Rotherham MP calls for national support service for sex abuse victims

Ms Champion called for the introduction of a statutory Victim’s Offer which would provide therapeutic support and advocacy to those who needed it.

She said: “We owe a debt of gratitude to the victims, survivors and witnesses who had the courage to come forward and help secure these convictions.

“I also want to express my thanks to the National Crime Agency who are unwavering in pursuit of justice for victims of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.”

Ms Champion said the UK needed to do much more to support victims of child abuse and she would keep fighting for a statutory support system for them.

The MP obtained figures from the Ministry of Justice which showed the number of people sentenced to custody for child sexual abuse since 2010 had increased by a third — and almost all offenders were men.

The figures show there was a 33 per cent increase in the number of custodial sentences given to offenders between 2010 and 2017.

Last year was the first year since 2013 that the number of people receiving custodial sentences fell, down 4.7 per cent. 

In total, 119 people have received life sentences for child sexual abuse since 2010 — offences which warrant life include rape of a child under 13, assault by penetration of a child under 13 or paying for the sexual services of a child under 13.

Figures obtained for 2017 show that of 3,234 offenders who received immediate custodial sentences for child sexual abuse, 98 per cent were men.

Ms Champion said: “I am not surprised that 98% of custodial sentences for child sexual abuse are given to men.

“Child sexual abuse is about power. It’s men using their power over the vulnerable to abuse, rape and exploit them.  

“The tragedy is that child sexual abuse is still happening on a massive scale.

“Police recorded child sexual abuse is up 16 per cent, so it's really worrying that last year custodial sentences started to fall for the first time since 2013.

“Some people might like to think we're over the worst of it but the numbers clearly say otherwise. 

“We have to accept that children are still being abused but the police just cannot cope with the volume.

“Fewer cases are being passed on to the Crown Prosection Service and we are seeing fewer convictions as a result.

“How can we expect victims to have faith in this system when it is so under resourced? 

“Supporting victims as soon as they come forward is vital.

“The only way we can guarantee this is to introduce a statutory duty 'Victim's Offer' so that everyone can get therapeutic support and advocacy they need.”