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

The inquiry alleges 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 has alleged 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.