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Grooming gangs in London

(392 Posts)
Primrose53 Mon 20-Oct-25 22:38:38

Big U turn tonight from the Police who now say there ARE grooming gangs in London despite Sadiq Khan saying otherwise. Should have listened to Maggie Oliver. šŸ˜‰

This needs updating but explains some of it

www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2122808/sadiq-khan-grooming-gang-files#

growstuff Wed 22-Oct-25 10:32:33

Sago

GrannyGravy13

Just listening to Maggie Oliver and one of the survivors.

Disgusting outburst from Jess Phillips, so much for being the Minister for Safeguarding.

These enquiries should focus on the Asian Grooming Gangs and the way these girls were dismissed.

The Councils and Police Departments were running scared in case they were seen as racist…

Absolutely this!

They tried to ā€œbroadenā€ the scope of the inquiry to take the focus away from the fact it was mainly Asian men.

Why can we not simply face up to facts that this was an absolute travesty and it is still going on?

They are rioting in Ireland after the alleged race of a 10 year old girl that took place in an immigrant hostel.

Who's "they"?

GrannyGravy13 Wed 22-Oct-25 10:43:30

No growstuff when Maggie Oliver was driving round with one of the victims looking for her abusers, the young girl pointed out a high ranking police officer as one of her abusers.

Allira Wed 22-Oct-25 10:53:35

growstuff

petra

Perhaps Jess Phillips could go one step further and appoint the senior police officer who was pointed out to her ( Maggie Oliver) by one of the victims as one of her rapists. 🤬
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility as I’m sure she’s not aware of this fact.

Sorry, petra. I'm not sure I've understood your post correctly. If I have, I'm surprised somebody else hasn't commented. Just to clarify ... are you saying that one of the victims has accused Maggie Oliver as a rapist?

(Apologies if I'm being stupid and have misunderstood.)

Yes, you have completely misunderstood petra's post!!

How?

growstuff Wed 22-Oct-25 10:56:50

Allira

growstuff

petra

Perhaps Jess Phillips could go one step further and appoint the senior police officer who was pointed out to her ( Maggie Oliver) by one of the victims as one of her rapists. 🤬
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility as I’m sure she’s not aware of this fact.

Sorry, petra. I'm not sure I've understood your post correctly. If I have, I'm surprised somebody else hasn't commented. Just to clarify ... are you saying that one of the victims has accused Maggie Oliver as a rapist?

(Apologies if I'm being stupid and have misunderstood.)

Yes, you have completely misunderstood petra's post!!

How?

No idea! Attempting to multi-task, I expect.

So what does "by one of the victims as one of her rapists." mean? I think there are too many "her"s in the sentence.

Kate1949 Wed 22-Oct-25 11:35:04

Why are people so terrified of being branded racist to the point of young girls' suffering being swept under the carpet?

Rosie51 Wed 22-Oct-25 11:58:58

Excellent post TerriBull

Jess Phillips gives the impression of being more concerned with hanging on to her position than with addressing the climate that allowed what was done to these survivors.

Oreo Wed 22-Oct-25 12:03:56

Kate1949

Why are people so terrified of being branded racist to the point of young girls' suffering being swept under the carpet?

You may well ask!🤬

Primrose53 Wed 22-Oct-25 12:05:31

Kate1949

Why are people so terrified of being branded racist to the point of young girls' suffering being swept under the carpet?

I know. Bizarre isn’t it?

kircubbin2000 Wed 22-Oct-25 12:11:34

I don't see what can be done about this as those men will continue to abuse as they don't respect women.

TerriBull Wed 22-Oct-25 12:20:44

Jess Philips has a difficult brief that's for sure, and I always thought she was a trailblazer in standing up for women's rights. I think she's let herself down in her stance and her complicity to reshape the narrative As a Minister for the Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls that should override any other pressures that have come to bear, such as the obfuscation and digression into wider issues. As the survivors have lamented, once again feel they are not being listened to in being forced to follow the narrow scripting parameters that don't reflect their experiences, theirs are the ONLY voices that really matter. Once again for the umpteenth time these issues cannot be faced head on due to cultural sensibilities, and those being placed over and above the abuses they have suffered. It doesn't serve these women or the public well, it's all descended into a mealy mouthed waste of time and money hence the resignations of the women involved who are clearly disillusioned in the deflections and to all intents and purposes their experiences once again being shut down. Shambolic and dishonest!

Lathyrus3 Wed 22-Oct-25 12:26:51

We can make them accountable for their abuse and not make excuses or avoid pursuing them because of who they are or whatever powerful contacts they may be able to access.

This is too serious to be turned into a political football. Shame on all those who have tried to turn it into one. What is their motivation?

Every decent person should be united in righting this wrong, both for past victims and for the future.

fancythat Wed 22-Oct-25 12:47:19

Oreo

Kate1949

Why are people so terrified of being branded racist to the point of young girls' suffering being swept under the carpet?

You may well ask!🤬

And I think has been going on for 20 years.

petra Wed 22-Oct-25 12:51:56

growstuff

petra

Perhaps Jess Phillips could go one step further and appoint the senior police officer who was pointed out to her ( Maggie Oliver) by one of the victims as one of her rapists. 🤬
It’s not beyond the realms of possibility as I’m sure she’s not aware of this fact.

Sorry, petra. I'm not sure I've understood your post correctly. If I have, I'm surprised somebody else hasn't commented. Just to clarify ... are you saying that one of the victims has accused Maggie Oliver as a rapist?

(Apologies if I'm being stupid and have misunderstood.)

I knew that wasn’t to come out right 😱
The incident was told by Maggie Oliver herself.
This incident happened while Maggie Oliver was still a serving officer but had started her campaign to help these girls get justice.
One of the victims told Maggie that she had been raped in a particular building. She didn’t know where the building was but she would recognise it if she saw it.
Maggie took the girl for a drive round to see if she recognised the building.
As they were driving around all of a sudden the girl said thats him, that’s him Who asks Maggie that policeman crossing the road came the answer.
Maggie Oliver served in the same station as this officer.
She went as high as she could in the police force but every time was told leave it
She left the police force not long after.

fancythat Wed 22-Oct-25 12:58:51

Allira

^So why are we only talking about those abusers yet again and ignoring the huge levels of domestic abuse going on day after day, in homes of white people, white gangs?^

Primrose just said grooming gangs.

You are putting a spin on all this, too, Wyllow, which is detracting from the horror of it all.

Absolutely agree.

Whataboutery. Getting away from awful horrors.

TerriBull Wed 22-Oct-25 13:11:39

Domestic abuse will be present in most demographics. I think this sort of digression, as serious as that is, is indicative of the wider issues that the witnesses were expected to embrace, deflecting from their experiences. It's almost, inspite of everything that's been uncovered we are no further forward because there's a definite rationale of " can we skirt round these uncomfortable truths and make it much more general" It was specific and trying to pretend otherwise is a dishonest omission.

GrannyGravy13 Wed 22-Oct-25 13:13:40

TerriBull exactly šŸ‘šŸ‘šŸ‘

growstuff Wed 22-Oct-25 13:14:32

Thanks for explaining petra. It's horrendous.

growstuff Wed 22-Oct-25 13:17:53

TerriBull

Domestic abuse will be present in most demographics. I think this sort of digression, as serious as that is, is indicative of the wider issues that the witnesses were expected to embrace, deflecting from their experiences. It's almost, inspite of everything that's been uncovered we are no further forward because there's a definite rationale of " can we skirt round these uncomfortable truths and make it much more general" It was specific and trying to pretend otherwise is a dishonest omission.

I confess that I haven't been following the details that closely. I know that Baroness Casey wanted an enquiry to be set up with a focus on the gangs.

Who has suggested that the enquiry has a wider remit.

FWIW I think it's good that the scope of the enquiry is being discussed before it's started, but I do understand that something serious is going wrong for so many of the panel to resign. Who has told them what?

petra Wed 22-Oct-25 13:19:46

If you have the time listen to the wonderful brave Times Reporter who got the story out nationally.
Andrew Norton.
And that started with a phone call from another wonderful brave woman: Anne Cryer.
I don’t use the word brave lightly.
If people like Maggie Oliver have to have protection and Nazir Hafzel have had their and their families lives threatened you are a brave man and woman to take on this evil.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0026ncy

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Wed 22-Oct-25 13:23:52

I despair, I really do. The grooming gangs were able to operate with impunity because of massive, systematic failure of the police, social services, local councils, and health workers, and more. So - To propose the Chair of the inquiry to be either a social worker or police officer beggars belief.

It should be a judge otherwise it’s professionals marking their own homework. It stinks.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Wed 22-Oct-25 13:26:04

5 months on and nothing progress yet.
Cynics are starting to say it’s kicking the can down the road until after the May elections - as these allegedly complicit councils are Labour run.

growstuff Wed 22-Oct-25 13:26:06

petra

If you have the time listen to the wonderful brave Times Reporter who got the story out nationally.
Andrew Norton.
And that started with a phone call from another wonderful brave woman: Anne Cryer.
I don’t use the word brave lightly.
If people like Maggie Oliver have to have protection and Nazir Hafzel have had their and their families lives threatened you are a brave man and woman to take on this evil.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0026ncy

Unfortunately, I don't subscribe the Times. Thanks for the link - I'll listen to it.

petra Wed 22-Oct-25 13:27:11

growstuff

TerriBull

Domestic abuse will be present in most demographics. I think this sort of digression, as serious as that is, is indicative of the wider issues that the witnesses were expected to embrace, deflecting from their experiences. It's almost, inspite of everything that's been uncovered we are no further forward because there's a definite rationale of " can we skirt round these uncomfortable truths and make it much more general" It was specific and trying to pretend otherwise is a dishonest omission.

I confess that I haven't been following the details that closely. I know that Baroness Casey wanted an enquiry to be set up with a focus on the gangs.

Who has suggested that the enquiry has a wider remit.

FWIW I think it's good that the scope of the enquiry is being discussed before it's started, but I do understand that something serious is going wrong for so many of the panel to resign. Who has told them what?

growstuff
Did you listen to the woman’s hour These girls were given gagging orders to sign pre the enquiry stating.
And who on gods earth thought it was a good idea for a police officer and a social worker to lead the panel.
The 2 bodies that have let these girls down for decades.
Is someone having a fucking laugh 🤬

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Wed 22-Oct-25 13:27:16

Badenoch is calling for Jess Phillips to be sacked but Starmer is standing by her.

growstuff Wed 22-Oct-25 13:28:05

FriedGreenTomatoes2

5 months on and nothing progress yet.
Cynics are starting to say it’s kicking the can down the road until after the May elections - as these allegedly complicit councils are Labour run.

Sorry, I'd rather they got it right from the start rather than rush through and keep having to stop if people resign or don't agree with the terms of the enquiry. I don't think five months is excessive, given how long it's been since the grim details were uncovered.