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The national inquiry into “grooming gangs” is an opportunity to deliver long-overdue justice and reform. But the Terms of Reference published today risk becoming yet another exercise that documents failure without addressing it.
Even the language tells a story.
Survivors DEMANDED the truth be named: RAPE GANGS!
Yet the continued use of ‘soft’ terminology dilutes the reality of what these children endured.
This was not “exploitation” in abstract terms. It was rape, violence, degradation and torture — compounded by gross failures of institutions charged with protecting them, who CHOSE to look away.
Two weeks ago, I shared a letter with the Inquiry team with recommendations from me, @TMOFCharity The Maggie Oliver Foundation and all the many survivors we support. Some of those points are reflected, and that progress matters.
But the most critical issue remains unresolved in these ToR: ACCOUNTABILITY.
The wording on criminal accountability for those who turned a blind eye — or worse, enabled these crimes — is still far too weak.
This is not poor practice, it is gross negligence & misconduct in public office by police, CPS, social services and others who repeatedly failed to act.
An MoU with the NCA’s Operation Beaconport is not enough. Its remit begins in 2010, while the Inquiry stretches back to 1996 — leaving a huge gap. And its focus is on perpetrators, not on holding institutions and individuals to account for their inaction and decisions, which survivors demand.
Independent scrutiny and real consequences where failures amount to wrongdoing are essential. Anything less risks being little more than a slap on the wrist by institutions protecting their own.
The process has also raised concerns at the first hurdle. The press statement speaks about putting survivors at the centre. Yet last night, after all our team had finished work, we were asked to share a letter with survivors who had already shared deeply traumatic experiences, informing them a public statement would be released the following morning. By the time they received it, the ToR had been published.
That timeline was not decided overnight. Survivors should have been given respect and proper communication. That is not what a survivor-led process looks like.
The Home Secretary described this abuse today as “historic”. IT IS NOT!
I see every day that both the abuse and systemic failures surrounding it are still happening. They are not rare exceptions! It’s a daily issue amongst those we fight for!
Framing this as “past mistakes” risks those failures yet again continuing unchecked.
The reality is this: the harm suffered was not only at the hands of abusers. It was deepened — and often prolonged — by institutional failure to act, listen, investigate and protect.
The ToR are a starting point.
We will continue to engage constructively with the panel and ensure survivors’ voices are not only heard, but acted upon, and real accountability follows!
Recognising the problem is not enough.
Survivors demand …,,,
ACCOUNTABILITY.
ACTION.
And our children deserve CHANGE.
grooming-gangs.independent-inquiry.uk/terms-of-refer…
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