, Member of Parliament for
Rotherham, has welcomed the Government announcement that it is to
adopt her recommendations for addressing Child Sexual
Exploitation and Abuse.
Sarah has campaigned to improve child protection and to bring to
justice perpetrators of Child Sexual Exploitation throughout her
Parliamentary career. She has been a leading voice in the fight
to end CSE and has previously secured significant legislative
change to better protect children.
On Monday, Sarah published her recommendations to the Government,
which include a locally led, national inquiry into grooming
gangs. In a statement to the House of Commons, the Home
Secretary, , announced that the
Government would be implementing Sarah's recommendations.
Announcing the new measures, the Home Secretary said:
“Nothing matters more than the safety of our children.'
‘Yet for too long, this horrific abuse was allowed to continue.
The victims were ignored. The perpetrators were left unpunished.
Too many people looked the other way.'
‘And even when these shocking crimes were brought to light, and
national inquiries were commissioned to get to the truth, the
resulting reports were left on the shelf as their recommendations
gathered dust.”
Responding, Sarah highlighted the need for inquires to have
sufficient power to investigate, saying:
“What previous inquiries said they lacked, was the ability to
compel witnesses. A big strand of what we need to do is make sure
there have been no cover-ups and it is only if it is on a
statutory footing that we can do that.”
Commenting following the announcement, Sarah said:
“I am delighted and relieved that the Government has adopted my
recommendations for addressing Child Sexual Exploitation. We can
prevent child abuse. Victims and Survivors have the solutions,
but the legislative structures must be in place to implement
them. We need properly resourced safeguarding and investigations
that will confront abusers without fear or favour.'
‘We also need the trust of the public, and that means fully
investigating past failures of those in authority and holding
people to account. We cannot allow lingering suspicion to stand
in the way of keeping children safe.'
‘I welcome the Government's commitments today and the open,
collaborative approach they have taken to my recommendations. I
do remain concerned that, as initially announced, inquiries may
lack statutory powers to compel witnesses, and this is a point I
will be pushing with Ministers as plans develop.'
‘I will of course be closely scrutinising them to ensure that
they deliver on our responsibilities to children and, most
crucially, to the victims and survivors of this abhorrent crime.'
