A decade-old scandal involving the grooming, trafficking and abuse of girls and children in England has gained renewed attention following criticism from tech billionaire Elon Musk.
In a series of recent posts on X, Musk accused the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, of failing to address these crimes during his tenure as the country’s top prosecutor, labelling him “complicit in the rape of Britain”. Musk also accused the safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, of being a “rape genocide apologist” and has called for her imprisonment. Musk’s statements have prompted widespread debate over whether a new government inquiry into the cases is necessary.
However, Musk’s allegations risk distracting from the real issue at stake. This is how to address the systemic failures that leave child sexual abuse and exploitation victims unprotected and unsupported.
