Looking for clues

A Labour MP has warned of the growing problem of young girls being groomed and manipulated into prostitution by "gangs of men".

Labour's Barry Sheerman, chairman of the Children, Schools and Families Select Committee, claimed skilful methods were being used by criminals to lure teenagers into the sex trade.

He said young men were initially targeting girls at school and acting as their boyfriends before passing them on to older men who would become their pimps.

The MP said he knew of cases in his Huddersfield constituency where girls first met young men, perhaps driving "flash cars" outside school who made the initial contact.

The girl would believe they were with their first boyfriend but before long, older men would then take over, forcing them to have sex and selling them to others.

Sounds awful, but I thought we'd eradicated the problem of child prostitution long ago. I wonder what could have happened that has allowed such despicable practices to flourish again?

He likened the psychological techniques employed at first to those used by US cult leaders. He added: "These men who prey on children have great skill in identifying the vulnerability of these children whatever the background they come from."

Ah, right! So the problem is caused by US cultists then? For a moment I thought that this Labour MP was confirming the BNP allegations of Asian gangs grooming white girls for prostitution. I guess I was mistaken.