A new police task force that focuses on tackling grooming gangs will focus on protecting young women and girls from sexual abuse.
Specialized officers will be part of the group that will work with local police forces to solve investigations into child sexual exploitation.
It will be police-led and supported by the National Crime Agency, with officers with “extensive experience” conducting investigations into grooming gangs.
The plan will also use ethnicity data to assist police in something ministers will argue is necessary to ensure that ‘cultural sensitivities’ are not used to prevent criminals from being caught.
The prime minister will make the announcement tomorrow (Monday) and has said that “political correctness” will not stand in the way of a crackdown on sex abuse gangs.
Mr Sunak warned that ‘for too long political correctness has prevented us from rooting out vicious criminals who prey on children and young women’.
He vowed, “We will do everything we can to eradicate these dangerous gangs.”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has singled out British Pakistani men over concerns about grooming gangs.
It came as she announced plans for a consultation on introducing a mandatory duty for professionals working with children to report sexual abuse concerns.
Mr Sunak will also say grooming gang members and leaders will receive the harshest possible sentences, with the introduction of new legislation that would make membership an aggravating factor in sentencing.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab said: ‘Grooming gangs are a scourge on our society and I want to send a clear message to anyone who exploits vulnerable children that they will bear the full weight of the law.
“This builds on the extensive measures already taken by this government to introduce tougher sentences, and the reforms introduced last week in the Victims and Prisoners Bill to keep the most dangerous offenders behind bars and ensure that victims get the support they need at all times. .’
The announcements come after the independent Child Sexual Abuse Survey last year described child sexual abuse as an “epidemic leaving tens of thousands of victims in its toxic wake.”
The seven-year inquiry into institutional shortcomings in England and Wales concluded that people in positions of trust should be required by law to report child sexual abuse.
Professor Alexis Jay, who chaired the research, welcomed the announcements.
“The commitment to mandatory reporting is very encouraging and I look forward to working with the government to ensure that the full package of the study’s recommendations is adopted in the final report to better protect children from sexual assault in the future.” abuse.’
The ministers have said they will also provide additional support to the NSPCC’s whistleblower line.
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