Rochdale sex gang jailed

Nuance is everything. It can mean the difference between right and wrong. It can certainly mean the difference between bringing a much-needed focus on a particular aspect of a community and shockingly demonising that whole community.

Back in Nov 2010, the only female Muslim Columnist in the all mainstream newspapers sought to highlight an unspeakable truth. A group of Pakistani Muslim men in Derbyshire had been sexually assaulting young women -some of whom where under age- for a number of years. The fact that she drew attention to these awful crimes was absolutely correct, the way she and others articulated was wholly wrong.

With little or no nuance, Alibhai-Brown stated that Muslim men are ‘Sexual deviants.’

Activist such as myself and others stated that with such inflammatory language, she, -Alibhai-Brown- was playing into the hands of those who would readily do harm to all Muslims at the slightest excuse.

With nine Pakistani Muslims from the Rochdale area convicted of the most abusive and despicable crimes against underage vulnerable women, Alibhai-Brown today feels some vindication in her views. Speaking in the Independent she stated:

When cases like this happen, as a Muslim Asian woman, I am warned not to write on them because it encourages racism against us. Well, damn such injunctions. Keeping the lid on dreadful crimes committed by Britons of colour only increases the number of racists. And these young lives matter much more than any sensitivities about racism.

The head of Equality and Human Rights Commission also wade in the debate by suggesting that it was ‘fatuous’ to suggest that race played no factor in what occurred in Rochdale.

Whilst few would disagree with Phillip’s comments, does the action of a few warrant labeling every Muslim male, a ‘sexual deviant’ and potential paedophile?

In both the Derby and Rochdale cases, there are a number of factors going on, including communities; looking inward; having a disconnect with wider society; at times being less progressive than the places where many had left. This can be particularly so in regard to how non-Muslim women are viewed. All these elements are contributory factors, which must be urgently addressed. Equally, we have the dexterity of English language to avoid wholesale demonization by simply stating for example that : ‘some Pakistani men from Rochdale shame the community and wider society by their actions.'

Who would disagree with that?

Simon Woolley