Mahmood Claims Nearly All Women Crossing the Channel Have Been Raped
The Facts
- British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood on Sunday claimed that nearly all migrant women attempting to cross the English Channel into the U.K. have been raped. She made the comments during an appearance on The Rest is Politics podcast.
- Speaking to former Conservative Minister Rory Stewart and ex-advisor Tony Blair Alistair Campbell, Mahmood said "you can almost guarantee that every woman that's in the north of France has probably been raped along the journey. Some of the men, too, they've certainly been abused and threatened."
- Mahmood blamed the abuse on people traffickers, who she said determined the "sifting of the people that end up in the north of France and … get on a dinghy," since the U.K. government is "not in control of this border."
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The Spin
Left narrative
The brutality behind the channel crossings must be openly addressed and challenged. Under their malign operations, criminal gangs that decide who reaches Britain routinely abuse and exploit the vulnerable, often sexually. The government, therefore, is right in doing its utmost to stop this activity, while creating safe and legal routes for genuine asylum seekers.
Right narrative
Mahmood's sweeping claims, made without any evidence, are merely an attempt to tug at the heartstrings of British people and soften attitudes toward illegal migrants. Sexual violence in France is a matter for the French government, not the British home secretary. Mahmood should focus on protecting women and girls at home, which includes ensuring the immigration system is robust enough to prevent the illegal migration of potential criminals into Britain.
