A Conspiracy of Silence: Child Sexual Abuse and Cultural Complicity in the British Pakistani Diaspora

This discussion article explores the systemic silencing of child sexual abuse within British Pakistani communities, contextualised within a broader historical and sociopolitical framework. Drawing from postcolonial theory, intersectionality, and migration studies, the paper interrogates how colonial legacies, cultural codes of honour, and intra-community dynamics have created an environment where abuse is simultaneously endemic and unspoken. The piece critiques the lack of statistical visibility, the role of collective denial, and the weaponisation of ‘honour’ to protect abusers while silencing victims. It argues for urgent cultural and institutional reckoning, internal accountability, and survivor-centred advocacy within British Pakistani communities.