Grooming is an inaccurate term, I agree. Grooming is the initial phase of child sexual abuse where the vulnerable victim is plied with drink, drugs, rides in flash cars etc. It is by no means restricted to the 'gang' offences.
It's unfortunate it has become a media shorthand term for the particular pattern of offending involving Asian men preying on vulnerable young white girls.
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) has become the term used in the criminal justice system for this pattern of offending. But that does not make for a snappy headline.
Whatever people may think there IS a specific pattern of offending related to Asian men acting together to target vulnerable young white girls, passing them around between themselves, and worse.This is why they are tried together in groups, as gangs. Blind eyes were turned in these cases by those in positions of responsibility or care. The report on the Rotherham scandal is very illuminating about why this happened.
I can't say similar gang style offending has not happened with groups of white men, of course not. However, white paedophiles tend to predominate in establishment type settings and largely act alone- in boarding schools, youth groups, churches, the entertainment industry and the like. And of course in families. In these types of cases the blind eyes turned were colleagues and authority figures and sadly, family members. I am sure we can all think of plenty of examples.
Both are egregious, horrific crimes. But it does the cause of CSE no good to ignore the fact that a particular MO exists within a particular demographic.
I despise Musk. And I agree his intervention is entirely opportunistic and aimed at building support for his chosen party. This is why uncomfortable facts must be acknowledged as to pretend otherwise simply fuels the far right.