The West Midlands regional definition of exploitation is:

An individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child, young person or adult and exploits them:

1. through violence or the threat of violence, and/or
2. for financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or
3. in exchange for something the victim needs or wants.

The victim may have been exploited even if the activity appears consensual due to his /her specific situation. Exploitation does not always involve physical contact, it can also occur through the use of technology, e.g. as the result of a grooming process which takes place during conversations in chat rooms, or through the use of social media.

We recognise that exploitation is deliberate maltreatment and manipulation irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, background, disability or sexuality and comes in many forms, including, but not exclusively:

• modern slavery
• human trafficking
• sexual exploitation
• criminal exploitation

Exploitation can also be a strong feature of the following, and may resemble exploitative relationships please give consideration to existing systems that may support practice when considering the below:

• radicalisation and extremism
• domestic violence and abuse (forced marriages, honour-based violence and FGM)
• rogue trader, bogus callers and scammers
• abuse of positions of trust
• hate crime

It is acknowledged that victims may lack the capacity to consent or may be being threatened or coerced. Use of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) to protect and support people is key- this applies to people aged 16+. Grooming, coercion and control have been known to all have an impact on mental capacity, particularly where sexual or criminal exploitation is a factor.

• Identifying and responding to adult exploitation
• Hampshire Adult Exploitation Manual
• Luton Multiagency safeguarding adults
• Disruption tool kit link & Link two
• Social Worker Toolbox

• SSAB Language Matters Final
• Language Matters Doc v7
• Exploitation Language Guidance

• Rachel Practice Briefing
• Rachel Executive Summary

Strategy Documents examples:

• Solihull All Age Exploitation Reduction Strategy 
• CSE Transition Pathway
• Dez Holmes - Exploitation Research
• Adult Exploitation Strategy - Luton Council
• Protocols for Kent and Medway - To Safeguard Adults Who Are At Risk Of Sexual Exploitation, Modern Slavery And Human Trafficking
• Strategic Framework For An Effective Multi-Agency Response To Exploitation In The West Midlands Metropolitan Region

• Adults Exploitation Screening Tool Final
• Exploitation Screening Tool Children, Young People and Adults

• Spot the signs regional proof
• Sexual Exploitation regional
• Organisational Abuse
• Cuckooing
• Scams poster
• Sandwell Exploitation and transition

• Childhub
• BCWA trauma informed training (available to organisations within the Black Coutry footprint only)
• Contextual Safeguarding Framework is useful; the network is free to join & has loads of training video's & resources