A BRADFORD community figure is calling for tougher laws to ensure that children and young people are protected from sexual abuse.

Dr Javed Bashir, who is a safeguarding consultant with Strengthening Faith Institutions, said that it should be a legal duty for anyone who is aware of child sexual abuse happening to report it.

He was speaking after the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) published its final report last week.

The report, published on Thursday, found that some institutions which young people frequent sometimes turn a blind eye to abuse in a bid to protect their reputations.

“The report sets out the devastating scale of child sexual abuse, both past and present,” Dr Bashir said.

“It describes the extent of the potential crimes facing children and young people. The report said that institutions sometimes create a culture of victim-blaming and added that some who target vulnerable young people help each other to cover up their crimes.”

The IICSA has engaged with over 7,300 survivors of child sexual abuse since its formation and has been involved in 15 separate investigations into abuse scandals.

Dr Bashir added: “The report explained how many young people have been subjected to some truly horrifying abuse.

“It found that, behind the walls of some children’s homes – run by charities – were brutal, prison-like regimes which featured beatings, grooming and sexual abuse. 

“The final report makes 20 recommendations to government and other institutions, and has been scathing of how institutions including places of worship, schools and charities were more concerned with protecting their reputations than protecting vulnerable children.

"Blame was also frequently assigned to the victims, who were treated as if they were unworthy of protection.”

Dr Bashir said he welcomes the report’s recommendation that a child protection authority be created. He argued that it would help to improve how children are safeguarded.

He also said that compensation should be given to those who have had their lives damaged by the failure of institutions to protect them from abuse.

“The report highlights that the pain and suffering victims and survivors endured often had significant impacts on their lives,” Dr Bashir added.

“Their relationships, as well as their physical, emotional and mental health were damaged, in some cases beyond repair.

“Child sexual abuse has been hidden from public view for decades and it remains under-reported and under-identified to this day. Something needs to change so we can save lives.”