Sarah Champion has been a relentless advocate for victims of child sexual abuse since entering parliament six years ago. But the Labour MP for Rotherham is concerned the issue is ‘dropping off’ the government’s radar. She talks to Elizabeth Bates
When Sarah Champion was first elected as the MP for Rotherham in 2012 she was plunged into the middle of an unfolding child abuse scandal. An exposé by The Times had, two years earlier, revealed widespread grooming and sexual exploitation of young women and girls in the northern town, compounded by wilful ignorance and neglect among those in authority.
Champion’s task was formidable with victims starting to pour forward and local services in crisis.
Since that time there has been a fundamental shift in awareness of child sexual exploitation (CSE) within the police, social services and the wider public and she has been instrumental in driving the change.
Sitting in her Westminster office, she talks predominately about that period through the prism of her interactions with victims.
“I am most proud of listening to the women that came to me at the beginning around the CSE that they had experienced when they were children, because no one else had,” she says. “I am proud of how helping them has enabled them to move forward with their lives. It’s more an honour than a pride thing.”
She has been a relentless advocate for those women in Westminster, securing a change to the law to make it easier for the police to intervene in grooming cases and more recently working cross-party to improve relationship education in schools.
However, after six years fighting CSE from the Opposition benches, the Labour MP is concerned that for the current Prime Minister the issue has “dropped off the radar”.
https://www.dare2care.org.uk/ goes live 27th Feb
Previously: I thought Sarah didn’t know until August 2014?
Rotherham Politics 
Still strange then, that she was the only one to be contacted –
all the councillors at the time denied any knowledge of child molestation and mass rape taking place…
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Like the police chiefs the council and cllrs all attended a seminar in 2005.
Then covered it up and betrayed the public by failing to warn them of the known risks.
They allegedly failed to mention to MPs at their many meetings.
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Sounds incredible.
You couldn’t make it up
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Three Wise Monkey’s syndrome?
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A lot of important things have “fallen off” Theresa May(hem’s) radar since she moved into No 10, including the fact she is the Prime Minister, and the buck stops firmly with her ! For the past several months it has become obvious that she simply is not up to the job. She spends most of the time looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights, stumbling over her words on the question of Brexit and changing her mind as other people change their socks !
The time has come for this “Weak and Unstable” politician to stand down and retire gracefully before she feels the pain of a knife in the back from her Parliamentary,one time allies ! “Et tu Rees Mogg ??” I can almost hear it now !
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Can’t see link to story. Agree May is a ditherer and not up to job. However it was Corbyn who sacked Champion and it is Labour that are in denial about CSE and its connection to the Muslim community.
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Conversely, power is often abused!
I am informed, Jahangir Akhtar, is still ‘very influential’ in council circles, just like old times.it would seem?
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‘I am informed, Jahangir Akhtar, is still ‘very influential’ in council circles,’
If you want to make sure you get enough votes to stay in power why would you ignore someone who guarantees to deliver the votes?
By fair means and foul.
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Not fair but very foul….a morally corrupt Labour council
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