Abused British Girls

By Elizabeth Peltola

Abused British Girls and the Men who use Islamic Texts

16th January, 2025

I’ve just listened to the Home Secretary deliver the current government’s updated measures to address the sexual exploitation of children across the country. The inquiries are broad, sweeping over all sorts of abuse scandals. Both sides of the floor at least recognise the horrors imposed on so many of our young. Both sides blame the other for not dealing with the issues correctly, but at least there’s some recognition that much more must be done.

‘The church’ and ‘clergy’ were mentioned as institutions where some of its own have abused, but no mention of ‘the mosque’ or ‘Imams’, nor ‘secular’ perpetrators. The inquiry is so sweeping to include all sorts of abuse, including online, it is no wonder consecutive governments struggle to get the situation under control. A counter argument from the shadow government, referred to the grooming gangs being mostly of “Pakistani origin”. The label “Asian Grooming Gangs” is the current description of an endemic problem few dare to address.

The word ‘Islam’ is rarely, if ever, mentioned, when referring to these horrific gangs. Yet girls in more than 50 towns across the country have, and are, suffering at the hands of these thugs, who reference their own religious texts to support some of their actions.

Local authorities in some neighbourhoods know the perpetrators, and seek to appease the leaders of sub-cultures derived from lands many thousands of miles away. The story of Hannah Shah, a girl raped by her Imam father [leader of the mosque] in the north of England, highlights the plight for victims of sexual abuse in towns run by some Islamic clergy and co-country social workers. She was handed back to her father by an Islamic Pakistani social worker. That story was published 15 years ago, and yet the same scenario still plays out for English and Sikh girls, who have fallen victim to bands of roving men prowling on British girls today.

Today’s announcement states victims will have access to inquiries, and will not have to return to the institutions that denied them in days gone by. For the victims sake they need outside intervention to permeate the fenced-in cultures and religious edicts that allow for ongoing abuse. By many a perpetrators own admission, here simply is religious text that empower and enable them to exploit our young. Not all will agree with their interpretation, but the texts still exist and need more consideration, if we are to understand the power they have over those that harm others.

We have our heads-in-the-sand, if we think religious edicts do not impact the behaviour of religious abusers. In like manner, we remain un-informed, if we think every religious text encourages abuse. Another mistake people make, is to lump religions together, as if they are the same. They are not.

Consider the following Islamic edicts from the Qur’an and Islamic law, that have been utilised by the perpetrators for some of their actions.

The Qur’an considers states men are above women (Qur’an 4:34a). Qur’an 4:34 allows a husband to discipline his wife. The wife is ‘righteous’ if she devoutly obeys him and looks after his belongings.

What does the Qur’an say about vulnerable girls, orphans, and females who become ‘the owned’ –aka abused English and Sikh girls from Rotherham as an example? They can be taken in ‘marriage’.

Marriage in Islam can last for years, or have a temporary status, such as for 3 hours. The texts of Islam include clauses that make it religiously ‘legal’ for Muslim men to have ‘rights’ to girls, outside the bounds of their traditional marriage. For those who doubt these clauses, open up any Qur’an and peruse the times it says ‘except for what your right hand possess’ (Qur’an 4:24-25; 23:6; 24:34; 70:30; 33:50).

Exegetes through the centuries of Islam tell us these are the girls/women owned, captured, or abducted by Muslim men. The early Islamic versions of Muhammad are clear he engaged in the practice, so did his crew of men who joined him on his raids. It makes it legit in the minds of some of those who follow him as a prophet.

The announcement today mentioned the need for inquiries into the cultures and mindset of the grooming gangs… It doesn’t take much investigation, though guaranteed it will take millions of tax-payers funds, to discover the root causes. The inquiry needs religiously informed investigators reading the texts of the Qur’an on women, and Islam’s central model-figure Muhammad and his relationship with women and girls. It is all there. Simply put, some of the behaviour of the grooming gangs are found in the life of Muhammad and his men.

Yet, will the inquiries consider the edicts of the religion of many in the grooming gangs? Will investigators hear the testimonies that reveal Qur’anic measures and verses have substantiated perpetrator’s behaviour as legit in their own eyes?

Let’s peruse just a few verses from the Qur’an that set the tone for how men are allowed to engage with women, especially those they ‘own’.

Qur’an 4:3  Men may marry four women if they can treat them fairly, but if they cannot treat the women equally, then they may marry just one, or take the women they own.

“And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four. But if you fear that you will not be just, then [marry only] one or those your right hands possess [i.e., slaves]. That is more suitable that you may not incline [to injustice].” (Bracketed [] comments are not in the Arabic Qur’an, they are added in the English versions).

Here we find orphan girls spoken of in the context of marriage, they can be taken by the men, and are to be tested until ‘marriageable age’ (Qur’an 4:6). ‘Marriageable age’ has traditionally been 9 years in many Islamic countries, or at the point a girl starts her mensturation. The young age is based on the favourite wife of Muhammad, his child-bride, Aisha. (Sahih Muslim 8:3331; Bukhari Vol. 6:298; Ed. Rizwi Faizer, The Life of Muhammad, Al-Wāqidī’s Kitāb – al- Maghāzī, 349 [note Hadith numbers differ depending on the hardcopy or online resource referenced]).

Qur’an 4:34, Then there are threats levelled against the girls and women who dare to challenge their ‘posssessors’, or who are seen as ‘disobedient’.

“Men are in charge of women by [right of] what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend [for maintenance] from their wealth. So righteous women are devoutly obedient, guarding in [the husband's] absence what Allah would have them guard. But those [wives] from whom you fear arrogance - [first] advise them; [then if they persist], forsake them in bed; and [finally], strike them. But if they obey you [once more], seek no means against them. Indeed, Allah is ever Exalted and Grand.”

Oh there is so much more. That said, every perpetrator should be judged by the law individually, but those who are Islamic often refer to authority from their texts to support their heinous deeds against the girls of this green rain-blessed land. The religiously literate will understand how theology impacts the actions seen in some of the grooming gangs, how lifestyles can be gleaned from these edicts.

So, how have British families, who have belonged to these shores for decades, or centuries, been responding to their girls being abused? Anger and rage. Some want revenge. Hate is growing, and a sense of helplessness, because the testimonies of victims testimonies are still not being heard, nor the perpetrators belief systems named. Unless of course they are ‘anglican’ or ‘clergy’, then media and the government are quick to out them. We’ll speak of those perpetrators in another post, because they too belong to ‘the religious’. The term itself may be part of the issue, as many can be religious, yet do not know the Living God. It is right to ask if they too have religious texts to support their atrocities, and what God would say about them? For this post the gang-related “grooming gangs of Pakistani origin”, to quote media and government, remain our focus.

It is 2025, now going into 2026. Working with a journalist from the Netherlands, we have recorded a mini Youtube series on women, men and Islam, which you can find on our channel here. Too many girls are being hurt by these perpetrators belonging to “Asian Grooming Gangs”. Too many communities, including Islamic, are suffering. Division is on the rise, and anger is festering.

Yet, even in the worst case scenario, there is a solution. It will mean a radical change in our societies `-and there are now many ‘societies’ within the UK. Change has happened before. It isn’t found in an ideology, or a religion (I speak as a religoius perons). It is found solely and wonderfully in the God who came down to us. In the Lord Jesus. Only He can redeem and rescue our broken streets once more. It all depends on whether we will turn and look at this man who rises above the clamour of our streets, and provides a better way. He provides the place of safety and healing, to hold up and heal our vulnerable, and protect the young against actions of evil from the pits of hell.

Together we have the freedom to look up to the man called ‘Saviour’. A man of power, and of goodness, safe for those who trust Him, dangerous for those who hate him. Only He knows how to bring true justice. Only He is able to redeem and heal what is currently broken in every corner of the land. He calls us to acknowledge him, to trust him, to follow in His way. When we do, we just might see a path forward. Changed lives. Healed lives. Protected lives and an end to the depravity causing so much harm.