Everything you should understand about the "Pakistani rape gangs" Musk mentioned on Twitter
For many years, young white girls in vulnerable situations were victims of abuse by older men, primarily of Pakistani descent, as UK authorities reportedly failed to intervene. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
For decades, vulnerable young white girls were abused by older men, primarily of Pakistani origin, while UK authorities largely ignored the situation.
Recently, US billionaire Elon Musk has revived attention on one of the UK's most troubling child exploitation scandals. The CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X made headlines by tweeting about grooming gangs, prompting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to account for his actions during his tenure as chief prosecutor when the scandal emerged. Musk characterized the case as “the worst mass crime against the people of Britain ever.”
The grooming gangs scandal refers to the systematic abuse suffered by numerous vulnerable young girls at the hands of men, predominantly of Pakistani descent, over a span of 25 years in various English cities. Victims, primarily white girls aged 11 to 18 from destabilized homes, endured rape, torture, and exploitation.
The heart of the scandal lies in post-industrial towns in northern England and the Midlands, where Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrant communities have settled since the 1960s. Investigations over the years revealed significant failures within the system and concluded that local politicians and police chose to cover up the abuse out of fear of being perceived as racist. Notably, no officer or government employee has faced criminal charges for their negligence.
The renewed focus on the issue was sparked by a tweet Musk posted on January 1, in which he called for the release of Tommy Robinson, a controversial right-wing activist imprisoned for libelous statements about a Syrian refugee. Musk mistakenly asserted that Robinson was jailed for “telling the truth” regarding the rape scandal. Shortly thereafter, it was reported by GB News that Jess Phillips, the Safeguarding Minister, had dismissed Oldham Council's appeal for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the town, which prompted Musk to label her decision as “disgraceful” and suggest she “deserves to be in prison.” He has since continued to share content on the matter almost daily, criticizing Starmer and sharing court transcripts detailing horrific cases involving grooming gang members.
The horrifying realities of these abuses came to light in the early 1990s when care home staff in Rotherham noticed young girls being collected late at night by taxi drivers. Reports of the involvement of taxi drivers in picking up these girls to exploit them were sent to the authorities in 2001, yet no substantial action was taken. It wasn’t until 2010 that the first convictions were recorded, with five British-Pakistani men being found guilty of sexual exploitation of girls aged 12 to 16.
In 2012, journalist Andrew Norfolk published an exposé revealing that groups of older Pakistani men were systematically exploiting young girls in Rotherham “on an unprecedented scale.” After receiving tips in 2011, he investigated and discovered a pattern of court cases involving predominantly Pakistani men grooming vulnerable girls for sexual abuse. He noted a pervasive “culture of silence,” allowing such abuses to flourish in various towns and cities.
Norfolk's work prompted a deeper investigation in Rotherham, led by Professor Alexis Jay, which uncovered a shocking estimate of 1,400 children exploited between 1997 and 2013. The majority of the offenders were described as being of Asian descent, primarily targeting young white girls. The report detailed terrifying incidents where victims faced extreme violence and threats, with authorities sidelining concerns about race contributing to a lack of action.
Similar patterns of neglect were reported in Telford, which was branded the “child sex capital of Britain.” By 2018, investigations revealed that grooming gangs had abused over 1,000 girls since the 1980s, with subsequent inquiries confirming earlier media reports. The systemic failings of authorities to act led to alarmingly low conviction rates.
The grooming process typically involved young offenders working in taxis or takeout restaurants, who initially engaged with the victims in public spaces and gradually introduced them to older men. This manipulation was facilitated by drugs, alcohol, and psychological control, with threats ensuring compliance. Authorities often dismissed these young victims as “rebellious teenagers” engaging in risky behavior.
The overrepresentation of Pakistani men among offenders has been acknowledged by figures such as Nazir Afzal, a prominent prosecutor of Pakistani heritage, who stated in 2015, “There is no getting away from the fact that there are Pakistani gangs grooming vulnerable girls.” Many offenders have historical ties to Mirpur, a city in Pakistan, with cultural attitudes toward women identified as contributing to the problem.
Though the issue has received some acknowledgment, including statements from politicians like former Home Secretary Sajid Javid, comprehensive analyses remain limited, with reports often citing various ethnic backgrounds without pinpointing systemic cultural influences. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in 2022 revealed widespread failures by law enforcement to accurately record the ethnicity of offenders.
Despite efforts to raise awareness and the ongoing investigations, the problem persists. Reports indicate that two cases of child sexual abuse by grooming gangs are made to police every day. As of early January, at least 50 cities across the UK were identified as being affected, and the number of victims is likely far greater than reported. With thousands of purported victims identified by advocacy organizations, the scale of the crime far outweighs the number of convictions, leaving many perpetrators unpunished and in the communities where their abuses occurred.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
Recently, US billionaire Elon Musk has revived attention on one of the UK's most troubling child exploitation scandals. The CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X made headlines by tweeting about grooming gangs, prompting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to account for his actions during his tenure as chief prosecutor when the scandal emerged. Musk characterized the case as “the worst mass crime against the people of Britain ever.”
The grooming gangs scandal refers to the systematic abuse suffered by numerous vulnerable young girls at the hands of men, predominantly of Pakistani descent, over a span of 25 years in various English cities. Victims, primarily white girls aged 11 to 18 from destabilized homes, endured rape, torture, and exploitation.
The heart of the scandal lies in post-industrial towns in northern England and the Midlands, where Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrant communities have settled since the 1960s. Investigations over the years revealed significant failures within the system and concluded that local politicians and police chose to cover up the abuse out of fear of being perceived as racist. Notably, no officer or government employee has faced criminal charges for their negligence.
The renewed focus on the issue was sparked by a tweet Musk posted on January 1, in which he called for the release of Tommy Robinson, a controversial right-wing activist imprisoned for libelous statements about a Syrian refugee. Musk mistakenly asserted that Robinson was jailed for “telling the truth” regarding the rape scandal. Shortly thereafter, it was reported by GB News that Jess Phillips, the Safeguarding Minister, had dismissed Oldham Council's appeal for a public inquiry into child sexual exploitation in the town, which prompted Musk to label her decision as “disgraceful” and suggest she “deserves to be in prison.” He has since continued to share content on the matter almost daily, criticizing Starmer and sharing court transcripts detailing horrific cases involving grooming gang members.
The horrifying realities of these abuses came to light in the early 1990s when care home staff in Rotherham noticed young girls being collected late at night by taxi drivers. Reports of the involvement of taxi drivers in picking up these girls to exploit them were sent to the authorities in 2001, yet no substantial action was taken. It wasn’t until 2010 that the first convictions were recorded, with five British-Pakistani men being found guilty of sexual exploitation of girls aged 12 to 16.
In 2012, journalist Andrew Norfolk published an exposé revealing that groups of older Pakistani men were systematically exploiting young girls in Rotherham “on an unprecedented scale.” After receiving tips in 2011, he investigated and discovered a pattern of court cases involving predominantly Pakistani men grooming vulnerable girls for sexual abuse. He noted a pervasive “culture of silence,” allowing such abuses to flourish in various towns and cities.
Norfolk's work prompted a deeper investigation in Rotherham, led by Professor Alexis Jay, which uncovered a shocking estimate of 1,400 children exploited between 1997 and 2013. The majority of the offenders were described as being of Asian descent, primarily targeting young white girls. The report detailed terrifying incidents where victims faced extreme violence and threats, with authorities sidelining concerns about race contributing to a lack of action.
Similar patterns of neglect were reported in Telford, which was branded the “child sex capital of Britain.” By 2018, investigations revealed that grooming gangs had abused over 1,000 girls since the 1980s, with subsequent inquiries confirming earlier media reports. The systemic failings of authorities to act led to alarmingly low conviction rates.
The grooming process typically involved young offenders working in taxis or takeout restaurants, who initially engaged with the victims in public spaces and gradually introduced them to older men. This manipulation was facilitated by drugs, alcohol, and psychological control, with threats ensuring compliance. Authorities often dismissed these young victims as “rebellious teenagers” engaging in risky behavior.
The overrepresentation of Pakistani men among offenders has been acknowledged by figures such as Nazir Afzal, a prominent prosecutor of Pakistani heritage, who stated in 2015, “There is no getting away from the fact that there are Pakistani gangs grooming vulnerable girls.” Many offenders have historical ties to Mirpur, a city in Pakistan, with cultural attitudes toward women identified as contributing to the problem.
Though the issue has received some acknowledgment, including statements from politicians like former Home Secretary Sajid Javid, comprehensive analyses remain limited, with reports often citing various ethnic backgrounds without pinpointing systemic cultural influences. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in 2022 revealed widespread failures by law enforcement to accurately record the ethnicity of offenders.
Despite efforts to raise awareness and the ongoing investigations, the problem persists. Reports indicate that two cases of child sexual abuse by grooming gangs are made to police every day. As of early January, at least 50 cities across the UK were identified as being affected, and the number of victims is likely far greater than reported. With thousands of purported victims identified by advocacy organizations, the scale of the crime far outweighs the number of convictions, leaving many perpetrators unpunished and in the communities where their abuses occurred.
Ian Smith contributed to this report for TROIB News
