Women and girls as young as 14 are being raped and forced into sex work by ruthless London grooming gangs, an investigation has found.
Interviews conducted with five survivors of gang-based violence, as well as other experts has unveiled that girls are being groomed into trading weapons, stealing phones and dealing drugs by groups of men.
Some are being raped as 'payment' for unpaid drug debts accumulated by the gangs controlling them, while others are being groomed and forced into sex work by the organised crime groups.
The gangs of men are from a range of different ethnicities, including white, and are exploiting women and young girls across England's capital city.
Meanwhile, Detective Sergeant John Knox, who is the head of the Metropolitan Police's Child Exploitation Team, described girls as being the 'lowest rung' among the gangs, meaning 'they cannot say no to sex'.
'Within that gang world, the girls are the lowest rung, and they have to do as they are told, and that includes sexually,' he told the BBC.
It comes as a report, commissioned by the government, found there was evidence indicating that 'disproportionate numbers of men from Asian ethnic backgrounds' were among 'suspects for group-based child sexual exploitation'.
Kelly, who is using an alias, claims she was forced to deal drugs after being groomed by three white men in London, and the abuse and exploitation quickly worsened.
Explaining how she ended up embroiled in the situation, Kelly said she initially viewed it as an opportunity to 'feel part of something', having previously felt 'neglected' as well as having no money to her name.
'But that turned into having sex to keep people on side if we owed them, or [as an enticement for them to] buy drugs off me and the gang,' she said.
'I didn't feel like I was groomed or exploited. I didn't think I was a victim. It's taken me a while to realise I was used and manipulated.'
Revealing it gave her life 'purpose for a bit', a sentiment she did not feel in her own home, she explained that she was looking for something due to feeling bored and lonely.
Many victims exploited by such gangs are vulnerable because they usually come from broken homes or have had challenging upbringings, social workers who work with them explained.
Another victim, using the alias of Millie, told the broadcaster that her experience was similar to incidents which happened in northern cities such as Oldham, Rotherham and Rochdale.
Explaining that her abuse did not involve selling drugs, she described being 'passed around different men every night', and that sometimes she would have to sleep with between 10 and 15 men a month.
She said she would be ploughed with drugs and drink before finding herself in a bedroom with one of the men.
'Then I'd come out. Could be another one. After that, could be another one. Sometimes it was only one. Sometimes it could be three,' she said.
While she could not remember many of the details surrounding her abuse due to the drugs and alcohol, she claimed her abusers would tell her she was 'a nice, young white girl.'
Elsewhere, another survivor of London grooming gangs, who is going by the alias of Ruth, described how her abusers 'didn't want anything but sex' and gave her expensive items in exchange.
Describing how she felt 'low', she said: ‘It felt like I had multiple boyfriends giving me attention. They were South Asian men - they took advantage of my situation.
‘It’s happening in London,’ she added. ‘And those who don’t believe it need to look again.’
Meanwhile, another victim said her ordeal involved many men from 'different races, ages and religions'.
Meanwhile, Det Sgt Knox who works in the London boroughs of Southwark and Lambeth, said young women and girls were being taken advantage of 'predominately and primarily for sex'
At least 60 children in the two borough are being exploited by gangs with some girls being as young as 13, the detective believes.
'The reality is, if a girl can't say no, she's being raped and that's how we look at it as the police,' he said.
A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'The Met has always recognised the serious harm caused by group‑based child sexual and criminal exploitation and remains resolute in protecting vulnerable girls and women.
'We are strengthening our response through a proactive, child‑centred approach backed by significant investment.
'More than 23,000 officers and staff are receiving specialist training to recognise exploitation early and prevent victim‑blaming, with a further 11,500 already trained to identify risks at first contact.
'We have also expanded our Child Exploitation Teams and created additional safeguarding roles to ensure earlier intervention and stronger protection.
'Our 'Child First' approach prioritises vulnerability, challenges adultification and ensures officers act decisively to protect those at risk.'
Regarding child exploitation figures, the force added: 'The Met records approximately 2,000 child exploitation concerns every year.
'They reflect a combination of referrals from partners and concerns identified directly by officers.
'The concerns relate to child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, or cases where both forms of harm are present.'
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: 'Any individuals, groups or grooming gangs exploiting children for sex are utterly abhorrent and the Mayor wants justice for every single victim of these horrific crimes.
'Since taking office, the Mayor has led efforts to strengthen the protection of children from exploitation and harm in all its forms in London, including grooming gangs.
'Sadiq has driven forward long-overdue reforms in the way the Met protects children and delivered vital investment in specialist services to support child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation including a new £2.4m package of support for victims and survivors to ensure they have the care, attention and specialist support services they deserve.
'The Mayor is clear that the Met must follow the evidence wherever it leads and he will continue to ensure it does everything possible to tackle all child sexual exploitation in the capital including grooming gangs to build a safer London for everyone.'
The Daily Mail has approached the Home Office.