The mum of a grooming gangs victim has written to MSPs urging them to support a motion of no confidence today in SNP Justice Secretary Angela Constance.
In an open letter, the mum explains why she thinks the SNP Justice Secretary must go.
Dear MSPs,
I am the mother of ‘Taylor’, the survivor of grooming gangs you have been hearing about in Parliament over the past weeks. I have decided to write to you to give you some more information. I grew up a child of the state, as did my mother before me. All three of us experienced CSA [child sexual abuse] in care. We were all received into care around the same age and stage and we all had undiagnosed conditions at the time.
Taylor was a young girl who lived in the countryside, loved animals and horse riding. Taylor went into care weeks after we relocated to get her away from a group of peers she got involved with, initially they bullied her and I think she felt it was easier to be friends with them, than a target of them. The bullying incident changed the course of her life. Taylor displayed some challenging behaviours and did not want to leave her friends and demanded she be received into care at a children’s hearing.
She was moved into a unit in the area we had removed her from. She has recently started to open up to us about her experiences in care and has recently shown me the addresses she was taken to. We have been outside these flats. She shared that she was given alcohol and drugs which included vodka, crack cocaine, and valium. She was gang raped, drugged, and trafficked.
READ MORE: Mum of grooming gang victim urges MSPs to fire Angela Constance as SNP Justice Secretary
She also recalls drinking a small amount of vodka on many occasions and waking up naked and bruised on a mattress with no recollection of the night before. We suspect this is due to her drink being spiked with ketamine. The abuse started at 13 and continued until she was almost 18. Police Scotland, social workers, and care staff raised concerns amongst themselves but did nothing to protect her. There is no record of any safeguarding measures being put in place, let alone any further steps being taken. There was no duty of care at the unit. Police Scotland told care staff and social workers not to ask her about these matters and no one ever did and the gang rapes continued.
Taylor and I spoke with the First Minister on December 9. One of the issues we discussed with the FM was our concern about the destruction and loss of vital evidence and records held by the government, Police Scotland, and local authorities, healthcare, and education. The First Minister denied this would happen. Within 24 hours of leaving Bute House, the suppressed email from Prof Alexis Jay was made public. This has caused Taylor upset and disappointment, and she is again feeling that she can trust no one all because of this government’s inability to be truthful and transparent.
It is crucial that survivors’ voices are finally heard; it has been three decades since the abuse started for some. These children were abused in the worst of ways for decades. Many of these young people have since died from substance abuse, including Taylor’s best friend, who also experienced CSAE at the hands of the same men. It is now clear from their individual records that there has been a cover-up and closing of ranks.
The survivors have told me that they no longer have confidence in Justice Secretary Angela Constance. That trust is completely broken. Cabinet colleagues who come out in support of her will not change that. The only people whose confidence matters are survivors, and they say, “We’ve lost it.” Any MSP who chooses to support her in this vote is choosing politics over victims. It is as simple as that. You cannot say you stand with victims while defending a Minister who lied to Parliament, the public and more importantly, the survivors. She has refused to clarify the position of the child sex abuse expert for months.
MSPs need to ask themselves if they knew that Angela Constance misled Parliament in September, and now that it is clear that we do have a grooming gangs issue in Scotland, and it is still happening today. Can you look yourselves in the mirror knowing that you are supporting her to remain in position against the will of the victims? She attempted to shut down the conversation about a grooming gangs inquiry, and they will never forgive her for it or anyone who supports her. Where is the humanity for these young people who have to keep being re-traumatised time and time again every time they have to speak out in the hope that you will all do the right thing. The survivors demand honesty and transparency. Please do the right thing and vote to remove Angela Constance from her position. This will give the many victims of this barbaric form of abuse some belief and trust in the process going forward.
The Justice Secretary’s position is untenable. Survivors will be watching this vote closely, and they have said they will remember “who stood with us and who didn’t”.
Yours in good faith,
Taylor’s Mum
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