Stop Sexual Exploitation Week takes place from March 7 to 12. The Community Against Sexual Exploitation of Youth Committee (CASEY) has planned free community events throughout March to raise awareness of this disturbing issue affecting young people in the Comox Valley. Sexual exploitation is the exchange of sex or sexual favours for money, shelter, food, alcohol, drugs, or affection. Youth are often lured into the sex trade by 鈥減imps鈥�/recruiters. Recruiters can be male or female. Miranda Blomquist, Youth Outreach Worker for the John Howard Society of North Island (JHSNI), confirmed that sexual exploitation is a growing local concern. 鈥淗ousing, food, transportation, and clothing are expensive, and more and more youth are put in compromising situations to meet their basic needs. As drug use in the Comox Valley continues to be a problem, we have become aware that several youth, some as young as 12 or 13 years old, are trading sexual favours for drugs or alcohol,鈥� she said. Sexual exploitation starts when a recruiter approaches a youth and promises support, romance, parties, alcohol, drugs, or an increase in popularity. The person may take them to parties or give them alcohol or drugs. At some point the recruiter will send the youth out to work in the sex trade, telling the youth 鈥測ou owe me鈥� or 鈥渋f you really love me...鈥� Sexual exploitation of youth is a form of sexual abuse and is against the law. It is never the fault of the young person involved. According to a McCreary Centre Society survey of 762 marginalized and street-involved youth in nine BC communities, one in five youth were still living with their family when they entered the sex trade. One in eight youth were living on the street. Sexual exploitation is not only a concern for female youth. Four in 10 males in the survey said they had been sexually exploited. Online exploitation is also on the rise. Social networking sites can be a risk factor and pathway to sexual exploitation. CASEY will set up displays about sexual exploitation at several Comox Valley schools during Stop Sexual Exploitation Week. Representatives will hand out fuschia stop sexual exploitation bracelets and a community resource card. The card defines sexual exploitation and lists helpful contacts. The LINC Youth Centre will host a free barbecue this Saturday at 6 p.m. This event is open to all youth aged 12 to 19. Blomquist will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. A free community presentation of the Children of the Street Society鈥檚 Taking Care of Ourselves, Taking Care of Others (TCO虏) workshop will take place March 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the LINC Youth Centre in Courtenay. TCO虏 is a unique and empowering interactive workshop designed and delivered by youth, for youth about preventing sexual exploitation. The workshop will also be delivered in various schools. For more information about Stop Sexual Exploitation Week, call Miranda Blomquist at 250-218-0483. 鈥� Community Against Sexual Exploitation of Youth Committee