Police have released a hard-hitting video featuring local parents whose children have been victims of child sexual exploitation The video was made public yesterday at the start of Bradford Safeguarding Week and forms part of West Yorkshire Police’s on-going campaign Know the Signs (pictured) putting parents on their guard.

The Force has worked in partnership with charity Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (Pace) to record families’ experiences and raise awareness of the issues.

Temporary Assistant Chief Constable, Ingrid Lee is leading the campaign and said the personal recollections should be of real benefit to others.

She said: “What is clear from this video is the heartache and torment attached to this crime and the importance of tackling it at the earliest possible opportunity.

“We want those who are affected by these terrible offences to realise that they are not alone and that there is lots of help out there for them.

“The Force continues to work side by side with local authorities, organisations and charities to tackle child sexual exploitation and we are absolutely committed to facing this head on.”

Gill Gibbons, chief executive of Pace, said: “The quicker a child is helped the more likely it will be that they can be protected from terrible risks.”

As part of Bradford Safeguarding Week, students from schools and colleges across the city are visiting the Bradford District Safeguarding Unit at Eccleshill Police Station to find out more about its work.

They will get a tour of the unit, its Child Sexual Exploitation hub, and a question-and-answer session with the officers who conduct the investigations. They will also hear about the Know The Signs campaign, which recently toured the Force area with a number of roadshows.

Yesterday Bradford’s award-winning City Park was also hosting a special day of events and activities to promote safety and safeguarding.