Three Girls

I watched it because Maxine Peake was in it. Other than that I wasn't going to but I'm glad I did, though it makes for very harrowing viewing. I missed the last fifteen minutes last night as my DiL rang, so I'll have to get it on iPlayer.

I watched the first part on catch up last night after listening to the interview with Maxine Peak and the real life sexual health worker she plays "Sarah" on radio 4's woman's hour on Tuesday . Very interesting interview. I agree it does make for harrowing viewing but let's hope lessons have been learned (although history would seem to prove otherwise) . Was it because they were Asian men I wonder? And the police and social services didn't want to rock the PC boat? Or was it really because the girls were from a kind of "underclass" and they did not think them worthy of wasting police and social services time and energy? Not trying to cause an argument just interested to know what others think.

It's compelling viewing.

gillybob yes, I think it was a mix of believing the girls to be complicit and in consensual relationships, despite their being underage and therefore unable legally to consent, plus not wishing to be viewed as racist, which led both the police and social services to ignore what was happening for so long. I don't understand why they didn't pursue the 13 year old with learning difficulties case though, but she claimed the men were her " boyfriends". Thank goodness, they did eventually take action, though it's still going on I fear.

I wanted to jump up and down and shout hallelujah, when Sarah told the parents that a "child cannot be a prostitute" (after the social worker had happily told the parents that she was working as a prostitute). Poor kids they didn't stand a chance really. Thank goodness for people like Sarah the sexual health worker. How naive I was as I didn't think people like her even existed. Thank goodness they do as the SS were worse than useless.

Having worked with survivors for ten years of my life, the men could be swapped for any race, any community, any status I have seen girls and boys in peadophile circles of professional white people unfortunately many people take this as another nail in the coffin of any foreigner who lands on these shores pity it couldn't have been balanced with three more episodes with a more English slant but a story that needs telling

It is compelling viewing,and in all honesty when things started to come to light, we were a bit inclined to think of the girls as the perpetrators - sorry if that is going to upset some of you - but we were totally unaware, naive is probably a better word, of what it was possible to achieve by predatory men, that just did not happen! Now of course we are wiser and our hearts go out to the young girls whose lives have been ruined. We can never make amends for what was allowed to happen, but hope that it will not be allowed to happen again, although I doubt it.

I agree to an extent BlueBelle but the fact remains that this is what happened regardless of any racial bias. The whole point I think is the Police being so afraid of being thought racist and as gillybob says the girls were seen as an underclass.
When will we ever get to the stage of seeing people as just people and not different races, cultures etc. Any wrong doers must be punished without bias. There are laws of the country and anyone living here should abide by them.

I think gb s right - it's a mixture of all that. The police do have form for treating certain types of women as less 'worthy' for example prostitures. Also, remember the most prolific rapist of all times, John Warboys? He was white, the young women he raped were white and ignored for ages because they were seem as 'stupid girls who got drunk and asked for it and we're probably a bit chavy'. We're deluding ourselves if we think it's all about race- I think class and gender prejudice is incredibly important in determining how seriously some crimes are treated

I agree, it makes uncomfortable but compelling viewing.

Brilliant acting. I almost didn't recognise Lisa Reilly as she's lost so much weight.

I think analysis has shown that the majority of crimes of this specific type of sexual crime, and it is very specific, involves a disproportionate number of Asian men. This is not true of other sexual crimes, including those involving children.

Just as we should not blame any particular group, whether based on ethnic origin, gender or any other characteristic, for the crimes of a few in that group. Equally we should not hold back from pursuing and prosecuting those committing crimes, because the perpetrators of a specific crime come mainly from one particular minority group.

Exactly MOnica.

I've found it harrowing, despite the content being familiar to me. It's true that perpetrators of child sexual abuse and exploitation come from every race and creed. My experience was not that agencies feared being accused of racism, more that the nonsensical notion that 11 and 13 year old girls (and boys) were making "lifestyle choices" when they "chose" to return to abusive men.
The crimes committed by Asian gangs were horrific, they targeted vulnerable white teenagers. Gangs of white/black/whatever men do the same, occasionally with the support of women.

Harrowing viewing, brilliant acting by the young people particularly but also by the rest of the cast.

As Maggie Oliver (the policewoman who left) has said recently in our local press - it's still going on.

I've just finished watching it and thought it as supremely well done - brilliant acting. I agree with Iam - the girls were not failed because of a fear of being thought racist but because they were the 'wrong sort of girl'.

A harrowing but excellently done series. Those poor girls having to be interrogated as they were in court after all they had been through. The services which should have protected them in the first place should hang their heads in shame.
I was shocked also to learn that Sarah the sexual health worker was made redundant the following year. It seems whistleblowers are still not protected.

I was also saddened (but not surprised) that Sarah was made redundant the following year. What the police and social services hate is to have the finger pointed at them and have their massive failings hung out in public for all to see. Sarah was a whistleblower and they would have hated that. How shocking to see all of the similar cases in all the other areas flashing into the screen at the end.

I was disgusted that poor Amber was named as one of the perpetrators even though they knew she was a vulnerable child herself and then for SS to threaten to take her baby away was nothing short of scandalous. Poor kids. I wonder where they are now?

Such a powerful and moving drama.

Well done all involved in showing up the failings in our systems

I think the investigation did not go far enough, social services and the police should have been prosecuted for their failure to protect those young girls. The one person who tried her best to help the girls was got rid of.
The TV series was well made and the acting superb. The authorities that allowed this abuse to continue should have been brought to account.

I Completely agree with you harri

The prosecutions are still going on and I believe one of the perpetrators is actually in court today .

I'm not defending poor practice by the police or children's services. The reality is at young women/girls are given a hellish time as witnesses. Their personal and family lives, use of substances or referral to mental health services will be used in an attempt to dis refit their testimony. I've always been incensed to see barristers who have a first from Oxbridge tripping up a 14 year old who has learning difficulties, as was shown in this drama.

Prosecutions are rare, acquittals not so rare.

This was harrowing. Those poor girls. Sarah, was treated unfairly being dismissed. Heads have to come out of the sand, you cannot let these things go unnoticed for fear of playing the racial card. I see the ring leader Shamir Ahmed is appealing against deportation, at the tax payers expense of course. His comments in court told the world exactly what he thought of this country,especially the girls and women, and yet he wants to stay, I wonder why.

It was harrowing and represented the lives of the girls accurately. I hope that it will discourage the many people who accuse girls like the ones portrayed in the drama, of being responsible for their own abuse. It's good to see that none of the posters on this thread are questioning that these girls were repeatedly and horrifically abused.

I thought it ironic that Shabir Ahmed ( known as 'daddy') took his case to ECHR on the grounds that he was convicted by 11 white jurors.
Thankfully those judges saw the irony, too, considering the heinous crimes he committed.

He is currently challenging plans to deport him on release. I'd be relieved to see him returned to Pakistan. Will this mean his British citizenship,is revoked. I should google before thinking aloud .