Hamid Chaudry, of the Bayyinah Foundation, a community-based Muslim group in Blackburn, gives his views on Jack Straw's sex-grooming comments and asks questions about the level of community breakdown in East Lancashire.

FOR the media attention to be focused on Jack Straw’s comments, rather than the real issue, is criminal.

It is a travesty that our leading politicians chose to turn this into a blame game for political gain, without addressing the real problems, and the wider societal issues which allow such crimes to be perpetrated.

Instead, racial tensions have been stirred, playing (intentionally, in my opinion, Jack isn’t wet behind the ears after more than 30 years in politics) into the hands of extremists like the EDL with his insensitive use of terms; vulnerable would suffice I think Jack.

If we look at grooming, what allows grooming to exist?

Why are girls as young as 12 in a situation which allows them to be abused? Where are their parents and family support?

Where are social support services?

Why are these girls not provided with the love, care, or attention they need within their home environment?

Why do they resort to drugs and alcohol either for gratification, or to escape from their lonely existence, even for a short while?

Why are these girls alone and unaccompanied at night when they should be in the care of responsible adults around them?

Is the permissive society not part of the problem, where sex is seen as recreational, with ‘no strings’ attached?

Testosterone-fuelled youth without care for their actions?

The absence of a moral code, or social responsibility, in many of today’s youth?

Ease of availability of alcohol and drugs? Freedom of action without care of the consequences?

A whole host of issues need to be addressed before you get to the crime itself.

Until this real debate about the prevalent values in society takes place, such incidents will sadly continue.

A holistic approach is required to solve the problems in society today, rather than piecemeal and reactionary thinking.

Let’s be adult about this and solve them together as human beings that we all are, irrespective of colour and creed.

Are you trying to tell me that this problem does not exist with other ethnic groups in the UK?

It’s not a problem with the Pakistani community, but one manifestation of a wider societal problem as eluded to above (of which the Pakistani community is a part).

And add to the list a drug culture, rampant alcoholism, insurance fraud, marriage breakdown, child/wife/pensioner abuse.

I would like to pass on my heartfelt sympathy to the victims of this abhorrent crime and their families.

I myself have four young daughters and can only imagine how this will have impacted their lives.