Child sexual exploitation (CSE) networks: reassembling structure and activity.

PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENTChild sexual exploitation perpetrated by organised networks has been a major child protection concern in the UK. This paper uses police investigation files and interviews with police officers to reconstruct and explore the structures and mechanisms underlying offender and victim networks in five cases of network-based CSE perpetrated within UK communities between 2010 and 2021. Using social network analysis and content analysis this paper finds that, while structures vary, most offender networks are loosely connected, lack centres of power and lack structural sophistication. Additionally, examination of the corresponding victim cohorts demonstrates that victims often come from interconnected peer groups intrinsically involved in introducing each other to offender networks. Specific roles in network activity could be identified and matched to both offenders and victims. Statistical analysis shows that an offender’s structural position in the network is related to the specific roles they perform, with different roles showing distinct structural profiles.The study suggests that identifying and targeting offenders with specific roles within CSE networks could aid strategic network disruption. However, it is also implied that when it comes to dismantling networks, taking an offender-centred approach may not be the most effective strategy, as they are structured in a way that is resilient to these tactics. Instead, the study proposes that engaging with victim networks could serve as a more effective alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]