Grooming gangs in London

One of the Survivors suggested looking for a non-British person, and therefore not involved in the crime in any way, who was very competent in British law, as Chair.

If they could just get beyond all of the political point scoring,

So much 'behind the scenes' manoeuvring, that we will never get to witness.

StripeyGran It really is only a gut feeling and I can't even say why I think that - I don't usually form judgements as a result of whims. I'm going to sit back and watch the shenanigans.

I feel so sorry for the abused girls. I'm not sure what they really want to come out of all this and what they've been promised, but I feel they've been dealt a rubbish hand - yet again.

Personally, I hope abusers and those responsible for cover ups get many years behind bars - and I think they might go to all sorts of lengths to make sure they don't. Moreover, I'd like somebody to listen to the victims - in private - and find out what (if anything) could be done to help them with some kind of recovery.

growstuff

Allsorts I get what you're saying, but I don't think it's quite that simple. I have a feeling that Maggie Oliver is behind some of it and I know she's seen a saint by some, but I don't trust her to be impartial (sorry, just a gut feeling but I don't say it lightly).

The girls have been listened to. If you delve a bit deeper and find the letters they've written, there is proof they were listened to. Some of them didn't like the directions which seem to have been taken. They've been told that they have misunderstood some things which were said to them (and, as far as I can tell, I think they have got a couple of things wrong), but that's not the same as lying. Targeting Jess Phillips is interesting, given her background.

I really do think they're being manipulated by people who want to use the whole issue as a political football - as something else to beat Labour for. Maybe there is persona gain involved or maybe the people who stand to lose are engineering a cover up. If you think about who stands to lose, it's the abusers and the authorities responsible for not following up and/or cover ups - some of the individuals involved are still working.

I think this story is going to run and run before any inquiry gets started ... and I think there are going to be some high profile casualties.

PS. I just realised I'm turning into a conspiracy theorist - think I'd better go and have another coffee!

I have a feeling that Maggie Oliver is behind some of it

Best of luck with that.

GrannyGravy13

Maremia

If help and justice is to come, it should come for all victims, not just the victims of a chosen ethnicity.

Deflection

This is about Asian grooming gangs.

If you are concerned about other ethnic grooming gangs maybe start a thread…

Maremia's point was well made. All laws must apply to all. All victims, all perpetrators. Why do you think not doing that will be better for all victims?

The day we start applying laws only to a narrowly selected group we risk:

Erosion of justice
Loss of trust
Social instability
Increased crime and corruption
Weakening of the rule of law
Human rights violations

Overall, we risk undermining social cohesion, stability, and the foundational principles of justice.

This is the British view of law making.

petra

growstuff

Wyllow3

I was getting the same sort of feeling. Why did the 2 people initially agree, but have stood down?

Because the same person (or people) are behind the scenes pulling strings (maybe). The question is why should anybody do that. The politics of these kind of inquiries are always complicated. I have a horrible feeling that the victims are being used in pawns.

There's no doubt this is a toxic hot potato and I'm not surprised the former governments did very little. Badenoch, in particular, has a cheek to criticise anybody because she was at various times Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Under-Secretary of State for Equalities, Minister of State for Equalities and Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities. She did nothing!

There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark!!!!!

Never has a quote been more apt!

Bridie22

100% agree with you Allsorts, im disappointed with Jess Phillips, she seemed to really care about women and girls rights .

I have no evidence that she doesn't care - on that basis, I think she does care, which is why I think those targeting her have some kind of malignant agenda.

Allsorts I get what you're saying, but I don't think it's quite that simple. I have a feeling that Maggie Oliver is behind some of it and I know she's seen a saint by some, but I don't trust her to be impartial (sorry, just a gut feeling but I don't say it lightly).

The girls have been listened to. If you delve a bit deeper and find the letters they've written, there is proof they were listened to. Some of them didn't like the directions which seem to have been taken. They've been told that they have misunderstood some things which were said to them (and, as far as I can tell, I think they have got a couple of things wrong), but that's not the same as lying. Targeting Jess Phillips is interesting, given her background.

I really do think they're being manipulated by people who want to use the whole issue as a political football - as something else to beat Labour for. Maybe there is persona gain involved or maybe the people who stand to lose are engineering a cover up. If you think about who stands to lose, it's the abusers and the authorities responsible for not following up and/or cover ups - some of the individuals involved are still working.

I think this story is going to run and run before any inquiry gets started ... and I think there are going to be some high profile casualties.

PS. I just realised I'm turning into a conspiracy theorist - think I'd better go and have another coffee!

100% agree with you Allsorts, im disappointed with Jess Phillips, she seemed to really care about women and girls rights .

growstuff

Wyllow3

I was getting the same sort of feeling. Why did the 2 people initially agree, but have stood down?

Because the same person (or people) are behind the scenes pulling strings (maybe). The question is why should anybody do that. The politics of these kind of inquiries are always complicated. I have a horrible feeling that the victims are being used in pawns.

There's no doubt this is a toxic hot potato and I'm not surprised the former governments did very little. Badenoch, in particular, has a cheek to criticise anybody because she was at various times Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Under-Secretary of State for Equalities, Minister of State for Equalities and Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities. She did nothing!

There’s something rotten in the state of Denmark!!!!!

Maremia

Article online just now, BBC, might be of interest.

It sounds as though somebody (or bodies) has a personal grudge against Jess Phillips.

The victims of Asian Grooming Gangs should be heard, if it was up to me the lot of those gang member would never see daylight again, they are scum of the earth. Those two girls left that inquiry they had fought so hard for as. once again they were not listened too, which says it all. This inquiry shows that others in important positions are involved. Wanted it dumbed down, Let them be flushed out with a different panel chosen by Maggie, she knows more about it and genuinely cares. Would you like to think of a young girl, your daughter, going through what they have, Those low life didn't do it to their own race just white girls already vulnerable, they are the racists.
We owe these girls justice but that and no amount of money can ever give them peace of mind. They were children, not in any way at fault.
Plaster every one of those evil men faces across the newspapers. I don't believe their families didn't know.,

Wyllow3

I was getting the same sort of feeling. Why did the 2 people initially agree, but have stood down?

Because the same person (or people) are behind the scenes pulling strings (maybe). The question is why should anybody do that. The politics of these kind of inquiries are always complicated. I have a horrible feeling that the victims are being used in pawns.

There's no doubt this is a toxic hot potato and I'm not surprised the former governments did very little. Badenoch, in particular, has a cheek to criticise anybody because she was at various times Under-Secretary of State for Children and Families, Under-Secretary of State for Equalities, Minister of State for Equalities and Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities. She did nothing!

Article online just now, BBC, might be of interest.

I was getting the same sort of feeling. Why did the 2 people initially agree, but have stood down?

nanna8

Still trying to deflect and muddy the waters then. Very clear that this is exactly what these politicians have been doing and are still doing.

In this case, I don't know who "these politicians" are. I don't think it's the Labour Party which is trying to scupper anything, but I do think there is misinformation and bad advice swirling around and there are those who are very happy to use the issue as a political football. Sorry that doesn't seem to make much sense, but I haven't worked out who all the players are, but there's something not right.

GrannyGravy13

Maremia

If help and justice is to come, it should come for all victims, not just the victims of a chosen ethnicity.

Deflection

This is about Asian grooming gangs.

If you are concerned about other ethnic grooming gangs maybe start a thread…

No - if we think the issues are about all grooming gangs but of course that does mean all so includes those concerns.

Given that the thread is entitled Grooming Gangs in London we are off on a wider brief already.

Still trying to deflect and muddy the waters then. Very clear that this is exactly what these politicians have been doing and are still doing.

I thought there had been campaigns/issues raised about priest/vicar sexual abuse of children. Don't remember too many shouts of "what about children abused by school teachers/doctors/social workers/ family members etc don't just concentrate on religious abusers.

If a remit is too wide then issues become lost. Wyllow3 why are you so against these victims of Asian grooming gangs being able to have an inquiry that examines why religious and racial concerns overrode their rights to justice? The authorities knew what was going on but chose to ignore and deflect to the point of accusing the victims of being complicit or prostitutes because they were afraid of escalating racial tensions. This is now documented. Would you expect an inquiry into Islamophobia to also look at anti-semitism and anti-Christian offences?

That then begs the question that will come from other survivors - "what about us!"

Why don't we get an inquiry about how inadequately our cases were handled.....they only care for ....

Wha about me, I'm a victim of police abuse and they are still doing it

What about me, I'm a victim of rape by a priest when I was a child, who is listening to me, nothing has been done

dont you see the point?

Those pressures are coming from somewhere, and certain people in power must know where from.
Yes, as growstuff says above the women were promised an inquiry into the Asian grooming gangs.

Casdon

I’m confused now. The inquiry is not specifically about Asian Grooming Gangs. It is about Grooming Gangs in the UK?

Yes. The thread has gone off-topic.

Lathyrus3

Casdon

I’m confused now. The inquiry is not specifically about Asian Grooming Gangs. It is about Grooming Gangs in the UK?

Indeed. And whether the ethnicity of gangs influenced the way in which they were investigated and prosecuted.

This is the crux of why ethnicity is a vital issue in this enquiry. And why the testimony of the victims is so crucial.

Exactly! It's quite specific.

Child sexual abuse is a much wider issue and needs other inquiries.