Group Localised Child Sexual Exploitation Offenders: Who and Why?

Abstract

Since 2011, the prosecution of Asian men for Group Localised Child Sexual Exploitation (GLCSE) in the UK has led to two opposing positions: (1) Asian men have been unfairly demonized, and (2) Asian men have a disproportionate propensity for this crime. This paper analyses the available evidence in the public domain in two different ways. First, we collected newspaper reports that were identified as GLCSE cases, and completed a comprehensive review of the literature, government documents and official case reviews. Our data consists of 498 defendants in 73 prosecutions between the years 1997 and 2017, of which 83% have recognizably Muslim names. Second, using census data and regression analysis we find, independently of their names, a significant correlation between GLCSE and Muslims/Pakistanis. We attribute this positive relationship for Muslims, particularly Pakistanis, to a number of factors including motivation, accessibility and opportunity. Finally we consider some possible policy responses.