The Sikh Community’s Fight Against Grooming Gangs

Religiously motivated exploitation

In the face of ten new cases being reported in just two weeks, I attended a national emergency seminar in Slough, called and hosted by Sikh Youth UK (SYUK) where the scale and urgency of the issue were laid bare. This post reflects on what was shared at that seminar, and highlights the crucial role of civil society.

For over six decades, members of the Sikh community in the UK have sounded the alarm on the grooming, trafficking, and exploitation of Sikh girls. Despite raising repeated concerns, many have been met with silence, disbelief, or outright hostility from the institutions meant to protect them. What began as a grassroots struggle has evolved into a clear and urgent civil rights issue, one the community can not afford to ignore.

A Historical and Ongoing Crisis

Reports of Sikh girls being groomed and trafficked date back to the 1960s, with evidence of organised targeting and abuse across cities like Bradford, Coventry, and Leicester. Families have documented these crimes, named perpetrators, and handed over evidence to the authorities—only to be ignored. In some cases, police not only failed to act but even discouraged families from pursuing justice. In others, victims were radicalised and turned against their own families.

These are not isolated incidents. Activists and community members have recorded hundreds of cases where young girls, some as young as 12, were exploited by grooming gangs. Often, the perpetrators used coercion, manipulation, or the promise of love to draw girls away from their families. In extreme cases, victims were trafficked, hidden in hotels, and pushed to convert.

Calling Out Religious Motivation

While the mainstream narrative often avoids this, many cases involve religiously motivated exploitation. What we are witnessing is an orchestrated attack on young Sikh girls, manipulated and coerced into converting to Islam under the guise of affection, protection, or belonging. This is not simply criminal behaviour—it is a targeted form of cultural and spiritual erasure, and it must be named as such. We must demand that religious motivation be recognised as a core component of these crimes, and that it is prosecuted accordingly under existing hate crime and trafficking laws.

When Institutions Fail, the Community Responds

The response from public institutions has been staggeringly inadequate. From law enforcement to social services, the systems in place have repeatedly failed the most vulnerable. Even when presented with overwhelming evidence, many cases have been brushed aside or mishandled.

Faced with institutional apathy, Sikh activists and grassroots organisations have stepped up. They have tracked down missing girls, supported families, challenged perpetrators, and created community-based safety nets. These aren’t isolated efforts; they are the outcome of decades of civil society work rooted in Sikhi’s principles of justice and protection.

But such work has come at a cost. Community members who have taken a stand have faced legal threats, smear campaigns, and criminalisation. In some cases, they have even been imprisoned for defending vulnerable girls when authorities refused to act.

The Role of Parents and Education

Time and again, cases have highlighted a heartbreaking disconnect between parents and children. Parents often don’t know where their children are studying, who their friends are, or what content they’re exposed to online. Meanwhile, perpetrators use social media, school car parks, and even local gurdwaras to target and isolate victims.

This cannot continue. We must invest in serious parent education and community safeguarding. It is no longer enough to rely on external services. Sikh organisations must lead the way with culturally competent, grassroots initiatives tailored to our specific challenges.

Moving Forward: Action, Not Silence

The Sikh community must shift from awareness to action. We must move beyond simply acknowledging these harms to actively building systems of protection and accountability. That includes educating parents to recognise the warning signs of grooming, training local volunteers to respond when concerns arise, and ensuring Gurdwaras implement real safeguarding policies.

Young people must know they are not alone—and that if they speak up, they will be protected and supported, not judged or silenced. Every Sikh institution should consider how it can contribute to safeguarding the next generation, whether through funding initiatives, hosting workshops, or making space for these conversations.

This is a collective responsibility. Silence is complicity. And it is costing lives.