Paedophiles trying to exploit children

The Evening Standard reports how paedophiles are constantly trying to exploit children in after school and schools clubs. The government is set to introduce a new scheme to introduce new checks on adults who volunteer to help in such clubs.  

The report follows on from the ongoing debate about introducing new checks to people who work with children. The issue is discussed by Terence Blacker in the Independent.

The proposals stem from the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. This Act provides the legislative framework for a vetting and barring scheme for people who work with children and vulnerable adults. The purpose of the new scheme was to minimise the risk of harm posed to children and vulnerable adults by those that might seek to harm them through their work (paid or unpaid). It seeks to do this by barring unsuitable individuals not just on the basis of referrals but also at the earliest possible opportunity as part of a centralised vetting process that all those working closely with children and/or vulnerable adults will need to go through.

It is well known that paedophiles look for situations where they can groom children for abuse. This includes children’s clubs and the internet. Another publication,

“Mission and Justice” reports how there are apparently “750,000 paedophiles prowling the net.” .

One example of a paedophile gaining access to a child was in reported in the Cambridge City News. In this case a man befriended a victim’s mother after meeting her through the internet, and then proceeded to abuse her daughter.

Section 15 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 is the “grooming offence” and says:-

“Meeting a child following sexual grooming etc.

(1) A person aged 18 or over (A) commits an offence if—
(a) having met or communicated with another person (B) on at least two earlier occasions, he—
(i) intentionally meets B, or
(ii) travels with the intention of meeting B in any part of the world,
(b) at the time, he intends to do anything to or in respect of B, during or after the meeting and in any part of the world, which if done will involve the commission by A of a relevant offence,
(c) B is under 16, and
(d) A does not reasonably believe that B is 16 or over.”