Young children being forced in prostitution in Scotland. Authorities turn a blind eye

ceadaoin.

I just saw this posted on another site. It's sickening. Roma children are being openly sold on the street in certain areas of Glasgow, a problem that has been ongoing and reported for are least a decade and nothing is being done about it. The reasons given seem to be similar to the reasons nothing was done about grooming gangs operating in other parts of the UK. Well done to Olive Arens for speaking out about this and bringing it the attention it deserves.

The constant stream of news like this is horrible and just highlights how endemic child abuse is in all societies. Will anything ever change? It's so depressing


From The Times:

Children are being forced into prostitution in one of Scotland’s most deprived communities, a Times investigation has revealed.

Specialist agencies, social workers, community representatives and residents say that Roma children are being sold for sex by parents and relatives in Govanhill, in the south of Glasgow. They say that the practice has been going on for more than a decade but, as was the case in Rotherham and Rochdale, they believe that a blind eye has been turned by the authorities because of “cultural sensitivities” and fears of being branded racist.

Residents said that they regularly encountered girls and boys propositioning people walking through the streets at night. The Times witnessed one young heavily made-up Roma girl close to a pub in the central area of the district last month, who appeared to be openly touting herself to men.

Thousands of Roma moved to Glasgow in 2004 after Slovakia and Romania were admitted into the EU. They were drawn to Govanhill, part of the first minister Nicola Sturgeon’s Glasgow Southside constituency, by an abundance of empty properties and cheap rents. A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon, whose constituency office is in Govanhill, said last night that the allegations were deeply concerning.

Police investigations into child sex exploitation were carried out ten years ago but residents say that the problem has re-emerged. The issue was formally flagged up two years ago by community councillors. Despite this, residents say that children, some of whom are believed to be of primary school age, are continuing to be abused. The manager of a charity funded by the Scottish government says that when she raised concerns police told her they were satisfied that the abuse of Roma children was no more than an “urban myth”.


Olive Arens, the chief executive of Up-2-Us, a charity that works with vulnerable teenagers, said: “The sexual exploitation of Roma children in Govanhill is a longstanding issue. You could see the activity. It was children and adults making deals in huddles. It is very clear what was taking place but nothing ever happened to stop it.”

Ms Arens, who was awarded the MBE for services to youth justice in 2005, added: “Some people don’t want to speak out in case they are accused of being racist. I understand that wariness but I don’t have that worry.”

In September 2015 Crosshill and Govanhill community council recorded in its minutes that “an issue had been raised regarding child prostitution within Govanhill” and that children were seen to be “wandering the streets at night”.

Joe Beaver, who led the community group at that time, said: “We talked about the issue of child prostitution with the police. They didn’t seem to be particularly surprised.” Jan Macleod, manager of the Women’s Support Project, based in Glasgow, also raised concerns with the police. She said: “What the police said at that time was that they had investigated it again and again and had not found any evidence of child prostitution in Govanhill.”

However, a senior social worker was angered by the suggestion. She said: “This has been a problem for years and to try to dismiss it as an urban myth is just extraordinary. The reality is that some parents are using their own kids, boys and girls, so they are not needing to groom them into exploitation. They are pimping them themselves.”

In August 2007 Mike Dean, then a superintendent with Strathclyde police, issued a statement that appeared to confirm that the force was investigating the sexual exploitation of children in the area. He said: “Our intelligence specified particular areas in Govanhill and related to the Roma community. At least six separate incidents involving the alleged abuse of children have been reported to us.”

A spokesman for Glasgow city council said: “We are fully alert to the risk of child sexual exploitation in Glasgow. This is a form of abuse that can take place in all parts of the city and be found within all communities, regardless of ethnicity. We will continue to ensure all of our policies, procedures and practices are as robust as possible to ensure we do everything we can to divert vulnerable young people away from harm.”

A spokesman for the first minister said: “These are deeply concerning claims, and anyone with evidence of suspected criminality should inform the police. The first minister is closely engaged with issues in the area — her constituency office is situated in the heart of Govanhill and she holds regular surgeries and meetings for local people. Govanhill, like many areas, faces specific challenges and it is important that all sections of the community are included and involved in addressing those challenges.”

Detective Superintendent Alwyn Bell, of Police Scotland, said: “Glasgow child protection committee and the numerous statutory and voluntary agencies represented have robust, well-established child protection procedures. Child sexual exploitation is a constant threat within our communities and an area all partners are alert to. As a partnership, we constantly review our procedures in an attempt to continuously improve our services and learn from good practice elsewhere.”

He said local communities should report “anything that appears suspicious or gives cause for concern”.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/children-sold-for-sex-on-streets-of-govanhill-db2gptfgx

Ronaldinho

What to do with people so depraved that they would pimp out their own children?

Honestly - I think we need to take a serious look at capital punishment.

The Backwards Man

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

ceadaoin.

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

Who said that? If you read my post I clearly stated that child abuse is endemic in all societies.

Are we supposed to ignore this particular strain of it (parents from a particular community pimping out their children in an organised fashion ) and the reasons that this is continuing to happen , just because British people also commit child abuse?

To summarise, all grooming and abuse should be tackled regardless of the perpetrators. For this to be ignored for at least a decade is scandalous.

People whose first instinct is to deflect the issue and start with the whataboutery are part of the problem. (The same applies for someone who when reading about a non minority person abuser straight away says "well look at the Asian grooming gangs, they're so much worse" etc)

death1234567

It's happening in Ireland too. Roma's pimping out their own kids/relations. The authorities do the same thing here that happens in Scotland. Nothing.

SEPT 23 1989

There was an excellent documentary on the Roma crime crew on the BBC its run with military precision

The_Kew_Tour

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

it's like as if people just want be outraged. did you even read it? no is answer

The_Kew_Tour

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Who said that? If you read my post I clearly stated that child abuse is endemic in all societies.

Are we supposed to ignore this particular strain of it (parents from a particular community pimping out their children in an organised fashion ) and the reasons that this is continuing to happen , just because British people also commit child abuse?

To summarise, all grooming and abuse should be tackled regardless of the perpetrators. For this to be ignored for at least a decade is scandalous.

People whose first instinct is to deflect the issue and start with the whataboutery are part of the problem. (The same applies for someone who when reading about a non minority person abuser straight away says "well look at the Asian grooming gangs, they're so much worse" etc)

You said " all Societies" which is true.

you should not have clarify cause other poster just made assumptons

enricoh

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

Yeah , they could learn a lot from the professional muslim grooming gangs in Rotherham etc. Abducting a child for 5 days is never going to last long term.
Do what the professional muslim gangs do, befriend them, give them loadsa fags n drink n drugs, then tell them they'll kill them and their families if they tell anyone

The Backwards Man

ceadaoin. wrote: »

Who said that? If you read my post I clearly stated that child abuse is endemic in all societies.

Are we supposed to ignore this particular strain of it (parents from a particular community pimping out their children in an organised fashion ) and the reasons that this is continuing to happen , just because British people also commit child abuse?

To summarise, all grooming and abuse should be tackled regardless of the perpetrators. For this to be ignored for at least a decade is scandalous.

People whose first instinct is to deflect the issue and start with the whataboutery are part of the problem. (The same applies for someone who when reading about a non minority person abuser straight away says "well look at the Asian grooming gangs, they're so much worse" etc)

Na, the problem is there's bad cnuts everywhere and lazy or cowardly can't be arsed cnuts that let them away with it. From ancient times until now, always been the same.

tomwaterford

Jesus....poor kids


Can they be taken into care

SeanW

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

But, but. but ... whatabout?

Prune Tracy

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

Not that the opening poster said that, but even if they did, that's just so much more worthy of concern than the actual abuse I suppose.

Added to the abuse itself - which is the main concern - there is the fear of criticism and intervention in case it's seen as racist (and thus perpetuating it). This isn't a right-wing myth (which I used to think it was myself) - it is on record as fact.

ceadaoin.

tomwaterford wrote: »

Jesus....poor kids


Can they be taken into care

You'd think so wouldn't you? I'd imagine there are other issues though such as these people operating and living under the radar. Do the kids attend school, doctors etc? There could be no record of them at all which I'm sure would make things difficult for social services. I have read an account on another website of how local men have taken to attacking the pimps themselves as they have realised that calling the police does nothing. It's a shocking situation. It all seems so out in the open it's baffling how the police couldn't target the men selling and those buying the services of these poor children or at the very least question the adults as to why the children are on the streets late at night

Irish Guitarist

This is what happens when members of the public report Roma gypsies and get things wrong

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/family-of-roma-child-taken-into-care-to-sue-state-1.1851448

I'd say that story turned a lot of people off reporting suspected child abuse. It was given far too much press coverage.

JenovaProject

The Backwards Man wrote: »

Aye, it's only dirty rotten Muzzies and the gypos that groom vulnerable children in the UK.

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/schoolgirl-14-held-captive-forced-13912455.amp

Good lad...all these scum need to be outed.
Why didnt you start a thread on these despicable people?
Its almost like you used this as some internet point scoring post.
I hope Im wrong.

political analyst

If there is indifference on the part of authorities to the pimping of Roma children then the reason is not fear of being called racist but racism itself because the victims are of the same ethnicity as the people who pimp them (just like the Western powers were indifferent to atrocities committed by black Africans against other black Africans) and there's no indication that those who are having sex with these girls are specific to any particular ethnic or religious group.

I've heard of child marriage taking place in the Roma community but I haven't heard of prostitution being part of Roma culture.