Humbled by victims’ bravery
partners, we will continue to provide them with all the support they need.
“They have trusted us and we must not let them down.”
The convictions come after a police investigation, code-named Operation Shelter, which formed part of Operation Sanctuary, an ongoing initiative tackling the exploitation of vulnerable people across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
During the course of the probe, police engaged with a staggering 108 women and girls who they believe may have suffered, either as victims or witnesses.
Although the charges at court only related to 22 complainants, all those thought to have been affected by the horrific actions of these men, who used drugs and alcohol to groom vulnerable females, have been offered help and support.
But today a Tyneside child sex abuse expert told the Chronicle that the road to recovery can be long and difficult.
And Steven Tait, team manager at the NSPCC’s Newcastle base, explained it can be even harder for those that never get the chance to see justice.
He said: “For a child to be able to speak out and disclose abuse it takes incredible courage. There’s no doubt about it, these victims have been really brave and really courageous to come out and speak up. It is unthinkable what they have experienced.
“Sometimes it is really important for somebody who has been sexually harmed to see justice is done and if the perpetrator is convicted it can help in recovery.”
NSPCC staff in Newcastle run a programme called ‘Letting the Future in’ for children and young people who have been sexually abused or exploited. Sadly, Steven says demand for their services is currently extremely high.
Steven believes that with the right help it is possible to move on.
But he admitted that cases, like those highlighted through Operation Shelter, where some victims did not even recognise what was happening to them as abuse, were particularly challenging.
“Where young people have been sexually exploited they may not see it as a problem,” he explained. “They may have thought that was a positive relationship they were in. Where children have been sexually exploited it’s often organised abuse and the child or young person has been so well groomed that they don’t recognise it as a problem. In those cases it’s much more difficult, and we have to work much harder to engage with those children and build that trust.
“Young people who have been sexually harmed are often left feeling really confused and mixed up. But they can also be left with psychological trauma. They might have bad dreams or flashbacks and they can often feel as if they were to blame and that they wee at fault. It is really important that they know that it is never their fault. “A lot of the children that are abused are already vulnerable. There may already be other factors there. They may have experienced domestic abuse in the family, or they may have been exposed to sexual images or pornography.” However, Steven believes that with the right help it will be possible for the Operation Shelter victims to recover. He added: “There’s no doubt about it, with the right kind of help a child can move on.”