Only a minority of British parents realise that children are being sexually exploited in their area, a children's charity has warned, despite the issue existing in towns and cities across the UK.
Barnardo's found 77 per cent of parents were confident they could spot whether their child was in danger of sexual exploitation, according to a survey conducted earlier this month.
However only 38 per cent of the 1,147 parents interviewed by ComRes for Barnardos, believed that the sexual exploitation of children was happening in their area.
The charity said it worked with 1,000 victims of child sexual exploitation last year, but said it believes that number to only be the "tip of the iceberg".
The charity said sexual exploitation ranges from sexual relationships in exchange for attention, accommodation or gifts to sex trafficking.
The NSPCC are similarly concerned:
"Every year thousands of children suffer horrendous experiences after being targeted by sex offenders who are adept at conniving a way into their lives. Many of these children are too young to help themselves, others are deceived by cunning manipulation'.
A large part of the problem, according to the chief executive of Barnardo's, Anne Marie Carrie, is that "tell-tale signs are overlooked".
"Defenceless boys and girls, who crave love and attention, are groomed then abused in the most callous and calculated way, leaving them deeply traumatised.
"I want mothers, fathers, professionals and young people to have the confidence in spotting these signs. The earlier abuse is identified, the earlier we can stop it.”
www.barnardos.org.uk/cutthemfree