MORE than 60 vulnerable children in Dorset have been assessed as at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation(CSE) in the last six months with 15 people arrested on suspicion of horrific sex crimes against them.

Twenty of the youngsters are still deemed to be at "significant risk" and are being safeguarded by a police team set up specifically to tackle the problem.

The rest are still being monitored and kept safe although the risk is believed to be reduced following multi-agency intervention.

Offences investigated include rape, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, creating indecent images of children and drugs offences.

Dorset Police revealed the figures today as part of a national awareness day for CSE.

The awareness day aims to highlight the issues surrounding CSE, asking everyone to think about it, look out for the signs and speak out against abuse.

CSE is a form of child abuse that involves the manipulation or coercion of young people to engage in sexual activity in exchange for money, gifts including alcohol, tobacco and drugs, accommodation, affection or status.

Recent investigations in Oxford, Rotherham and Rochdale revealed hundreds of victims and the problem is believed to be nationwide.

Martyn Underhill, Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner said: “Events like this are brilliant in raising awareness amongst the public and we need to do that. I know it seems like CSE is all over the TV, but actually there are a lot of people who are not thinking CSE and are not reporting it.

"It happens inside families, schools, gyms, it happens everywhere you go in the community. The higher the reports, the higher the engagement we get with victims, the more we can stamp out this horrible crime.”

Cliff Turner, Independent Chair of the Dorset and Poole and Bournemouth Safeguarding Children’s Boards, said: “If you see or know something suspicious please discuss your concerns with the Police or with children's social care. The information that you have could be an important piece of a jigsaw picture that could prevent another tragedy".

Bournemouth Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Children’s Services, Councillor Nicola Greene, said: “We all have a duty of care towards the most vulnerable children in our society and child sexual exploitation has been identified as one of our top priorities."