Letter: Charity in call for law to be extended
As you will know, it is a crime for teachers, social workers and other professionals legally in a position of trust to engage in sexual activity with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care.
However, many of your readers will be shocked to learn that those in other positions such as sports coaches, faith leaders and driving instructors, are not covered by these laws.
The charity is calling for this law to be extended to also cover all adults who could abuse their role, to protect teenagers from being preyed upon as soon as they turn 16.
Survivors have told us about their harrowing experiences of how people have abused their positions of power in this way, and the effect this has had on their lives.
This shouldn’t be the case, and this legal loophole needs to be closed. Young people should never be expected to fend off the sexual advances of adults.
The NSPCC’s ‘Close the Loophole’ campaign is growing – and now includes national sporting bodies, MPs, the network of council safeguarding leads and a 4,420-strong petition backing our calls.
A review into the Positions of Trust Law is due to be released in the coming weeks. This is a significant moment for the Ministry of Justice to listen to those who were affected and safeguarding experts to Close the Loophole and make it clear that sexual abuse is never tolerable.
Ally Sultana, NSPCC, Campaigns Manager, Midlands
