A recent inquiry into child sex abuse revealed that only five out of twenty recommendations have been implemented, raising concerns about child safety.
London: In October 2022, a major inquiry into child sexual abuse warned that the government needed to act fast. They called it a “national epidemic” and looked at tons of evidence and testimonies from victims.
They came up with 20 recommendations to tackle the issue. Professor Alexis Jay, who led the inquiry, stressed that this isn’t just a thing of the past. She said society has a duty to protect children and can’t let them down again.
But here we are, more than two years later, and only a handful of those recommendations have been put into action. There’s been a lot of talk about whether we need another national inquiry, but Jay is pushing for real action instead of more discussions.
One of the key recommendations was to create a single data set on child sexual abuse. The idea was to gather information from various agencies to better understand the problem. The previous government said they’d improve data collection, but nothing really changed.
Another suggestion was to set up new Child Protection Authorities for England and Wales. The government didn’t go for it, saying they could achieve the same goals without creating new bodies. But many feel that’s just not enough.
They also wanted a dedicated Cabinet minister for children, but the government claimed that role was already covered by the Secretary of State for Education. It’s frustrating because child safety should be a top priority.
Public awareness campaigns were another recommendation. The government said they’ve done some work in this area, but many believe it’s not nearly enough to challenge the myths and stereotypes surrounding child abuse.
One of the more controversial recommendations was to ban certain techniques used on children in custody that cause pain. The government decided against it, saying staff need to be trained for situations where they might need to prevent harm.
As for online safety, there’s been some progress. The Online Safety Act now requires companies to screen for child sexual abuse content, which is a step in the right direction.
But overall, the lack of action on so many recommendations is concerning. Victims and advocates are left wondering when real change will happen. It’s clear that more needs to be done to protect our children and ensure their safety.
