Investigation Reveals Teenage Girls in London Targeted by Gangs for Sexual Exploitation

Teenage girls as young as 14 are being lured into sexual exploitation by gangs operating across London, according to findings from a recent investigation that has raised renewed concerns about child safety in the capital. Survivors, police officers and support workers describe a pattern of grooming that leaves vulnerable young women trapped in cycles of abuse, coercion and intimidation.

Several survivors said they were manipulated into situations where sex was demanded as payment for alleged drug debts or used as a way to maintain favour within gang networks. Others said they were groomed purely for sexual exploitation, often after being approached with gifts, attention or promises of belonging. Many described feeling isolated or neglected before being drawn in.

One young woman said she was 15 when older men began supplying her with alcohol and drugs before sexually abusing her. She described being passed between multiple men over a period of months, adding that her memories remain blurred due to intoxication. Another survivor said she initially believed she was part of a relationship, only later recognising that she had been manipulated and exploited.

Police officers working in south London said girls involved with gangs often occupy the lowest position within those networks. According to senior officers in the Metropolitan Police child exploitation teams, girls are frequently groomed to carry out criminal activities such as drug dealing or phone theft, and sexual exploitation can occur alongside that involvement. In some cases, officers said, the exploitation is not primarily about sex but part of broader criminal control.

The Metropolitan Police estimate that dozens of children in some boroughs may currently be at risk of gang related exploitation. Across London, around 2,000 cases of child exploitation are reported each year, covering both sexual and criminal exploitation. Officials have confirmed that more than 1,200 historical cases of child sexual exploitation are being re-examined following a national review into group-based offending.

Public debate about grooming gangs has often focused on towns in northern England. In London, authorities say the situation is more complex, with suspects coming from a wide range of ethnic and social backgrounds. Senior officers have stressed that recorded data does not indicate a disproportionate concentration within any single community, reflecting the capital’s diversity.

Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has said any form of child sexual exploitation is unacceptable and that the Metropolitan Police must pursue evidence wherever it leads. The force has expanded specialist child exploitation teams and provided additional training to thousands of frontline officers in response to concerns about past failings in recording and investigating abuse.

An independent national inquiry into grooming gangs is expected to begin later this year, with powers to compel evidence and conduct local investigations. Support organisations continue to emphasise the importance of early intervention, safeguarding education and resources for vulnerable young people to prevent further harm.