A report by the Centre of Migration Control has revealed that foreign nationals were arrested for child sex offenses in England and Wales at a disproportionately high rate in 2023.
The report found that over 1,860 foreign nationals were arrested for child sex offenses, and foreign nationals were 3.5 times more likely to be arrested for sex offenses compared to British suspects.
In the first ten months of 2023, over 9,000 foreign nationals were arrested for sexual offenses across England and Wales, representing more than 26% of the total estimated 35,000 sexual offense arrests.
Significant numbers of arrests occurred in major cities like London (660), West Midlands (309), and Greater Manchester (187). Additionally, 312 foreign nationals were arrested for offenses against children under 13, over 265 foreign citizens were arrested for child pornography offenses, and 67 foreigners were arrested for prostitution-related offenses.
These findings have reignited the debate surrounding grooming gangs, particularly those of Pakistani heritage. Dame Jasvinder Sanghera, founder of Karma Nirvana, a charity supporting victims of honor-based abuse, emphasized the importance of addressing child sexual exploitation without fear of being labeled racist.
She highlighted the significant impact that cultural sensitivity can have on victims’ willingness to come forward and report abuse.
