Class and misogyny – not political correctness – explain Rotherham’s abuse scandal

There seems to be a political consensus that the sexual abuse of more than 1,400 girls in Rotherham, revealed in the recent Jay report, was caused by ‘political correctness’. And there is no doubt that race played a role in the horrors perpetrated in the town. Plain-speaking Muslim commentators like Yasmin Alibhai-Brown have set out the issues. She said in the Independent:

‘I partly blame the families and communities. Too many Asian mothers spoil their boys, undervalue their girls and demean their daughters-in-law. Within some British Asian circles, the West is considered degenerate and immoral. So it is OK to take their girls and ruin them further. Some of the fiercest rows I have ever had have been with Asian women who hold these disgusting views.’

For warriors against PC it’s very satisfying to read such views. But there is a danger that, in stressing political correctness as the root cause, commentators are missing out some more fundamental reasons that industrial scale sex abuse could go on in Rotherham.