Listen to these girls on abuse | Letters

Recent harrowing cases highlight the need for society to listen to vulnerable teenage girls, writes Katharine Sacks-Jones. And Pauline Latham says women’s voices in the aid sector must also be heeded

Over the past few days we have seen a serious case review into the horrific murder of 16-year-old Becky Watts (Report, 15 March), and revelations about the extent of a child sexual exploitation in Telford (Report, 12 March).

They are very different and very complex cases. But in both, opportunities were missed to protect vulnerable girls. Too often teenage girls at risk of abuse and violence, especially those from working-class backgrounds, are seen by public services and wider society as the “problem”. We do not ask often enough what is the root cause of their behaviour. The result is girls who are victims end up getting the blame. Much greater effort needs to be made to listen to and believe these girls, in a way that acknowledges the trauma they have been through. This is about changing mindsets of public services coming into contact with at-risk girls, and also ensuring there is enough investment in services working with girls that the necessary support is there to help them rebuild their lives.
Katharine Sacks-Jones
Director, Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk

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from Children | The Guardian http://ift.tt/2FR2hY8