London gets 2.4m for child exploitation support

"Getty Images A 2.4m package of support has been announced for victims and survivors of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in London. Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan said the money would directly fund new independent sexual violence advocates and expand counselling provision for all survivors of CSE. It comes after the Met announced it would re-examine hundreds of cases of CSE over the past 15 years as part of a national re-investigation overseen by the National Crime Agency and the National Police Chief's Council."

"Any individuals, groups or grooming gangs exploiting children for sex are utterly abhorrent and I want justice for every single victim of these horrific crimes. As the Met carries out its vital work to re-examine cases over the past 15 years, I'm announcing a new 2.4m package of support for victims and survivors to ensure they have the care, attention and specialist support services they deserve."

"Hall, leader of the Conservatives, said she was glad the issue had the mayor's focus, but said the funding seemed "little more than the mayor trying to sanitise his image". "City Hall Conservatives had a fully-costed proposal for a 4.5m inquiry in London into this heinous abuse - the mayor coughing up 2m after months of trying to avoid talking about it just rings hollow," she said."

A 2.4m package will provide support for victims and survivors of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in London, funding independent sexual violence advocates and expanding counselling provision. The funding will bolster specialist support including advocacy, counselling, and therapeutic interventions for children and adult survivors of CSE, covering institutional abuse, intra-familial offending, peer-on-peer cases, online exploitation and gang- or group-based exploitation. The Met will re-examine hundreds of CSE cases from the past 15 years as part of a national re-investigation overseen by the National Crime Agency and the National Police Chiefs' Council. Conservative leader Susan Hall criticised the amount as insufficient, while the independent victims' commissioner welcomed the funding.

Read at www.bbc.com