Survivors say child abuse inquiry must set politics aside

Survivors of child sexual abuse have called for peace, and urged "far-right" groups to stop exploiting victims' experiences "for their own agenda".

Statements from survivors were shared at a meeting of Oldham Council on Tuesday, while outside the town's civic centre right-wing organisation Turning Point UK staged a protest.

It comes after the government announced it would support a council inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation by grooming gangs in the town.

The survivors' statement described the recent media attention as "stressful, triggering and upsetting".

In a statement read out by Oldham's deputy mayor, Eddie Moors, survivors called the media revival of the issue over the past few weeks "traumatising", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The survivors said they would "continue to fight" for a wider national review, but welcomed the council inquiry as a "compromise" that would allow their voices to be heard.

A second statement, by two survivors, Emma and Samantha - who had agreed to be named - was also read out at the meeting.

They said they and others were in the process of "setting up a survivors' committee - where survivors, and only survivors, have a voice".

"Moving forward, we hope the council remains transparent, and politics are kept aside, and the far right stop using this for their own agenda," their statement said.

"Survivors are the start, and heart, of this inquiry."

A terms of reference for Oldham Council's inquiry into historical child sexual exploitation is expected in the coming months.

The government has announced £5m to support any local review into child sexual exploitation. It comes after a Labour minister faced a backlash for refusing the council's request for a government-led Oldham inquiry.

Council officers are set to meet those who carried out a similar local review in Telford, which led to a damning report revealing more than 1,000 girls had been abused locally.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.