A major BBC investigation has uncovered the systematic sexual exploitation of girls and young women in the UK capital. The victims are teenagers as young as 14, lured into criminal gangs where they are raped, forced into sexual acts, and effectively turned into “payment” for drug debts.
According to journalists who interviewed dozens of people, including five surviving victims, gangs actively exploit vulnerable girls not only for sex but also for drug trafficking, arms dealing, and phone theft. The girls often find themselves at the very bottom of the gang hierarchy and, according to Detective Sergeant John Knox of the Metropolitan Police’s Child Exploitation Unit, “can’t refuse sex” and “must do as they’re told.”
The investigation reveals that gangs representing various ethnic communities, including white British men, operate in London. However, a significant number of cases involve migrant and ethnic minorities—in particular, people from South Asia, Somalia, and other regions. Some victims reported that their perpetrators specifically emphasized their “white” appearance.
This situation is unfolding amid a national scandal surrounding “grooming gangs.” In 2025, a report by Baroness Louise Casey documented institutional underreporting of the problem and the overrepresentation of men of Asian (primarily Pakistani) descent among suspects. The government announced the creation of an independent national investigation and a special operation by the National Crime Agency to review previously closed cases.
Police and social services are urging parents, teachers, and anyone who notices signs of exploitation (sudden changes in behavior, absences from school, traces of drugs, bruises, fear of certain people) to report it immediately.