We are the #TheyKnew campaign and we are seeking funding to investigate and bring legal action against those who failed to act in the face of widespread child sexual abuse and exploitation ("CSAE") across the UK.

What we need

We are looking to raise £125,000 toward the costs of investigating and bringing civil claims or, where appropriate and in the interests of justice, private prosecutions against individuals or organisations who failed to take action against CSAE. 

This will include the police, local authorities and other public bodies, as well as individuals. Donations will fund extensive evidence gathering, legal advice, investigators, experts and other associated costs. Decisions on which proceedings to bring will be made in consultation with survivors of CSAE.

Please give what you can, and share this page using #TheyKnew so we can reach our goal of bringing accountability.

Maggie Oliver, former GMP Detective and whistle-blower:

“This is about securing justice not just for the survivors, but for the public as a whole. Too many people in positions of authority knowingly turned a blind eye, protected reputations instead of children, and allowed serious abuse to continue unchecked. We’ve seen a flurry of investigations and reports, but barely any civil claims or criminal prosecutions have been brought against the individuals who failed to act despite mounting public pressure. We’ve waited far too long for redress. They knew and now they must answer. The funds raised will go a long way to not only righting an historic wrong but making sure nothing like this is ever allowed to happen again.” 

Who we are

Behind the campaign, we are a not-for-profit organisation, Action for Accountability Limited ("A4A"), set up for the sole purpose of this action. A4A was founded by police whistle-blower Maggie Oliver, who invited survivor Samantha Smith and former CEO of The Maggie Oliver Foundation Jennie Lucas to become fellow co-directors. Elizabeth Harper, Rotherham survivor, is acting as an advisor.

The directors are all volunteers.

Samantha Smith, director and survivor of CSAE:

“I will never forget how those in power turned a blind eye while I was being groomed and abused. I was a child begging for help. Begging for support. Begging for justice. There was no greater betrayal than being blamed and vilified by the professionals whose job it was to protect me. That’s why I want to challenge the systemic attitudes which allowed my abusers to go unpunished and refused to act when I was at continued risk. #TheyKnew is more than a campaign: it is a call to action and a demand for accountability. Powerful people and organisations who wilfully ignore the sexual exploitation and abuse of vulnerable children are, in my view, as culpable as the abuser themselves. We must demand better from those who claim to protect victims of child sexual exploitation and abuse. And there must be consequences for inaction, to show that they cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the children still being abused under their noses.”

Elizabeth Harper, survivor of CSAE:

“I am a survivor of child sexual exploitation in Rotherham. I was abused. I was also a victim of systemic failings on an industrial scale by those paid to protect us. Now I campaign tirelessly to try and hold those that failed to account. Things will not change until we see accountability. This is why I want to be part of the #TheyKnew campaign to try to throw open the floodgates, so not only historic survivors get long-denied justice, but to protect those that may be affected in the future.”

Jennie Lucas, former CEO of The Maggie Oliver Foundation:

“I have spent over a decade working with social justice organisations. Through my work establishing London's biggest baby bank charity and delivering training in women's prisons, I saw first-hand that women and girls are disproportionately disadvantaged by so many of our systems. Even so, nothing though could prepare me for all that I witnessed working alongside Maggie to grow The Maggie Oliver Foundation, where I was CEO until recently. The charity hears daily from victims and survivors monumentally failed by the public bodies and individuals meant to protect them. This will not change until we see real accountability for these failures which is why the #TheyKnew campaign is so vital.” 

Our legal advisors

We are working with Devonshires Solicitors LLP,  a top 100 UK law firm based in London, Leeds and Birmingham. The work will be done by a team working under partners Nikki Bowker and Matthew Garbutt in its award winning Litigation & Dispute Resolution Team.

We have enlisted the help of a specialist team of barristers, headed by a leading KC. A further team of experts and technical advisors are also at our disposal.

Nikki Bowker, Partner at Devonshires:

“It is a privilege to stand alongside Maggie, Jennie, Elizabeth and Samantha in their pursuit of justice, and to bring about meaningful systemic change. From judicial reviews through to civil litigation, we’ve seen first-hand the power of public opinion and crowd-funded legal campaigns. There is a substantial task before us, but our team will leave no stone unturned when it comes to uncovering and analysing evidence to secure justice for those so egregiously failed by the system.” 

Background

Over the past decade, multiple inquiries, investigations and reviews have considered CSAE in Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Telford and elsewhere. These have revealed serious and repeated institutional failings in response to organised child sexual abuse and exploitation, but very few civil claims or criminal prosecutions have been brought against any individuals who were part of those institutions.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (“IICSA”) was established in 2015 to examine how institutions in England and Wales handled their duty to protect children from sexual abuse. Over seven years, it conducted 15 investigations, resulting in 19 reports that scrutinised various organisations, including religious institutions, schools, and public bodies. 

In October 2022, IICSA published its final report, highlighting systemic failures where institutions often prioritised their reputations over child welfare. The report made several urgent recommendations, such as introducing mandatory reporting laws, establishing a national redress scheme for survivors, and creating a Child Protection Authority to oversee safeguarding practices. 

Despite public apologies and some reforms, many individuals and bodies implicated in those failures have never been held legally accountable, despite consensus from voices across the political spectrum suggesting there have been failings. No inquiry has adequately examined possible failures to investigate alleged abuse, suppressed reports or whistle-blower concerns, or whether institutional reputations were prioritised over child protection.

If A4A identifies any such conduct, it will bring proceedings.

#theyknew #a4a

Enquiries

Legal enquiries: Devonshires Solicitors LLP

[email protected] / 020 7880 4248

Press enquiries: Farrer Kane & Co (with thanks for their pro bono assistance)

Max Jewell / [email protected] / 07501 676 995

Matthew Grundy / [email protected] / 07557 390886

Ines Alves / [email protected] / 07788 926 243