BBC's Three Girls - essential viewing to understand child neglect, grooming and child abuse
Three Girls, the recent dramatisation by the BBC of the Rochdale grooming scandal was essential viewing to help understand the complexities of child sexual exploitation and grooming.
In the closing scenes, Sara Rowbotham, the character played by Maxine Peake, made this heartfelt speech:
"It was absolute disrespect that vulnerable young people did not have a voice, that they were overlooked. That they were discriminated against and they were treated appallingly by protective services.
"We need an absolute shift in what constitutes a reliable witness. Vulnerable young people do not present as clear cut victims. They do not clearly state “I am being abused”. They are absolutely entrenched in a horrible set of manipulation and coercion. They are living in absolute fear so they won’t easily fit a box that allows a judicial system to easily see that this is a child that is being abused."
The real Sara Rowbotham discussed her experiences and what can be learnt in her interview with The Guardian.
The BBC also listed where you can get help or more information on the support pages of their website.
EduCare's safeguarding training courses cover Child Neglect and Child Sexual Exploitation and help motivate people to take action if they suspect something is wrong – whatever their role or responsibility.
Photo credit: BBC
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