A NEW campaign raising awareness of boys and young men as victims of child sexual exploitation is being launched on Tuesday.

YMCA DownsLink Group’s WiSE Project is starting with four short films being released online depicting different models of sexual exploitation with boys and young men as victims.

The main objective of the campaign - titled WiSE Up To Boys - is to ensure that the sexual exploitation of boys and young men is recognised and responded to.

It wants to ensure that boys and young men are aware of where and how to access help and support.

The campaign will be driven by social media and the creation of an educational toolkit for use in schools and training.

Mark Cull, head of young people’s services and participation, said: “A recent YMCA WiSE research report around the sexual exploitation of boys and young men found a general lack of understanding that boys are victims of CSE too.

“We have created four short films that depict some of the different ways that boys might be sexually exploited, to enable wider awareness and understanding amongst parents and carers, children and young people, professionals and our communities.

“We hope people will get behind the campaign by watching the films and sharing them through their social media platforms; and report any concerns they may have about any child or young person who they feel may be at risk of sexual exploitation.

“They can be reported to social services and the police or seek advice from our YMCA WiSE boys and young men’s worker.”

In 2014 Barnardo’s conducted national research finding that although only approximately one in ten CSE safeguarding referrals were in relation to boys and young men, it is more likely that one in three victims of exploitation are male.

The YMCA WiSE project undertook a six-month scoping exercise to find out what the experiences were on a local level in Brighton and Hove and East Sussex.