Grooming gangs survivor wants Wales' own inquiry

A victim of grooming gangs (not pictured) says a Wales inquiry should be committed to uncovering "individual and institutional failures"

A survivor of child sexual exploitation has repeated her call for a Wales-specific inquiry into the issue.

The woman, who goes by the pseudonym Emily Vaughn, had her experiences shared in the Senedd earlier this year by the Welsh Conservatives as they pushed Welsh ministers to instigate a separate inquiry.

Despite the UK government's decision to launch one covering Wales and England, she said Wales needed to "wake up" to the fact abuse did not stop at borders.

On Tuesday the first minister told the Senedd she had written to the home secretary about the Welsh element of the probe.

Eluned Morgan said she wanted to "ensure that Welsh issues and any recent events as well as historic events will be investigated and analysed by this inquiry".

"It is clearly an issue that needs to be addressed. I think lessons need to be learned."

Morgan also promised "full co-operation from the Welsh government".

During First Minister's Questions, Morgan was asked by Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar if she would meet Ms Vaughn with him in person, to hear her experiences "first hand".

Morgan did not commit to the meeting, but said she had met women at a hostel and police commissioners, adding victims needed to be "at the forefront of our minds".

In response, Ms Vaughn said she was not sure what the first minister was "scared of".

She said: "Why does she not want to meet me, is it because I know what I'm talking about?

"I would be happy to meet her," she added.

The Senedd voted against Tory calls for a Wales-specific inquiry in January, but unanimously supported a Plaid Cymru amendment that Welsh ministers should consider one and also carry out an audit of cases with police.

On Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer announced a full national statutory inquiry into grooming gangs

The prime minister announced an inquiry to cover Wales and England on the weekend, following a report from Baroness Louise Casey, who led an audit into abuse and exploitation.

Her report was published on Monday alongside a statement in the Commons from Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

It contained a suggestion that the Welsh government had not provided data to the audit on how many cases of child sexual abuse or exploitation had been seen by health services in Wales.

The Welsh government said it was "looking into the matter" that information had been requested.

Ms Vaughn, who is now in her 30s, said she was first groomed at the age of 11 and abused from the age of 14.

She said she was trafficked to Telford, Blackpool and within Wales, and was raped repeatedly.

In a statement issued on Monday, she said: "It is time for Wales to wake up to the truth that grooming, sexual exploitation and organised abuse do not stop at regional borders.

"Survivors in Wales have long been silenced, overlooked, or forced to seek justice through systems not built with their experiences in mind.

"While inquiries have been launched in England and other parts of the UK, the specific cultural, institutional, and social factors unique to Wales have yet to be properly investigated or addressed.

"There needs to be an independent public inquiry into grooming gangs and systemic sexual exploitation in Wales."

Ms Vaughn later clarified there should be a Wales-specific inquiry which should "look at children trafficked into Wales and around Wales for both sexual and criminal exploitation".

Senedd Conservative leader Millar said on Monday the inquiry vindicated people like Ms Vaughn but was long overdue.

On Tuesday, he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast that Wales should not become an "afterthought".

"We've got to look into detail at the extent to which grooming gangs are operating in Wales, how victims are recruited and we need to ensure that in any new inquiry, Wales features very heavily," he said.

"If that is not the case, then we do need a Wales-wide inquiry."

Darren Millar, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, says other politicians tried to silence his calls for a Wales-wide grooming inquiry

Cardiff University's Dr Sophie Hallett was an expert consultant in the independent inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

She said there was "no mention" of Wales in the Casey report, despite the decision to launch an inquiry covering Wales and England.

"There's no mention of the timeline of the government response or the substantial evidence base of understanding that has informed statutory guidance and safeguarding for child sexual exploitation," she said.

Dr Hallett said she was concerned about the nature of the inquiry being "limited to group-based sexual exploitation".

"The issue is that what is not being proposed is an inquiry into child sexual abuse in all its forms," she added.

Roccio Cifuentes, Children's Commissioner for Wales said the report must "mark the end of these serious failings".

"We need a laser-sharp focus on making improvements so that we can be certain all's being done to protect children."

A freedom of information request made by BBC Wales in March revealed Welsh police forces had identified no current widespread issues with grooming gangs.

The Welsh government said on Monday it welcomed the new inquiry and would "consider its recommendations in full to inform our actions".

"Our 10-year strategy for preventing and responding to child sexual abuse is due out for public consultation shortly," it added.

"There are four strands to the strategy which are prevention, protection, supporting children and young people and their families, and supporting adult survivors."