Wes Streeting Urged to Close Abortion Loophole Exploited by Grooming Gangs
Calls are growing for Wes Streeting to amend abortion laws to protect vulnerable minors from grooming gangs
Wes Streeting, Abortion, Grooming Gangs, Child Abuse, UK
London: There’s a big push for Wes Streeting to fix a loophole in abortion laws that grooming gangs are using to hide their abuse. MPs are stepping up, asking the Health Secretary to change the rules so that doctors must inform parents if their under-16 kids seek an abortion.
They argue that this loophole lets these gangs keep their crimes under wraps by getting young victims to have abortions without their parents knowing. Carla Lockhart, a DUP MP, highlighted that many of these girls are pressured into abortions without any real support from their families.
She pointed out that if parents were notified, it could lead to questions being asked and possibly uncovering these terrible crimes sooner. Lockhart’s concerns are echoed by other MPs, including Sir Edward Leigh, who called the situation an “appalling failure.” He believes the current laws make it too easy for these criminals to hide their actions.
In some shocking cases, like in Oxford and Rochdale, young girls were forced into abortions after being abused. Sir Edward stressed that the horror inflicted on these vulnerable kids is hard to put into words, and it’s crucial to revisit these laws to prevent more tragedies.
Campaigners are pushing for a change that would require doctors to notify parents, aligning the UK with countries like Portugal and Spain, where parental consent is mandatory. Polls show that many parents support this change, with a significant majority believing that parents should be informed if their child is seeking an abortion.
Catherine Robinson from Right To Life UK expressed her confusion over the lack of requirements for medical professionals to report abortions involving minors. She believes this oversight allows abuse to go unnoticed, making it easier for perpetrators to continue their heinous acts.
Recent data reveals that grooming gangs are linked to a staggering number of child sexual abuse cases, with police reporting hundreds of such crimes. It’s clear that action is needed to protect these vulnerable children.