Gang threat to girls needs a government-led response

The call accompanies the final report of its Female Voice in Violence project, which examined the impact of gangs and youth violence on women and girls in Manchester, London, Birmingham and Liverpool.

Although policymakers have addressed the issue since the project's first publication last year, Rota believes the current system still fails to identify serious youth violence as a specific threat to girls or treat it as a child protection issue.

The charity is now calling on the Department for Education and Ministry of Justice to commission an independent inquiry into experiences of vulnerable girls in male-dominated settings. Rota chief executive Elizabeth Henry said: "All children have a right to protection from violence, sexual abuse, abduction and all other forms of exploitation.

"But the current approach fails to prevent female association to criminal gangs, rarely identifies those at risk and places vulnerable girls in high-risk situations."

Rota says it is contacted on a weekly basis by organisations that have identified girls associated with gangs, but feel unable to protect or make appropriate referrals.

Through interviews with young people and service providers the research concluded that specialist services and training are not commissioned in all areas. The charity now wants all councils to produce plans that outline prevention and intervention strategies for girls and the Home Office to ensure policy targeted at young people is "gender-proofed".