Rotherham paedophile gangs are still abusing young girls

A survivor of Rotherham’s paedophile gangs claims that child exploitation is still common in the South Yorkshire town.

Sarah Wilson, 23, who was groomed from the age of 11, says that she often sees underage girls socialising with 30-year-old men and that the authorities are still not effectively protecting children from paedophilia.

The scale of sexual abuse in Rotherham was exposed in August 2014, when Professor Alexis Jay’s report revealed that at least 1,400 girls had been abused by predominantly Pakistani-origin men from 1997 to 2013. Despite the national outcry, Ms Wilson says that young victims are still being targeted.

“You see younger girls chilling with older males. It’s there in front of your eyes. Just because the report has come out, they’re not going to stop. They’re just going to be more discreet about it,” she says. “In December I went back to the spots where I was groomed in Rotherham and there was similar activity still going on.”

^{Sarah Wilson, who was groomed by Rotherham gangs aged 11.}

Professor Jay’s investigation into sexual abuse recognised that sexual exploitation would not end overnight. “The abuse is not confined to the past but continues to this day,” read the report.

The Rotherham report also criticised the police for failing to take victims’ allegations seriously. When Ms Wilson was being abused aged 12, her mother took her mobile phone to the police to point out the phone numbers of 177 Asian men. But the police refused to investigate, as they said it was a breach of the Data Protection Act.

Ms Wilson claims that police inaction continues today. “If you call the police, they’re not interested,” she says. In April, she says a friend pointed out a group of underage girls and middle-aged males to a police officer, who refused to take action. “The police turned around and said, ‘There’s nothing we can do, they’re not doing anything wrong’,” says Ms Wilson.

Last week, a National Crime Agency Investigation announced that around 300 new suspects had been identified, including two serving or former Rotherham councillors. Ms Wilson believes that her own abusers could still be preying on young girls.

In her book, Violated, Ms Wilson writes that it’s still common to see young girls climbing into cars with Asian men. “I think some people mistakenly thought it was all over, that the grooming had stopped just like that and no other girls were being abused. They couldn’t have been more wrong,” she writes. “Things as serious as this don’t change overnight, even when the eyes of the whole country are upon you. These men had got away with abusing girls for so long that they thought they could keep doing it.”

The 2014 Rotherham investigation found that taxi drivers were used to traffic girls across the country and hundreds of taxi drivers are currently striking in response to rules requiring them to install CCTV inside their cabs.

Ms Wilson says that the new South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Billings, who was elected after his predecessor Shaun Wright resigned following the sexual exploitation scandal, is working to address the scale of abuse.

“I can see some changes finally but it can’t happen overnight,” she says. “It’s going to be a long process because it’s historical abuse.”

Councillor Chris Read, leader of Rotherham council, recognises that paedophilia is an ongoing problem in Rotherham. “We know that child sexual exploitation is still happening in communities up and down the country, including Rotherham. There will always be criminals who want to hurt vulnerable young people,” he says. “Rotherham Council is now working closely with South Yorkshire Police to do everything we can to prevent and disrupt this abuse, to protect those young people who are at risk and to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

South Yorkshire police also admits that the abuse is ongoing, and says that tackling the exploitation is a priority.

“It is unfortunately a sad and distressing reality that child sexual exploitation continues to happen in towns and cities across the country, and that this horrific crime is not just limited to the past,” says Assistant Chief Constable Ingrid Lee. "We appeal directly to victims to come forward in the confidence that you will be listened to, taken seriously, and offered whatever support and care is needed.”

If you have concerns about child sexual exploitation in Rotherham then you can contact the Rotherham child sexual exploitation helpline (0800 7319256 rotherhamcsesupport@NSPCC.org.uk), South Yorkshire Police on 101, or report information anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

‘Violated’ by Sarah Wilson is published by Harper Element priced £7.99. To order your copy call 0844 871 1514 or visit books.telegraph.co.uk