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| Rishi Sunak criticises political correctness over grooming gangs | Rishi Sunak criticises political correctness over grooming gangs |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Victims of grooming gangs have been ignored because of political correctness, Rishi Sunak said as he set out plans for a police taskforce. | Victims of grooming gangs have been ignored because of political correctness, Rishi Sunak said as he set out plans for a police taskforce. |
| Specialist officers will be sent to help forces with their investigations, the government said. | Specialist officers will be sent to help forces with their investigations, the government said. |
| And better ethnicity data will help ensure abusers do not evade justice due to "cultural sensitivities", it added. | And better ethnicity data will help ensure abusers do not evade justice due to "cultural sensitivities", it added. |
| Labour said the proposals were "far too inadequate". | Labour said the proposals were "far too inadequate". |
| Under the new plans, more data on the make-up of grooming gangs, including ethnicity, would help ensure suspects "cannot hide behind cultural sensitivities as a way to evade justice", the government said. | Under the new plans, more data on the make-up of grooming gangs, including ethnicity, would help ensure suspects "cannot hide behind cultural sensitivities as a way to evade justice", the government said. |
| On a visit to Rochdale the prime minister was asked if the focus by the home secretary on British-Asian men when discussing grooming gangs in parts of northern England was appropriate. | On a visit to Rochdale the prime minister was asked if the focus by the home secretary on British-Asian men when discussing grooming gangs in parts of northern England was appropriate. |
| Mr Sunak said cases of victims and whistleblowers had been "often ignored" by social workers, local politicians and the police in areas such as Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford - because of "cultural sensitivity and political correctness". | Mr Sunak said cases of victims and whistleblowers had been "often ignored" by social workers, local politicians and the police in areas such as Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford - because of "cultural sensitivity and political correctness". |
| "That's not right," he told broadcasters. | "That's not right," he told broadcasters. |
| Earlier Sabah Kaiser, ethnic minority ambassador to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), said it was "very, very dangerous" to turn child sexual abuse "into a matter of colour". | Earlier Sabah Kaiser, ethnic minority ambassador to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), said it was "very, very dangerous" to turn child sexual abuse "into a matter of colour". |
| She told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "Child sexual abuse does not have a skin colour, it doesn't have a religion, it doesn't have a culture. Child sexual abuse does not discriminate." | She told BBC Radio 4's Today Programme: "Child sexual abuse does not have a skin colour, it doesn't have a religion, it doesn't have a culture. Child sexual abuse does not discriminate." |
| Professor Alexis Jay OBE, who chairs the IICSA and investigated child abuse in Rotherham, welcomed the announcement but indicated she wanted the government to adopt the 20 recommendations she set out last year in full "to better protect children from sexual abuse in the future". | Professor Alexis Jay OBE, who chairs the IICSA and investigated child abuse in Rotherham, welcomed the announcement but indicated she wanted the government to adopt the 20 recommendations she set out last year in full "to better protect children from sexual abuse in the future". |
| The taskforce announcement did not include any mention of new funding, or give any indication of how many officers would be involved. | The taskforce announcement did not include any mention of new funding, or give any indication of how many officers would be involved. |
| Sir Keir Starmer told LBC political correctness should not "get in the way" of prosecuting grooming gangs but added the "vast majority of sexual abuse cases" do not involve ethnic minorities. | Sir Keir Starmer told LBC political correctness should not "get in the way" of prosecuting grooming gangs but added the "vast majority of sexual abuse cases" do not involve ethnic minorities. |
| Last year a report by the inquiry found the police and councils still do not understand the risk of organised gangs grooming children in their areas and are not collecting data which would help identify paedophiles and their ethnic background. | Last year a report by the inquiry found the police and councils still do not understand the risk of organised gangs grooming children in their areas and are not collecting data which would help identify paedophiles and their ethnic background. |
| Police and councils failing on grooming - report | Police and councils failing on grooming - report |
| It found that, in some cases, authorities might be potentially downplaying the scale of abuse, and that local authorities "don't want to be labelled another Rochdale or Rotherham" - referring to the high-profile grooming gangs cases. | It found that, in some cases, authorities might be potentially downplaying the scale of abuse, and that local authorities "don't want to be labelled another Rochdale or Rotherham" - referring to the high-profile grooming gangs cases. |
| Signs of abuse were found in six areas studied by the inquiry, but police forces generally could not provide evidence about the extent of the problem. | Signs of abuse were found in six areas studied by the inquiry, but police forces generally could not provide evidence about the extent of the problem. |
| Over years of hearings and research IICSA also found child abuse existed in a wide range of contexts, ranging from religious institutions, schools, the care system, and online, which are not covered by Monday's announcement. | Over years of hearings and research IICSA also found child abuse existed in a wide range of contexts, ranging from religious institutions, schools, the care system, and online, which are not covered by Monday's announcement. |
| There is also a huge backlog in cases going through the courts, which particularly affects victims of child abuse who sometimes have to wait years, while dealing with the trauma their experience has created. | There is also a huge backlog in cases going through the courts, which particularly affects victims of child abuse who sometimes have to wait years, while dealing with the trauma their experience has created. |
| Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman at the NSPCC offices in Leeds | Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Home Secretary Suella Braverman at the NSPCC offices in Leeds |
| NSPCC chief executive Sir Peter Wanless said it was "really important that by raising an issue such as race we don't create other blind spots". | NSPCC chief executive Sir Peter Wanless said it was "really important that by raising an issue such as race we don't create other blind spots". |
| He told the BBC: "Because for sure there are many, many predators, who prey on vulnerable children, who are from a range of cultural backgrounds. | He told the BBC: "Because for sure there are many, many predators, who prey on vulnerable children, who are from a range of cultural backgrounds. |
| "And there are many victims, who are not white girls, who deserve our attention and support. | "And there are many victims, who are not white girls, who deserve our attention and support. |
| "So my plea would be is that we are blind to nothing as we address issues of child sexual abuse." | "So my plea would be is that we are blind to nothing as we address issues of child sexual abuse." |
| He also said the announcement "must be backed up with funding for services to help child victims recover and support for a justice system that is struggling to cope". | |
| Plans also include introducing legislation to make membership of a grooming gang an aggravating factor during sentencing, Downing Street said. | Plans also include introducing legislation to make membership of a grooming gang an aggravating factor during sentencing, Downing Street said. |
| Mr Sunak was in Leeds and Greater Manchester on Monday meeting victims and local police to mark the launch of the taskforce, which will be supported by the National Crime Agency. | Mr Sunak was in Leeds and Greater Manchester on Monday meeting victims and local police to mark the launch of the taskforce, which will be supported by the National Crime Agency. |
| It comes after the government said people who work with children in England will be legally required to report child sexual abuse or face prosecution, under its plans. | It comes after the government said people who work with children in England will be legally required to report child sexual abuse or face prosecution, under its plans. |
| Not reporting child abuse must be crime – inquiry | Not reporting child abuse must be crime – inquiry |
| The move - which is subject to a consultation - was recommended last year by IICSA. | The move - which is subject to a consultation - was recommended last year by IICSA. |
| On Sunday Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the BBC that while the fault lay with the perpetrators for "carrying out heinous and vile acts of depravity", there was also "a wilful turning of the blind eye" among authorities. | On Sunday Home Secretary Suella Braverman told the BBC that while the fault lay with the perpetrators for "carrying out heinous and vile acts of depravity", there was also "a wilful turning of the blind eye" among authorities. |
| She said that "cultural sensitivities" and concerns about "being called bigoted" had played a role in high-profile abuse scandals including in Rochdale and Rotherham. | She said that "cultural sensitivities" and concerns about "being called bigoted" had played a role in high-profile abuse scandals including in Rochdale and Rotherham. |
| She said "vulnerable white girls living in troubled circumstances have been abused, drugged, raped, and exploited" by networks of gangs of rapists, which she claimed were "overwhelmingly" made up of British-Pakistani males. | She said "vulnerable white girls living in troubled circumstances have been abused, drugged, raped, and exploited" by networks of gangs of rapists, which she claimed were "overwhelmingly" made up of British-Pakistani males. |
| An independent inquiry found at least 1,400 children had been subjected to sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, with the perpetrators predominantly men of Pakistani heritage. | An independent inquiry found at least 1,400 children had been subjected to sexual abuse in Rotherham between 1997 and 2013, with the perpetrators predominantly men of Pakistani heritage. |
| The racial profile of these cases resulted in the issue becoming a cause-celebre within far-right politics. | |
| Home Office-commissioned research in 2020 found "a number" of high-profile cases had "mainly involved men of Pakistani ethnicity", but also highlighted "significant limitations to what can be said about links between ethnicity and this form of offending". | Home Office-commissioned research in 2020 found "a number" of high-profile cases had "mainly involved men of Pakistani ethnicity", but also highlighted "significant limitations to what can be said about links between ethnicity and this form of offending". |
| It said there was limited research on offender identity and poor quality data, which made it difficult to draw conclusions, however "it is likely that no one community or culture is uniquely predisposed to offending". | It said there was limited research on offender identity and poor quality data, which made it difficult to draw conclusions, however "it is likely that no one community or culture is uniquely predisposed to offending". |
| Dr Ella Cockbain, associate professor at University College London's Department of Security and Crime Science, said the government was "disregarding and contradicting" its own research. | Dr Ella Cockbain, associate professor at University College London's Department of Security and Crime Science, said the government was "disregarding and contradicting" its own research. |
| She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "She (Ms Braverman) is choosing to mainstream hard-right talking points, and to push discredited stereotypes. "That is really dangerous and reductive. "It allows other offenders to get away with abuse." | She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "She (Ms Braverman) is choosing to mainstream hard-right talking points, and to push discredited stereotypes. "That is really dangerous and reductive. "It allows other offenders to get away with abuse." |
| The Labour Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, called Ms Braverman's comments a "dog whistle" - meaning a coded message designed to appeal to a certain group. | The Labour Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, called Ms Braverman's comments a "dog whistle" - meaning a coded message designed to appeal to a certain group. |
| Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC the government's plans were "far too inadequate for the scale of the problem" and accused ministers of "chasing headlines". | Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC the government's plans were "far too inadequate for the scale of the problem" and accused ministers of "chasing headlines". |
| The Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said they supported steps to crack down on abusers, but said: "Unless the government tackles the backlog in our courts and restores community policing, too many criminals will continue to evade justice." | The Liberal Democrats' home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said they supported steps to crack down on abusers, but said: "Unless the government tackles the backlog in our courts and restores community policing, too many criminals will continue to evade justice." |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Child abuse | Child abuse |
| Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse | Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse |