Press Release
Derby ‘grooming' case: Cameron and Straw need to look at Britain's broken values instead of pointing fingers at other communities

London, UK, January 8th 2010 - After yesterday's sentencing of two men, described as ringleaders of a gang that groomed and abused teenage girls in Derby, politicians and commentators were quick to exploit the issue by generalizing the problem and scapegoating the entire ‘Pakistani' community in Britain.

Taji Mustafa, Media Representative for Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain said, "Rather than examining the root causes of the serious and growing problem of sexual exploitation of women in Britain, politicians and media commentators, led by David Cameron and Jack Straw, started to generalize the issue to 'Muslims', Pakistanis and Asians."
 
"David Cameron, said that ‘cultural sensitivities' should not hinder police action in such cases though the trial judge, judge Head, said there was no racial link. Jack Straw, MP for Blackburn, attempted to out-do Cameron and threw more direct accusations saying the problem appeared to affect members of the ‘Pakistani community'. Straw has form on these matters, launching a mood of hostility against women in niqab some years ago."

"Their racist remarks are cheap populism that lays the groundwork for far-right racists and feeds a growing public hostility to Muslims and Islam. Who needs the likes of the British National Party (BNP) and English Defense League (EDL) to champion anti-Muslim causes?"
 
"What they fail to mention is that these convicted men are an example of the fruits of integration and the embracing of Britain's broken values which lead them to dabble in alcohol, drugs and the abuse of women."

"These sorts of crimes are sadly common in the UK, perpetrated by men of all backgrounds - mainly non-Muslim and white. According to government figures over 900 women are raped each week across Britain."
 
"Yet, Straw, Cameron and their like seem to be perversely arguing that it is the fact that these men targeted mainly 'white women' that needs addressing rather than tackling the deep-seated underlying causes of the wider problem of sexual exploitation of women in Western society."

"The best way men of any background can be immunized from sexually exploiting women - of any color or background - is through adopting Islamic values, not simply adopting the dominant permissive values in society."

"Islam promotes values that oblige men to treat all women - Muslim or non-Muslim - with respect, always is viewing her dignity as sacrosanct. On the other hand, Britain's capitalist liberal values have sanctioned the objectification and sexualization of women in advertising, entertainment and the sex industry for profit, cheapening the status of women within society and hence grooming a mindset amongst many men, regardless of race and background that they can use and abuse women as they like. If Cameron and Straw want to make this a cultural issue then they needs to look at Britain's liberal values they espouse and protect rather than scapegoating communities and unscrupulously exploiting this heinous crime to win a few cheap votes."

Hizb ut Tahrir Britain