UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced the formation of a task force to combat 'grooming gangs'.
This declaration follows a statement by Home Secretary Suella Braverman, highlighting the targeting of British girls by 'British Pakistani' gangs through drugs, exploitation, and abuse.
The term 'grooming gang' refers to groups or individuals who exploit girls and children by coercing them with drugs and alcohol, leading to sexual abuse or trafficking.
Grooming gangs have been a persistent issue in the UK. Earlier this year, a documentary titled 'Grooming Gangs: Britain's Shame' showcased how British-Pakistani individuals preyed on innocent British girls. It highlighted personal stories of several victims.
Returning to the topic of grooming gangs, on Monday, British PM Rishi Sunak announced the establishment of a task force to combat these groups.
What did Rishi Sunak say?
During the announcement, Sunak stated, 'We have conducted independent investigations into incidents in Rotherham and Telford concerning vulnerable children. This was also a topic I raised during the elections. Many victims and whistleblowers have come forward, their complaints continually overlooked. We are forming a task force to ensure severe punishment for criminals and to introduce a national hotline for the safety of children and girls. With these efforts, we aim to prevent such incidents and ensure our children grow up safely.'
Sunak continued, 'The safety of women and girls is paramount. For too long, the lack of political willpower allowed these heinous criminals to remain hidden. We will not let any obstacles prevent us from dismantling these dangerous gangs.' He also mentioned that the gang leaders will face the harshest penalties.
Deputy PM and Justice Minister Dominic Raab stated, 'Grooming gangs pose a significant threat to our society, and I want to be clear to those exploiting vulnerable children: they will face the law.'
Just a day before Sunak's 'Grooming Gangs Task Force' announcement, Home Secretary Suella Braverman's statement stirred controversy.
Source: aajtak
What did Suella Braverman say?
In an interview with local media, Suella Braverman noted, 'A pattern is visible wherein vulnerable British girls and children are pursued under the guise of care, or challenging situations, by gangs of British Pakistani men, subsequently subjected to sexual abuse and drug addiction.'
Her remarks received backlash from Pakistan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch criticized her for projecting a misleading image of British Pakistanis.
Baloch argued that Braverman attributed the criminal behavior of a few to the entire community, failing to acknowledge the cultural, economic, and political contributions of British Pakistanis to the British society.
What is grooming?
According to the UK-based National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), grooming occurs when an individual establishes an emotional relationship with a child to exploit or abuse them. Victims needn't always be children; they can be adults as well.
NSPCC highlights that children or youth subjected to grooming may face sexual abuse or trafficking. Grooming can also occur online.
In the UK, grooming gangs are quite active. Cities like Huddersfield, Rotherham, Rochdale, Oxford, Bristol, and Newcastle have witnessed sequential cases of sexual abuse, with young British girls often falling victims.
Source: aajtak
What is the connection between grooming gangs and Pakistan?
The UK's Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) released a report in October last year. It claimed that 1 in 6 girls and 1 in 20 boys experience sexual abuse before the age of 16.
The report further stated that over 3.1 million adults in England and Wales were victims of some form of sexual crime before the age of 16.
Back in 2014, Professor Alexis Jay's report highlighted the sexual abuse of 1,400 children in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, with many perpetrators identified as British citizens of Pakistani origin.
The report also detailed cases in Northern England where girls as young as 11 were groomed and trafficked, with most perpetrators being British Pakistanis.
Moreover, this year's documentary on grooming gangs reiterated the involvement of British Pakistanis in child sexual abuse.
In 2017, the UK think tank Quilliam Foundation claimed that 84% of grooming gang offenders were Asian, with many being of Pakistani descent.
Is it only British Pakistanis who are criminals?
Such claims are often challenged. In 2018, Nazir Afzal, in an interview with the British newspaper Telegraph, mentioned that media coverage prominently highlights Asian origin offenders, while cases with white perpetrators are downplayed. Afzal has been an advocate in child sexual abuse cases for a long time.
A 2020 UK Home Office report on child sexual abuse stated that grooming gang offenders are often exaggerated as black and Asian, and it cannot be just one community involved. The report also indicated that in many cases, the perpetrators were white youths.
What is the Grooming Gang Task Force?
According to the British government, the Grooming Gang Task Force will comprise special officers assisting local police in investigating child sexual crimes and grooming incidents.
The National Crime Agency will also support these efforts. The task force will contain officers with extensive experience in operations against grooming gang offenders. It will work nationwide against grooming gangs, aiming to incarcerate as many offenders as possible.
This task force will also include data analysts who will create a database to ascertain criminals' cultural and ethnic identities.
