Inquiry launched into child sexual exploitation

Report estimates that three quarters of councils do not apply measures to protect vulnerable children

A survey of the sexual exploitation of children by gangs begins on Friday as a report reveals that three quarters of councils do not apply measures to protect vulnerable young people.

concerns about the increase in sexual exploitation of children should be increased after high-profile cases of groups of men, mostly Asian, WC teen having sex in the Derby and Rochdale. The Office of the Commissioner for Children (OCC) warned that the problem is more widespread and stereotypes of the authors can only mean that victims are lost.

The OCC is taking the unusual step of exercising its powers under the Children Act 2004 to investigate the extent of sexual exploitation of children by gangs of young people Street and others in England a two-year study. Under the powers of local authorities, police, health and education professionals and the judiciary will be forced to provide information on the sexual exploitation of children for the first time, said Sue Berelowitz, deputy commissioner of children, advanced research.

"There is a huge hole in our knowledge of this area. Children are not, are subject to a more pernicious form of sexual abuse and who do not have access to protection and support , "he said." We believe this is happening across the country and these children need to be protected. "

sexual exploitation, and often violent, children and young people took place across the country, often perpetrated by youth gangs, not just certain groups of men, he said.

"It's a very disturbing image, with patterns that vary according to demographic change and the region," he said. "A Derby were Asian men, but in [a recent] Torbay white men were involved. What is happening in the cities but in rural areas. If what is happening in areas that happens everywhere." " / Aa>

A report published by the University of Bedfordshire published Friday shows that three quarters of councils have not put in the guidelines issued by the Government in 2009 to protect children against sexual exploitation.

Professor Jenny Pearce, principal investigator of the report in two years, which will protect children and young people against sexual exploitation?, Said some local authorities turn a blind eye to abuses.

"We see only a quarter of LSCB [Local Safeguarding Children boards] to be proactive and it is shameful. What worries me is that to ignore the problem is to take part in the abuse, "he said.

The issue has received attention after a series of cases. In January of the leaders of a gang of girls hair Derby for sex was jailed indefinitely, while in Rochdale nine men were sentenced for a series of crimes related to sexual exploitation.

The report notes that "there is no single model of how young people are victims of sexual exploitation": 31% were operated by a "guy friend /" older, but 27 % of cases was the exploitation of young people to other young people. "The recent media attention suggested a prevalence of operating through an organized network of authors," the report, but thought it was true that 18% of the cases studied.

Sue Jago, author of the report, said: "The danger is that local authorities that this happens only a certain type of child for a certain group of men, and confined themselves to different types of abuse. "

The study found that less than half of all LSCB collected data on the exploitation, processing of sexual predators is weak and traumatized from the experience of going through the legal process often leaves abused children. It shows an image of 158 cases, which resulted in only 34 convictions, which he said "reflects the low number of cases reached the court [and] may also reflect the small number of people receiving appropriate support before, during and after the judicial process. "

girls, especially in situations of violent gangs, were too often part of the problem, rather than abused, Berelowitz said. "These girls are too often treated as criminals or perpetrators rather than victims," ??he said. "But the abuse of girls by gangs and groups beyond the horror of what I ' 've seen. "

Berelowitz

detailed a case in which girls of 11 and 12 is expected to give oral sex to lines of young men. Another example of young women involved offer as "payment" as part of a drug deal and girls associated with a band of sexual abuse as "payment" for the other band.

• The report suggests that the most vulnerable children fall prey to sexual predators. Sexual exploitation of young people studied were four times more likely to be housed in a residence, a little less than half are known not to go to school while 41% were already in contact with services the children.

the Minister of Children and Families, Tim Loughton, welcomed the inquiry and said the study results will help inform the Bedfordshire an action plan of the government next month.

"sexual exploitation of children is a form of child abuse abhorrent and we are determined to do everything we can to stop it," he said.

"LSCB has a key role in the fight against sexual exploitation of children, but many do not take the issue very seriously and abuse is often hidden from view. The awareness should be a priority to the fight against the difficulties that young victims and their families can meet to obtain justice. "

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