UK Home Secretary claims most women on small-boat routes have been raped

During a discussion on The Rest Is Politics, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood claimed that women waiting in northern France to board small boats for the UK have almost certainly been raped en route, blaming criminal trafficking networks that manage the departures. She added that some men have also suffered abuse and warned demonstrators who support her border stance to "sod off," noting they would try to drive her out because she is Muslim.

No Home Office assessment quantifies sexual violence on these routes, and official statistics record only demographics, showing women make up about 13% of the 33,000 arrivals recorded up to June 2026. The Refugee Council praised the acknowledgment of sexual violence but urged broader safe-migration options beyond the new sponsorship scheme set to launch this autumn. Recent protests by the Patriot Platform, linked to Daniel Thomas and Tommy Robinson, have disrupted ports, led to arrests, and cost Hampshire police over £250,000. A French charity has been accused of facilitating child departures after a video near Boulogne-sur-Mer was released.