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Police have revealed that high street hotel chains are a hotbed of child sexual abuse, with hundreds of reports received across the country. Nearly 92% of the 504 offences recorded in hotels involved physical contact with a child, with 40% registered as rape, according to data shared exclusively with BBC News. The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) revealed that the most commonly affected were budget chain hotels in towns and cities with significant transport links such as train stations and motorways.
Less than 1% of cases of child sexual abuse in England and Wales are recorded in hotels, leading the police to believe that the vast majority of crimes are under reported. Trade organisation UK Hospitality, which represents more than 130,000 venues, has vowed to work harder to tackle the “abhorrent crime”. The NPCC is currently working with hotels in Operation Makesafe, a programme which trains staff to identify potential sexual exploitation and gives them guidance on how to report issues to the police.
Victims of child sexual abuse have said they are unsurprised by the revelations. One victim stated that hotels offered privacy for abusers, with only a “Do not disturb” sign blocking access. Sergeant Ian Haselden from Greater Manchester Police commented that CSAE offences “happen in luxury hotels and in low budget chains” and are not confined to any particular section of the market. He stressed that vigilance was key and that hotel staff should contact the police if they have any suspicions.
The most recent figures have revealed that 26% of victims of the 504 offences were aged 15, with 18% aged 16 and 17% aged 17. Nearly 92% of suspects were men, with an average age of 28. The NPCC added that the age of victims of abuse in hotels was higher than for all CSAE offences across the board. Only 4% of the recorded crimes were classified as group-based. Although many perpetrators turned up alone, some were thought to belong to grooming gangs where children were passed between abusers
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