London is set to receive £2.4m in funding to support victims and survivors of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE). The package, announced by Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, will provide new independent sexual violence advocates and expand counselling and therapeutic services for both children and adult survivors.
The funding comes as the Metropolitan Police re-examines hundreds of CSE cases from the past 15 years, part of a national review overseen by the National Crime Agency and the National Police Chief’s Council. An initial Met search identified around 9,000 historic cases, of which 1,200 remain under investigation after a preliminary review of 2,200.
Mayor Khan said the funding will ensure victims “have the care, attention and specialist support services they deserve”. The support covers a range of exploitation types, including institutional abuse, intra-familial offending, peer-on-peer abuse, online exploitation, and gang-related or group-based sexual exploitation.
London’s independent victims’ commissioner, Claire Waxman, welcomed the funding, saying it puts “victims and survivors first” and allows for direct funding of independent sexual violence advocates alongside therapeutic care. Commander Clair Kelland, the Met’s public protection lead, highlighted improvements in police practice, noting a “threefold increase in solved cases over the past year” due to strengthened approaches to identifying and investigating CSE since 2022.
Susan Hall, leader of the Conservative Group in the London Assembly, criticised the funding as insufficient. She said the proposal was “too little, too late” compared to a £4.5m inquiry previously suggested by City Hall Conservatives, suggesting the mayor was responding after public pressure rather than taking proactive action.
The £2.4m package aims to support victims through advocacy, counselling, and therapy while police investigations continue, providing care and specialist support alongside efforts to improve the quality and consistency of CSE investigations across London.
