Thingy.

They see these girls. Dolled up like God knows what ...

And absolutely no one taking care of them.

It's tragic.

It is tragic. Yes. But what are these men supposed to think? These kids ... boobs on show ... skirts up to here! Fishnets and so on ... not the victims necessarily, but girls in general ... It's a different culture here, isn't it? Where they come from, girls don't behave like that. What are these guys supposed to make of it?

That's right ... People keep going on: "Asian" this, "Asian" that, as if they were sort of aliens! In any case, it's not really fair to say "Asian". It's Pakistani. Mostly. Pakistani Muslims. 

FRAN! They're just people. Like you and me! That's exactly what I've been trying to get across! Let's — for God's sake — let's just say ENOUGH to putting labels on each other!

Oh gosh. I absolutely didn't mean ...

It's basically impossible to have this conversation, I've discovered, without that word coming up.

Which word?

The M word, Fran. We should be having a sensible discussion about how these kids get themselves into these sort of situations. But we can't, can we? Not without mentioning the M word. And this isn't about Ms, Fran ... It's about all of us. It's about you and me.

You've lost me ...

It's about our  culture. It's about our kids ...

Not my kids. Thank you very much.

These guys. "Asian" guys. Whatever you want to call them.

Pakistani Ms.

I'm not defending them. I'm just saying, it's no good simply blaming "Johnny Foreigner". Never mind the statistics. These guys see a young white girl dolled up, lipstick and heels and teeny tiny skirt ...

Or whatever.

And frankly ... In a modern, tolerant, multicultural, global society — you've got girls — I'm not saying those girls in particular. But other ones. Wandering around the Midlands with hardly any clothes on. Dressed like prostitutes. Frankly. And you've got to ask yourself ... In this day and age: what does "blame" actually mean?

You're so right. I wish I knew.