Culture, not ethnicity

nces in Islamic history of women leaders who have challenged men.

This is important because mosques have a key role in shaping and changing the behaviours of many Muslim men in the thirty five to sixty age bracket, where many of the child offenders sit within. After Casey’s report, there is an added impetus for imams and mosque committees to make child safeguarding and women’s rights front and centre in their sermons. For too long I have heard them talk about foreign affairs or discuss issues of no real relevance to the lives of Muslim men and women in Britain. Casey’s report is a stark wake up call for things to change.

Muslim leaders need to stand with the women who had their lives shattered when they were girls by Asian men of Pakistani heritage. These men lived split lives, some acting as if they were holier than holy, yet their actions demonstrated that they were monsters who could not spare an ounce of empathy for vulnerable children. Such actions happen because religious, political and social leadership in British Muslim communities have failed to speak up to protect the weakest in our society.

It's not earth-shattering, but it's a rare and welcome acknowledgement of the problem from a British muslim.