Exchange of favours

Following the befriending stage, the child typically feels infatuated with the older man, interprets his attention and behaviour as love and regards him as a ‘boyfriend’. The child’s infatuation can override and weaken the child’s ability to see through and resist the coercion and deception. At this point, the man then seeks sexual favours for himself and for others. The child is expected to perform sexual acts as either proof of the child’s love for this man or as a way of paying for the ‘kindness’ shown during the befriending stage. The child is normally unaware that money is exchanging hands. Although legally significant, the awareness of the exchange of money is a minor consideration. More serious for the child is the demand for sexual activity and the actual experience of it, which can be profoundly shocking and shaming. The perpetrators use the shame against the child as it makes it more difficult for the child to seek help.

 

A child is a person under the age of 18. Typically, perpetrators target children aged between 11 and 15.

'When I look back what surprises me is the amount of time it took for the perpetrators to get to her (the daughter). She met them (pimps) in January when she went to watch movies at the shopping mall and in a space of 16 weeks they groomed, controlled and exploited her.'

Parent

'Jessica kept coming home with presents, like perfume, jewellery and mobile phones. She wouldn’t tell me where she got them.'

Parent

'She was coming in with bruises and love bites all over her too.'

Parent

'Within three months, I literally didn’t know her anymore. We’d had a really good relationship but she barely spoke to me now.'

Parent