Support service saved girl, 14

A TEENAGER pressured into having sex at 14 has praised an Oldham service which protects child victims of sexual exploitation.

The local girl has bravely spoken to the Chronicle about how her life was turned round with help from Barnardo’s Messenger Service — run in partnership with Oldham Council and Oldham Police.

Children’s charity Barnardo’s believes Greater Manchester leads the way in raising awareness and supporting vulnerable children and young people. They chose Oldham for its continued help of those affected.

One of those needing support was Ruby, who saw her life go down a dangerous path at the age of 14.

She had fallen out with her mum and began partying with friends and staying out late at night.

The group of girls became close to a set of men in their 20s — with Ruby admitting she had sex with one of the men after claims he “looked after her” at parties.

But one night Ruby found herself driven to a house in the middle of nowhere on the promise of a “party”. In fact, it led to her being alone and pressured into having sex with a man she didn’t know. She escaped with a friend after phoning her mum’s boyfriend.

She said: “It was really scary that night and I started to think that we were in danger. Even though I didn’t, there was pressure on me to have sex with other men and I knew that wouldn’t stop.

“People had told me they were wanting to use me but at the time I didn’t think so.”

The teenager was referred to the Messenger service — a team battling sexual exploitation, successful in a number of prosecutions in Oldham over several years.

After being assigned a Barnardo’s worker, Ruby said: “At the time I thought ‘oh no, not another person butting into my life.’ But I met the worker and liked her. We talked and did a lot of work. I gradually became aware of the danger that I’d been in and what was happening to me.”

Following the support, Ruby, now 15, is on the right track and has settled back into school and is due to sit her GCSEs this summer with plans to do A-levels and eventually go to university.

The children’s charity’s new campaign, Cutting Them Free believes raising awareness is vital as they call on more local authorities to back the national drive.

They claim fewer than half of UK authorities have publicly pledged their commitment to protecting vulnerable children and young people through their campaign.

Director of Barnardo’s North-West, Mark Lee, said: “We’re proud of the steps we have taken to help vulnerable children escape from a world of sexual exploitation.

“Too many children from all walks of life can so quickly be caught up in a world of drugs, violence and sex. This is a sickening slur on our society and we must continue to work together to do all we can to end it.”