Damning report on Met Police failure to protect children and prevent sexual abuse – response

EVAW is horrified to read today (25 November) the HMIC report on the Metropolitan Police’s child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation work which, “found that none of the borough or specialist teams assessed in this inspection was doing a good enough job in protecting children.”

The report says there is a critical lack of leadership, a lack of training of officers who have major responsibility for child protection, unacceptable delays, poor handling of data and, frighteningly – a huge proportion of cases examined by the inspectorate had to be flagged up again to the Met Police because it was possible a child was at ongoing risk. The report is also unclear about strategy and failings on FGM and forced marriage.

EVAW and many London-based violence against women and girls organisations campaigned for tackling abuse to be a major mayoral and policing priority in London. We are often consulted on the Mayor and MOPAC’s as well as the Met’s plans in this area. We are profoundly disappointed that this chronic, systemic failing should be uncovered in this way. We expect immediate action from Scotland Yard and City Hall and will be communicating with them about this.