A two-year investigation has revealed the high level of risk young women in Keighley face from sexual exploitation.

The Bradford Youth Services' report, called Invisible Forces, is based on interviews with 45 young women from Keighley and surrounding areas.

The shock report showed that of the 45 quizzed only nine were not considered to be at risk from sexual exploitation.

Various support agencies in the town also took part in the research project into the exploitation and links to drug and alcohol misuse in the Keighley area.

The research shows a sliding scale from young women who are involved in underage drinking to those involved in selling sex.

The severity of the risk of the young women becoming involved in "risky sexual behaviour" or being sexually exploited depended on different factors such as low self-esteem, lack of any effective support mechanisms or problems with parents, says the report.

Ginny Wilkinson, children's service manager at the Barnardo's Streets and Lanes Project, which works with Bradford Council, said: "Invisible Forces reinforces what we already know.

"Young women across Bradford and Keighley are systematically trapped and exploited in sometimes extremely dangerous sexual relationships when they are still children in the eyes of the law.

"This research is extremely valuable and all agencies need to focus on these issues."

The 45 young women who took part in the survey by Bradford Youth Services' Gemma Taylor were contacted through agencies such as the youth service, outreach work and various youth clubs.

They are all from Keighley and its surrounding villages -- 25 were aged 16 or under and 20 were aged 17 or over.

About 32 of the young women said they had been involved in sexual activity.

Of those, 3 per cent said they first had sex at the age of 11, 3 per cent at the age of 12, 22 per cent at the age of 13, 16 per cent at the age of 14 and 37 per cent at the age of 15.

Sixty per cent of those involved in sexual activity had lost their virginity to someone three or more years older than them.

While 30.7 per cent said they had sex for love, 8 per cent said they did it for the money, 6.8 per cent to get a bed for the night and only 1.3 per cent said they did it because they wanted to.

Other reasons included rape, because they were pressured, forced, they couldn't say no and the fear of violence.

Councillor Lynne Joyce said: "I really welcome this report. I think it is an excellent first step, but bear in mind it is a first step.

"Sexual exploitation of women is not just prostitution, it is much much more than that. There is some very shocking information in this report.

"It clearly highlights a need for greater inter-agency working and we need real partnerships. More research needs to be done and we need to act on this to move forward."

A multi-agency steering group has been established as a result of the report with a view to sharing information and eliminating the confusion felt by some young women in having to deal with many agencies at once.

Among other recommendations, Invisible Forces highlighted the need for schools to become more involved with pupils and better equipped to deal with issues of a sexual nature.

Further in-depth training for professionals was also identified as a priority, as was providing access to information for young women.

The report also stated that follow up research was needed into more specific areas of sexual exploitation, including issues of race, domestic violence, rape and the police response.