was it passive and ineffective?

25. Protective Parents/Carers Yes - 37 (incl. 11 foster carers) - 57% No – 23 ( incl. 1 Foster Carer) - 35% ?? – 5 ( 3 Res. Care / 2 F. Carers) - 8% • Only one invited to Strategy Meeting • Are we missing a trick here – parents/carers as allies against CSE? • CSE requires differentiated safeguarding responses

26. Models of Rural CSE Peer Group Initiated Model ‘Peer Group Initiated’ followed by social media followed by meeting individual adult males – 8 instances ‘Peer Group Initiated’ followed by social media followed by meeting groups of adult males – 3 instances involving 6 girls ( 2 involved Night Time Economy)

27. Social Media Initiated Model ‘Social Media Initiated’ followed by meeting individual adult males – 39 ‘Social Media Initiated’ with no follow-up personal contact - 10

28. Personal/Familial Model Adult Known to Family - 2 Local Unknown Adult - 3 n.b. Social media still became a core factor in above CSE Model and is all-pervasive in CSE

29. Field Work Method 65 Letters sent out – SAEs / email inviting to non – audio recorded interview – their venue choice 8 Interviews achieved ( 5 Birth Parents / 3 Foster Carers) Issues of bias in this sample?

30. Interview with Parents / Carers Had you ever tried to raise your concerns about possible sexual risks to your child with anybody before professional agencies became involved with your family? Who did you first approach about your concerns and why? When did you first become aware that professionals were concerned your child might be at risk? Can you tell us what you understood these concerns were? What agencies were involved? What difference did these agencies make to better ensuring the safety of your child? Were you involved in the planning to reduce the risks to your child? Do you have any suggestions regarding how families in similar situations might be better helped in the future?

31. Interview Findings • 4 Protective • 4 Non-Protective ( through either lack of comprehension / awareness / IT knowledge or the grooming was too ‘clever’) • 5/8 Praised the agencies involved • 3/8 Significant Criticisms of the agencies involved

32. Praise Police - ‘all over it, head-first into it’ Action for Children - ‘Excellent support’ School - ‘Great liaison’ Social Worker - ‘A friend and representative of authority’

33. Criticisms • “Shame on You” / Being Judged -2 ( “We don’t live like Jeremy Kyle with tattoos and mastiffs etc.”) • Process was ‘very scary’ - 1 • Lack of inter-agency co-ordination -3 • Changes in social worker - 4 • ‘ You can’t have a timid social worker’ -1 • Lack of boundaries in residential care -1

34. Rural/Urban Models • No evidence of CSE actually taking place in Village / Isolated locations • Locus was small market towns / School links • All-pervasive presence of Social Media – parents / carers knowledge needs • The ‘Boyfriend’ Model – grooming / gifts / coercion • Targeting of vulnerable young people -74% referrals already known to services • High % of protective carers/parents?

35. Rural/Urban Models (cont’d) • Internal trafficking to nearby towns and cities (24/65 -37%) • Two groups of girls involved with groups of Asian men • Schools as ‘peer-recruiting’ grounds – Training Resources not employed • Two girls kidnapped out of county by a group of White British men

36. –Rural / Urban Differences in CSE Models? • No significant evidence of ‘Night Time Economy’ Model of CSE (2/65) • No evidence of ‘gang’ grooming for CSE • Only one hotel ‘party’ • No targeting of children’s homes • No evidence of professionals dismissing / oppressing child victims

37. MESSAGES FOR PRACTICE • Need for swift assessment of parent / carer protectiveness • Need to involve protective parent/ carers as allies as early as possible • Schools to use training packages • Closer Inter-agency working • Authoritative Practice • Community Engagement • Child first not defensiveness first re. Research Partners

38. AREAS FOR RESEARCH • Need to understand psychology of group perpetrators • How to get schools engaged • How to best support and educate protective parents /carers • Health needs of parents/carers

39. Discussion Points • Over representation of Asian Males esp. in Group CSE – What is this about ??? • Media Profile of Asian Males • Political /Professional Defensiveness • All-pervasiveness of Social Media • Changing norms of sexuality –Sexting / Porn • Schools lack of Educative Take-up • Skilling –up Foster and residential carers

40. References Adler, C. (1996) ‘Unheard and Unseen: Rural Women and Domestic Violence’ Journal of Nurse-Midwifery. Vol.41, No.6, pp463-466 . Carter, B. (2003) Ducks might quack... Children and domestic violence in rural areas. Journal of Child Health Care, 7(4), 226-229. Cheers, B. and Pugh, R. (2010) Rural Social Work: International Perspectives. Bristol, The Policy Press. Eastman, B., Bunch, S., Hamilton. G., Williams, A. and Caravan, L.W. (2007) ‘Exploring the Perceptions of Domestic Violence of Service Providers in Rural Localities’. Violence Against Women, Vol.13, No.7, pp700-716. Hayes, S. and Unwin, P. (2016) Comparing the Cultural Factors in the Sexual Exploitation of Young People in the UK and the USA: Insights for Social workers, Social Work Review / Revista de AsistentaSociala 1/2016

41. References • McCarry, M. and Williamson, E. (2009) Violence Against Women in Rural and Urban Areas. Bristol: University of Bristol. • Pugh, R., Scharf, T., Williams C. and Roberts , D. ( 2007 ) Obstacles to using and providing rural social care. Research Briefing 22,SCIE. • Scobie, A. (2009) Barriers to the Provision and Use of Domestic Abuse Services in Rural Scotland. Unpublished M.Sc. Thesis. • Sky News (2015)Police: Child Abuse In 'Picturesque Towns‘, [ online] http://news.sky.com/story/1437558/police-child-abuse-in-picturesque-towns • Salford,L. , Barker, H. and Beveridge, F.(2003) Children and Domestic Violence in Rural Areas. A child-focussed assessment of service provision. The Countryside Agency/Save the Children. • Unwin,P. (2014) The Role of Agency Social Work In England – A Case Study, University of Warwick, Unpublished PhD thesis