Nineteen men have been arrested as part of an investigation into historic child sexual abuse according to West Yorkshire Police.
The arrests were made last month at addresses in Kirklees, Calderdale, Bradford and outside the force area, police today confirmed.
The charges include rape, sexual assault, and human trafficking.
Five women claim they were raped, trafficked and abused as children, with the alleged offences believed to have taken place between 2000 and 2009. Enquiries remain ongoing.
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Offences are said to have occurred largely in the Kirklees area.
All those arrested have been interviewed and either released on bail or remain under investigation.
Detective Chief Inspector Rob Stevens, who is leading the investigation, described the alleged crime as "abhorrent and heinous".
Nineteen men have been arrested as part of an investigation into historic child sexual abuse reports by West Yorkshire Police
|PA
He said: “Safeguarding children and bringing to justice those involved in child sexual abuse remains a key focus for West Yorkshire Police, and this large-scale enquiry demonstrates our ongoing commitment to investigating both current and non-recent sexual offences.
“All those arrested have now been questioned and released pending further enquiries in what has been a lengthy and complex investigation.
“Child sexual abuse and exploitation is an abhorrent and heinous crime and one which affects some of the most vulnerable people in our society, and we have made large strides in recent years in Kirklees to bring persons involved in these dreadful crimes before the courts.
“We have teams of specialist safeguarding units across each District in West Yorkshire, which include police officers dedicated to dealing with both current and non-recent child abuse and child sexual exploitation.
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The arrests were made in October at addresses in Kirklees, Calderdale, Bradford and outside the force area
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“Tackling child abuse is not something that any one agency can do in isolation; we work closely with local authorities, other organisations and charities to support victims, bring the perpetrators to justice and make our communities safer.
“We would urge anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse, whether recent or historic, to report it to the police.
"Please be assured that you will be listened to, taken seriously and supported by professionals with experience of dealing with these kind of offences.
“If you are concerned about child exploitation, you can learn more and report to us directly, here: Child Sexual Exploitation - CSE | West Yorkshire Police.
“If you have been affected but have not yet made a report, you can find out more about support When You Are Ready, here: https://www.westyorkshire.police.uk/WhenYouAreReady."