The National Inquiry into grooming gangs was dealt a blow this morning with the resignation of a prominent survivor from its Liaison Panel.
Fiona Goddard‘s resignation letter, which she shared with Sky News, cites a “toxic, fearful environment” and “condescending and controlling language” used towards survivors.
Ms Goddard also expresses deep reservations about the shortlisted chairs for the inquiry. Her resignation comes after Sky News revealed the two leading candidates were former police chief Jim Gamble and social worker Annie Hudson, who are due to meet the survivors panel on Tuesday.
Ms Goddard’s letter states: “One has a background in police and the other, a social worker. The very two services that contributed most to the cover-up of the national mass rape and trafficking of children.
“This is a disturbing conflict of interest, and I fear the lack of trust in services from years of failings and corruption will have a negative impact in survivor engagement with this inquiry.”
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The resignation letter comes as pressure mounts on the government to move forward with the process, appoint a chair and set out the terms of reference for the inquiry.
Ms Goddard warns against a perceived move by the Home Office to broaden its scope from group-based sexual abuse into other forms of child sexual abuse. She warns: “This inquiry needs to remain focused on this specific subsection of offending.”
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Ms Goddard was groomed and repeatedly sexually abused while in care from the age of 13. An independent review into her case found she “went missing almost on a daily basis” and fears that she was being abused were “not addressed by any single agency”.
When she spoke to Sky News in June, Ms Goddard welcomed the national inquiry and has campaigned for her hometown of Bradford to be the focus of one of the government’s local inquiries.
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The resignation has echoes of the difficulties faced by former prime minister Theresa May when launching the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse in 2014.
Survivor objections to conflicts of interest held by the first two proposed chairs led to delays in getting the process off the ground.
In response, the Home Office said that “any suggestion that this inquiry is being watered down is completely wrong”.
“We are working urgently to appoint the best Chair to take forward this work and deliver justice, putting victims and survivors at the heart of the process,” said a spokesperson.
