West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster has issued a statement following the publication of Baroness Casey’s National Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA):
I welcome the announcement by Government, of the National Crime Agency led national operation and the statutory public inquiry, into abhorrent non-recent group-based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA). Both West Midlands Police (WMP) and I, will cooperate with and support the national operation and inquiry, in any we can.
That includes compliance with all relevant recommendations, set out in the National Audit. WMP is also working with Operation Hydrant, the policing operation that co-ordinates non-recent CSEA cases around the country, in order to identify any and all cases, that require further action.
There have been deeply concerning and deplorable past institutional failings, on the part of local councils, policing, professionals, our criminal justice system, elected representatives and government, to effectively safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of vulnerable girls and to bring offenders to justice. These failings have even extended to victims themselves, being criminalised, instead of protected. It is essential, that children are seen as children.
The proposed national operation and inquiry, provide an opportunity to build on the recommendations of previous investigations and inquiries, including the 7-year long, Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, published in October 2022 and importantly, to deliver justice for victims and survivors.
To prevent and tackle CSAE, we need joined up work, across all public, private and voluntary sector agencies and mandatory training, so everyone working with children can identify the signs of abuse and exploitation, step in and whenever possible, prevent CSAE from happening in the first place. That must include, better data sharing, far greater professional curiosity and strengthened laws, to protect children from dangers on line.
In order to deal with non-recent and recent cases, we need effective detection, investigation, disruption and enforcement. We must ensure that victims are listened to, believed, safeguarded and protected. Their concerns and what they report, must be acted upon. In addition, victims and survivors must have access to high quality victim support services, so that they are able to access the essential help and support they need, to cope and recover.
It is important to remind ourselves that a National Police Chiefs Council Analysis, published in January 2024, found that Group Based CSAE accounted for 5% of all identified and reported CSAE. We must ensure, that our collective response has regard to all victims of CSAE, whether that is Group Based or otherwise. If we do not do that, then we will be at risk of continuing to fail victims of CSAE.
West Midlands Police, partners and the wider criminal justice system need sufficient resources to address the threat posed by CSAE. I welcome the government’s acceptance of the National Audit recommendation, that it should commit to fully resourcing the implementation of the Audit’s recommendations over multiple years.
As set out in my Police and Crime Plan 2025-29, I expect WMP to focus on bringing offenders to justice, while safeguarding and supporting victims of CSAE. I expect West Midlands Police to play its part in continuing to address the national threat posed by child sexual abuse, as set out in the Strategic Policing Requirement
I am committed to holding West Midlands Police to account and working with the Chief Constable to ensure the force uses all the powers available to them, to prevent and tackle all CSAE, safeguard and promote the rights and welfare of victims and survivors and ensure that offenders – whoever they are – are held to account, face the consequences of their abhorrent crimes and are brought to justice. That commitment is absolute, unconditional and non-negotiable.
I encourage victims and survivors, of all Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, including Group Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, to come forward, if they have not already done so.
There are three aims, that must guide and inform, all further action.
Firstly, the rights and welfare of victims and survivors, must be the top priority at all times, throughout this process – they must be listened to, believed, safeguarded and protected – if that had happened, as it should have done in the first place, we would not be where we are now.
Secondly, any and all offenders, whoever they are, must be held to account, face the consequences of their abhorrent crimes and be brought to justice.
Thirdly, public bodies, organisations, professionals and elected representatives, who failed in their duties to safeguard and protect these vulnerable girls, must be held to account, to ensure this can never and will not ever happen again.
I endorse the conclusion in the National Audit, that all victims of CSAE are entitled to full and swift implementation of the 12 recommendations, decisive leadership and a collective determination to fix past failings and build a strong approach for the future.
Simon Foster, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner
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