Rotherham's MP to lead debate on grooming gangs in Parliament later today
Sarah Champion will be speaking in Westminster this afternoon on child sex abuse
Sarah Champion, Member of Parliament for Rotherham will be leading a debate this afternoon on the latest report by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) into child sexual exploitation by organised networks.
In her speech, Sarah will thank the victims who engaged with the inquiry and urge the Government to accept the report and its findings in full.
The conclusion of the IICSA report states:
“Children are sexually exploited by networks in all parts of England and Wales in the most degrading and destructive ways. Each of these acts is a crime. This investigation has revealed extensive failures by local authorities and police forces to keep pace with the pernicious and changing problem of the sexual exploitation of children by networks.”
Sarah's planning to say:
“The report paints a grim picture, describing a culture that forces survivors of CSE to fight to be believed. Those who were heard, were made to feel as though they had brought exploitation upon themselves.”
Sarah will also call on the Government for more funding for child sexual exploitation services in Rotherham facing closure and for Lord Ahmed, who was recently convicted of child sexual offences, to be stripped of his peerage.
The debate is due to get underway at 4.30pm.