Dr Ali Struthers on new calls for teachers to discuss 'sextortion' in schools

"Children are increasingly at risk from exploitation, with the methods becoming more complex and sophisticated. School safeguarding in England and Wales has historically tended to rely on reactive responses from school staff to persistent signs of abuse or exploitation, so it is significant here that teachers are being offered guidance on proactively recognising and acting on signs of this type of exploitation. It remains important, however, that children themselves are empowered to recognise and act upon instances of sextortion and to feel confident that action will be taken in response to it."