Tackling child abuse gangs calls for a return to Christian values

The shocking story of Britain’s child rape gangs in communities such as Rotherham and Oldham has attracted national and even international attention. Few can fail to be sickened by the testimony of these poor, powerless, violated young girls who were ignored, dismissed - and even blamed - by so many of those whose duty it was to protect them. 

Sadly, over recent days, the political focus has drifted away from the plight of the victims and on to an escalating blame game between politicians and media commentators. Even tech entrepreneur and owner of X, Elon Musk, has voiced an opinion. But there is a growing risk that after a few weeks of mud-slinging, the whole scandal will once more be forgotten with no lessons learned.

In the Bible, we have a God-given blueprint for a society that protects children and limits evil

So how should we as Christians respond to these appalling crimes? In John 7:24, Jesus tells his listeners to “stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” In the case of the rape gang scandal, there are now many facts known about what happened. 

But it is tempting to accept only the facts that fit our particular political preferences, rather than look more deeply at how our collective societal failings enabled the abuse. This is where we should listen to another of Jesus’ commands, to “take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:3-5).

The problem with liberalism

If we are honest, there are some fairly hefty planks in the eyes of 21st century British culture that are leaving our children wide open to abuse. Over the last century, many of our beliefs about the world, family and evil have been turned on their head. A broadly Christian worldview has been replaced with a liberal one, with tragic consequences for children.

The best protection for children is the presence of both biological parents. Fathers have a particularly important role in defending daughters from sexual predators. Yet liberalism has undermined marriage so effectively that nearly half of British children now experience parental separation. It is no co-incidence that a large proportion of the rape gang victims were in the care system, and so did not have the natural protection of a present father. Unless we turn the tide on family breakdown, millions of children will remain vulnerable to grooming.

A question of consent

The liberal sexual revolution has reduced our idea of sexual morality to the presence or absence of consent. Instead of believing that it is always morally wrong for an adult to have sex with a child, it is now a commonly held view that there should be no objection to underage sexual activity as long as the child ‘consents’. This was certainly the position of many in the police and social services. One social worker even attended the Islamic ‘wedding’ of a child in her care after she became pregnant aged just 15.  

This attitude is completely inadequate when it comes to identifying sexual abuse. Of course many of the young girls believed they were consenting – that is the point of grooming. Unless we restore the idea that ethical sexual behaviour requires more than consent, we will continue to fail to recognise child sexual abuse.

Critiquing cultures

Liberalism has duped us into believing that all cultures are equal and must not be criticised. This is very obviously not the case; there are elements of some traditions - including the Pakistani Islamic ones to which most of the rapists belonged - that devalue women, children and those of other races. If we can’t openly criticise these cultures, we can’t keep children safe. 

Finally, liberalism has made us soft on crime. In 2020, the average UK jail term for sexual assault of a child was just three years and nine months. In many countries, child rape incurs the death penalty. We should have compassion for those drawn into crime and, of course, we should seek to rehabilitate. But there is nothing kind about failing to punish evil. Human nature is fallen; a safe society needs both strong incentives to do good and clear deterrents from doing evil. We are foolish to think otherwise.

Unless we turn the tide on family breakdown, millions of children will remain vulnerable to grooming

Those who committed these hideous crimes will eventually face God’s judgement. Jesus’ words in Luke 17:2 makes clear what awaits those who abuse children: “It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck.” 

Sadly, as Christians, we know that there will always be evil in the world, but there is much we can do to build a culture where there are fewer opportunities for evil to flourish. In the Bible, we have a God-given blueprint for a society that protects children and limits evil, but many people in Britain today have never even heard this good news. 

If we’re serious about keeping children safe, we must do everything we can to explain and advocate for these values, to stand up for marriage, child protection and clear sexual boundaries. This is what Jesus meant when he said that his followers are the salt of the earth. If we don’t make the case for a Christian worldview over a liberal one, we can be sure no one else will.

Christians can’t stop the rape gang scandal being used as a political football, but we can honour it’s victims by doing our best to fix some of the societal failures that allowed it to happen in the first place.