Grooming gangs review was ‘internal’, government says after 120,000 people demand publication

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. In response to the petition, a spokesperson said the “fact-finding work” would inform an upcoming strategy on child sexual abuse. Survivors of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham said they believed the research was going to be made public, and accused the government of making “empty promises”. “We recognise that this topic in general and any insight and learning are matters of strong public interest, although it does not necessarily follow that it is in the public interest to disclose any specific information relating to it.” The government statement said tackling child sex abuse was its “top priority”, adding: “Any insights gained from our internal work will inform our future action to end this devastating abuse, including the forthcoming strategy.” The statement did not include any findings but said perpetrators “come from many different age groups, communities, ethnicities and faiths”. “Any insights gained from this important internal work will be used to inform our future action to end this devastating abuse.” The government said it had increased funding for services supporting victims of sexual violence and was working to improve the police response to sexual exploitation.