Jess Phillips, a former safeguarding minister, says sentencing outcomes for sexual offences committed by children are leaving victims to accept harm they do not cause. Speaking about what she calls a “growing trend” of children sexually abusing other children, Phillips argues that existing sentencing guidelines may not adequately reflect the impact on victims or the seriousness of the offences. She warns that, in some cases, offenders receive lenient sentences that prioritize rehabilitation while victims are left to manage the consequences. Phillips calls for a review of the guidelines, following recent public concern about teenage boys convicted of rape and sexual assault receiving comparatively light sentences. She also references cases involving child-on-child rape in which attackers are reported to have walked free or received controversial outcomes, prompting criticism. The debate centers on how sentencing balances rehabilitation for young offenders with protection and justice for victims, and whether guideline assumptions are keeping pace with reported patterns of abuse involving children. Phillips frames her comments as a safeguard issue and a call for policy change rather than a comment on individual cases.