We the British People Request a Public Inquiry into Grooming Gangs

The Home Secretary said what happened to victims of child sexual exploitation gangs was “one of the biggest stains on our country’s conscience.” Last year local authorities identified 18,700 suspected victims of child sexual exploitation. We want an independent public inquiry into Grooming Gangs.

Last year we learned 57 young girls were thought to have been exploited by up to 100 members of a grooming gang. There is clear public concern, and appear to be failings by Police, Social Services, Local Authorities and the CPS to protect the most vulnerable.

A public inquiry should answer: What happened? Who is to blame? What can be done to prevent this happening again? Is there a racial/religious element to this type of offending? How are survivors being supported and should more be done?

Child sexual abuse and exploitation is a despicable crime, and cases of child sexual exploitation perpetrated by groups have had devastating impacts on individuals and communities. We have heard of truly shocking cases of vulnerable children being preyed upon by ruthless predators and failed by the state and those whose job it was to protect them. The Government is committed to keeping children and young people safe from all forms of abuse, and to support victims and survivors to rebuild their lives.

In 2015, the Government established the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse with wide-ranging terms of reference to consider the extent to which institutions in England and Wales have failed in their duty to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

The Inquiry is well underway and as part of its work programme, is already investigating the current nature and extent of, and institutional responses to, the sexual exploitation of children by organised networks. This investigation is focusing on six separate geographic areas (St Helens, Tower Hamlets, Swansea, Durham, Bristol and Warwickshire), representing a range of sizes, demographics and institutional practices. The investigation aims to assess the extent to which authorities have learned lessons from recent high-profile cases, examine what went wrong and why, and challenge the institutions responsible.

Evidence was heard from a range of witnesses, including victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation and representatives of police forces, local authorities, Government departments and charities. Evidence was sought on a range of topics, including the investigation’s eight key themes: CSE problem profiling and the disruption of offenders, empathy and concerns for child victims, risk assessment and protection from harm, missing children, return home interviews and looked-after children, male victims, children with a disability, partnership working and audit, review and performance improvement.