Experts Warn Against Singular Focus on Pakistani Grooming Gangs in Child Sex Abuse

The letter comes after much-criticized comments by the home secretary, who has characterized the crime as a predominantly British-Pakistani problem.

The letter warns that placing "a singular focus" on one ethnic group of abusers may lead to children being less safe.

The Home Office report in 2020 found that the majority of offenders were young white men, and that it was not possible to conclude whether any particular ethnic group was disproportionately represented.

The letter stresses that children are sexually abused across all strata of society and in every type of institution.

Several individuals have signed a statement calling on the government and future governments to prioritize the protection of children from sexual abuse.

They are urging the government to act on existing evidence, listen to expertise from victims, survivors, and professionals, and prioritize meaningful impact over short-term media cycles.

The spokesman for Sunak declined to comment on whether Downing Street supported the language used in the statement.

The Home Office has responded by pointing to a planned compensation scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse, and Braverman's representative declined to comment.