Over 370 kids abused in Oxford sex scandal

A newly published report reveals that hundreds of teenage girls and children were targeted for sex by gangs of men in Oxfordshire during the last 16 years.

A Serious Case Review into grooming of young girls reveals that over 370 children are likely to have been targeted for sex by gangs of men in Oxfordshire in the last 16 years.

"It is shocking that these children were subjected to such appalling sexual exploitation for so long."[There was] a culture across all organizations that failed to see that these children were being groomed in an organized way by groups of men,” the chair of Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) Maggie Blyth was quoted as saying by the British media.

Police officials are particularly under growing fire for turning blind eye to the crimes. They are also accused of attempting to “sweep under the carpet” the grooming culture in the country.

According to the official inquiry, Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire County Council failed to take timely action to stop the crime.

‘Not just police’

Now, a London-based social researcher believes that it is not only the police who should be blamed for the scandal.

“I think that many people are responsible for turning blind eyes to these crimes, not just the police, but many other people besides…There is a disturbing amount of evidence that people knew something about what was going on there and did nothing to protect our children,” Peter Saunders told Press TV on Tuesday.

‘Tip of iceberg’

Founder of NAPAC also says the appalling revelation is just the tip of the iceberg, with “a great deal swept under the carpet”.

“I think a great deal has been and is being swept under the carpet. I think, these reports that are coming out of Oxford or other towns in the UK, they are the tip of an iceberg. Many, hundreds of thousands of children are still in danger today from abuse and we haven’t done enough to protect them in the past and many people are responsible for that,” Saunders reiterated.

Back in December, a British charity group announced that thousands of children are groomed across the UK.

A report by Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation (Pace) into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham found at least 1,400 children were abused there over two decades.

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