Challenging the racialization of child sexual exploitation: Muslim men, racism and belonging in Rotherham

Abstract

This paper presents findings from original research exploring the impact on Muslim men of a child sexual exploitation scandal that attracted significant attention to the northern English town where they live and contributed to a sustained detrimental effect on local community relations. It foregrounds men s accounts to reveal their agency and resilience in responding to racism that they identified as resulting from the scandal. It reveals how their accounts disrupt dominant discourses foregrounding Muslim self-segregation and lack of integration, demonstrating positive attachments and claims to localized space, and commitment to belonging. In doing so, it shows how men s responses to racism challenge racialized forms of knowledge about Muslims. The paper draws attention to the significance of localized forms of belonging in facilitating the inclusion of Muslim minorities. It also highlights the importance of centring Muslim men as historically speaking subjects in accounts of issues involving them.

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“…The latter include sexual attitudes and practices. British Pakistanismen in particular have been portrayed in mainstream media as perpetrators of child sexual exploitation and abuse (Jay 2014;Britton 2018;Chambers et al 2019) and forced marriages (Wikan 2002;Phillips 2012). These are just a few examples of the sexualized negativity that pervades mainstream representations of British Pakistanis.…”

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“…It influenced the knowledge I produced as I analysed data and wrote up findings as I sought to avoid reproducing problematizing accounts. It is evident in reviewers comments on two articles that I submitted, which have since been published (Britton, 2018(Britton, , 2019. One reviewer referred to my writing as oddly cautious and another stated that the title could be much better and more provocative .…”

“…I was surprised at the extent and type of disclosure in interviews. Participants talked frankly and at length about the relational, emotional and intimate dimensions of their lives and their responses to different forms of racism experienced in the town following the scandal (Britton, 2018(Britton, , 2019. It was unusual for local Muslim men to have an opportunity to express their views about the scandal s impact and for someone to listen with compassion and sympathy.…”

“…All were open about discussing details of what they had learned about child sexual exploitation, which is noteworthy as it is a topic that remains taboo in South Asian cultures (Gohir, 2013). Some revealed detailed awareness about different, complex dimensions of exploitation and the local scandal and positioned themselves as knowledgeable insiders, with comprehensive understanding of the impact of the scandal locally (Britton, 2018). Due to cultural taboos, they would have perhaps been less likely to engage in discussion on this topic with a researcher of the same ethnic background.…”

“…Hall, 2015;Neal et al, 2018;Wessendorf, 2016). Unique, sustained, negative media and public attention as a result of the scandal prompted a range of pertinent questions for research regarding the future of multi-culturalism, incorporation of Muslim minorities and racialised Muslim masculinities (Britton, 2018(Britton, , 2019. A set of extraordinary localised circumstances presented an exceptional, opportune backdrop for the development of the research, whilst posing potentially insurmountable challenges for its successful execution.…”