Violence against Women and Girls Crime report contents

Membership to the Rape and Child Sexual Abuse panel was renewed during 2016, as outlined in the
Rape section of this report.
Abuse by carers
A carer was convicted for offences against five children, all aged under-13 which took
place between 2011 and 2015. He was sentenced to a total of 10 years' imprisonment
with an extended licence of 5 years for two offences of rape, 13 sexual assaults on a
child under the age of 13, and 24 offences relating to indecent images of children.
A foster carer was convicted of a large number of historic sexual offences involving
children. Given the seriousness of the offences, the sentencing judge gave little
weight to his previous good character. He received concurrent sentences for offences
associated with an individual victim; the sentences for each victim were then made
consecutive. In total, the judge sentenced him to 22 years' imprisonment.
Gangs
The Government published its refreshed approach to gangs in January 2016 – Ending Gang Violence
and Exploitation focuses on both reducing violence and preventing the exploitation of vulnerable
people by gangs. It sets out priorities for 2015-16 and onwards, including plans to safeguard gangassociated
women and girls.
The refreshed approach clearly sets out the importance of agencies having access to relevant
information and tools to help vulnerable girls and young women, whether as victims of abuse or to
help them leave gangs. It emphasises how vital it is that vulnerable girls and young women are
identified and receive appropriate help and interventions.
Recognising the new focus on gang-associated women and girls, the CPS has created a section on the
CPS knowledge hub that raises awareness of this issue and has included a module on gang-related
sexual exploitation and violence, within the rape refresher training course for rape specialist
prosecutors to be delivered in 2016.
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