Police and Crime Commissioner adds his support to reform for child exploitation legislation
Date published: 09 April 2014
Greater Manchester’s Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd
Greater Manchester Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd has added his support to calls from leading MPs that more must be done by the Government and child support agencies to tackle child sexual exploitation both locally and nationally.
This week a report by Barnardos was launched following a Parliamentary Inquiry into the effectiveness of the 2003 Sexual Offences Act.
After hearing testimonies from a range of victims, police, local authorities and leading members of the legal and voluntary sectors, the report outlined a number of changes that were needed to the existing legislation governing child sexual exploitation.
Its recommendations included:
- Strengthening Child Abduction Warning Notices to make it a criminal offence to breach the conditions of the notice
- Amending the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to remove the need for a second contact in the offence of ‘meeting a child following sexual grooming’
- More powers to be given to Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards
- Removal of the term “child prostitution” from legislation
- Changes to the way children learn about sexual exploitation in schools with a focus on prevention
- Specialist training to be given to all judges and lawyers involved in cases of child sexual exploitation
- Information about the myths and stereotypes about child sexual exploitation to be provided to jurors on relevant cases
The full report, available to view online here: http://www.barnardos.org.uk/cse_parliamentary_inquiry_report.pdf
This work by Barnardo’s sits alongside a major independent inquiry, commissioned by Mr Lloyd, by Ann Coffey MP into child sexual exploitation.
Commenting on the findings of the report and its recommendations, Mr Lloyd said: “This report represents an important milestone for those of us who are committed to tackling the unjust and abhorrent sexual exploitation of children.
“The Government must now listen to the recommendations that have been made. We cannot afford to simply pay lip-service to victims and people on the frontline whose recommendations can help to protect vulnerable individuals and potentially save lives.”
Do you have a story for us?
Let us know by emailing news@rochdaleonline.co.uk
All contact will be treated in confidence.
Most Viewed News Stories
- 1“We’re not safe”: Furious locals looking to sell up and move after controversial homeless complex...
- 2Rochdale’s peregrine falcons lay first egg in their new nesting box
- 3Controversial plans to build homes on beloved green space mysteriously withdrawn
- 4Four-year-old boy battling leukemia dies
- 5Two suspected family gold burglars arrested in Rochdale
To contact the Rochdale Online news desk, email news@rochdaleonline.co.uk or visit our news submission page.
To get the latest news on your desktop or mobile, follow Rochdale Online on Twitter and Facebook.