Child sexual exploitation cases have caused immense pain to victims, families, and communities across Britain. Recent data and reports have highlighted not only the shocking extent of these crimes but also the profound systemic failures in addressing them. This letter aims to voice the growing frustration many feel about the inadequate response to grooming gangs and to advocate for meaningful change in how we protect vulnerable children and hold perpetrators accountable.

The Scale of the Problem and Current Response

Recent figures reveal the disturbing reality of grooming gang activity in Britain. Data from all 43 police forces in England and Wales show that in 2023 alone, there were 717 child sexual exploitation "grooming" crimes recorded, with 572 such crimes in just the first nine months of 2024. This amounts to almost two child sexual abuse offences committed by grooming gangs every day.

While the government has taken some steps to address these crimes, including the establishment of a Grooming Gangs Taskforce that has supported the arrest of over 550 suspects and identified more than 4,000 victims in its first year, many feel these measures are insufficient given the scale and severity of the problem.

Historical Failures and Their Consequences

The most disturbing aspect of this crisis is not just the crimes themselves but the documented pattern of institutional failures to protect vulnerable children. Evidence from inquiries in places like Rotherham, Rochdale, and Telford has revealed that authorities often dismissed victims, treating them as if they had made "life choices" rather than recognizing them as victims of exploitation.

As one police officer was recorded saying about a child victim: "[Child] has no credibility - very often it is her word against the perpetrators and very often she does not co-operate... Believe she is making life choices". This victim-blaming approach has resulted in countless missed opportunities to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice.

Accountability Gap for Officials Who Failed Victims

The failure to properly investigate these crimes and protect victims represents a profound breach of trust. When those tasked with safeguarding children dismiss their accounts or fail to act on evidence, they become complicit in allowing abuse to continue. Yet there has been insufficient accountability for these institutional failures.

The inquiry into the Telford abuse scandal found police were dismissive of claims of abuse, with one saying "these girls had chosen to go with, I don't know, 'bad boys'". Such attitudes reveal a systemic problem that goes beyond individual failings to broader institutional cultures that failed to prioritize child protection.

Putting Victims First in Policy and Practice

Any meaningful reform must start with a fundamental shift in how we approach these crimes:

1. Victim-Centered Investigations and Prosecutions

The government's recent announcement that victims will be given more power to have their cases re-examined is a step in the right direction. The £10 million action plan to tackle grooming gangs includes provisions for survivors to ask for their closed cases to be reviewed by an independent criminal justice review panel. This approach needs to be expanded and strengthened.

2. Transparency and Accountability Mechanisms

There is an urgent need for greater transparency in how these cases are handled. The Home Secretary's request for officers to look again at unsolved and closed grooming gang cases, backed by £2.5 million in funding, must be accompanied by clear metrics for success and public reporting on outcomes.

3. Addressing Systemic Bias and Failures

We must acknowledge the complex factors that contributed to these failures. This includes examining how stereotypes, biases, and misconceptions influenced decision-making by police, social services, and other authorities. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse made recommendations that the government has pledged to implement with a clear timetable by Easter 2025.

The Need for Comprehensive Reform

True reform requires action on multiple fronts:

Better Training and Resources

Frontline professionals need specialized training to recognize signs of exploitation and respond appropriately. The tendency to dismiss victims as making "risky lifestyle" choices rather than recognizing them as targets of predatory behaviour must be addressed through comprehensive education.

Legislative Reform

We need laws that explicitly focus on the perpetrators of these crimes while ensuring victims are properly supported throughout the judicial process. This includes reviewing how evidence is gathered and presented, with a focus on building strong cases that don't rely solely on victim testimony.

Ongoing Monitoring and Evaluation

An independent monitoring mechanism could help track how cases are handled across different jurisdictions and identify patterns of failure or best practices. This would provide valuable data to inform ongoing improvements in the response to these crimes.

Conclusion

The frustration many British people feel about the handling of these cases is justified. When authorities fail to protect the most vulnerable members of society, it undermines confidence in our entire system of justice.

However, this frustration must be channelled into constructive reform rather than divisive narratives. By focusing on evidence-based improvements in how we respond to child sexual exploitation, we can work toward a system that truly puts victims first and holds both perpetrators and those who failed in their duty to protect children accountable.

The path forward requires commitment, resources, and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about past failures. Most importantly, it requires listening to survivors and placing their needs and experiences at the centre of our response.

This is not a partisan issue but a moral imperative that transcends political divides. The protection of children from sexual exploitation must be a priority that unites us all.