london Authorities face Scrutiny Overโ Handling of Child Sexual Exploitation Cases
Recent revelations have brought renewed scrutinyโค to the handling of โchild sexual exploitation (CSE) cases in London,with the Metropolitanโข Police announcing a review of approximately 9,000 casesโ spanning a 15-year period. This โฃfollows concerns that casesโฃ were previously overlooked and a shift in understanding the scope of the problem.
Initially, Londonโ Mayor Sadiq khan stated ther were “no reports” or “indications”โฃ of CSE issues comparable to those seen in towns like Rochdale and Rotherham. However, โฃthe MetS announcement โof the case review represents a meaningful development.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London emphasized the severity of the issue, stating, “Any individuals or gangs exploiting children for โคsex are utterly abhorrentโฆ These children have not only suffered โขterrible abuseโฆโข but have been woefullyโข let down by the authorities meant to protect them fromโ harm.” The Mayor’s office maintains Khan has consistently โฃurged the Met to pursue justice โfor victims and strengthen child protection measures.
According to the Mayor’s office, he has invested over ยฃ233 million to tackle violence against women and girls, and requested a review by HMICFRS into child protection at the Met, including its response to CSE. They state action hasโฃ beenโ taken on all recommendations from that review. the โMet has also adopted a “Child First” approach โto safeguarding, including enhanced support for vulnerable missing children.
The metropolitan Policeโ acknowledged the “insidious and devastating” impact of group-based offending, often referred to as “grooming gangs.” โขA spokesperson affirmed the Met takes all allegations seriously and investigates them impartially. โThey highlighted improvements made since 2022, including training for 11,000 frontline officers and expansion of child exploitation teams, leading to a threefold increase in suspects charged with CSE offenses โฃin the last year – representing 134 more cases.
The current review,prompted byโข a national reinvestigation recommended by Baroness Casey,encompasses a broad range of cases,including intra-familial โคabuse,peer-on-peer abuse,and those occurringโฃ in institutional settings,alongside cases fitting the conventionalโค definition of a “grooming gang.”
The Metropolitan Police reiterated โฃits “absolute” commitment to safeguarding victims and bringing โperpetrators to justice.