Danczuk slams government over abuse probe ‘moving at snail pace’

By The Press Association27th November 2014News EnglandChild Abuse, Government / Politics, Inquiry, News England

Child abuse victims are being put through “unbearable torture” by the “snail pace” at which the Government’s inquiry into the handling of paedophile activity by public bodies is progressing, a leading campaigner has said.

Labour MP Simon Danczuk said victims know full well there are people in positions of power trying to protect their abusers and called on those responsible to come forward and admit their guilt.

Mr Danczuk, an outspoken campaigner on the issue, made his plea ahead of leading a backbench debate in the Commons todday on the progress of the historic child sex abuse inquiry.

The Government is still seeking a chairman for its wide-ranging inquiry into the handling of paedophile activity by public bodies after two candidates quit over their links to senior figures from 1970s and 1980s, when much of the abuse is alleged to have taken place.

Home Secretary Theresa May (pictured) has come in for fierce criticism for failing to get the inquiry off the ground.

Among the latest allegations of historic abuse are that police may have helped cover up the murder of an eight-year-old boy by a Westminster paedophile ring.

Mrs May has warned that allegations of child sex abuse at public institutions that have emerged so far are just the “tip of the iceberg”.

Speaking yesterday, before today’s debate, Mr Danczuk said: “Child abuse is one of the worst social injustices of our age – and many people have been complicit in this crime taking place on such a large scale across the country. It ruins lives, strips people of their dignity, causes a colossal loss of potential, is a massive strain on the public purse and often pushes people into a growing underclass.

“I’ve been really affected by the damage I’ve seen it cause to communities and I plan to make a direct appeal to abusers to come forward and admit their guilt.

“Victims are being put through an unbearable torture watching an inquiry move forward at snail pace, knowing full well that there are many people trying to protect powerful abusers. It’s time the perpetrators thought long and hard about the damage they’ve inflicted, spared the victims any further suffering and did the right thing and took responsibility for their actions.”