Brave Abuse Victim Speaks Out Amid Calls For Probe Into Telford Child Sex Exploitation
updated on Mar 13, 2018
A victim's harrowing account of treatment at the hands of abusers in Telford has renewed calls for a probe into child sex exploitation.
This comes as The Sunday Mirror revealed in an investigation that up to 1,000 children could have fallen victim to a ring operating in the town over a 40-year-period.
One victim, 'Holly', has spoken out about her treatment on The Victoria Derbyshire Show, and described how the abuse escalated very quickly.
She said: “I was befriended by some boys my own age. They were harassing me constantly, calling me phone, wanting to meet up.
“It’s difficult to explain, they took our phone numbers and sold them on to older men. From there, the older men would bombard us constantly with phone calls. It would be relentless, non stop.
Warning: upsetting
— Victoria Derbyshire (@VictoriaLIVE) March 13, 2018
Telford abuse: 'They set up a rape house to sell young girls to men. There were men of every race and religion coming in there wanting to pay for girls.' pic.twitter.com/qu2RbvzPP2
“They would say ‘oh I know you, I have seen you around, come and meet up with us’ and at first I didn’t want to. But then after receiving hundreds and hundreds of calls, curiosity got the better of me and I went and met one.
Holly went on to describe how men would purchase her and other girls food, and top up their mobile phones in a bid to win their trust.
She said: “He then started to violently rape me, he’d beat me with his belt if I didn’t agree to let him rape me. He’d try to make himself feel better by giving me money or top up my phone again.
“From that man it moved on to many men, there were about seven abusers in the end. It would be whoever caught me first, whoever saw me walking home from school first or walking to my friend’s house."
Telford MP Lucy Allan has called for an independent review into child exploitation in the town.
West Mercia Police say detectives have urged anyone who feels they have been a victim of abuse to contact them immediately.
If you are a victim of abuse, and would like to find professional support, please visit Counselling Directory for more information.
