Barry Weiss

It is still going on. And there has been no justice for the vast majority of the victims. British governments, he writes, both conservative and labor, hoped they had buried this story after a few symbolic prosecutions in the 2010s. And it looked like they had succeeded until Elon Musk read some of the court papers and tweeted his disgust and bafflement on X over the new year.

Now, I suspect that most non-British listeners to this show are going to hear that and think, what?

Now, I suspect that most non-British listeners to this show are going to hear that and think, what?

Now, I suspect that most non-British listeners to this show are going to hear that and think, what?

In our post-Harvey Weinstein, post-Jeffrey Epstein age, where Americans now know that some of the richest and most powerful citizens were involved in horrific sex crimes, the notion still that there were gangs of men systemically raping young women and girls seems kind of too insane to be true, but it is true.

In our post-Harvey Weinstein, post-Jeffrey Epstein age, where Americans now know that some of the richest and most powerful citizens were involved in horrific sex crimes, the notion still that there were gangs of men systemically raping young women and girls seems kind of too insane to be true, but it is true.

In our post-Harvey Weinstein, post-Jeffrey Epstein age, where Americans now know that some of the richest and most powerful citizens were involved in horrific sex crimes, the notion still that there were gangs of men systemically raping young women and girls seems kind of too insane to be true, but it is true.

And I want to start this conversation not with Elon Musk or the politics, although we'll get to that. I want to start with the basics here. When did this begin? Where did it happen? Who did it happen to? Who were carrying out these crimes? And Julie, I don't think there's anyone better suited to answer those questions than you. So I'd love it if you could jump in and start us off.

And I want to start this conversation not with Elon Musk or the politics, although we'll get to that. I want to start with the basics here. When did this begin? Where did it happen? Who did it happen to? Who were carrying out these crimes? And Julie, I don't think there's anyone better suited to answer those questions than you. So I'd love it if you could jump in and start us off.

And I want to start this conversation not with Elon Musk or the politics, although we'll get to that. I want to start with the basics here. When did this begin? Where did it happen? Who did it happen to? Who were carrying out these crimes? And Julie, I don't think there's anyone better suited to answer those questions than you. So I'd love it if you could jump in and start us off.

My understanding, just sort of the big picture, is that this pattern of gangs of men, mostly Pakistani Muslim origin, their victims mostly working class white girls, was repeated in as many as 50 cities across the country. And a 2014 inquiry estimated that in Rotherham alone, 1,400 girls had been serially raped. Does that check out for both of you?

My understanding, just sort of the big picture, is that this pattern of gangs of men, mostly Pakistani Muslim origin, their victims mostly working class white girls, was repeated in as many as 50 cities across the country. And a 2014 inquiry estimated that in Rotherham alone, 1,400 girls had been serially raped. Does that check out for both of you?

My understanding, just sort of the big picture, is that this pattern of gangs of men, mostly Pakistani Muslim origin, their victims mostly working class white girls, was repeated in as many as 50 cities across the country. And a 2014 inquiry estimated that in Rotherham alone, 1,400 girls had been serially raped. Does that check out for both of you?

I think this is maybe a place where the two of you might see it a little bit differently. Julie is seeing things from a very consistent feminist perspective. You know, this is the nature of men. This is the kind of crimes that men in groups commit, and we shouldn't be surprised by it. But Ayaan, I wonder if you disagree about that.

I think this is maybe a place where the two of you might see it a little bit differently. Julie is seeing things from a very consistent feminist perspective. You know, this is the nature of men. This is the kind of crimes that men in groups commit, and we shouldn't be surprised by it. But Ayaan, I wonder if you disagree about that.

I think this is maybe a place where the two of you might see it a little bit differently. Julie is seeing things from a very consistent feminist perspective. You know, this is the nature of men. This is the kind of crimes that men in groups commit, and we shouldn't be surprised by it. But Ayaan, I wonder if you disagree about that.

To what extent does the fact that these are Pakistani immigrants—and I'm curious if they're sort of first or second generation— How should that inform the way that we understand the nature of the crimes and why there wasn't more of a sense of public outrage about them? Does their ethnicity and religion figure in here in a way that Julie maybe doesn't feel?

To what extent does the fact that these are Pakistani immigrants—and I'm curious if they're sort of first or second generation— How should that inform the way that we understand the nature of the crimes and why there wasn't more of a sense of public outrage about them? Does their ethnicity and religion figure in here in a way that Julie maybe doesn't feel?

To what extent does the fact that these are Pakistani immigrants—and I'm curious if they're sort of first or second generation— How should that inform the way that we understand the nature of the crimes and why there wasn't more of a sense of public outrage about them? Does their ethnicity and religion figure in here in a way that Julie maybe doesn't feel?

As I mentioned before, your book Prey was one of the first places other than Douglas Murray's book where I came across some of these anecdotes. And I just want to share them with listeners because, frankly, reading about these over the past few days again, they were keeping me up. I mean, it takes a lot to keep me up at night. I read about a lot of bad things in a day.