Greetings Kings and Queens,
There’s something important happening around race in the UK right now and it deserves our full attention.
If you’ve been watching events in the US, you’ll notice similar patterns playing out there too. Over the past two years, I’ve spoken more about race than I have in the last two decades. That says a lot.
Not long ago, a government-commissioned report claimed that the UK is not institutionally racist. That conclusion was widely criticised by academics, campaigners, and even the United Nations.
Fast forward to today: our current Prime Minister recently made comments about immigration that many have noted bear striking similarities to Enoch Powell’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech. That’s not a comparison to make lightly.
We also saw reports that police chose to record a suspect’s race as white allegedly to avoid unrest following the tragic killings of three young girls in Southport. While the full facts are still emerging, this raises serious concerns about transparency and trust.
Now, there’s talk of a new inquiry into grooming gangs. Let’s be clear: protecting women and girls should always be a priority. No argument there. But let’s also be honest the common thread running through all stories of sexual abuse isn’t race. It’s disbelief. Time and time again, victims often young girls are dismissed, ignored, or gaslit.
As my mum always says, “Prevention is better than cure.”
But prevention won’t happen until we change the way we see and treat victims especially young women. Until then, we’ll keep trying to fix a problem that could have been prevented.
Let’s stay awake, stay informed, and keep each other safe.
✊🏾
