Inquiry chairman re-iterates witness call
The chairman of Telford’s child sexual exploitation inquiry “wholeheartedly endorses” a national awareness event, and repeated his call for victims of the crime to come forward and “ensure a better future for children”.
Former judge Tom Crowther CQ said National CSE Awareness Day was a chance to commit “to calling out inappropriate relationships between adults and children, supporting our children and listening to them”.
In an online video he urged parents, childcare and safeguarding professionals and survivors themselves to contact the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation, and said witnesses will be spoken to privately and confidentially, if requested.
A written statement at IITCSE.com said working arrangements had been adapted to comply with coronavirus advice, and Mr Crowther said the inquiry could take evidence via telephone or video messaging as well.
He said that, on March 18, police, governments and local projects and groups were “working to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation, helping children to understand the dangers and helping adults to spot the warning signs when a child may be being used for sex”.
Mr Crowther said: “Let’s make a commitment, all of us, to watchfulness, to calling out inappropriate relationships between adults and children, and more, supporting our children and listening to them. Because, if we make those simple commitments, then we can change society. We can stamp out CSE.
“What we can’t do, of course, is change the past, but an inquiry such as this one I chair can recognise the mistakes that have been made and can make recommendations to ensure the future is better for all our children.
“We need help in that. If you have information about CSE in Telford – whether you’re a parent, a professional involved in childcare of safeguarding, or a survivor of sexual exploitation yourself – we want to hear from you.
“We’ll speak to you because we want to hear what you need to tell us.
“We’ll speak to you in private. We’ll speak to you in confidence, if that’s what you want, and at a time of huge national concern about the coronavirus, of course, we will speak to you over the phone or over Skype.”
The statements, and contact details for the inquiry, are available at IITCSE.com.
