A UNIQUE Bradford project which works only with boys and young men at risk of sexual exploitation is facing an increased demand for its services.

The Blast project was launched in the city 11 years ago, but co-ordinator Phil Mitchell said numbers needing their help had increased in each of the last four years.

That situation is likely to increase in future as staff work with mainstream services to highlight the fact that grooming and sexual exploitation is not a problem affecting only girls.

At present there are several cases awaiting court where Blast has helped the alleged victims and the charity also works with others who are either known to be victims of exploitation or are regarded as being at risk because of their habits and the company they keep.

The organisation is currently working with around 20 boys from the Bradford area.

"The figures have been going up every year, sometimes by a big jump and sometimes by a small jump, but it keeps going up," he said.

That is thought to be as a result of Blast's work with social workers, children's home staff, police and others in the area who may come into contact with boys vulnerable to exploitation.

Blast is also working nationally to try to raise awareness among professionals that they need to refer boys for help when they are identified as being at risk.

"To date, we are the only sexual exploitation project in the country that works just with boys," he said.

"What we have found is that if a service says they are a child sexual exploitation service, they will say they work with 99 girls and one boy," he said.

The project's work has involved educating professionals to identify the risk signals with boys in the way they already do with girls and to act upon them.

"If you challenge professionals and do so in the right way, they will make those referrals. You have to be pro-active for the boys involved, to make sure they get a service," he said.

The work done by Blast includes working to ensure that boys who have been victims of exploitation understand their own circumstances and that others are aware of the risks which exist from exploitation.

Staff can act as intermediaries, passing information to police where boys are reluctant to approach the authorities themselves and also to act as support staff for those involved in court cases.

That can involve taking potential witnesses on pre-court visits, to familiarise them with court buildings and the way the legal system functions ahead of giving evidence.

Blast relies on volunteers for much of its outreach work and is funded through organisations including Comic Relief. Although most referrals come from statutory bodies, Blast receives no funding from either central or local Government.