Rotherham: Abuse victim receives apology after 10 years

The family continued to speak out about their daughter’s abuse by contacting politicians, including then Home Secretary David Blunkett. Mr Blunkett denied ever receiving a letter from them.

It was only when the family handed over all of Amy’s files, including social services documents, police reports and medical records, to The Times investigative journalist Andrew Norfolk that things began to change.

Mr Norfolk has been investigating child grooming gangs in the North of England and the Midlands for more than a year.

In 2012, Amy’s story was the first in a series of case studies in Rotherham to be published in the newspaper. However, it took another 12 months for Rotherham Council to commission an independent investigation into the council’s handling of child sexual exploitation.

“The Times was the beginning, but the Jay Report was a turning point,” Amy said.

Amy recalls the day the report was made public: “I heard the number 1,400 and the abuse that was being outlined. I thought, ‘This could be the change, this could be the start of being listened to and believed.’

“It wasn’t that people weren’t listening, I just felt like no one believed me and people thought I was crazy.”