Home secretary Yvette Cooper announces ‘rapid national audit’ into grooming gangs

Yvette Cooper has announced a new national-level “rapid audit” of grooming gangs, alongside up to five new local inquiries.

The national three-month audit, led by Dame Louise Casey, will look at “cultural and societal drivers” of child sex abuse, the home secretary said.

Cooper told the House: “In order to go much further, I have asked Baroness Louise Casey to oversee a rapid audit of the current scale and nature of gang based exploitation across the country, and to make recommendations on the further work that is needed.”

She added: “This is about the protection of children, the protection of young girls, and the radical and ambitious mission we have set for this government to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.

“And I hope all ministers will support that mission and support the measures we have outlined today to help achieve it.”

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