Grooming survivors to speak to Newsnight
Update:
Date: 21:56 BST
Title: Phillips apologises for delay to grooming gang report
Content: Earlier today Home Office Minister Jess Phillips apologised to MPs for a delay to the publication of a report on grooming gangs.
In January, the government asked Baroness Louise Casey to lead a "rapid" three-month audit into the data and evidence on the nature and scale of group-based child sexual abuse.
Asked about the status of the review in the House of Commons earlier, which was due to be published in May, Phillips said she was sorry for the wait and that Baroness Casey requested a short extension, adding that it was expected "very shortly".
"When we have the report the government will respond to it and lay out its plans with all the evidence in hand,' she told MPs.
Update:
Date: 21:50 BST
Title: What's in store on tonight's programme?
Content: Victoria Derbyshire presents tonight's programme
You'll be able to watch tonight's programme live as Victoria Derbyshire is joined by five survivors in the studio from 22:30 - we'll share some background on their stories before the programme begins.
We'll also hear from England and Wales' most senior police officer on grooming, Deputy Chief Constable Becky Riggs, on how authorities are responding.
Before we begin, a reminder that some of the details we'll be sharing tonight will be distressing to hear.
Update:
Date: 21:45 BST
Title: Survivors of grooming to speak to BBC Newsnight
Content: Victoria DerbyshireNewsnight presenter
Tonight, live, in a specially-extended programme, we have brought together survivors of gangs and individuals who groomed and raped women when they were young girls and teenagers.
Their abusers were mostly British Asian men and they operated in plain sight in towns and cities like Rotherham, Telford, Bradford, High Wycombe and Manchester, over a decade and half through the late '90s and 2000s.
It's an epidemic that has wrecked the lives of thousands of victims – these women included.
They are here tonight to tell you about what happened to them, and because they say that some of the men who abused and raped them, and some of those in authority who totally failed to protect them, have still not been held accountable - and they want that to change.
Expected in the next week or so is a government-commissioned "rapid" national audit of grooming gangs, led by Baroness Louise Casey.
The government has promised it will uncover the "true scale of grooming gangs in the UK, including looking at ethnicity".
As you'd expect, our conversation is going to be frank, open and it will involve details of sexual abuse.
We're incredibly grateful to the incredible women for speaking to us tonight - Jade, Chantelle, Fiona, Kate and Zara.
You'll be able to watch the programme live on the page from 22:30.
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