I am sorry, Jim; but I think you are uncharacteristically confused, both here and on the 'Gypsy Wedding' thread; misled by your hatred, which I am sure we all share, of racism in any form. Prostitution is not at issue here; its organisation has long been largely and observably the prerogative of gangs from E Europe or certain Mediterranean islands, esp Malta; in which assertion issues of 'racism' will not apply because those concerned are all white Europeans.

In which connection, see my thread ref'd above, on 'racism' as a catch-all term to evade argument, inspired by the footballer Gattusa's attempt to justify his notorious assaults on Joe Jordan by accusation of Jordan's having been 'racist' in calling him an 'Italian bastard' ~~ neither element of which accusation, offensive as one of them may have been, can conceivably be interpreted as 'racist', even if Jordan did say them which he denies.

What this thread is about is some worrying statistics regarding grooming and exploitation of underage girls, only in a few places, but which have significant implications in appearing to indicate a statistical preponderance of a certain demographic in their commission. The organisation of prostitution, I repeat, is not at issue; and accusations of 'racism' in attempting to explain the, admittedly few, instances where these statistics appear to apply, merely confuses the matter, rather than offering any solution to what appears to some to be a genuine problem which requires addressing.

~Michael~