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Sarah Champion

(261 Posts)
kittylester Thu 17-Aug-17 06:50:57

Should she have resigned? Was she telling the truth? Did she jump or was she pushed? Is this an example of political correctness gone mad?

lemongrove Sat 19-Aug-17 23:32:43

Spot on dbDB that was exactly the case.

Chewbacca Sat 19-Aug-17 23:59:55

Brilliantly put dbDB . I too have wondered whether the fact that the majority of the abuse took place in Northern, regional towns had any bearing on the apparent lack of interest from central government, the press, police and social workers. There has, without doubt, been more navel gazing about how to approach the sensitivities of the wider Asian male communities than there ever was for the victims. I don't recall seeing anyone blaming ALL Asian men for the crimes of some in their communities.

durhamjen Sun 20-Aug-17 00:44:17

www.islingtongazette.co.uk/topic/Tag/kids%20homes%20scandal

Iam64 Sun 20-Aug-17 07:38:54

Jeremy Corbyn was approached in the 1980's by a social worker in Islington, who raised the issue of sexual abuse of Islington children in residential care establishments. I've read several interviews in which she states he listened but took no action. She also says she approached him on a number of occasions at e.g. Stop the War demonstrations, to raise the issue again with no effective response.
The sexual abuse of children, whether by individuals or organised groups has been part of society for as long as we have records or knowledge.
Anyone who has worked in health, police, social work, probation, education or any other organisation coming into contact with children and young people will confirm it's far more common than most would like to accept.
That's the real issue isn't it. Why so many people, often men, are sexually attracted to infants and children. Why some men see children age 11 upwards as fair game because those children are neglected or acting out and preventing parents keeping them safe.

durhamjen Sun 20-Aug-17 09:07:39

The reason I put that link on was because dbDB was suggesting that it would have been taken more seriously if it had happened in Islington rather than in the north, and people agreed with her.
Corbyn did raise the issue in the 80s, but it wasn't taken seriously then, any more than Rolf Harris and Savile.
Sarah Champion saying its an issue with Pakistani men is taking the pressure off the case of white men again.

Anniebach Sun 20-Aug-17 09:13:17

Where and with whom did Corbyn raise it It the eighties ?

Anniebach Sun 20-Aug-17 09:16:41

Wasn't Stop The War started in 2001

trisher Sun 20-Aug-17 09:39:15

September 2001 was the start of Stop the War, seems strange that anyone should approach someone over 20years later.
The real information about Geoffrey Dickens attempts to investigate the abuse and other info is here
lizdavies.net/academia/publications/comment-2/
Haven't read all of it but haven't yet found a mention of Corbyn. Margaret Hodge is being questioned about her actions.

Chewbacca Sun 20-Aug-17 09:51:20

"^Sarah Champion saying it's an issue with Pakistani men is taking the pressure off the case of white men again^"
Balderdash! Niether Sarah Champion, nor anyone else to my knowledge, has ever said that ALL Asian men (and she never actually referred to Pakistani men anyway) are rapist's and sex offenders. Nor did she ever say that white men are never rapist's or sex offenders. This is just you again durham , looking for the tiniest, most nit picking anomalies in your efforts to detract from the main issue. If only you could leap to the defence and aid of the thousands of young women who's lives have been ruined by these men, with as much alacrity as you do the perpetrators. hmm

Anniebach Sun 20-Aug-17 09:51:20

Margaret Hodge has given interviews why is she to be questioned again.

Throughout history we know some men are sexually attracted to children , this isn't discussed ,

Primrose65 Sun 20-Aug-17 10:04:37

Dr Liz Davies was the whistleblower in Islington.
Margaret Hodge was the leader of Islington Council, who did nothing. Corbyn did nothing too, in fact, Dr Davies got another MP, Geoffrey Dickens, to raise concerns. JC complained about him in parliament. He said that Geoffrey Dickens should not have visited his constituency and should “unreservedly withdraw his allegations of the existence of child brothels in the area (in Islington) and make a public apology.”
Here are the links for those interested in sources.
www.mann4bassetlaw.com/an_open_letter_to_jeremy_corbyn_on_child_abuse
Here's links to the whistleblower including some videos of the news coverage at the time lizdavies.net/campaigns-and-topics/islington-child-abuse-scandal/

Primrose65 Sun 20-Aug-17 10:06:48

Sorry trisher x posting! That'll teach me to get distracted mid-post

trisher Sun 20-Aug-17 10:20:34

Corbyn complained that Dickens was upsetting some of his constituents and he had received complaints from them about this - so in raising the visits Dickens had made he was standing up for his constituents-an MPs job. He was asking at the time for a proper enquiry into all child sexual abuse with wide ranging powers.
John Mann's letter has been described as an all time low in the Labour leadership contest when Mann was campaigning for Yvette Cooper.

Anniebach Sun 20-Aug-17 10:34:05

Were the abused in Islington not also his constituents , but too young to vote so of no interest to their MP

He hasn't spoken out in 2017 except to say - all sexual abuse is wrong

Rather like all killing is wrong but supporting the IRA

Primrose65 Sun 20-Aug-17 10:44:05

Well, described by 'a representative of Corbyn' as an all time low!
He met with Liz Davies and others, didn't follow up with Virginia Bottomley as he promised and didn't acknowledge the meeting or actions in writing. He may have been standing up for the constituents who complained about Dickens, he certainly did not stand up the constituents who were being sexually abused or help constituents who were trying to stop the abuse.

durhamjen Sun 20-Aug-17 10:44:11

“Britain has a problem with British Pakistani men raping and exploiting white girls,” said the story’s introduction.

Chewbacca, definitely Pakistani men, not Asian men.
Just me again, is it? Perhaps you ought to go back to the beginning and reacquaint yourself with what she said and why she resigned.

trisher Sun 20-Aug-17 10:45:19

Annie * He was asking at the time for a proper enquiry into all child sexual abuse with wide ranging powers.*
Some of the abused of course would no longer be his constituents because they had moved on from the children's homes involved. So he wanted ALL ABUSE to be investigated not just those in his constituency.

durhamjen Sun 20-Aug-17 10:56:26

From what I've read Margaret Hodge did do something. She passed all the complaints onto the police - who did nothing.

durhamjen Sun 20-Aug-17 10:57:50

Anyway, what all this proves is that there was a lot of investigation into child abuse in Islington, so it's not just in the north.

Chewbacca Sun 20-Aug-17 11:09:17

Investigation possibly. But very little actual, practical action by any one who was in a position to do so. Why? What was it that lead all those MPs, newspapers, police and social workers to do nothing with the information they had, to turn a blind eye to the wall of information that was building up. What did they do with the "lot of investigation" information they had?

Primrose65 Sun 20-Aug-17 11:21:57

I agree Chewbacca. It was and still is a disgrace. On the news reports, the Director of National Childrens Homes says that they've had so many inquiries and reports but no one takes it seriously enough. That was over 20 years ago.

durhamjen Sun 20-Aug-17 11:31:12

"Petra mentioned Islington - and it made me wonder whether if all this abuse had happened in London there would have been more coverage and more empathy for the victims and their community. The plight of these children - hundreds, possibly thousands of them - has been forgotten in a petty little discussion about whether Sarah Champion forgot one word."

Just to remind you why Islington was mentioned.

Chewbacca Sun 20-Aug-17 11:36:37

And?

Anniebach Sun 20-Aug-17 11:41:27

I don't agree that discussing Sarah Champion forgot one word is petty,

Anniebach Sun 20-Aug-17 11:44:01

Trisher it was this year he said all abuse is wrong , just avoidance again as he did with the IRA questions