Child safety experts and neighbors found themselves unable to voice concerns about a 10-year-old girl until it was too late—after she was killed by her Pakistani father and stepmother. There was a fear that questioning his actions could lead to accusations of racism.
Authorities may have overlooked a chance to protect Sara Sharif, who was murdered in August 2023. This became evident during an inquest that revealed how the complexities of race influenced the questioning of her father, a Pakistani taxi driver.
Sara, described as having “double heritage” with a Pakistani father and Polish mother, began wearing the hijab at the age of eight. The report mentions that as she grew older, the hijab concealed the bruises and injuries on her face and head.
Before her tragic death, she had suffered severe abuse, including broken bones, burns from an iron, and various other injuries.
The report noted that “race is a barrier to reporting potential child abuse.” It indicated that during visits from care professionals, Sara might have hesitated to speak up. Neighbors were worried about possible abuse, yet many held back from alerting authorities, concerned about being labeled racist—especially in today’s social media landscape.
No one in Sara’s immediate circle wore a hijab, and it was noted that as a young child, she seemed to have developed an interest in Islam and its cultural practices on her own, raising questions among experts about her autonomy in wearing it. A previous court ruling indicated that her father had imposed the hijab on her, noting it was not based on religious beliefs or her choice.
“This was another convenient way to hide the bruises that were all over Sara’s body,” the judge remarked.
The review emphasized that the fear of being seen as racist needs to be addressed to allow for proper reporting and investigation into child abuse.
After Sara’s death, her father fled to Pakistan. Coverage over the years has portrayed Urfan Sharif as unstable and violent, particularly towards Polish women. Despite a record of violence—including arrests for abusing his former partners—Sara was put in his care by the British Family Court when she was younger.
In earlier court proceedings, his second wife, Baynash Batur, stated that she believed Sara was possessed by a jinn, a creature from Arab folklore. During the trial, Sharif labeled Batur as a “true villain.”
Last year, Sharif and his accomplice were sentenced to life in prison for their roles in Sara’s murder, while Sharif’s brother received a 16-year sentence for failing to protect the child.
Sara was laid to rest in Poland, her mother’s homeland, where she had returned several years prior.
There appears to be a reluctance among caregivers and government officials to confront uncomfortable realities of abuse, fearing accusations of racism and potential fallout for their careers. A recent report highlighted that doctors in the UK frequently overlook signs of domestic violence in “Asian” families due to fears of being labeled racist. One survivor of grooming detailed her frustrating experience with law enforcement, who discouraged discussions about the ethnicity of perpetrators.
“As soon as I identified myself, it felt like I was the one being accused of racism,” she reflected, discussing the challenges she faced in seeking justice after being groomed and raped from the age of 12. “I knew my intentions were pure, but it felt like that was being weaponized against me.”
