Petitions/Do not describe sexual abuse of children as "grooming" by "grooming gangs"
StatusClosed
Opened25 Mar 2025
Closes25 Sept 2025
Government response
Parliamentary debateNot eligible
Milestones

I want the Government and Parliament to stop using the words "grooming" and "grooming gangs". I feel they are euphemisms being used in official publications to describe horrible, violent sexual abuse of children including rape, torture, kidnapping and imprisonment.

I think that the use of euphemisms to describe criminal offences does considerable harm. A 12-year-old child who has been raped may not think she has been "groomed".

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Constituency engagement ranking

Sir Iain Duncan Smith
1Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP
Chingford and Woodford Green
3
Baggy Shanker
2Baggy Shanker MP
Derby South
3
Jo White
3Jo White MP
Bassetlaw
2
Chris Webb
4Chris Webb MP
Blackpool South
2
Kirith Entwistle
5Kirith Entwistle MP
Bolton North East
2
Marie Goldman
6Marie Goldman MP
Chelmsford
2
Max Wilkinson
7Max Wilkinson MP
Cheltenham
2
Paul Davies
8Paul Davies MP
Colne Valley
2
Alex Mayer
9Alex Mayer MP
Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard
2
Clive Efford
10Clive Efford MP
Eltham and Chislehurst
2
Do not describe sexual abuse of children as "grooming" by "grooming gangs" — Petitions