NO-one who reads this newspaper can have failed to notice the dreadful litany of appalling cases of child sexual abuse which seem to make the headlines so regularly.

Many cases relate to events which happened years ago. Others, however, are more recent. No-one should be in any doubt that children are today are still being abused.

The authorities - schools, social services, police - are thankfully more alert to the signs of abuse these days. And society is much less likely to try to sweep it under the carpet.

But catching paedophiles once they have already abused is one thing. How much better if we could prevent abuse taking place - stopping young lives from being ruined.

One way of trying to do this is through the use of a CAWN - a Child Abduction Warning Notice. This is a tool police can use when they suspect a child under 16 may be being groomed, at risk of abuse, or in an inappropriate relationship, but there is insufficient evidence to prosecute.

CAWNS can be used in cases where a young person under 16 is in a relationship with someone just a few years older and does not believe they are being exploited. In such cases, they can be a warning to the older person that someone is under age.

But they also give the police a chance to disrupt any kind of exploitative contact between adults and children. A CAWN can be taken out to prevent a suspect approaching or visiting the address of a vulnerable young person. If it is issued and subsequently broken, an arrest can be made. CAWNs, in other words, allow police to be proactive, taking action to stop abuse and exploitation before it can take place.

Police in North Yorkshire have proved more willing to use CAWNs than their colleagues in many parts of the country: the North Yorkshire force ranked seventh out of all forces in its use of CAWNs last year.

Long may that continue. This proactive approach promises to be an effective way of stopping abuse and exploitation. We are delighted to see our local police taking advantage of it.