Close the loophole: Pass Della's Law & stop registered sex offenders changing their names!
The Issue
I was 14 years old when my father began sexually abusing me.
He was convicted and sent to prison for the crimes he committed against me. But now that his sentence has concluded, he lives in a new area, with a new name.
He got a new identity. I didn't get a new childhood.
That discovery wasn't just devastating; it exposed a safeguarding loophole I never knew existed.
But this isn't just my story. It isn't just Della's story.
It's a safeguarding issue that affects every community in the UK.
For years, survivors, including myself and Della, have worked alongside The Safeguarding Alliance to expose the legal loophole that allows registered sex offenders to legally change their names while subject to notification requirements.
Campaigners highlight that the current system places far too much reliance on offenders notifying the police themselves, despite evidence that breaches of those requirements occur.
The scale of the problem is deeply concerning.
A BBC investigation uncovered that more than 700 registered sex offenders were missing from police monitoring or wanted for arrest over a three-year period. Freedom of Information data also showed that around 1,500 registered sex offenders had legally changed their names.
Campaigners have also highlighted thousands of prosecutions for breaches of notification requirements, reinforcing concerns that self-reporting alone is not a complete safeguard.
These aren't just statistics...
Each number represents a person known to pose a safeguarding risk.
Each number represents families who deserve better protection.
After years of campaigning by survivors, MPs from across Parliament and safeguarding organisations, this issue was finally gaining momentum. Parliament debated the loophole, ministers acknowledged the concern, and the law began to move through Parliament.
But then, with the change of government, progress slowed.
The current government's proposals would strengthen notification requirements, but many survivors and campaigners believe they still leave the fundamental problem unresolved because the system continues to rely on offender compliance. Sarah Champion MP has publicly urged ministers to strengthen the legislation further, warning that offenders "rarely do the right thing."
Like many survivors, I feel disappointed that stronger action has not yet followed the commitments made to tackle this loophole.
This campaign has never been about revenge. It has never been about denying people the opportunity to rebuild their lives or rehabilitate.
It is about protecting children.
It is about protecting future victims.
It is about making safeguarding systems work in the way the public already believes they do.
No child should suffer what I suffered.
No survivor should discover that the person who abused them is living under a different name.
No safeguarding system should depend on the honesty of those it exists to monitor.
Please sign this petition and call on the UK Parliament to pass Della's Law and finally close this loophole!
Because a new name doesn't erase a crime.
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The Issue
I was 14 years old when my father began sexually abusing me.
He was convicted and sent to prison for the crimes he committed against me. But now that his sentence has concluded, he lives in a new area, with a new name.
He got a new identity. I didn't get a new childhood.
That discovery wasn't just devastating; it exposed a safeguarding loophole I never knew existed.
But this isn't just my story. It isn't just Della's story.
It's a safeguarding issue that affects every community in the UK.
For years, survivors, including myself and Della, have worked alongside The Safeguarding Alliance to expose the legal loophole that allows registered sex offenders to legally change their names while subject to notification requirements.
Campaigners highlight that the current system places far too much reliance on offenders notifying the police themselves, despite evidence that breaches of those requirements occur.
The scale of the problem is deeply concerning.
A BBC investigation uncovered that more than 700 registered sex offenders were missing from police monitoring or wanted for arrest over a three-year period. Freedom of Information data also showed that around 1,500 registered sex offenders had legally changed their names.
Campaigners have also highlighted thousands of prosecutions for breaches of notification requirements, reinforcing concerns that self-reporting alone is not a complete safeguard.
These aren't just statistics...
Each number represents a person known to pose a safeguarding risk.
Each number represents families who deserve better protection.
After years of campaigning by survivors, MPs from across Parliament and safeguarding organisations, this issue was finally gaining momentum. Parliament debated the loophole, ministers acknowledged the concern, and the law began to move through Parliament.
But then, with the change of government, progress slowed.
The current government's proposals would strengthen notification requirements, but many survivors and campaigners believe they still leave the fundamental problem unresolved because the system continues to rely on offender compliance. Sarah Champion MP has publicly urged ministers to strengthen the legislation further, warning that offenders "rarely do the right thing."
Like many survivors, I feel disappointed that stronger action has not yet followed the commitments made to tackle this loophole.
This campaign has never been about revenge. It has never been about denying people the opportunity to rebuild their lives or rehabilitate.
It is about protecting children.
It is about protecting future victims.
It is about making safeguarding systems work in the way the public already believes they do.
No child should suffer what I suffered.
No survivor should discover that the person who abused them is living under a different name.
No safeguarding system should depend on the honesty of those it exists to monitor.
Please sign this petition and call on the UK Parliament to pass Della's Law and finally close this loophole!
Because a new name doesn't erase a crime.
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Petition created on 30 June 2026