Telford abuse survivor hits out at 'politicisation' of child sexual exploitation inquiry
A grooming gang survivor and campaigner has hit out at the politicisation and "bickering" over Telford's forthcoming Child Sexual Exploitation inquiry.
Holly Archer, a victim and survivor of a Telford grooming gang, has spoken out after criticism from local politicians and the Prime Minister over the time it is taking for the inquiry to get underway.
Ms Archer - whose name is a pseudonym used to write the 2016 book 'I Never Gave My Consent' which told of her harrowing experiences - also set up a petition calling for the inquiry, which attracted tens of thousands of signatures in support.
She has offered her backing to the inquiry process, and said that she was disappointed to see abuse of children had been used as a weapon in political debates.
She said: "I was glad the Telford inquiry is now in the hands of the commissioning body.
"'No more bickering'. I thought. 'No more political debates using the rape of children as the blinding weapon' – I was wrong!
"Keep politics out of it!"
The comments come after a row over the progression of the inquiry, which was sparked by questions from Telford MP Lucy Allan and Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard in the Houses of Parliament earlier this week.
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The MPs had questioned the length of time it is taking to start the inquiry, with Ms Allan saying the failure to begin "lets down victims, survivors and members of our community".
Theresa May responded by saying the time being taken was "concerning".
Telford & Wrekin Council responded by saying the inquiry process was about making sure it would be truly independent, and is now at the stage where the law firm Eversheds Sutherland have taken over its management and are in the process of appointing a chair and setting the terms of reference.
Councillor Lee Carter, one of the authority's cabinet members, said: "It is not always about speed but also getting it right for local people who have been so seriously affected by child sexual exploitation. That is where our priority lies."
Telford & Wrekin councillors voted in April last year to hold the inquiry. The decision came after the authority had initially said it wanted the national Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse to investigate what had happened in Telford.
Telford was thrown into the national spotlight when Operation Chalice saw seven men jailed in 2013 for their part in a grooming gang.
The investigation revealed details of a network of men from who targeted young and vulnerable teenage girls as young as 12.
A national media investigation subsequently claimed there could be as many as 1,000 victims of abuse in the town over a 40-year period. The outcry following the story led to the inquiry being set up.
