A survivor of Telford’s grooming gangs has spoken candidly about how Elon Musk’s recent social media crusade left her feeling “sick” and “tearful.”
Musk’s Social Media Blitz
The billionaire owner of X (formerly Twitter) has fired off over 40 posts about UK grooming gangs in the past few weeks, demanding a national inquiry, a general election, and even the jailing of safeguarding minister Jess Phillips.
He’s also accused Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer of failing to act on grooming gangs during his time as director of public prosecutions, while amplifying calls from Reform UK and Conservative MPs for action.
Unsurprisingly, Starmer wasn’t having it. “Those spreading lies and misinformation are not interested in the victims—they’re interested in themselves,” he shot back.
“Our Voices Have Been Twisted”
Holly Archer (not her real name), a survivor of the horrific abuse, echoed Starmer’s frustration. Speaking to The Mirror, she pleaded with Musk to step away from the issue, saying his intervention feels exploitative.
“I feel like our voices, all of our hard work, has been twisted and our experiences exploited—for what? Politics? Racism?” she said.
Holly described how her ordeal began at age 14 when she was groomed by boys her own age and introduced to older perpetrators. Over four years, she was subjected to daily rapes, sometimes by as many as nine men a night.
“I had two abortions, and the trauma left me so broken I attempted suicide,” she said. “It took me years to even accept I was a victim, but when I did, I vowed to fight so no child would endure what I went through.”
Survivors Driving Change
Holly and other survivors have since worked closely with Telford Council to overhaul its approach to tackling child sexual exploitation. Their efforts have even shaped national policy at the Home Office.
Tom Crowther KC, who chaired the Telford inquiry, praised their work as “brave and revolutionary.” While not part of his official 47 recommendations, the survivors’ initiative was instrumental in making real change happen.
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