Police: We are better at tackling this abuse
LESSONS LEARNED OVER CHILD EXPLOITATION
POLICE and council bosses say they have learned lessons and are tackling grooming and exploitation as a main priority following a shocking abuse story revealed by a Derby woman.
The brave abuse survivor recently spoke out to claim grooming gangs had trafficked girls from Derby to Birmingham for decades and little had been done to protect them.
Sarah, whose name was changed to protect her identity, told how she was abused by predatory gangs while a runaway from care homes in Derby in the early 2000s.
She told how she was “extensively groomed” and abused in Derby and later repeatedly trafficked between Derby, Birmingham and Bradford.
“I gave all the information I had to Derby police in 2012. No one was charged but I was very traumatised and very mentally unwell then so I don’t really know what happened,” she said.
Sarah was born to a drug addict and prostitute mother and endured an unimaginable upbringing.
Her care records reflect that she was targeted by her mum’s dealers and “clients” from a young age as her “evil” mother allowed sickening attacks to take place in return for drugs.
To “protect” her from her dangerous home life, social services moved her into care in her early teens.
However, she states she “sued” Derby City Council after the care home in which she lived failed to protect her.
The Derby Telegraph approached both Derbyshire police and Derby City Council asking if issues regarding trafficking had improved since the victim’s experience and whether lessons have been learned.
Detective Superintendent Gemma Booth said the Derbyshire force is working with partners to combat exploitation.
However, she said that early detection has its challenges as “it is evident that those committing crimes continue to adapt”. She said: “Derbyshire Constabulary, working together with partners, is committed to tackling exploitation.
“Recognising the challenges and complexity within these investigations, the force has dedicated child exploitation, county lines and modern day slavery teams, who investigate this area of criminality.
“However, we understand that being able to identify people at risk goes beyond those dedicated teams and right across the organisation - from our contact centre staff to our safer neighbourhood teams. Therefore, we have, and continue to, make concerted efforts to raise awareness of being able to spot the signs of criminal and sexual exploitation in order to effectively understand, respond to and safeguard victims of such abuse.
“In relation to the scale of exploitation within Derbyshire, we are steadfast in our view that one case of exploitation is one too many.
“We have invested in our ability to analyse the information we hold, and work with partners, regularly focusing activity on an intelligence and evidence-led basis. This ensures that we can respond to emerging risks and take appropriate action.
“That partnership approach goes beyond bringing offenders to justice to ensuring that those at risk of being exploited do not become a victim.
“Tackling this type of crime is very much a partnership approach and the force has strong links with partners across Derbyshire to ensure all appropriate information is shared in order to safeguard those at risk.”
Ten years ago Operation Retriever in Derby led to the conviction of nine men for multiple offences ranging from rape to intimidating witnesses. Their victims totalled 27 teenage girls, a shocking investigation found.
Operation Retriever was sparked after Staffordshire police pulled over three men and were concerned to see two young teenagers with them. They had been reported missing from a care home in Derby.
Det Supt Booth said: “In relation to ongoing learning since Operation
Retriever, it is evident that those committing crimes continue to adapt, especially as new technology emerges.
“Exploitation is no longer contained to physical meetings but can occur within virtual spaces online. In Derbyshire, we continually raise awareness of online safety as well as proactively tackle online exploitation and have the capability to examine systems in order to gather and secure evidence, helping to bring offenders to justice.
“As a force, we will continue to learn and respond in order to effectively tackle this abhorrent crime.”