GMP's response to child sexual exploitation (CSE)
Tackling child sexual exploitation in all its forms is a key priority for the GMP of today.
We take an intelligence-led and collaborative approach to prevent harm, disrupt offenders, and pursue investigations.
This combines local safeguarding and regional partnerships with a range of police tactics, including those used to crackdown on serious and organised crime groups.
Our CSE Major Investigations Team – the only one of its kind in any UK police force – is dedicated to investigating non-recent offending and ensuring time is no barrier to justice.
Our specialist complex safeguarding teams across Greater Manchester are working closely to protect the children of today to prevent children and young people coming to harm.
The here and now of GMP has baked into contemporary practice the lessons learned from past failures where vulnerable people were let down by police and partners who were there to protect them.
We are committed to ensuring that survivors who put their faith in the GMP of today are supported, listened to and get the justice they want to achieve.
When you are ready, we will listen, and we will act where you want us to.
You can report to us online via our website, or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.
Details can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police, or a support agency so you can get the help and support available.
- Saint Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Manchester provides a comprehensive and co-ordinated response to men, women and children who live or have been sexually assaulted within Greater Manchester. They offer forensic medical examinations, practical and emotional support as well as a counselling service for all ages. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and can be accessed by calling 0161 276 6515.
- Greater Manchester Rape Crisis is a confidential information, support and counselling service run by women for women over 18 who have been raped or sexually abused at any time in their lives. Call on 0161 273 4500 or email [email protected]
- Survivors Manchester provides specialist trauma informed support to male victims in Greater Manchester who have experienced sexual abuse, rape or sexual exploitation. Call 0161 236 2182.
Four reports, independent of GMP, were commissioned by the Mayor of Greater Manchester.
Three of those reports focussed on past multi-agency failings in Manchester, Oldham and Rochdale.
The most recent report, produced by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS), reviewed the current safeguarding and investigative practices of GMP across the city-region.
Below are links to each of those reports, and Greater Manchester Police’s response to them.
Read GMP’s full response to the Manchester review: Statement from Chief Constable Ian Hopkins | Greater Manchester Police
During the Manchester review and before its publication, GMP launched Operation Green Jacket to work with Manchester City Council to identify and act on all potential missed opportunities concerning the safeguarding of victims and the pursuit of perpetrators.
To date Operation Green Jacket has identified 53 potential victims. 48 of these children were in looked after care in 2004/05.
Of the 53 identified, we have so far identified viable lines of enquiry in relation to 38 victims.
More than 70 arrests have been made in relation to Op Green Jacket and our focus is on ramping up our efforts in getting long-awaited justice for those victim-survivors who have put their faith in the GMP of today.
Read GMP’s full response to the Oldham review: Independent Review into Historic Safeguarding Practices in Oldham | Greater Manchester Police
The Oldham review identified ten survivors of offending between 2011 and 2014, which prompted the start of Operation Sherwood.
We have offered support to all of those survivors. One of those survivors is supportive of our investigation, and X further victim-survivors have been identified and are part of our ongoing enquiries.
More than 30 arrests have been made by our investigation team from our CSE MIT. We’re continuing to work closely with Oldham Council and the Crown Prosecution Service to take cases to court.
Read GMP’s full response to the Rochdale review: Response to ‘The review into Operation Span and the investigation of non-recent child sexual exploitation in Rochdale’ | Greater Manchester Police
This response follows Chief Constable Watson’s personal apology when he met victims in the original Operation Span investigation in Rochdale who were let down by police failings at the time: Statement from Chief Constable Stephen Watson following apology to Op Span victims | Greater Manchester Police
We began Operation Exmoor in 2021 to investigate offending in Rochdale between 2008 and 2010. X arrests have so far been made relating to X victims.
This followed the launch of Operation Lytton in 2015 which has so far seen 12 men convicted. A further 20 men are due on trial, with the next court date set for August 2026.
A total of 32 offenders have now been brought to justice and jailed for more than 300 years as part of two major investigations in the past decade into non-recent CSE in Rochdale.
Men who groomed girls for sex in Rochdale brought to justice | Greater Manchester Police
We welcomed HMICFRS’ report into GMP’s recent practices which highlighted significant improvements of how we understand and investigate CSE today: HMICFRS and Ofsted publish final independent reports into current handling of child sexual exploitation in Greater Manchester | Greater Manchester Police
The worst elements in society have always looked to exploit children and vulnerable people for their own criminal and sexual gain and, sadly, this does continue.
Our multi-agency teams in each GM borough protect vulnerable young people and identify offenders across the city-region so that we act before children come to harm.
Our knowledge of this offending is lightyears ahead of where we were even a decade ago, meaning we can identify risks and tackle offending a lot more quickly and effectively – protecting victims and pursuing perpetrators.
We are recognised as modern leaders in UK policing at protecting children. We have made big strides to build confidence with recent and non-recent survivors of sexual abuse, but we know we have some way to go.
Across GM we arrested 3,000 suspected sex offenders in 2025 and we safeguarded thousands of vulnerable people.
Our specialist officers and dedicated teams continue to work tirelessly across GM to keep children and young people safe and bring offenders to justice.
GMP join partners in fighting child exploitation in Oldham | Greater Manchester Police