Webchat with Tom Watson MP, Thursday 4 September, 1-2pm

[VikkiMumsnet]

Labour MP Tom Watson is joining us at MNHQ for a webchat nextThursday 4 September, from1-2pm, to talk about the developing situation concerning allegations of child sexual abuse, especially those relating to people in positions of power in Westminster and beyond.

Tom is Labour MP for West Bromwich East and, earlier this year, he launched a petition calling on the Prime Minister to establish a national enquiry into allegations of organised child sex abuse, after it emerged that Home Office files – relating to allegations which may have involved senior Westminster and Whitehall figures in the 1970s and 1980s – had gone missing.

Unfortunately, parliamentary privilege does not extend to Mumsnet webchats - so please don't post allegations about named or identifiable individuals; we may have to delete posts that do. And please remember our usual webchat guidelines:

1. One question per member plus a follow-up question if appropriate, i.e. once you've had a response.
2. Keep your question brief
3. Don't be disappointed if your specific question doesn't get answered and do try not to keep posting "What about me?".
4. Do be civil/polite.

@BeyondRepair

Not sure how we do this but yes huge thanks to you and the other handful of MPs who have taken up this baton.

I am very concerned about what is happening right now to protect children in care homes, right now at this very minuet, I believe the company entrusted to our childrens care is rather dubious GS4 security company.

What checks and measures are in place to ensure this abuse of the most vulnerable in our society is being stopped now.

Also the children in the care homes past and present ( Rotherham scandals) can speak out for themselves at some point, some of these children tried to tell the police what was going on.

What about the vulnerable who are not able to express themselves ie those in homes with LD.

Thanks so much for taking the time to chat to us.

We have a very well developed child protection system in the UK but it has focussed primarily on abuse in families believing that if children are in institutions they are automatically protected except for highly rare and unusual instatances of abuse. I think this is an over simplification. The tragedy seems to be that the services, in an effort to be 'working together' they have been opent to infiltration by child abusers and they have become in some cases, more willing to believe each other than to listen to victims. I want to see a full investigation of any public service that has failed to protect children. It's not only the police where I have had to ask questions.

As parents, we have to educate our kids. The NSPCC's Underwear Rule is a good starting point. I'll try to find the link to the site later!

@Snapespeare

I just wanted to say thank you.

You know - that means a very great deal. Thanks for caring

In your opinion what can be done about victim blaming in society and certain sections of the media.

@JaneH99

Q - Yvetter Cooper recently indicated Labour support for Mandatory Reporting but as yet we have no details. If MR happens in schools and institutions, is Labour also considering proposals to ensure that the statutory bodies - Local Authorities and Police in particular, pursue complaints to completion and can somehow be held to accopunt if they fail to do so? TY

I'm a strong supporter of mandatory reporting in institutional settings. There is a very good cross party campaign I should recommend to you. They're on twitter at @mandatenow The good people that run it are inspirational. I think they have managed to persuade both Yvette Cooper and Theresa May of the merits of their case. There appears to be a lot going on behind the scenes in this policy area.

I'd like to ask Tom how credible he thinks the witnesses behind the Elm Guest House visitors list are, given that it forms most of the suspicion behind the so-called Westminster paedophile ring. And given some of the names on there, is he surprised that Sir Leon Brittan has no memory of Geoffrey Dickens's dossier.

@TrickyB4

Hi Tom, I am trying to find out more about a "disclosure timescale" on a sentencing guideline to do with a CSA crime. I have tried to get media attention with this, as well as contacting MPs but to no avail, so I have started a petition here www.change.org/p/secretary-of-state-for-justice-rt-hon-chris-grayling-remove-the-12-month-disclosure-timescale-from-csa-sentencing-guidelines-2 - links enclosed to 1956 SoA and respective guidelines.

The MoJ have twice replied to me stating they will do nothing & basically "tough luck" for victims who did not disclose within 12 months, quoting article 7 of ECHR (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_7_of_the_European_Convention_on_Human_Rights) as a reason why they will not remove the 12 months from the old guidelines, but I think it could be challenged and removed via "parliamentary sovereignty" (Ex Post facto Law).

My question is, with potentially hundreds of abusers having walked free because of this 12 month timescale and with more offenders that will walk free going forward, how can this 12 month timescale in the guidelines be realistically challenged and removed - I am one small person with not much "clout"?

With Rotherham being in the news recently, and all the other cases of abuse that has happened over the last 20 years plus coming to light, we should not be failing victims so catastrophically in this way via a loophole that should not be part of guidelines - this is inexcusable. Any answers or help with getting this challenged would be very gratefully received (and anyone wishing to add their name to this petition would also be appreciated).

Thank you

This is a bit more than I can handle in a web chat. Can I follow this up with you? If you send me stuff to [email protected] I'll send you a considered response.

@comfortmewithapples

I just can't believe that the "powers that be" - eg the House of Lords and the House of Commons - can allow the full truth about routine sexual abuse of children in state-run children's homes to come out.

Do you honestly believe that all those who abused the most vulnerable of children will be called to account? Or will the crimes be attributed almost entirely to people who are now dead?

Firstly, you have a beautiful pseudonym!

I share your worry about institutions finding it easier to investigate the crimes of the dead. A lot of people are doing their best to make sure that this is not the case though. Keep shaking the tree!

@Greenrememberedhills

I forgot to ask the question! Which is, do you agree?

I note in the news this morning that there are further arrests of Asians in Buckingham.

Whilst it is entirely right that abusers everywhere are brought to book, the whole approach is beginning to look selective.

Clearly there are a whole heap of paedophile rings in this country and not a lot done about them. There are reports lurking on the net of a paedophile ring in very high places.

Shouldn't we be arresting others, and equally publicly?

Sadly, child abuse knows no boundaries when it comes to race, class or religion.

Do senior politicians have too much sway over what the police can and do investigate and, if so, can changes be put in place to make this impossible?

I would like to ask if survivors of historical abuse will be encouraged to come forward and how publicity could be created to do so. Also, what support would then be offered to them so that they can recount their experiences. Some of the survivors have been disbelieved and blamed, so I think support to them is very important.

Thanks for pushing for an inquiry.

@VisitingDad1

I'd like to ask Tom how credible he thinks the witnesses behind the Elm Guest House visitors list are, given that it forms most of the suspicion behind the so-called Westminster paedophile ring. And given some of the names on there, is he surprised that Sir Leon Brittan has no memory of Geoffrey Dickens's dossier.

Don't believe everything you read on the Internet!

As for the Dickens dossiers, Mr Brittan appears to have re-remembered the meeting he had with Geoffrey Dickens. I think that's about all I should say on the matter for now.

@CKDexterHaven

Do senior politicians have too much sway over what the police can and do investigate and, if so, can changes be put in place to make this impossible?

It's certainly the case that the criminal inquiry into Cyril Smith was suppressed by Special Branch. This must be as a result of political pressure. That's just not right is it.

@Darkesteyes

In your opinion what can be done about victim blaming in society and certain sections of the media.

Take a look at the campaigns of Dr Sara Payne and She Keenan, who raise the matter of Anti Victim Prejudice.

Keir Stamer is doing a lot of work in this area. He's looking at how victims can be given greater support and is also a great advocate of mandatory reporting.

Thanks Tom. There is also a brilliant campaign (everydayvictimblaming) @EVBNow on twitter.

@scandip

I would like to ask if survivors of historical abuse will be encouraged to come forward and how publicity could be created to do so. Also, what support would then be offered to them so that they can recount their experiences. Some of the survivors have been disbelieved and blamed, so I think support to them is very important.

Thanks for pushing for an inquiry.

Now is the time for survivors to speak out. It's the first real opportunity to achieve justice.

One thing that troubles me greatly is the lack of support though. I talk to a lot of survivors almost relive their experiences every day. It's convinced me that the response of all the services be it the NHS, the police and children's services is woefully inadequate.

@enriquetheringbearinglizard

Hello Tom and thank you for your tenacious approach. I follow your twitter account, do you feel that social media power has been a helpful tool for pursuing large scale cover ups and injustices? And also in helping make the general public to be better informed and up to date with developments.

All the very best to you.

Yes, I really do. I don't think the hacking inquiries would have happened had people not taken to social media to voice their protest. Let's face it, most newspapers were not going to report it. And the BBC was hopeless (other than panorama).

Social media allows groups to form very quickly with low barriers to entry. The collective voice of survivors is beginning to get heard in the corridors of power. And those people that love their kids are giving them solidarity. It's a pleasure to see it happening.

What happened to Barbara Castle's dossier?

Placing survivors on the inquiry panel would be a fantastic way of demonstrating that the survivors should be taken seriously. The voice of survivors is tremendously important. Do you think suvivors should be on the panel?

@LatinForTelly

Hello Tom,

Someone else may have asked this up there ^^, but what can we as members of the public most helpfully and productively do (and not do) to help ensure that perpetrators of child sexual abuse, especially when in positions of power, are brought to justice?

Thanks for coming onto Mumsnet.

Off the top of my head, here's a few ideas:

1. Make contact with your MP and tell them you want a robust national inquiry that can have access to all historic files - including those of the intelligence services and Special Branch. Remember a face to face contact with your MP is worth a hundred emails.
2. I'm about to launch a petition to call for a national police team to be formed to specifically investigate allegations of organised child abuse. I'll let you know when it happens.
3. Sign up to some of the campaign groups on twitter and facebook. Many are run by survivors and your love and solidarity really helps.
4. Whenever you can, try to make sure that kids know how to keep themselves safe and respond when they're in danger.
5. Keep asking questions and don't let this issue drop off the agenda of big cheese politicians.

We are calling on the Prime Minister to establish a high-profile stand-alone inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham and other areas

www.4children.org.uk/News/Detail/4Children-calls-for-the-Prime-Minister-to-establish-stand-alone-inquiry-into-Child-Sexual-Exploitation-in-Rotherham-and-other-areas

Hello Tom, thank you from my heart for the incredible courage and dedication you have shown on this issue. I have two young sons, and I worry about them too, as they could also fall victim to abusers, as happened to two male cousins of my mother some time ago. What can be done to ensure boys are also protected, heard and believed, and not feel like they have to remain silent? No-one wanted to listen to mum's cousins, and still don't, though their abusers are dead now.

Is part of the problem that no matter how we design systems and make rules to prevent child abuse, people are getting away with it for other reasons (I can't think of the word, I mean something like soft power). I'm thinking of Savile and his visible friendships in high places, or this Rotherham fear of appearing racist etc. Or if your abuser is part of the political elite they have so much power how can you fight them? How can we make a system or set of rules that can circumvent this social behaviour?

@tipsyloolah

Hello Tom -

Like many others, I appreciate the work you're doing very much indeed.

I am currently wondering whether to start a research project in this area (I won't bore you with the details but will probably be harassing you for a chat if it goes ahead!).

What is holding me back is the fact that, when I was previously in academia, I was never convinced that the work done there made any real difference. To go back to that world, I need to feel that what I would be researching would be of some practical help.

So, my question is - what, if anything, do you think academics should be looking at that would have a positive impact with regards to child abuse? Are there any particular areas of social science research which you feel are lacking?

Many thanks.

Can I follow this up with you? There is definitely need for additional research capacity. Thanks so much for the offer.

@scandip

Placing survivors on the inquiry panel would be a fantastic way of demonstrating that the survivors should be taken seriously. The voice of survivors is tremendously important. Do you think suvivors should be on the panel?

Yes, a representative of survivors is essential. I told the Home Secretary this directly and I think she understands this point.

Yes, of course - I've been talking to some people who work in this area and am keen to get started, but just want to make sure it's worthwhile.