Rother Valley's MP and South Yorkshire CSE survivor join forces
Alexander Stafford and Rotherham's Sammy Woodhouse have teamed up to try and campaign for a Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation Commissioner to be brought in by the Government
Local MP Alexander Stafford and CSE survivor Sammy Woodhouse have joined forces to campaign for the introduction of a Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation Commissioner to tackle child exploitation in the UK.
He said the role will involve working with the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and across local and national government and with charities to address child abuse of a sexual, physical, and mental nature, tackling criminal exploitation, trafficking, and modern slavery and forced labour, both by gangs and by individuals.
“Our commissioner will prevent child exploitation, identify survivors and perpetrators, and improve the protection and provision of support to children affected by exploitation,” Alexander said.
“Sadly, we all recall the widespread atrocities that occurred in the Rotherham area, where over two decades 1,500 children, some as young as 11, were raped and exploited. It is critical that a Child Criminal and Sexual Exploitation Commissioner is installed at the earliest opportunity. The criminal and sexual exploitation of children is a stain on our society and cannot be ignored as it was in the past.
We have a duty to act to protect our young people and to provide a coordinated and fair system to deal with victims of child abuse. Accordingly, Sammy and I call on the Government to back our campaign to stand up for the most vulnerable children in our society and to strike a blow against those depraved criminals who seek to do them harm.”
Meanwhile, Sammy insists there's no time to waste:
"Social media can be a fantastic thing, but it's also very dangerous.
"Thousands of children are being targeted online right now, so we need a Commissioner in place as soon as possible to try and deal with this growing problem.
"I don't want children in the future to suffer like I did when I was a teenager.
"I still fear that children in this country aren't safe."