U.K. Government Backs New Inquiries into Child Sex Abuse Scandals

The British government will support new local inquiries into child sexual abuse, responding to a decades-old scandal involving grooming gangs. Following criticisms by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk, who accused authorities of ineffectiveness, the government aims to implement recommendations and review current cases.

The British government announced plans to back new local inquiries into child sexual abuse across the nation, prompted by growing criticism from U.S. billionaire Elon Musk. Musk's comments renewed scrutiny over the handling of a longstanding scandal involving organized grooming gangs in various English towns and cities.

These gangs have been implicated in the sexual exploitation of vulnerable young girls from the 1980s to the 2010s, prompting a series of local and national inquiries into the matter. Interior Minister Yvette Cooper stated that the government intends to implement recommendations from a 2022 inquiry and initiate further local investigations.

While Musk and the Conservative opposition have called for a new national public inquiry, Cooper emphasized that local reviews are crucial. She has also appointed Louise Casey to conduct a swift assessment of gang-based exploitation across the UK, acknowledging past failures and criticism of UK authorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)