19 men arrested in Kirklees, Calderdale and Bradford over 'abhorrent' historic child sexual abuse and trafficking
Nineteen men have been arrested as part of an investigation into reports of non-recent child sexual abuse across West Yorkshire.
The men were arrested in October from addresses in Kirklees, Calderdale, Bradford and outside the force area. All have now been interviewed and released either on bail or under investigation.
Enquiries remain ongoing by specialist Kirklees detectives into the reports of offending against five women who were children when the offences took place between 2000 and 2009.
This includes reports of rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking, with offences said to have occurred largely in the Kirklees area.
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Stevens, who is leading the investigation, said: “Safeguarding children and bringing to justice those involved in child sexual abuse remains a key focus for West Yorkshire Police, and this large scale enquiry demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investigating both current and non-recent sexual offences.
“All those arrested have now been questioned and released pending further enquiries in what has been a lengthy and complex investigation.”
He added: “Child sexual abuse and exploitation is an abhorrent and heinous crime and one which affects some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and we have made large strides in recent years in Kirklees to bring persons involved in these dreadful crimes before the courts.
“We have teams of specialist safeguarding units across each District in West Yorkshire, which include police officers dedicated to dealing with both current and non-recent child abuse and child sexual exploitation.
“Tackling child abuse is not something that any one agency can do in isolation; we work closely with local authorities, other organisations and charities to support victims, bring the perpetrators to justice and make our communities safer.
“We would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, whether recent or historic, to report it to the police. Please be assured that you will be listened to, taken seriously and supported by professionals with experience of dealing with these kind of offences.”
If you are concerned about child exploitation, you can learn more and report to West Yorkshire Police directly, here: Child Sexual Exploitation - CSE | West Yorkshire Police
If you have been affected but have not yet made a report, you can find out more about support When You Are Ready, here: https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/WhenYouAreReady