Independent Report Finds 250,000 Girls Exploited by UK Grooming Gangs

The inquiry found that girls were often befriended by young Muslim men who supplied them with alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes as part of the grooming process.

A teenage girl, a victim of sexual abuse, in Rotherham, England, on Sept. 3, 2014. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

An independent inquiry led by UK lawmaker Rupert Lowe found that at least 250,000 predominantly white girls were sexually exploited by grooming gangs across the country.

The report, published on June 16, calls for a national response to what it describes as decades of institutional failures by police, local authorities, and successive governments.

The 219-page report was produced by the Independent Rape Gang Inquiry, a privately funded initiative chaired by Lowe. According to the report, the inquiry gathered evidence from survivors, relatives, whistleblowers, experts, and former officials.

The report states that organized child sexual exploitation occurred in towns and cities across the UK over several decades and that public institutions repeatedly failed to intervene. It finds that victims were often ignored, disbelieved, criminalized, or treated as offenders rather than children in need of protection.

The inquiry also contends that concerns about community relations and fears of accusations of racism contributed to failures to investigate some offenders and publicly address patterns identified in previous cases.

250,000 Girls

One of the report’s most controversial claims is that at least 250,000 predominantly white girls may have been subjected to abuse by grooming gangs nationwide.

That estimate originates from comments made by Lord Pearson of Rannoch in the House of Lords on May 14, 2019, when he asked whether national extrapolations from inquiries in Rotherham, Telford, and Oxford suggested that “upwards of 250,000 young white girls” had been abused.

The inquiry argues that subsequent evidence supports that estimate, citing findings from major investigations including the 2014 Jay report into Rotherham and the 2022 Telford inquiry.

The June 16 report also states that evidence presented to the inquiry suggested that organized exploitation had occurred in at least 149 local authority districts across the UK.

Lowe and a group of UK lawmakers, including former Conservative Cabinet minister Sir Gavin Williamson, independent member of Parliament Alex Easton, and Conservative MP Sir Christopher Chope, are now pressing the government to respond formally.

UK Member of Parliament Rupert Lowe, in this undated file photo. Jordan Pettitt/PA

Tesla CEO Elon Musk addressed the issue in a June 16 post on X, when he wrote that “the politicians who turned a blind eye to the Rape of Britain must go to prison,” while sharing commentary about the report.

The inquiry itself attracted significant public support. Its Crowdfunder page showed that about 794,627 pounds (about $1 million) had been raised from more than 23,000 supporters as of June 19.

Government Inquiry Underway

The debate comes as the government prepares to begin its own statutory inquiry into grooming gangs.

The inquiry follows years of public concern over organized child sexual exploitation, including major scandals in Rotherham, Rochdale, Oldham, and other towns.

In June 2025, Baroness Louise Casey’s national audit recommended a national police operation and a national inquiry into group-based child sexual exploitation. The government accepted those recommendations.

Children walk along a street in the Eastwood area of Rotherham, England, on Oct. 6, 2014. Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images

The Independent Inquiry Into Grooming Gangs formally began work in April and is chaired by Baroness Anne Longfield, the former children’s commissioner for England.

The inquiry’s terms of reference state that it will examine failures in tackling grooming gangs across England and Wales.

It will also consider factors that enabled exploitation, including the ethnicity, religion, and culture of perpetrators and victims. The inquiry is expected to operate for up to three years with a budget of 65 million pounds (about $85 million).

Critics Challenge Conclusions

The report has also drawn criticism from organizations working with survivors of sexual violence.

Rape Crisis England and Wales welcomed scrutiny of institutional failures but challenged the report’s conclusion that immigration was the root cause of grooming gang offending.

“Framing the issue squarely in terms of immigration undermines joined-up, community-based responses to tackling misogyny and rape culture,” the charity said in a June 19 statement.

The organization also pointed to official reviews that have reached different conclusions regarding offender demographics.

It cited a 2023 report by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council showing that most identified suspects in recent grooming gang investigations were white.

The charity also cited a 2020 Home Office review that found insufficient evidence to conclude that any single ethnic group was “disproportionately responsible at a national level.”