Braverman: Child sex abuse reporting duty will overcome ‘political correctness’

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Home Secretary has blamed “political correctness” for authorities failing to tackle grooming gangs, as she pledged to put people working with children in England under a new legal duty to report signs or suspicions of sexual abuse. On Sunday, Suella Braverman singled out British Pakistani men over concerns about grooming gangs as she accused authorities of turning a “blind eye” to signs of abuse over fears of being labelled “racist” or “bigoted”. The report found that there was currently “a marked absence of a cohesive set of laws and procedures in England and in Wales that require individuals working with children to report child sexual abuse”. “We’ve seen institutions and state agencies, whether it’s social workers, teachers, the police, turn a blind eye to these signs of abuse out of political correctness, out of fear of being called racists, out of fear of being called bigoted.” The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said the consultation was a “step in the right direction”, but called on ministers to do more to tackle child sexual abuse.