LONDON: The level of sexual violence in Britain’s gang-afflicted neighbourhoods is comparable to that seen in war zones, according to the author of a new report.

“In some areas the level of sexual violence and the types of violence inflicted are comparable to how sexual violence is used in war-torn territories,” said Professor Jenny Pearce of the University of Bedforshire, lead researcher on the sexual violence report for the Office of the Children’s Commissioner.

The report — entitled It’s Wrong But You Get Used To It — found that girls as young as 11 are being systematically groomed, exploited and raped in the worst gang-affected areas of the UK, with the peer-on-peer violence going undetected, unreported and ignored.

Sue Berelowitz, the deputy children’s commissioner, said rape was widespread and happened “on a daily basis” in the worst-hit areas.

“As soon as a girl has had sex, coerced or otherwise, it is completely open season on her. She has abrogated all right to refuse to have sex with someone for all time. They will and do have sex with her any time, any place and anywhere,” she said.She added that the “sheer levels of sadism” uncovered by the inquiry had been shocking.

Of the 188 young people and 76 professionals questioned, 65 per cent shared examples of young women being coerced into sexual activity; as one 18-year-old put it: “Once they’ve implemented that fear into them it’s easy to get what you want.”

Half of respondents shared examples of girls having sex in return for status or protection, while four identified examples of rape and 34 per cent of gang rape.

The report also gives an insight into the hierarchy of gangs and the place of girls within them.

Girls identified as “wifeys”, or girlfriends, of a high-status gang member, were often called upon to hold drugs, weapons and money while also being at risk of rape or physical violence from opposing gangs.

They were spoken of with admiration by other girls, noted the report, because they were seen “as largely protected from vulnerability to sexual exploitation and sexual violence”.

Only one in 12 interviewees — 32 per cent of whom said they were black British, while 28 per cent were white and 21 per cent dual heritage — felt that young people would be likely to speak out about or report sexual violence or exploitation . As one young woman put it: “It’s normal ... It’s wrong, but you get used to it ... Welcome to our generation.”

Many of those questioned had little concept of ideas of sexual consent, with girls presumed to consent to sex — even with armed multiple perpetrators — unless they “fought off” their attackers.

John Pitts, a researcher for the report and an expert on gangs, warned that the cutting of youth services — between 2010 and 2012, cuts averaged 27 per cent, while 19 English councils slashed services by half and a handful withdrew them entirely — exacerbated the problem.

Matthew Reed, chief executive of the Children’s Society, said: “Schools, health and youth services must get better at teaching children about healthy relationships. They need to teach both boys and girls about what consent means, so children can protect themselves from becoming involved in exploitation.”

By arrangement with the Guardian