What the Evidence Says About Ethnicity and Gang Grooming After Swella Braverman’s Comments

Home Secretary Swella Braverman suggested that “political correctness” led some authorities to ignore child sexual abuse “for fear of being seen as racist.”

She made the comments talking about the government’s new plans to require teachers to report concerns about victims of child sexual abuse.

Contact Sky News Sophie Ridge SundayShe said: “What we have seen is the practice of vulnerable white English girls, sometimes in foster care, sometimes in dire circumstances, being harassed and raped by gangs of British Pakistani men working in clubs or children and being attacked online. . ”

Faced with the findings of a 2020 Home Office report that claimed the perpetrators were predominantly white, Ms Braverman responded that there were several reports of “a predominance of certain ethnic groups and I say British-Pakistani men stand up for cultural values.” “. completely contrary to British values.”

Here’s what official reports on the prevalence of child sexual exploitation and the ethnicity of perpetrators found:

How is child sexual exploitation defined?

By definition Ministry of Education In 2017, child sexual exploitation occurs when “an individual or group abuses an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate, or deceive a child or adolescent under the age of 18 into engaging in sexual activity.”

The perpetrator does this “in exchange for something the victim needs or wants” or for “monetary gain or promotion of the perpetrator or intermediary”.

“The victim could have been sexually exploited, even if the sexual activity appears to be consensual. The sexual exploitation of children does not always involve physical contact; it can also be done with technology,” the definition continues.

While the term “grooming gang” is widely used, a 2020 Home Office report states that it is “an ambiguous term with no official definition” and offers a more accurate description of “group sexual exploitation of children”.

It has also been suggested that referring to groups of offenders as “gangs” is incorrect, as it is more associated with groups of teenagers and young adults “who see themselves and are perceived by others as members of a separate, named group”.

What are the findings of the 2020 Ministry of the Interior report?

home Office published its long-awaited review of child sexual exploitation in 2020, despite having previously argued that publishing the document was not in the “public interest”.

The report found that while there were several high-profile cases of personal grooming and sexual exploitation of children involving men of Pakistani origin in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford in Rotherham, Rochdale and Telford, “an association between ethnicity and this form of abuse” but cannot be proven.

“Research has shown that it is based on groups [child sexual exploitation] The perpetrators are mostly white,” she added.

It has been argued that there are “some studies that suggest an overrepresentation of black and Asian offenders relative to the demographics of the country’s population”, but it is not possible “to conclude that this is representative of all group sexual….child exploitation”.

The report also warns that the limited data used in existing child sexual exploitation research creates “the potential for bias and inaccuracy.”

“It is difficult to draw any conclusions about the ethnicity of perpetrators due to the limitations of existing research and poor data collection,” she continued.

Police authorities told the Home Office that “groups of offenders come from a variety of backgrounds and each group is largely ethnically homogeneous” but that “there are cases where offenders within groups come from different backgrounds.”

What did the 2022 Child Sexual Abuse Study find?

Report from Independent study of child sexual abuse (IICSA) was published in 2022, which found that child sexual exploitation continues in all parts of England and Wales despite “significant mistakes by local authorities and police”.

He noted that there had been “a heated and often polarized debate” about whether there was a link between ethnicity and gang sexual exploitation of children, and that the limited collection of data on the ethnicity of the perpetrators or victims had “hampered that debate.” determine if such a relationship exists.

“It also hinders the ability of police and other agencies to provide culturally sensitive responses, interventions and support,” the report says.

The IICSA went on to warn that the “one-sided and often uninformed public debate” about the ethnicity of the perpetrators has been fueled by “a series of high-profile cases involving South Asian men”.

It added: “Continuing this debate without providing proper context can lead to an accusatory style of public debate that is both unhelpful and divisive.”

The study highlighted the findings of the 2013 report. Community Home Affairs CommitteeHe suggested that “the issue of race and the fear of being perceived as a racist may have prevented detection and intervention in some cases of child sexual exploitation.”

The Commission argued that “with”.

How widespread is the sexual exploitation of children?

The IISCA report, which covers England and Wales, warned that many people mistakenly thought cases of child sexual exploitation were “declining” when in fact they had become a “more hidden problem”.

It is estimated that one in six girls and one in 20 boys are sexually assaulted before the age of 16.

In March 2020, the Office for National Statistics estimated that 3.1 million adults in England and Wales were sexually assaulted before the age of 16.

The report looked at abuse in several areas including St Helens, Tower Hamlets of London, Swansea, Durham, Bristol and Warwickshire and found evidence of abuse in all six areas surveyed.

The report warns of “massive missteps” by authorities in cracking down on child exploitation, with police often unable to provide evidence of the extent of the problem.

There has also been disagreement between authorities working with police over the definition of organized child abuse, with some children being classified as “at risk” of sexual exploitation despite “clear evidence of actual harm”.

The IISCA noted that “none of the areas surveyed in this study maintained records of the ethnicity of victims and alleged perpetrators”, making it “impossible to know whether any particular ethnic group is overrepresented as perpetrators”. “.

It encouraged police and local authorities in England and Wales to collect specific data – disaggregated by gender, ethnicity and disability – on all known or suspected cases of child sexual exploitation, including through networks.

The report also highlights that too many victims of child exploitation are treated as criminals or otherwise held accountable for their harm, while perpetrators of child sexual exploitation are often not investigated and held accountable.

Basic moments

• The Home Office released a report on child sexual exploitation in 2020, which found that “a link between ethnicity and this form of abuse” could not be proven and that “perpetrators are predominantly white”.
• She argued that there were “some studies that suggested an overrepresentation of black and Asian offenders”, but it is impossible “to conclude that this is representative of all gang sexual exploitation of children”.
• The report also warns that the lack of data “makes it difficult to draw conclusions about the ethnicity of perpetrators.”
• A 2022 report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse found that “heated” debate over the ethnicity of abusers was fueled by limited data on abusers.
• A 2013 report by the Home Communities Committee stated that “the issue of race and the fear of being perceived as a racist may have prevented detection and intervention in some cases of child sexual exploitation.”