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Penny, a survivor of sexual abuse, was only 12 years old when several men of Pakistani descent groomed her. She recounted to the BBC how these men initially gained her trust by giving her expensive presents. However, this soon escalated into violence and daily abuse. Penny described horrific injuries, including cigarette burns that penetrated through her skin, and revealed how she was trafficked to various men across the country for sex while being drugged and intoxicated to the point of losing awareness of time.
Although some of Penny’s abusers have been convicted for rape and trafficking offences, she explained that many others involved remain free. She expressed deep frustration that hundreds of perpetrators have never been held accountable. “I imagine that if they had those sexual tendencies then, they’ll still have those tendencies now and they’ll find a way to fulfil those tendencies,” Penny said. Her experience forms part of the reason the terms of reference for a new statutory independent inquiry into grooming gangs have now been published.
The inquiry will investigate the extent of sexual exploitation of young girls by mostly male groups in England and Wales, spanning the last 30 years. It will examine how grooming gangs operated and persisted for so long, what law enforcement agencies knew and how they responded, and the cultural and institutional factors that led to victims being disbelieved or blamed. The investigation will also look at ethnicity, religion, and culture as potential factors influencing abuse and institutional responses. Initial local inquiries will take place in areas such as Oldham, with a planned process to select further investigation sites.
Baroness Longfield, chair of the inquiry, acknowledged that children across England and Wales have been abused and often ignored when seeking help. She pledged transparency by promising to publish findings progressively, rather than waiting for a single report years later. “We will follow the evidence wherever it leads. We will not flinch from uncomfortable truths,” she stated. The inquiry, with a budget of £65 million, is set to start formally in mid-April and aims to conclude by 2029, though regular updates are expected throughout.
Despite these plans, survivors like Penny remain skeptical about whether the inquiry will deliver justice or accountability. She emphasized the need for responsibility for institutional failings that allowed widespread grooming and exploitation to continue unchecked. “I think we need to understand that these things are very real and they are happening, and that this inquiry needs to do absolutely everything it can to make sure that it doesn’t go on,” she said. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described the grooming gang scandal as one of the darkest chapters in the country’s history, underscoring the inquiry’s role in uncovering failures and ensuring perpetrators face justice.
The inquiry was established following recommendations in Baroness Casey’s national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation published the previous year. It holds full powers to compel witnesses and require the production of documents. The process has already faced challenges, including the resignation of four members from its survivors’ panel and calls for Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips to step down amid accusations related to the scope of the investigation. Conversely, other panel survivors have voiced support for Phillips remaining in her role to maintain their participation in the inquiry
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