Let’s have a proper discussion about child sexual abuse.

Earlier this month, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak drew some criticism – and some praise – for suggesting that victims of “grooming gangs” have been ignored due to “political correctness” and “cultural sensitivities”. .

“For too long political correctness has prevented us from weeding out vile criminals who prey on children and young women,” he said, referring to the widely reported claim that in the UK, gangs of predominantly British Pakistani men abuse sexually from white youth. girls and getting away with it due to the “cultural sensitivities” of those responsible for reporting any suspicions or allegations of abuse to the relevant authorities. “We will stop at nothing to crack down on these dangerous gangs,” the prime minister added.

Before I add my voice to this conversation, it is extremely important for me to point out that I have no interest in turning child sexual abuse into political football or using seemingly well-intentioned efforts to stamp it out to attack the government. But as someone from a minority community who was sexually abused as a child, and as an ethnic minority ambassador to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) whose goal is to eliminate any institutional flaws in the fight against a devastating crime, I feel it is my responsibility to point out the many problems and dangers that could arise from turning this important issue into a question of color and ethnicity.

Framing child sexual abuse as a crime committed overwhelmingly by gangs of brown men against young white girls is destructive, distracting, and irresponsible, but most importantly, it is not evidence-based.

IICSA, which released its final report in October 2022, found that a lack of data made it impossible to say whether certain ethnic groups are disproportionately likely to be perpetrators or victims, and that “it is unclear whether a misplaced sense of correctness Politics or the sheer complexity of the problem have inhibited the collection of good quality data.

Meanwhile, the data we have suggests that grooming gang abuse accounts for less than 3 per cent of all child sexual abuse cases in England and Wales, with those with South Asian perpetrators making up a much smaller subset. of that. Based on the data available to us, the majority of grooming gangs in this country, in line with what you would expect from a majority white population, are comprised of white men under the age of 30.

Child sexual abuse is terrifyingly common and is not specific to any one community or culture. Recent estimates suggest that more than one in seven girls and one in 20 boys, or half a million children, are sexually abused in the UK each year. Such abuse occurs in all segments of society and in many varied contexts, most commonly within the home and institutions.

Focusing the discourse on child sexual abuse, and consequently any effort to address it, on “South Asian recruiting gangs”, causes harm not only to stereotypical communities, but also to victims and survivors everywhere. parts.

Creating the impression that in the UK child sexual abuse is a crime committed predominantly by men of Pakistani descent against white girls dismisses the experiences of victims from ethnic minority communities as well as boys of all races . Furthermore, these preconceived ideas about how abuse occurs create space for perpetrators of other ethnicities, who make up the majority, to continue their crimes against children longer without facing suspicion or scrutiny. These divisive stereotypes can lead to professionals not taking seriously child protection concerns that do not fit the current narrative.

We know that all children find it difficult to disclose the abuse that happens to them. We also know that for boys and some ethnic minority children, the barriers to disclosure can be especially pronounced. For example, IICSA heard how almost all communities in the UK expect and encourage boys to be strong and masculine, making it more difficult for them than their female counterparts to disclose their experiences of sexual abuse. Specific cultural norms were also found to introduce additional barriers to disclosure for victims of all genders from different ethnic minority communities.

While it is highly counterproductive to single out a community as potential perpetrators, it could be extremely helpful to devise specific strategies to enable victims of specific ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic backgrounds to disclose the abuse and access justice.

Child sexual abuse is not a problem specific to a single demographic group. And no community in our diverse nation wants this crime to continue with impunity. We need to find new and more effective ways to protect and help all of our children regardless of their race, culture, or religion.

Citing “political correctness” as a barrier to effective responses to child sexual abuse is nothing more than an effort to excuse harmful inaction.

In its final report based on extensive research, detailed investigations, and engagement with victims and survivors, IICSA provided the government with a total of 20 recommendations “to better protect children.” One of these recommendations is for the introduction of a mandatory notification legal requirement. This recommendation has been accepted by the government, which is a step in the right direction. In effect, mandatory reporting would require people in certain jobs (paid or volunteer) and professions to report allegations of child sexual abuse to the appropriate authorities. Failure to do so in some circumstances would result in criminal charges. If implemented correctly, the mandatory notification requirement would remove any potential concerns about “political correctness” being a barrier to catching abusers.

Careful implementation of IICSA’s 20 recommendations would enable our society to respond to child sexual abuse forcefully and in unison. Instead of choosing themes and narratives that help divert attention from the continuing failures in child protection, all those with an interest in child protection should focus on following the roadmap provided by IICSA and implementing all of its recommendations.

After the investigation was closed, a variety of survivors’ and charities found the NSPCC IICSA Changemakers, a group aimed at inspiring a national movement to prevent child sexual abuse by calling on the government to implement the 20 recommendations made by the investigation. I am a member of this group and am committed to continuing to engage with the government to ensure we make real progress.

We need to address child sexual abuse and we need to do it now. But bringing this important issue into the culture wars of the day is not the way to do it. Scapegoating a community without meaningful evidence, just because it fits a certain narrative, would only cause us to lose sight of the big picture and allow predators to avoid detection.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.