Reports of sexual exploitation of children double in 2023

The number of suspected cases of children being sexually exploited identified by authorities more than doubled in 2023, with the vast majority involving children in the care of the State.

Internal correspondence shows that Department of Children officials undertook a review of reports about the exploitation of children in care to try to identify any “patterns” that merited further investigation.

The latest figures show there were 61 cases of suspected child sexual exploitation identified by social workers or other Tusla staff up to December 12th. This represented a marked increase on the 27 reports of suspected child exploitation recorded by the child and family agency in 2022. In 47 of the cases identified last year, the children were in the care of the State.

Research published in June raised “grave concern” about girls in care being targeted by co-ordinated “gangs” of predatory men. The study, conducted by University College Dublin’s sexual exploitation research programme, involved interviews with staff who work with children in care.

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The research detailed instances of girls being regularly taken from residential care homes by taxis and brought to hotels, where they were then sexually exploited and abused, often after being supplied with drugs or given gifts.

Internal records show that on foot of the study Tusla examined known cases of suspected exploitation of young people in residential care homes. A briefing for a Tusla board meeting on July 28th last stated that at that point at least 11 cases of suspected exploitation in care homes had been referred to gardaí for investigation, while a further nine were being assessed.

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The document said the agency remained “deeply concerned” about the increased risk of sexual exploitation facing vulnerable children. An internal working group on organised abuse discussed concerns about young people in a “specific” Tusla-run care home being targeted, according to the minutes of a July 27th meeting.

In an August 8th email to Tusla, Des Delaney, the Department of Children’s chief social worker, said a review of reported concerns about youths in care being exploited should be undertaken to look for “any identifiable patterns”.

The internal correspondence, briefings and minutes of meetings were released to The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act.

A department spokesman said an analysis of cases of suspected exploitation reported in 2023 was carried out.

“At this stage, it has been difficult to establish emerging evidence of patterns of organised abuse. However, Garda investigations are continuing in some cases,” he added.

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