MCB: ‘We Need Truth and Action Against Child Sexual Abuse Gangs, Not a Racist Witch-hunt’

Muslim Council of Britain will support yet another investigation into the grooming scandal if proponents can explain why previous inquiries costing millions have not given them the answer they are looking for

Key Points
The Muslim Council of Britain calls for:
•⁠ ⁠Implementation of existing inquiry recommendations
•⁠ ⁠Support for local authorities in conducting thorough investigations, with support for the victims
•⁠ ⁠Proponents of a new inquiry to explain why previous investigations costing millions have not given them the answer they are looking for
•⁠ ⁠MCB also calls for investigation into foreign interference in our democratic discourse and community relations

The Muslim Council of Britain today gave a qualified support for any properly constituted national inquiry into child sexual exploitation, provided it follows evidence rather than prejudice. Given that the recommendations of previous inquiries have not been implemented, the rationale for a fresh new inquiry would have to be robust. Previous inquiries include the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) led by Alexis Jay and the Casey report into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham.

Zara Mohammed, Secretary General of the MCB said: “Sexual predators, particularly those who target vulnerable children and commit heinous crimes should face the full force of the law without fear or favour. No perpetrator should hide behind false notions that this behaviour is condoned in our community or our faith. The targets of these disgusting people have been white and non-white, Muslim and non-Muslim. Yet the victims have been ill-served by incompetent authorities and exploited by those pursuing a racist agenda .”

“Those who seek to weaponise this issue against Muslims have already got answers they didn’t want from previous inquiries. Despite persistent racist narratives, recent data from the Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse for 2022/23 show that perpetrators come from all backgrounds and that most group-based offenders are white.”

“What’s particularly concerning is how recommendations from repeated inquiries’ remain unimplemented by the previous government, while new, politically motivated calls for inquiries are being made simply to inflame tensions,” she added.

The latest wave of anti-Muslim hatred has reached new lows, with hatred directed against British Muslim politicians and baseless suggestions that grooming prosecutions are being avoided due to Muslim voting patterns.

“This offensive insinuation not only smears British Muslims but insults prosecutors and police officers who work tirelessly to bring perpetrators to justice. It betrays a racist worldview that sees Muslims as a monolithic bloc rather than British citizens who, like everyone else, want child abusers prosecuted,” Mohammed stated.

The facts remain clear: The Home Office’s own research in 2020 found that group-based child sexual exploitation offenders are most commonly white. This was reconfirmed when former Home Secretary Suella Braverman made claims about ethnicity in the Mail on Sunday were found to be false by the press regulator.

Of particular concern is the role of foreign actors, not only in inflaming community tensions through social media platforms but in directly influencing British politicians. It is extraordinary that a non-British citizen who owns a major social platform is now actively shaping the positions of British political figures on sensitive domestic issues. This goes beyond mere misinformation – it represents a direct threat to our democratic sovereignty and safety on our streets.

“Our priority must be protecting children through evidence-based approaches while rejecting those who would exploit this issue to sow division. We cannot allow foreign billionaires and their political allies to undermine our national unity for their own ends,” Mohammed concluded.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1.⁠ ⁠The Muslim Council of Britain is largest and most diverse, Muslim umbrella body in the UK
2.⁠ ⁠⁠Even though the grooming we have witnessed has been widely condemned throughout our communities, for over a decade, the Muslim Council of Britain pursued the following proactive initiatives:
•⁠ ⁠Organised conferences: In 2013, they held a national conference titled “Protecting All Our Children: Safeguarding Children and Tackling Gang Led Grooming”. https://mcb.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/MCB_Postconference_report_2014.pdf
•⁠ ⁠Collaborating with other organisations: They have worked with groups like the NSPCC, police, and Muslim organisations to educate people about grooming1.
•⁠ ⁠Supporting nationwide initiatives: The MCB supported a campaign where imams across Britain delivered sermons condemning child grooming https://mcb.org.uk/khutbah-friday-sermon-against-grooming-28th-june-2013
•⁠ ⁠⁠The MCB has also recently initiated a campaign to improve safeguarding of young people in our religious organisations: https://mcb.org.uk/initiatives/national-safeguarding-month-2024-signup/

3. For media enquires [email protected]