Sir: The damning Rotherham sex abuse report by Scottish Professor Alexis Jay has brought shame to the UK Pakistani Muslims residing in their hometown of Rotherham. According to the report, 1,400 girls, some as young as 11, were sexually abused and exploited in the past 16 years by Asian men, mostly of Pakistani descent. The gang worked in the following way: friendship first led to the revelation of personal information and then further led to the introduction of alcohol and soft drugs. Unknown to the young vulnerable girls, they were being sexually groomed. They were trapped in a dangerous and vicious network that operated through taxi drivers, school aged boys, landlords etc. Petrol dousing, rape, life threats and harassment were used as forms of intimidation. The worst part is the behaviour of the police, regional council and government that failed to notice the level of abuse going on in Rotherham. They were approached by victims and their families but to no avail. This clearly sheds light on the incompetence, lack of concern and distant nature of the authorities towards the Rotherham’s residents. It is understandable that the innocent community in Rotherham will take time to deal with this issue and the effect it will have on the reputation of their town. But it was imperative to acknowledge and share the dreadful experiences of the victims. In the recovering stage, a complete investigation and overhaul of the police authorities needs to be undertaken. Awareness should be increased for potential victims to stay wary of the abusive gang and seek help immediately. The council will have to work closely with ethnic groups especially Muslim women because imams (prayer leaders) and elected representatives only proved to be a barrier rather than facilitator on previous occasions. Most importantly, Muslim community leaders should shoulder responsibility to condemn the event in the strictest terms and proactively engage with their community to identify and prevent further such episodes.BARRISTER MOBEEN SHAHVia Email