3oo people involved in Operation Hydrant are said to be of celebrity status
The head of the police investigation set up in the wake of the Jimmy Savile scandal and the initial Yewtree probe has revealed a startling number of "famouse people" may be involved in the proceedings.
Operation Hydrant was set up to follow on the work started by Operation Yewtree, with specific focus on tackling organisations alleged to have been implicated in historical abuse cases. In addition to dealing with state institutions the probe also handles allegations against prominent people who have or once did have celebrity status.
More than 300 people fall into this category and it would seem that we are braced for further revelations about who may well be involved. Policitians, members of the aristocracy along with major celebrities are potentially implicated. There are said to be more than 2000 people under suspicion as enquiries continue. Incredibly the investigation involves 756 institutions or state organisations.
More revelations will follow as and when Operation Hydrant unfolds.
Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) has updated its "Purple Book" to improve assessment and management of children exposed to sexual abuse
Almost 3000 children in the UK were put under protection measures last year to prevent sexual abuse. It can be very difficult for clinicians and other experts to identify signs of abuse in children but the RCPCH have in the past sought to help members by providing guidance in the form of a book titled .. ‘The Physical Signs of Child Sexual Abuse’, also known as ‘The Purple Book,’. This brings together the latest knowledge and evidence to aid clinical decision-making. The Purple Book has not been updated since 2008 and now contains 3 new key chapters - anogenital signs of accidental injuries in girls and boys, genital bleeding in prepubertal girls and healing in anogenital injuries.
This focus provides much needed training and guidance for busy practitioners who might not always spot what to others may seem suspicious or worrying.
The main article is here
In what seems a remarkable and deeply depressing story, it has been alleged that some local councils in the UK have failed to investigate reports of abuse to avoid insurer scrutiny and keep premiums down.
In a BBC investigation it has been found that a number of insurers have placed pressure on councils both before and during complaint investigations, very often steering the procedures which potentially had an influence on the outcome. What is alleged is that councils were constrained by the insurers in a way that may well have inhibited their ability and their willingness to tackle the abuse issues in a thorough way.
In the wake of recent scandals and the new era of openness we are in regarding sexual abuse and the need to report criminal activity this news does not promote a positive view of either the councils involved or the insurers. One should have an interest in safeguarding its residents and council tax payers, the other should not restrict serious potentially criminal investigations to benefit its business interests.
