Overview

• Five women who survived the Rotherham grooming gangs have accused serving South Yorkshire Police officers of raping or coercing them from ages 12 to 15.
• Under direction of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, South Yorkshire Police’s major crime unit has arrested three former officers on suspicion of historic sexual offences including attempted rape and indecent assault.
• Survivors and their lawyers say they have no confidence in the force investigating its own misconduct and are urging that the inquiry be handed to an outside police force or inspectorate.
• Professor Alexis Jay, author of the 2014 report documenting at least 1,400 child victims, said that only a fully independent statutory inquiry can address victims’ deep-seated distrust.
• The controversy has intensified wider efforts under Operation Stovewood and HMICFRS to reform data collection, oversight and institutional responses to child sexual exploitation.