"This has, in some instances, made it worse for the victims."
Several Indian diaspora groups in the UK have objected to the use of the term “Asian” with reference to the grooming gang scandal, which largely involved Pakistani heritage men.
Defending his record, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he had reopened such cases and brought the first prosecution of an “Asian grooming gang” in Rochdale during his time as the head of the CPS.
Reacting to Sir Keir’s statement, the Network of Sikh Organisations (NSO) said it had first complained about the “vague” terminology, referencing the UK’s wider South Asian community in connection with the crime back in 2012.
NSO said: “This use of the vague reference to ‘Asian’ grooming gangs is extremely disappointing from the Prime Minister.
“Part of the problem with this issue has been a fear of not speaking openly about the ethnicity and (or) religion of the majority of perpetrators.
“This has, in some instances, made it worse for the victims.”
Calling for “greater accuracy in reporting”, the NSO added:
“This is a matter of significant public interest, and criminality that has impacted our communities too.”
Sikh Federation UK warned against using the generic term “Asian” for “reasons of political correctness”.
It tweeted: “Politicians by continuing to use the misleading term ‘Asian grooming gangs’ shows they are more worried about votes and do not have a clue how to address a perverse upbringing mixed with a religious philosophy of forced religious conversion that has been allowed to thrive for decades without being called out.”
In the current high profile debate with regards to child sexual exploitation Sikhs, Hindus and others incorrectly labelled “Asian” are sick and tired of politicians, including @Keir_Starmer referring to “Asian grooming gangs” for reasons of political correctness.
Until… pic.twitter.com/XoRmMCVENE
— Sikh Federation (UK) (@SikhFedUK) January 6, 2025
Other groups also raised similar concerns about political correctness, with Insight UK saying:
“Due to political correctness and the fear of being labelled racist or Islamophobic, the authorities have preferred to use the term ‘Asian’ to define these gangs and worse.
“Some have buried their heads in the sand hoping that the problem will go away.”
It came as Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the House of Commons that her department would be pursuing plans to include tougher measures in the Crime and Policing Bill to make it mandatory for organisations and institutions to report child sexual abuse.
She cited official reports dating back 10 years which found “1,400 children had been sexually exploited, raped by multiple perpetrators, trafficked across other towns, abducted, beaten and threatened with guns”.
Ms Cooper said:
“Girls as young as 11 had been raped.”
“Those reports a decade ago identified a failure to confront Pakistani heritage gangs and a ‘widespread perception’ that they should ‘downplay the ethnic dimensions’ for fear of being seen to be racist.”
The issue of grooming gangs has returned to the spotlight after Elon Musk began attacking the UK government’s handling of the scandal.
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