The recent inquiry into grooming gangs in the UK has brought long-overdue attention to horrific abuse cases and the systemic failures that allowed them to happen. At Duncan Lewis Solicitors, we welcome efforts to uncover the truth and ensure accountability, while also calling for a balanced approach that protects both victims and communities from harm.
What Is the Inquiry About?
In early 2024, public pressure — including high-profile criticism from Elon Musk — led the UK government to commission a three-month audit into grooming gangs. Rather than a full national inquiry, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper appointed Baroness Louise Casey to lead a review into the scale and nature of group-based child sexual exploitation.
The audit:
- Examines police and council failings in past abuse cases,
- Reviews the ethnic and cultural factors behind the offences,
- Considers how best to collect and publish national data.
Cooper noted that robust data is lacking — but insisted that we cannot ignore difficult findings for fear of controversy. As Baroness Casey put it:
"Ignoring the issues, not examining and exposing them to the light, allows the criminality and depravity of a minority of men to be used to marginalise whole communities."
Institutional Failures: What Went Wrong?
Previous investigations, including those into Rotherham and Rochdale, found repeated failures by police and social services to act on evidence of child abuse. Victims were often dismissed, disbelieved, or even treated as criminals themselves.
In many cases, officials were reluctant to intervene because the perpetrators were mostly from Pakistani backgrounds. There was a fear of being labelled racist, which led to inaction — with devastating consequences for survivors.
A 2023 Home Office report confirmed that these concerns over appearing racist due to the ethnic background of the perpetrators contributed to what it described as "professional complacency" and "institutional inertia."
Avoiding Harmful Stereotypes
While it's essential to confront hard truths, it's equally important to avoid stigmatising entire communities. Most people from Pakistani or Muslim backgrounds had no involvement in these crimes. Yet public discourse has too often cast entire communities in a negative light.
We must draw a clear line: the actions of individuals should not be used to justify discrimination or collective blame. Justice requires nuance and care.
Can Victims Sue the Authorities?
Yes. Victims of child sexual exploitation may be able to bring civil claims against the police forces and local authorities that failed to protect them. Two main legal routes include:
- Negligence Authorities may have owed a duty of
care to vulnerable children. If they failed to investigate clear
warning signs, they could be held liable for breach of that
duty.
- Claims Under The Human Rights Act 1998
Key rights include:
- Article 3 – The right not to be
subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment
- Article 8 – The right to respect for private and family life
Failure to protect a child from known risks could be a breach of these rights.
- Article 3 – The right not to be
subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment
- Equality Act 2010 If authorities ignored or mishandled cases due to stereotypical assumptions or racial sensitivities, this could amount to unlawful discrimination under Section 13 of the Equality Act.
Time Limits and Legal Hurdles
Many survivors were abused as children, and some cases are now outside the standard limitation periods for civil claims. However, courts have discretion under the Limitation Act 1980 to disapply time limits in specific circumstances — this includes abuse cases where evidence of institutional failings has only come to light recently.
Establishing liability may also be complicated by evidentiary hurdles, institutional defensiveness, and the potential for public bodies to rely on statutory immunities. Still, recent judicial trends show a growing willingness to hold institutions accountable for systemic failings.
Moving Forward
The grooming gang inquiry continues to expose deep flaws in how institutions respond to child sexual exploitation. It is a chance to reckon with past failures — and to push for reforms that protect children in the future. For survivors who were ignored, disbelieved, and failed by those entrusted with their protection, civil claims can offer a path to justice, accountability, and compensation.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
