HULL – Hull City Council has said ‘every child should be protected’ after it was named as one of 85 local authorities highlighted in an independent, crowdfunded inquiry into child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs across the UK.
The Rape Gang Inquiry, led by MP Rupert Lowe, has been funded by more than 19,000 public donations, raising over £620,000 since its launch earlier this year. Unlike government-backed investigations, it has been organised outside official channels. It has no legal powers but has promised transparency, survivor involvement, and a final public report.
The project is built around three central questions: what happened, how did it happen, and why was it allowed to happen? Its stated aim is to give survivors a platform while also scrutinising how local authorities, police and other public bodies handled warnings and safeguarding responsibilities. Hearings are expected later this year, with testimony from victims, professionals and whistleblowers.
Hull appears on the list of councils where cases of grooming-related abuse are said to have taken place. The inquiry has not alleged deliberate wrongdoing, but its research, based on freedom of information requests, survivor testimony and historic records, suggests that local safeguarding arrangements may have fallen short over time. Hull is one of many councils named, ranging from Aberdeen to Plymouth. In every case, the emphasis is not on blame but on learning lessons and recognising how children and families were let down.
Campaigners and survivor groups stress that at the heart of this issue are children whose voices were ignored, sometimes over decades. Many victims have spoken of being disbelieved or dismissed by authorities when they first reported abuse. While questions about the methodology of the inquiry remain, the focus on lived experiences is clear. The organisers have promised that safeguarding and anonymity will be prioritised for anyone who comes forward.
The inquiry sits alongside the government’s own national review of grooming cases, commissioned earlier this summer. Both initiatives underline the scale of abuse and the lasting impact it has had on victims and communities. For Hull, being named in this latest investigation will raise difficult but necessary questions about how well past cases were handled, and what lessons have been learned to protect children today.
A Hull City Council spokesperson told The Beverley Review:
“Every child and young person in our community must be protected from abuse in all of its forms and we take this responsibility for the children in our city extremely seriously.
Victims who come forward are extremely brave to do so and we would encourage anyone who has experienced abuse to contact the Council or the Police so we can support them and ensure that action is taken against perpetrators.”
For survivors, what matters most is that their experiences are heard and believed, and that institutions acknowledge where they failed. The challenge for local authorities like Hull is not just to account for past mistakes, but to demonstrate that children are now better protected. As the inquiry moves to public hearings, its findings will inevitably prompt further scrutiny. But behind the reports and investigations lies a simple truth: the lives of vulnerable children must never again be left so exposed.
If you or anyone you know has been effected by the issues raised in this article Humberside Police have created a page with ways to get help.
Feature image credit: Rupert Lowe, Restore Britain.