"They are not Japanese, predominantly Pakistani Muslim rape gangs": Rupert Lowe reignites UK Grooming Gang inquiry debate

A social media post by British MP Rupert Lowe has once put the spotlight around the UK's long-running grooming gangs scandal after he challenged the use of the term “Asian grooming gangs” in public discussions.

Lowe wrote on X: “Stop calling them ‘Asian’ ‘grooming gangs’. They are not Japanese. Call them what they are. Predominately Pakistani Muslim rape gangs.” (sic)




The post comes days after the release of an independent report linked to Lowe's inquiry into grooming gangs, which concluded that a majority of perpetrators identified in the cases examined were of Pakistani Muslim heritage. The independent inquiry claimed that around 250,000 white British girls - some as young as 11 - have been subjected to gang rape, trafficking, pregnancy and forced Islamic conversion in the UK since the 1950s, it states.

ALSO READ: 'Do not use': US banking giants JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs restrict Anthropic AI access abroad

Why Rupert Lowe's post is drawing attention

Lowe has argued that using broad terms such as “Asian” masks the ethnic and cultural background of many offenders identified in high-profile grooming gang cases. His latest post echoes concerns he has raised repeatedly in Parliament and through his independent inquiry.

The comments quickly gained attention online, with supporters arguing that discussions should accurately reflect findings from investigations, while critics warned against generalizing entire communities based on the actions of criminal groups.

ALSO READ: 'Was raped by 600-700 different men, put a cigarette...': UK MP reads horrific grooming gang testimonies in Parliament

What the latest report on UK Grooming scandal found

According to an independent report published this week, many of the perpetrators identified in the grooming gang cases examined were Pakistani Muslims. The report also alleged widespread institutional failures that allowed abuse to continue for years.

The report states: "The overwhelming majority of the rape gang networks consisted entirely of men from Muslim backgrounds - predominantly of Pakistani heritage, although smaller groups from Somali, Iranian, Syrian, Turkish and other Muslim origins were involved too." "Successive govts lacked the will to confront the ethnic and religious patterns. The Labour party has particular responsibility," it says, saying the party "prioritised electoral reliance on Muslim voting blocs" and "framed legitimate concerns as far-right agitation".

Drawing on court records and witness testimonies, the report alleges that the perpetrators often gained the trust of vulnerable girls before subjecting them to repeated sexual abuse in flats, hotels and other locations. According to the report, some victims were subjected to derogatory slurs, including being called "white trash" or "kuffar". It further claims that several victims became pregnant, with some children later taken into state care.

The report also states that Sikh girls were among those targeted, but alleges that the pattern declined after Sikh community groups organized protective measures.

Among its recommendations, the report calls for significantly tougher penalties for organized child sexual exploitation, proposing life sentences with a minimum term of 50 years. It also advocates for the reintroduction of the death penalty for the most serious offences.

Lowe calls for tougher action

Lowe has gone beyond criticism of terminology. In recent days, he has called for the deportation of Pakistani nationals convicted in grooming gang cases and urged authorities to pursue stronger legal action against offenders.

Reacting to the findings, the MP argued that offenders who are not British citizens should be removed from the country after serving their sentences.

“Every Pakistani national involved in these rape gangs should be deported. No exceptions. No excuses.”

Lowe has repeatedly said that the focus should remain on justice for victims and accountability for those responsible for the abuse. In another post, he wrote: “The victims were failed for decades. The truth was ignored, hidden and denied. That must never happen again.”

The grooming gangs issue remains one of the most controversial topics in British politics because it touches on child protection, immigration, race, religion and policing.