Hollyoaks confirm one-off film with real-life child exploitation survivors
Hollyoaks has collaborated with real-life survivors of child exploitation to create a unique one-off documentary.
Isabelle Smith, Tamara Wall and Anya Lawrence will feature in the special programme titled Groomed and Exploited, which is now accessible on Hollyoaks ' social media platforms.
The soap stars visit a group of 16 to 18 year olds at Liverpool-based college, LIPA, to discuss the importance of recognising the signs of exploitation.
In recent months, Hollyoaks has delved into criminal and sexual exploitation through the experiences of young characters Frankie Osborne (Isabelle Smith), Dillon Ray (Nathaniel Dass) and Anya Lawrence (Vicky Grant).
Earlier this year, best mates Frankie and Dillon found themselves in peril when they were targeted by Grace Black (Tamara Wall) and her gang, who offered them what seemed like a glamorous lifestyle.
The harsh reality was that they were drawn into a world of criminal and sexual exploitation, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Filmed on the Hollyoaks set, the documentary features Melanie, a survivor of sexual exploitation, discussing with Isabelle how her challenging upbringing made her susceptible to exploitation.
With Melanie's story interwoven with clips from the Hollyoaks storyline, the parallels with Frankie's experience are strikingly clear.
Melanie shared her harrowing experience, revealing: "Growing up in a dysfunctional home I witnessed a lot of violence... this led to my behaviour being very dysfunctional, getting into the wrong crowds of people, taking drugs and alcohol at a very young age."
Determined to help others, Melanie urges fellow survivors that "their past doesn't define their future and healing is possible", aiming to dismantle the shame and stigma that often comes with exploitation.
Emotional moments ensued as Tamara consoled Sabrina, who recounted the pain after her escape, saying: "I felt a lot of shame, embarrassment etc, and then I realised it's not my shame to hold, it's not my embarrassment."
Elsewhere, Causeway experts Iona and Chad, who consulted on the Hollyoaks plotline, highlighted their mission to educate individuals on recognising indicators of child exploitation.
Chad emphatically noted: "The more people who are able to spot the signs, who are able to raise concerns, the more people we prevent from being exploited in the future."
As part of the educational endeavour, students from LIPA viewed scenes from Hollyoaks and engaged in discussions about showcasing various aspects of child exploitation. If you require assistance or support, please visit channel4.com/support.
Groomed and Exploited will be released on Hollyoaks' Official YouTube channel on Thursday, June 12 and Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am
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