Oxford grooming gang survivors tell BBC 'hundreds' of abusers still free
Men who sexually abused them as underage girls are still walking around the city, they say.
Three women who were sexually abused by a grooming gang in Oxford have told BBC Panorama that hundreds of perpetrators remain at large and unpunished. Sarah, Chloe and Rachel, whose names have been changed, describe the horrific abuse they endured from a gang of men, most of Pakistani heritage, who preyed on underage girls in Oxford and other cities between the 1990s and 2010s.
Despite a total of 21 convictions, the survivors say many more abusers have escaped justice. Sarah was abused from the age of 11 and given heroin-laced cigarettes by her abusers, while Chloe was trafficked to other towns and cities and abused by multiple men, often paid for sex with her. Rachel was also trafficked and abused by the gang, and even tried to report an incident to the police, but was ignored.
The women say they continue to see their abusers in public places, causing them distress and fear. Thames Valley Police denies failing to protect the girls, stating they work tirelessly to investigate and bring offenders to justice. However, the survivors argue that the investigations have not been thorough enough and call for a national inquiry into why vulnerable children were not protected in England and Wales.
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