Grooming gang members are criminals and a stain on the British Pakistani diaspora - Qari Asim

The recent debate on grooming gangs has focused on highlighting that the perpetrators of the street grooming model have been predominantly men of Pakistani descent. However, the Jay inquiry suggested that it was "impossible" to know if a particular ethnic group was over-represented.

As an Imam, even one sexual predator from within my community is too many to countenance, and as a country we need to urgently address the root causes. There cannot be any cultural practice or sensitivity that can be used to justify such inhumane actions or prevent an offender from being put in the dock, but this does not mean that race or religion needs to become the prime focus of this extremely deplorable issue.

Islam considers sexual exploitation or violence, and rape as one of the gravest sins. Islam obliges individuals to be active in ensuring the prevention and avoidance of any behaviour which may lead to inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour and abuse of women [see Qur'an 17:32]. British Muslims of Pakistani origin have unreservedly condemned sexual grooming and exploitation of young girls. As far as the religion of the street groomers is concerned, the evidence suggests that they were not even remotely religious. They were not following any deep-bedded cultural attitudes, rather they are a stain on the British Pakistani diaspora. The perpetrators are simply criminals and should feel the full force of the law, without fear or favour, for their heinous crimes.

In the last couple of weeks I have participated in several sessions in mosques, where young men of Pakistani heritage expressed their horror, disgust and revulsion about the scale of abuse and torture that the victims have been subjected to by the perpetrators. The participants also explored the situational, socio-demographic and psychological factors as well as cultural attitudes that could have turned the perpetrators into monsters. There has not been a 'deafening silence' on this repulsive issue amongst the British Pakistani community, as claimed by some right-wing groups. Many Mosques, including my mosque in Leeds, have also addressed the issue of child sexual exploitation in Friday sermons. The message is loud and clear: sexual abuse of women or children, or human trafficking of vulnerable young girls, will not be tolerated within any of our communities.

Street grooming is an issue of power and opportunism versus vulnerability, as opposed to Muslim or Asian men versus white girls. Despite 10 inquiries into the matter, debates persist over accountability, justice and whether sufficient measures have been taken to prevent future incidents.

The race and religion of the twisted criminals who engage in this repulsive practice must not be used to smear an entire community.

Whilst not ignoring the characteristics of nationality and faith, the fact that these individuals form a tiny minority of the British Pakistani diaspora should be adequately reflected in the public discourse.

In this serious national debate, once again the usual suspects - the extreme Far Right groups, online influencers and some mainstream politicians - are exploiting such tragedies for political capital, fuelling anti-Muslim sentiments and promoting racial stereotypes. Muslim men are being stereotyped as religious fanatics, aliens prone to violent sexual acts driven by a patriarchal, misogynistic and medieval culture and barbaric religion. The ‘Muslim grooming gangs’ or 'Muslim Problem' tropes have enduring currency among right wing and liberal political elites. These stereotypes increase anti-Muslim hatred and have horrific ramifications on the lives of innocent British Muslims, including the tragic murder of 81-year-old grandfather Mushin Ahmed in 2015 by two individuals radicalised by such narratives who repeatedly called him a ‘Paki’ and a ‘groomer’.

Claims such as that authorities failed to tackle child sexual grooming due to “political correctness” or a fear of being labelled racist deflect from deeper, institutional failures, alongside prejudice against the young victims whose stories were not given credence. Suggestions that an inquiry in Oldham has been rejected due to a significant Muslim population in some constituencies are an insult to the overwhelming majority of Muslims who are as horrified as anyone else at the heinous nature of the crimes perpetrated in Rotherham, Telford, Oxford and elsewhere.

The grooming gang scandal underscores the importance of addressing systemic failures and ensuring robust protections for vulnerable children.

Imam Qari Asim, MBE, is the Head Imam at Makkah Mosque Leeds and Chair of Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board.