More than 1,000 children have been sexually exploited in Telford, England, since 1989 due to police negligence, an independent inquiry reported Tuesday. The final report from the Independent Inquiry into Telford Child Sexual Exploitation (IITCSE) shows how the West Mercia police force and local government did not adequately respond to cases of child sexual exploitation.

The inquiry found that information was not properly shared between agencies. Key agencies also dismissed many exploitation cases as “child prostitution.” Police feared to investigate certain cases because they did not want to “inflame racial tensions.” Those who worked with children were discouraged from reporting any potential cases. Children were also blamed for being exploited instead of the perpetrators. This lack of response and incompetence of the agencies only emboldened perpetrators to continue on for years.

The inquiry also provides key agencies with recommendations on what they should do to change.

Tom Crowther, the chairman of the inquiry, said “I hope that this report goes some way to giving a voice to those children—now adults—who have over the years being ignored, marginalized, and even blamed for their own exploitation and to providing them with some of the answers they’ve been seeking for so long.”

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Cooper for the West Mercia Police said

I would like to say sorry. Sorry to the survivors and all those affected by child sexual exploitation in Telford. While there were no findings of corruption, our actions fell far short of the help and protection you should have had from us, it was unacceptable, we let you down. It is important we now take time to reflect critically and carefully on the content of the report and the recommendations that have been made.

The IITCSE will be conducting a review in two years time to see how the key agencies have progressed.