Breaking New Ground: Understanding and Preventing Sexual Abuse 2015 ATSA Conference | Friday October 16| 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

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Jimmy Savile “The UK’s Most Prolific Paedophile” who “…Groomed the Nation”: The Learning from an Unprecedented Official Inquiry Process

Marcus Erooga, M.A.

In a case which possibly echoes that Jerry Sandusky in America, the UK has been rocked by the aftermath of the discovery of a lifetime of sexual offending against adults, adolescents and children by one of its highest profile entertainers and celebrities.

Following his death in 2011, allegations were made by over 450 people leading to 214 formal crimes being recorded with 73% of victims under of 18 and an overall age range from 8-47. Settings ranged from his cars and mobile home to hospitals, schools and children’s homes. The revelation of his offending led the senior police officer in the investigation to describe him as “the UK’s most prolific paedophile” who, he suggested “…groomed the nation”.

As a result an unprecedented 65 separate official enquiries have been commissioned into the BBC, hospitals, schools and the police into their own behaviour, whilst research with victims has also been undertaken about what inhibited them from reporting the assaults at the time and what would have facilitated them doing so.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary have published a critical overview titled “Mistakes were Made’ and national prosecution policy for sexual offences has already been amended in light of the learning from these events.

A further consequence has been the encouragement felt by victims of other celebrities to report their own abuse and three high profile celebrities, , and are now serving prison sentences for sexual offences against children.

This workshop will consider the learning from the published reports about how a high profile figure managed a career of sexual offending virtually in plain sight by exploiting common vulnerabilities in organisations; combining it with the presenter’s own research with offenders to indicate:

Goals of the Workshop: What is known about offenders who abuse in organisational settings How a situational prevention approach can help prevent a repetition of anything similar What organisations and individuals can do to minimise risk