Anna Hall, the first person to expose a pattern, now known as gang grooming, in her groundbreaking documentary, “Edge of the City,” is back with a new Channel 4 film.
21 years since that first documentary, 5 young women who have suffered grooming, rape and abuse, have put their trust in the multi-award winning filmmaker and her team to tell their stories for “Groomed: A National Scandal”.
Many speak about their abuse on camera for the first time and through their personal testimony, they will reveal the lifelong damage caused by child sexual exploitation.
“This is a film that will shake the nation. It’s not just about retelling past horrors—it’s about showing that these patterns of abuse are still happening today,” said Director and Executive Producer, Hall.
“We trust our police and social services to protect victims, but this documentary will reveal the devastating truth of their ongoing failures.”
READ MORE – BAFTA-winning doc maker joins Salford University production course staff
The 90 minute programme is produced by Leeds’ Candour Productions and has taken 3 years to develop and has been in production for a year.
“This is an urgent and vital film that shines a light on a deeply troubling reality – decades after these scandals were first exposed, victims are still being failed by the very institutions meant to protect them,” added Shaminder Nahal, Head of Specialist Factual Commissioning, Channel 4.
“With Anna Hall’s meticulous investigative approach and the powerful testimonies of survivors and whistleblowers, Groomed: A National Scandal is a call to action. It’s a film that will challenge perceptions, demand accountability, and ensure these voices are finally heard.”
Anna Hall’s previous films for Channel 4 on gang grooming are Edge of the City (2004), The Hunt for Britain’s Sex Gangs (2011), Britain’s Sex Gangs (2013).
It’s set to air later this year.
