Victims of child exploitation and abuse will finally get
long-overdue justice, as the government today (4 November) tabled
amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill to disregard and pardon
‘child prostitution' convictions.
The new amendments acknowledge the appalling injustice faced by
victims of child sexual exploitation, who instead of being
supported as victims, were criminalised for actions that occurred
under duress, fear and coercion. In many such cases, the true
criminals — the adults who exploited them — escaped prosecution,
while the victims were left with the stain of permanent criminal
records.
Under the new provisions, people who were convicted or cautioned
as children for loitering and soliciting for prostitution
offences will automatically have these convictions or cautions
disregarded and pardoned.
This means that any criminal records for these offences will be
expunged, removing the lasting psychological burden, social
stigma and barriers to employment and other freedoms these
historic convictions have caused. It is expected the disregard
and pardon scheme will benefit hundreds of people.
Today's action responds directly to one of the recommendations in
the Baroness Casey review of grooming gangs, published in June.
The government accepted all 12 recommendations in Baroness
Casey's report and is moving at pace to implement them.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls,
said:
These amendments send a clear message: we will not allow failures
of the past to define the futures of those who were let down by
the system in so many ways.
Victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation deserve
nothing but compassion and support, not a criminal record. Today,
we are taking decisive action to put that right.
The disregard and pardon scheme will apply to individuals
convicted for on-street prostitution offences when they were
under 18, before the concept of child prostitution was abolished
from the legislation in 2015. Once the Crime and Policing Bill
receives royal assent and the provisions commence, the scheme
will apply automatically. Victims and survivors will not need to
make a request.
Gabrielle Shaw, Chief Executive of the National Association of
People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) said:
NAPAC welcomes this step towards restoring justice for survivors
of childhood abuse. No child should ever be criminalised for
being a victim of abuse or exploitation and we sincerely hope
that the pardoning of these unjust convictions will provide a
sense of validation for those who are affected.
Our own research, drawn from over 46,000 interactions with
victims, tells us that both recognition of the abuse and being
believed are integral to how survivors themselves define a
positive justice outcome. The decision to disregard and pardon
these convictions is a significant step towards building a
justice system that can offer better, more survivor-centred
outcomes.
With today's reforms, the government is ensuring that victims and
survivors of horrific child sexual exploitation are no longer
haunted by convictions that should never have been on their
records in the first place.
