Murder of Lucy McHugh. Safeguarding of vulnerable young women.

in truth, both factors - parental neglect and cultural misogyny - play a role in situations like this. Part of the explanation for mothers who behave like this is their absorption and acceptance of myths about young girls being culpable in their own abuse - also beliefs that males must always be prioritised.

Grandad is the wolf

Grandad abused mother. Grandma looked the other way

Mother buys off grandad by sending daughter in her place

There are many different theories what the cautionary tale is about (and different versions)

Girl wearing red indicating her periods have stated

Men being predatory

Mother warning her of the expected sexual attention she will get

Even from those she trusts

Deconstructing 'Little Red Riding Hood'

Why does LRRH's mum send her into the woods on such a dangerous errand? And who is the 'wolf' who sleeps in grandma's bed?

Can you work it out?

I don’t think anyone here is going to claim the Lucy’s mother has not had difficulties

But the constant denying of the role some (many) women play in the abuse of their children is not helping

Having worked in DV I am well aware of the violence and do believe more men are violent but there are women who are just as selfish women who get caught up in these relationships their self esteem maybe low but that doesn’t stop you protecting your children and many women out the men in their lives first its something that many (even in the services) do not want to acknowledge

The mum's partner is clearly a scumbag but the reason the mum is the bigger villain IMO (not as bad as the murderer though obviously) is that as the parent it is your role to protect your kids from harm

I'm not defending the mum in this case, I was responding to a blanket comment that many women enable abuse as they are putting their needs first.

In a society where many people think that lying about rape/sexual abuse is common place, that teenage girls can be provocative and that children should respect their elders I think it's too simplistic to blame mothers for abuse of teenage daughters.

I notice there is not so much vitriol being directed at the mothers partner, who was the person who actually invited the murderer to stay in his house and told the mum the daughter was a trouble maker.

But of course men cant be held responsible if theres a woman available to take the flak

It's impossible to read the reports and not judge the mother, father & 'step father' very harshly as well as anyone involved in monitoring the violent ex-convict who was allowed to move in to Lucy's home

Note the ages of Lucy's parents suggest that Lucy's mum was no older than 16 at time of her birth but her father must have been 22/23 at the time so neither mum nor dad capable of acknowledging that it is not normal for girls in their young teens to spent time alone with men in their 20s

Or a whole generation of people who buy into the idea that women lie about rape and men are more trustworthy

That isn't the issue here. Several of Lucy's teachers were very concerned about her. She was believed. One in particular was very concerned that Lucy was left in the house with 3 adult males, none of whom was biologically related to her, whilst her mother was at work. The person who shut down the possibility of help was Lucy's mother.

No, thats not what happens, the comment that they put their own needs first is more accurate . There are also women who collude with or enable abusers, and this girls mother appears to be one of them

Absolutely. I hope this women has no other children.

Or a whole generation of people who buy into the idea that women lie about rape and men are more trustworthy

No, thats not what happens, the comment that they put their own needs first is more accurate.
There are also women who collude with or enable abusers, and this girls mother appears to be one of them.

This is absolutely why a cultural and societal shift in attitudes towards women and girls is desperately needed. Casual misogyny is the root of the issue, because it dehumanises women and girls. It's what stopped Lucy McHugh having a way out of the horror she was enduring.

It's why feminism is needed. And it's why we'll keep fighting until things change for the better.

This in spades. The entire world needs changing, because right now it is still very, very dangerous to be female, to be a child, and especially to be a female child.

I'm still having trouble registering that her murderer was a carer. How the fuck did he get a DBS clearance?

That needs answered.

WHY THE FUCK would you allow a stranger straight out of prison to lodge in your home with your pre-teen daughter?

Exactly

Unfortunately many dysfunctional families will work against SS and anyone they perceive as having power di the abuse carries on

We have to stop defending parents not protecting their children when they have had the choice to do so

It is of course right that a serious case review is taking place, but I'm uncomfortable with the usual automatic 'blame SS' response. Lucy was failed by every single adult in her life, particularly her mother who out and out lied to SS, and her father who was completely absent (his statement afterwards made me want to punch the walls out).

I'm still having trouble registering that her murderer was a carer. How the fuck did he get a DBS clearance?

RIP wee girl.

Or a whole generation of people who buy into the idea that women lie about rape and men are more trustworthy

This. This is absolutely why a cultural and societal shift in attitudes towards women and girls is desperately needed. Casual misogyny is the root of the issue, because it dehumanises women and girls. It's what stopped Lucy McHugh having a way out of the horror she was enduring.

It's why feminism is needed. And it's why we'll keep fighting until things change for the better.

The small city where I work (not Lucy's home town, but just for example) currently has almost 50 (fifty) vacant posts for social workers. The majority of SW they do have are temps or agency staff, with high staff turnover. They receive around 600 new referrals a week.

Clearly, SS failed Lucy. But the reasons for the failure are, to me, at least as likely to be funding and policy decisions made at the highest levels of government - over decades - as incompetence of an individual or team of SW.

Sadly it was not uncommon for mothers to disbelieve their children when they disclose abuse from the mother’s partner. There’s a whole generation of women putting their own needs before those of their children.
Or a whole generation of people who buy into the idea that women lie about rape and men are more trustworthy

The difficult question that needs to be asked:

To what extent is this vast, bureaucratic and very expensive system of checks, referrals and reports there to protect vulnerable groups, and to what extent is it there to cover the arses of service supplers?

'We ticked all the boxes so it can't be our fault.'

How many reviews does this country need?

There will be a lot more unless the government actually starts giving a shit and funding services properly.Education,SS,mental health services etc. and even prisons so that violent and dangerous criminals aren't released time and time again with no rehabilitation or checks in place.

Social Services should have protected Lucy. They failed miserably

Lucy's parents should have protected Lucy. They failed miserably. Her mother facilitated the abuse by taking the murderer in to Lucy's home.

The teacher's were aware of the dangers facing Lucy, so it must have been bad, and reported it to social services, who did precisely NOTHING!

They did make contact but were fobbed off by Lucy's mother and boyfriend.

I hope to God that there are investigations into his role as ‘Carer’. Who the fuck were the vulnerable people he was caring for? How are they? I hope they’re looking into the plight of every person he came into contact with. I hope his managers, co-workers, supervisors are being checked too. I hope the recruitment process is being reviewed that allowed him to be employed. He held people hostage twice, he raped a 14 year old in exchange for a ‘free’ tattoo and then got a job as a carer. The fact that he was a tattooist makes me feel sick too. How are they checked out before they’re allowed to take sadistic pleasure in sticking needles into skin and drawing blood. And then he raped and murdered Lucy. I despair.

Review under way. I predict that when it's published, Lessons Will Be Learned. Just like all the others.

RIP Lucy.