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| Children being raped and abused in hotels, police data reveals | |
| (14 days later) | |
| Watch: Police bodycam footage shows the moment a man is arrested following a 999 call made by hotel staff | Watch: Police bodycam footage shows the moment a man is arrested following a 999 call made by hotel staff |
| Police have received hundreds of reports of child sexual abuse in high street hotel chains, data shared exclusively with BBC News shows. | Police have received hundreds of reports of child sexual abuse in high street hotel chains, data shared exclusively with BBC News shows. |
| Of the 504 offences recorded in hotels in 2023, 92% (464) involved physical contact with a child, while 40% (203) were recorded as rape. | Of the 504 offences recorded in hotels in 2023, 92% (464) involved physical contact with a child, while 40% (203) were recorded as rape. |
| The figures, provided by the National Police Chief's Council (NPCC), reveal where specific hotels were recorded most were budget chain hotels. | The figures, provided by the National Police Chief's Council (NPCC), reveal where specific hotels were recorded most were budget chain hotels. |
| Offences in hotels made up less than 1% of the total number of recorded sexual crimes against children in England and Wales in 2023. However, police say the crime is under reported and the real figures are likely to be higher. | Offences in hotels made up less than 1% of the total number of recorded sexual crimes against children in England and Wales in 2023. However, police say the crime is under reported and the real figures are likely to be higher. |
| The NPCC says police forces are "working with hotels to try and raise awareness of child sexual exploitation". | The NPCC says police forces are "working with hotels to try and raise awareness of child sexual exploitation". |
| Under the name Operation Makesafe, hotel staff have been trained to identify signs of sexual exploitation and told how to report issues to the police. | Under the name Operation Makesafe, hotel staff have been trained to identify signs of sexual exploitation and told how to report issues to the police. |
| A female victim of child sexual abuse - who was often taken to hotels by her abuser - told the BBC the data is unsurprising. | A female victim of child sexual abuse - who was often taken to hotels by her abuser - told the BBC the data is unsurprising. |
| "You can put a Do not disturb sign on the door and then they can do whatever they want with nobody wondering what's going on," she says. | "You can put a Do not disturb sign on the door and then they can do whatever they want with nobody wondering what's going on," she says. |
| "I can't even stay in a hotel now without thinking about what happened to me." | "I can't even stay in a hotel now without thinking about what happened to me." |
| Trade body UK Hospitality, which represents more than 130,000 venues, says it is "doubling down to tackle this abhorrent crime". | Trade body UK Hospitality, which represents more than 130,000 venues, says it is "doubling down to tackle this abhorrent crime". |
| The NPCC says where specific hotels were recorded by police many were in major towns and cities, with transport links such as train stations and motorways nearby making it easy for perpetrators to meet victims. | The NPCC says where specific hotels were recorded by police many were in major towns and cities, with transport links such as train stations and motorways nearby making it easy for perpetrators to meet victims. |
| Many budget hotels also have self-service kiosks rather than manned reception desks, allowing perpetrators to check-in with young people without any questions being asked, police chiefs say. | Many budget hotels also have self-service kiosks rather than manned reception desks, allowing perpetrators to check-in with young people without any questions being asked, police chiefs say. |
| "Once you're behind that hotel bedroom door, there's a degree of privacy that perpetrators often don't find elsewhere when they commit abuse," says Phil Ashford, from the NPCC child sexual exploitation taskforce. | "Once you're behind that hotel bedroom door, there's a degree of privacy that perpetrators often don't find elsewhere when they commit abuse," says Phil Ashford, from the NPCC child sexual exploitation taskforce. |
| "We're talking about some of the most serious contact offending imaginable - the rape and serious sexual abuse of children." | "We're talking about some of the most serious contact offending imaginable - the rape and serious sexual abuse of children." |
| Assistant Chief Constable Becky Riggs from the NPCC says Operation Makesafe also aims to highlight the positive work being done by hotels. She said the impact of the partnership "cannot be overestimated". | Assistant Chief Constable Becky Riggs from the NPCC says Operation Makesafe also aims to highlight the positive work being done by hotels. She said the impact of the partnership "cannot be overestimated". |
| What to look out for | What to look out for |
| The perpetrator might: | The perpetrator might: |
| • insist on paying cash | • insist on paying cash |
| • be reticent to provide any ID | • be reticent to provide any ID |
| • specifically request an isolated room | • specifically request an isolated room |
| • specifically request a double room | • specifically request a double room |
| • make clear there are no familial links between the pair, if asked | • make clear there are no familial links between the pair, if asked |
| The child may: | The child may: |
| • look unhappy and nervous | • look unhappy and nervous |
| • consistently defer to the adult to answer on their behalf | • consistently defer to the adult to answer on their behalf |
| • fail to engage | • fail to engage |
| • show no identification | • show no identification |
| Source: Operation Makesafe | |
| Sergeant Ian Haselden, from Greater Manchester Police, conducts operations during which officers pretend to be an abuser and travel to a hotel with a child acting as a victim. They then attempt to book a room while displaying signs of suspicious behaviour. | Sergeant Ian Haselden, from Greater Manchester Police, conducts operations during which officers pretend to be an abuser and travel to a hotel with a child acting as a victim. They then attempt to book a room while displaying signs of suspicious behaviour. |
| "We'd rather they be safe than sorry, because this is an extremely serious crime and we don't want them to worry about making the wrong call," he says. | "We'd rather they be safe than sorry, because this is an extremely serious crime and we don't want them to worry about making the wrong call," he says. |
| "If hotels are suspicious the gold standard response is to call the police," he adds. | "If hotels are suspicious the gold standard response is to call the police," he adds. |
| Although the recent data shows most of the incidents took place in cheaper hotels, he says child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) offences can take place anywhere. | Although the recent data shows most of the incidents took place in cheaper hotels, he says child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) offences can take place anywhere. |
| "This happens in luxury hotels and in low budget chains - it would be wrong to assume it's just going on in one part of the market - it's happening everywhere." | "This happens in luxury hotels and in low budget chains - it would be wrong to assume it's just going on in one part of the market - it's happening everywhere." |
| The latest figures reveal 26% of victims in the 504 reported offences were aged 15, 18% were aged 16, and 17% were aged 17. Almost all suspects (92%) were men, and the average age of suspects was 28. The victims were predominantly female (84%). | The latest figures reveal 26% of victims in the 504 reported offences were aged 15, 18% were aged 16, and 17% were aged 17. Almost all suspects (92%) were men, and the average age of suspects was 28. The victims were predominantly female (84%). |
| The NPCC says the age of victims of abuse in hotels tend to be higher than across all CSAE offences. | The NPCC says the age of victims of abuse in hotels tend to be higher than across all CSAE offences. |
| Just 4% (21) of the reported crimes were identified as group based, where two or more suspects were recorded. But victims have told the BBC even though perpetrators often turn up alone, they could belong to a grooming gang where children are swapped between abusers. | Just 4% (21) of the reported crimes were identified as group based, where two or more suspects were recorded. But victims have told the BBC even though perpetrators often turn up alone, they could belong to a grooming gang where children are swapped between abusers. |
| Police chiefs calculated the data by identifying keywords such as "hotel" among the 115,489 CSAE offences recorded in 2023. | Police chiefs calculated the data by identifying keywords such as "hotel" among the 115,489 CSAE offences recorded in 2023. |
| Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, told the BBC: "We are working closely with the Home Office and police to support Operation Makesafe. We provide hospitality businesses with police guidance on what the signs of child sexual exploitation are, how to spot them, what to do if you think an incident is taking place and measures hotels can implement to deter incidents." | Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, told the BBC: "We are working closely with the Home Office and police to support Operation Makesafe. We provide hospitality businesses with police guidance on what the signs of child sexual exploitation are, how to spot them, what to do if you think an incident is taking place and measures hotels can implement to deter incidents." |
| If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line. | If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, support and advice is available via the BBC Action Line. |