A survivor of horrific child sexual exploitation, known as Taylor, has forced her case onto the highest political stage in Scotland, demanding answers for systemic failures that allowed her abuse to continue unchecked.
A Childhood Consumed by Predators
Taylor's story is one of profound state failure. As a vulnerable child in the care system, she was meant to be protected. Instead, Conservative leader Russell Findlay told the Scottish Parliament how she and her friends were 'plied with alcohol and drugs and were sexually abused by at least 10 Pakistani men'. Her vulnerability, which should have triggered enhanced protection, made her an easy target for predators who knew she was unlikely to be believed.
Taylor was not on the radar of the Scottish Parliament until now. She has written to First Minister John Swinney calling for a Scottish national inquiry into organised child sexual exploitation. She believes this is the only way to uncover the true scale of the abuse, understand why it was allowed to happen, and ensure it cannot be repeated.
Political Clash Over Justice
During First Minister’s Questions, Russell Findlay pressed John Swinney to establish this inquiry for Taylor, a woman for whom the state failed so profoundly. Findlay highlighted social work files that allegedly show Police Scotland failed to properly investigate Taylor's case at the time, quoting her as feeling 'sick to my stomach' upon learning this. 'It could have been stopped,' she said, 'and it never was.'
In response, Swinney pointed to his record, having set up a scheme for abuse victims to come forward and seek financial recompense. While stating the government remained 'open' to an inquiry, he referred to ongoing reviews by the National Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Strategic Group and Police Scotland. The debate descended into technical arguments over a failed amendment, which Swinney claimed would delay a national review.
The Urgent Need for Action Beyond Process
This political bickering over process is a luxury Taylor cannot afford. Her childhood was stolen by predators, enabled by a system that deemed girls like her unworthy of protection. All the official strategies and acronyms tasked with safeguarding failed her. The state looked the other way.
Taylor now has a right to know why. She deserves the full force of a national inquiry—a retired judge, public scrutiny, and authorities having to justify their actions and inactions under oath. For the survivors who have endured enough, it is a small price to pay for the robbing of a childhood.
