Wendy Shepherd of Barnado's says more boys are being abused

The charity Barnardo's is sharing its experience in the field with professionals involved in social care, health and the law.

Barnardo's runs a centre in Middlesbrough to help children abused through prostitution.

Many of the children turned to prostitution after being abused, and many have turned to drugs.

One of the girls, who was not named, said: "I don't like it, I don't like doing it, it is a way to provide drugs for my habit".

For the past three years the charity Barnardo's has been helping youngsters in Middlesbrough try and give up prostitution.

'Older men'

Wendy Shepherd, team leader of the charity's Secos project, said there was an increasing number of boys being abused.

She said: "I think the majority of people don't want to think about boys being involved and being abused.

"We have been horrified by the graffiti we have seen on toilet walls, giving details of where young boys can be found for exploitation.

"We are talking about networks of older men purchasing sex from young boys and then passing them on to their friends."

In the past three years Barnado's has seen 185 prostitutes in Middlesbrough and 36 of them have come off the streets thanks to their help.

The conference is being chaired by journalist and author Bea Campbell.

As well as child prostitution, internet pornography and an analysis of kerb crawlers coming into Teesside's red light districts will be discussed.

The charity is also concerned about the number of children taken from Middlesbrough to meet clients in Newcastle and Sunderland.