A church in Manchester has urged Christian leaders to speak out against the exploitation of young people in the wake of an inquiry into the issue in the area.
The inquiry found that sexual exploitation of children has become the ‘norm’ in some streets and estates in Greater Manchester.
It was launched after nine men of Pakistani origin were jailed for grooming girls in Rochdale back in 2012.
The study carried out by Tony Lloyd, the police and crime commissioner for Greater Manchester, blamed the sexualisation of children and greater exposure to explicit music videos.
Mr Lloyd claims victims of child grooming simply haven’t been listened to in the past.
He said: “What we’ve got to try to make sure is that we’ve now got a police service that is receptive to recognising that victims are just that: victims.”
Youth pastor Paul Reid from Audacious Church Manchester told Premier’s News Hour why he thinks the Church has a duty to act.
Speaking on Premier’s News Hour, he said: “We have a responsibility to talk about it because everybody else is, and if our young people can’t find out what’s right and wrong and what’s healthy and what’s good from us, then they’ll just go somewhere else.
“There are a wealth of opinions and voices out there; the Church just has to have a voice.”
Source and Original Content by Premier Radio News