Scottish Government 'open' to launching national grooming gangs inquiry
A grooming gang’s survivor has written to the First Minister with her concerns.
John Swinney has said he is “open” to a grooming gangs inquiry after a survivor wrote to him urging an investigation be opened.
On Wednesday evening, Taylor, which is not her real name, wrote to the First Minister detailing the abuse she received at the hands of ten Pakistani men in Glasgow when she was a teenager.
She said “nothing is being done to protect vulnerable children” and that “it is clear it is still happening”. Taylor then urged the First Minister to launch a national inquiry, similar to what is underway in England and Wales.
After being pushed on this by the Scottish Conservatives at First Minister’s Questions [FMQs], Mr Swinney said: “I have received the letter from Taylor and I want to express my admiration for her courage to speak out on an important and difficult subject.
“Police Scotland is reviewing current and historic child abuse to determine what issues need addressed, but the government remains open to a grooming gangs inquiry.
“But a series of steps are being taken at the moment.”
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said Taylor’s social work files “allegedly show Police Scotland failed to investigate”.
He said: "Victims don’t trust what happened to them will be fully investigated as they believe [authorities] turned a blind eye or engaged in a cover-up.”
In her letter to Mr Swinney, published in the Daily Record, Taylor said: “I was received into local authority care aged 13 for being outwith parental control. I now know that I had undiagnosed conditions and struggled to regulate myself.
“Before my 14th birthday, I became the target of a Pakistani grooming gang operating out of flats in the Govanhill and Rutherglen areas in Glasgow. Another girl in my unit believed that she was the girlfriend of one of them.
“It started off friendly, being picked up, taken places, given things, and progressed quickly into CSE [child sexual exploitation].
“My friends and I were plied with alcohol and drugs and sexually abused by many men. There were at least ten Pakistani men responsible for sexually abusing and exploiting me and my friends.”
She continued: “I want to express how deeply disappointed I am with yourself and Police Scotland that you didn’t take my complaint seriously. I contacted yourself and Police Scotland directly after I found upsetting information within my care records.
“Due to the dismissive nature of the replies I received from yourself and Police Scotland, I have taken the steps to make sure that my voice is heard.”
Taylor added: “I am firm in my belief that a rapid audit into grooming gangs in Scotland is urgently required.
“A full inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland must follow any audit in order to protect children suffering now, and any potential victims in the future.”
Speaking after FMQs, Mr Findlay added: “John Swinney must not bury his head in the sand. He must agree to the inquiry being asked for by Taylor and other surviving victims.
“The authorities’ actions should be independently examined to establish what exactly has happened. How can John Swinney stop child abuse now when he won’t support a full and fearless investigation into the industrial-scale abuse of recent years?”