The government launched a national inquiry into grooming gangs and child sexual exploitation on 31 March, as the BBC gave a platform to survivors whose accounts underscored why such investigations are considered so urgent. One survivor, speaking under a pseudonym to protect her identity, described years of horrific abuse and expressed frustration that the majority of her abusers had never been prosecuted. The survivor described being sold for sex to men who came from across the country, saying there were many men involved who had never been brought to justice. She described extreme physical violence as a routine part of her exploitation, including burns inflicted with cigarettes. Her testimony was notable for its directness and the emotional impact it conveyed. The inquiry was announced against a backdrop of renewed political pressure following the publication of the Alexis Jay report and continued controversy over the handling of earlier investigations in Rotherham, Rochdale, and other towns. Critics of previous government responses argued that institutional failures had repeatedly allowed perpetrators to escape accountability. Sima Kotecha, the BBC journalist who reported the piece, noted the particular courage required of survivors to speak publicly about their experiences and the importance of ensuring their testimonies reached a wide audience. Politically, the inquiry placed the Starmer government in a complicated position, given the Prime Minister's previous role as Director of Public Prosecutions during a period when some prosecution decisions relating to grooming gangs were made.