A high-profile report has found that Asian men are disproportionately represented among suspects of child sex abuse in the UK. The data, from Greater Manchester police, shows that 52% of suspects involved in multi-victim/multi-offender cases were Asian, compared to 38% who were white.
However, when examining all child sex abuse crimes, not just grooming, the same force’s data reveals a different picture: 16% of suspects were Asian and 44% were white. The report suggests that this disparity is not due to racial bias in policing but rather reflects the ethnic composition of Greater Manchester.
The report’s author, Louise Casey, has urged people to “keep calm” when discussing the issue, citing the need for responsible use of data in public debate. She emphasized that the report’s findings should be considered in context, rather than being used to make sweeping statements about racial bias in policing.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has defended herself against accusations of politicizing the scandal, saying she is calling for a national inquiry into grooming gangs and had been advocating for one for six months. The Labour party’s Keir Starmer has also taken aim at Badenoch, criticizing her record on the issue while defending his own actions as prime minister.
The debate highlights the need for nuanced discussion of the issue, rather than resorting to simplistic or divisive rhetoric. As Casey emphasized, it is essential to approach the topic with care and responsibility, using data in a way that reflects its limitations and context.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/17/public-must-keep-calm-over-ethnicity-of-grooming-gang-offenders-says-louise-casey