City facing ‘tsunami of child sexual exploitation’ by gangs Councillor: Schools and parents ‘kept in the dark’ about scale of abuse
BIRMINGHAM is facing a “tsunami of child sexual exploitation” with reports that gang members are using Tasers on schoolgirl rape victims, a councillor claims.
Des Flood fears schools and parents are being kept in the dark about the dangers children face from paedophiles within street gangs in the south of the city.
It followed reports in last week’s Post that one suspected gang member was arrested for three rapes of schoolgirls, but bailed each time.
Councillor Flood criticised Birmingham City Council’s handling of child sexual exploitation during a full council meeting.
He directed his statement to Councillor Carl Rice, who has recently taken on cabinet responsibility for children, schools and families.
“I am worried there is a tsunami of child sexual exploitation waiting to explode across this city,” said Mr Flood, Conservative councillor for Bartley Green.
“Young people, are being sexually especially girls, exploited on a daily basis. Some of this linked to gangs.
“Schools are a vital part of our eyes and ears in the local community, on the ground, to identify vulnerable young people, especially in terms of concerns about child sexual exploitation.
“I know of cases whereby local schools in our community have done their duty and referred serious cases of child sexual exploitation about pupils to children’s services. But these schools nor their parents and carers have been invited to multi-agency child sexual exploitation meetings.
“Can you please ensure that no further child sexual exploitation meetings take place in this city which involve school pupils without the schools and, indeed, parents and carers invited to be an equal partner at the table?
“There is a serious failing in sharing information among agencies, especially with regards to children’s services.”
Suspected gang members have allegedly filmed child sex attacks on their phones. Councillor Flood told the meeting he had heard from residents about other appalling claims.
“I know of reports is clearly where resi- dents have reported that young girls have been tasered and gangraped,” he said. “This information appears to have been diluted and not shared in reports.”
Councillor Rice responded that he had only been in post “half an hour” but pledged to take up the issue raised “to ensure that everybody who has a role in tackling child sexual exploitation is heard loud and clear”.
But he denied that parents and schools were being kept in the dark about exploitation.
“I strongly suggest that no-one working in the city council, especially children’s services, will deny any information that will lead to the prevention and prosecution of those evil characters who prey on vulnerable young people,” he said.
“If we are going to effectively work to tackle not just child sexual exploitation in this great city, particularly among the most vulnerable, the city council alone cannot hope to tackle a city of a million people. Partnership work is what has brought children’s services back from the brink of special measures.
“Schools, police, all agencies have a role in ensuring the safety of this city’s most vulnerable.”