© Tom Blewitt & Zack Griffiths – Predator Awareness

There are moments when public debate crosses a line, not because of disagreement, but because of a profound failure to recognise human suffering. Calling the issue of grooming gangs a “dog whistle” subject is one of those moments. For survivors who have endured years of exploitation, fear, and betrayal, this kind of language isn’t just insensitive — it is deeply wounding.

For many victims, speaking about what happened to them is already an act of extraordinary courage. To then have their experiences reframed as political manoeuvring is a second injustice layered on top of the first. It erases their trauma and reduces their reality to a rhetorical tool. That is unacceptable.

Those making these claims would think very differently if they sat face-to-face with the people who lived through this abuse. Over the years, we have met countless survivors. We have heard their stories, seen the emotional toll, and listened as they spoke about lives permanently shaped by pain they never should have experienced. These are not abstract policy talking points. They are human beings who were failed repeatedly — by authorities, by systems, and by those who should have protected them.

What victims consistently express is simple: they want justice. They want the truth acknowledged, their suffering recognised, and meaningful steps taken to ensure no other child endures what they did. They do not want their stories diluted, dismissed, or twisted into political shorthand that undermines the severity of what they have lived through.

When public figures minimise the issue, intentionally or not, they contribute to a culture that has already silenced these victims for far too long. Survivors deserve a national conversation rooted in honesty, responsibility, and compassion — not avoidance or euphemisms that shift attention away from accountability.

We must refocus on what really matters: the victims who were betrayed, the failures that allowed this abuse to continue, and the urgent need for justice and reform. Their voices should lead the discussion. Their experiences should shape our responses. And their courage should be met with respect, not dismissal.

Enough is enough. The victims deserve better — far better — from those who claim to represent them. They deserve to be heard, believed, and prioritised. Anything less is a continuation of the very injustice they are still fighting to overcome.