Girls who’re pregnant after being raped have been put up in motels after arriving within the UK reasonably than taken into care.
The Children’s Commissioner is demanding the Home Office cease accommodating younger asylum seekers who come alone in motels.
Data obtained by her reveals {that a} horrifying variety of kids skilled rape, torture or organ harvesting on or earlier than their journey to this nation. In complete, 5,298 kids had been housed in Home Office run motels between July 2021 and May 2023.
However, officers did not report notes on whether or not 62% of the kids had vulnerabilities. Of the kids there was details about, practically 200 had been victims of beatings or assault, 34 had been victims of torture, and 25 had been victims of rape or sexual assault. The information additionally information 259 circumstances of infectious ailments, together with scabies, tuberculosis, diphtheria, and monkey pox.
The overwhelming majority of kids had been boys, however there have been 169 women accommodated in motels. Data was recorded about half of those, which confirmed 10% had been victims of rape, sexual assault or sexual exploitation on their journeys to the UK. According to the Children’s Commissioner there may be proof pregnant women had been housed in motels, together with some who had been raped.
A complete of 442 kids went lacking from eight motels run by the Home Office, together with these as younger as 12. No date of return was recorded for 166 of those. Despite considerations that kids who go lacking are sometimes exploited by traffickers, solely 17% of circumstances had been reported to the police via the National Referral Mechanism.
Children’s Commissioner for England Dame Rachel de Souza stated: “Our first response must be one of love and compassion. These children have faced rape, torture, and even been subject to organ harvesting. As soon as they arrive, they must be brought into care, and given not only the immediate healthcare attention they need, but the stability and security that will allow them to recover and thrive.
“I want to see children taken into the care of local authority from the moment they arrive and for local authorities to be given the funding they need to provide the medical and psychological help the young people need, and a safe and stable home that can provide them with consistent love and care.”
A Home Office spokeswoman stated: “Our priority is to stop the boats as an unacceptable number of children and minors are risking their lives and safety by making these dangerous crossings. We have safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all unaccompanied asylum-seeking children in hotels are as safe and supported as possible as we seek urgent placements with a local authority.”