When determining suspected abuse or exploitation between minors, several key factors should be considered to assess vulnerability and indications of harm:
- Elements of coercion, threat, intimidation, or force, which indicate a power imbalance and control over one minor by another.
- Age and size differences, since younger or smaller children are often more vulnerable to manipulation.
- Differences in emotional maturity and social status that create exploitative power dynamics even without physical force.
- Behavioral indicators such as secretiveness, mood swings, social isolation, changes in appearance, unexplained relationships, and association with known exploited individuals.
- Signs of physical harm, self-harm, substance misuse, or emotional distress such as low self-esteem, depression, or expressions of invincibility.
- Changes in education engagement, like exclusion, truancy, or performance decline.
- Family and environmental risk factors including previous trauma, family conflict, neglect, domestic abuse, and economic deprivation.
- Possession of unexplained money, items, or access to social activities without plausible explanation.
- Missing episodes from home, care, or school without known reasons.
- History of adverse childhood experiences, special educational needs, or mental health challenges.
All these factors and indicators should be assessed holistically, considering the minors’ background, relationships, and circumstances to determine suspicion of abuse or exploitation effectively. Each factor alone may not confirm abuse, but multiple indicators increase concern and require careful professional judgment.
