"The focus of the national grooming gangs inquiry "will not change" or be "watered down", Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has insisted."
"Her intervention comes after three abuse survivors quit their roles in the inquiry this week over fears that its scope could be widened beyond grooming gangs - and concerns about who would chair the inquiry. In her resignation letter, survivor "Elizabeth" - not her real name - said the process felt like "a cover-up" and had "created a toxic environment for survivors". Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in June there would be a national inquiry into grooming gangs covering England and Wales, with a panel of survivors set up to oversee the process."
"But three abuse survivors have accused officials of trying to water down the inquiry by broadening its scope to wider issues of child sexual abuse and exploitation. There is also frustration around the length of time it has taken to appoint a chairperson, with some seeing this as a delay tactic because of fears of what might be exposed."
"Fiona Goddard, who was abused by gangs while living in a Bradford children's home, said policing and social work services had "contributed most to the cover-up of the national mass rape and trafficking of children". Another survivor, Ellie Reynolds, suggested having "establishment insiders representing the very systems that failed us" as potential chairs was a conflict of interest."
The Home Secretary said the national grooming gangs inquiry will not be watered down and that the appointment of a chair will be announced soon, emphasizing the need to get the process right. Three abuse survivors resigned from the inquiry, citing fears the remit might be broadened beyond grooming gangs and expressing distrust over potential chair candidates. Survivors described the process as a cover-up and a toxic environment. Shortlisted chair candidates, including a former senior social worker and a former deputy chief constable, drew criticism. Survivors accused policing and social work services of contributing to cover-ups and raised conflict-of-interest concerns.
Read at www.bbc.com
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