POLICE in North Yorkshire are among the most likely in the country to issue Child Abduction Warning Notices, or CAWNs.

CAWNs are used to deter child abuse suspects from visiting certain addresses, or approaching young people, and are commonly used by police when suspects and suspected victims of child sexual abuse (CSA), do not cooperate with the force. While this might mean a prosecution is not immediately possible, the CAWN can be issued as the investigation continues and, if it is broken, an arrest can be made.

Figures released in a national newspaper yesterday showed North Yorkshire Police issued 65 CAWNs in the last year - the seventh highest amount by a single force in England and Wales. South Wales had the highest number, with 207.

As reported in The Press last year, the use of CAWNS has increased in recent years, with 28 served in 2013, 36 in 2014, 83 in 2015, and 26 between January and April 2016.

Detective Superintendent Nigel Costello, said CAWNS were an additional tool to "help us protect vulnerable young people who we suspect are being exploited".

He said: "They give us the means to disrupt exploitative contact between adults and children. They also ensure the subject of the notice is under no illusion as to the age of the young person, making them a useful tool in any future prosecutions.

"They are part of range of measures we have at our disposal to protect vulnerable young people. Very often, young people don’t see themselves as victims, don’t believe they are being exploited and won’t report abuse to the police. The figures for North Yorkshire clearly demonstrate our proactive stance and that we will do everything we can to protect children from the harm that they very often don’t believe or acknowledge is happening to them."

Det Supt Costello also issued advice to help spot signs of grooming and sexual exploitation, which would include young people being very secretive, self-harming, going to unusual places to meet friends, having new clothes, mobile phones or other items which they can't or won't explain, and having access to drugs or alcohol.

He said: "Child sexual exploitation is a hidden crime. Young people often trust their abuser and don't understand that they're being abused. They may depend on their abuser or be too scared to tell anyone what's happening.

"It can involve violent, humiliating and degrading sexual assaults, and in some cases, young people are persuaded or forced into exchanging sexual activity for money, drugs, gifts, affection or status. However, it doesn’t always involve physical contact and can happen online when children send or post sexually explicit images of themselves, take part in sexual activities via a webcam or smartphone or have sexual conversations by text or online."

If you suspect a child is being abused, or groomed, please call the police on 101, or 999 if they are in immediate danger.