A campaign to make it illegal for sports coaches and youth leaders to have sex with teenagers has been given support in Greater Manchester.
Many parents are oblivious to the fact that while teachers and care workers are barred from having sexual relationships with 16 and 17-year-olds, the law doesn't apply to other adults in similar positions of power and influence.
It effectively means that sports coaches, youth workers and faith group leaders - with similar access and responsibility to the same teens - are not held to the same law.
The NSPCC is fighting to have that changed with its Close The Loophole campaign.
Despite it receiving widespread support from MPs, sports and faith groups around the country, the charity says the government is not working fast enough and says it's time 'for this shocking and easily-resolved problem to be addressed'.
Oldham Council is the latest to give its backing, with councillors passing a motion to support the campaign - the NSPCC unaware of any other authorities in the country to take such a stance.
Speaking at a recent full council meeting, Councillor Diane Williamson said: "Thankfully only a small minority of these people exploit this loophole and I want to thank the good guys who teach our kids swimming, dancing and all sorts of things."
But she stressed how easy it could be for an adult with the wrong intentions to take advantage.
"Let's be realistic here," she said. "From a very young age boys and girls see these coaches and instructors as someone who is helping them to achieve things, sometimes their goals and dreams are dependant on them being at their best and it has been known that the adults, over 18s, take advantage of the young person's adoration."
Coun Williamson says the government needs to 'ensure that no child is left unprotected.
She added: "We mustn't forget that parents send their children and young people to these after-school clubs and expect them to be safe and not be wondering if the person running the activity is a sexual predator, because when all said and done, that's exactly what they are."
Between 2014 and 2018, police in England and Wales recorded 1,025 crimes of abuse of position of trust of a sexual nature, but council figures obtained by the NSPCC found a further 653 complaints were made over the same period about adults having sex with children in their care, but those cases were not covered by criminal law.
Helen Westerman, the NSPCC's head of safeguarding in communities, says the government 'has been flip-flopping on the issue for two years' and it's time it took action.
She said: “It is wrong in every way that under current legislation, adults in some positions of trust – such as sports coaches and youth leaders – are above the law and face no legal ramifications if they have sex with 16 or 17-year-old youths they are responsible for. This must change.
“Oldham’s support of the NSPCC’s Close The Loophole campaign should be a wake-up call to the government, which has ignored this legal anomaly for far too long, putting thousands of vulnerable teenagers at risk of exploitation and abuse from adults in trusted positions.”
The NSPCC's campaign has cross-party support and the charity is now calling on other local authorities and the Mayor of Greater Manchester to back it too.
Bev Hughes, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “Abusing a position of power or authority to exploit or abuse someone else, especially a child or young person, is always wrong.
“The law already protects young people by making it illegal for teachers, care workers and youth justice workers to have sex with 16 and 17-year-olds in their care. However, this is not the case for many other professionals in similar roles.
"So I support campaigners, including the NSPCC’s Close The Loophole campaign, and urge the Ministry of Justice to conclude their review and address this anomaly."
A Government spokesman said: “We recognise how horrific abuse of power can be which is why these abhorrent crimes rightly carry tough sentences - including life imprisonment.
“We have reviewed the law around abuse of power and sexual activity and will report back in due course.”
For more information about the Close The Loophole campaign, visit the website here .
