The City Sikhs Network is appalled by the sexual grooming of Sikh girls and young women by men of Pakistani origins as reported on BBC1’s Inside Out on Monday evening. Such harrowing acts sadly take place within many communities, as the recent cases in Oxford, Leicester and Telford have shown. It is imperative for all people, regardless of background, to tackle sexual abuse and help the victims of grooming.
However, these are not the acts of religious people. These are the acts of criminals, purely and simply. No religious text supports or condones child sexual grooming, and anybody who commits such acts cannot be said to be a member of a religious faith. They are criminals who should be punished severely by the justice system.
The City Sikhs Network is also adamant that the children who have been groomed in this way are not to blame for such acts. We need to support young people of any background who have been subjected to sexual grooming in order to protect such individuals, and we ask all people who have been affected by this to come forward and report such acts to the Police to prevent any further criminal acts.
If you are a victim of sexual abuse or grooming, ChildLine provides confidential support 24 hours a day. Please visit www.childline.org.uk or call 0800 1111.
For further information about the City Sikhs Network, please visit www.citysikhs.org.uk.