At a certain point it dawned on officials in West Yorkshire, England that something was amiss. That point: when children’s services authorities lost track of 205 (!) kids, of which they have since found 172. The missing 33 are girls who are feared to have been forced into Muslim marriages or made victims of “honor violence”—the often deadly assault on females practiced by Muslim fanatics who claim justification in Islamic scripture.

Ministers had local authorities launch a formal investigation. Which proved difficult. As the Times of London reports:

Campaigners say that a fear of being seen as racist, and misplaced cultural sensitivity, are preventing teachers from following up cases when youngsters are removed from classes.

Misplaced cultural sensitivity indeed.

When the Times reported this story on March 8th, they spoke to former policeman and “vulnerable persons officer responsible for Asian women in the Bradford district” (V.P.O.R.A.W.B., presumably) Philip Balmforth. The V.P.O.R.A.W.B. had this to say in reference to the cowardly proceedings:

If these girls are missing, who has been told? Who is doing anything about it? I want to know from every education authority, “How many children did you lose last year? And where are they?” At the moment, we just don’t know. It’s like knocking a nail into a piece of stone.

Words sensible enough to get him suspended, it turns out. Balmforth faces permanent dismissal for “damaging the reputation” of West Yorkshire Police by speaking to a newspaper without consent. A man who has reportedly helped thousands of young girls will be sacked for saying 33 young girls need help. Melanie Phillips, in the Spectator, reports that Balmforth may not have stood a chance, as his suspension was likely due to pressure from the “‘biraderie’ — the Punjabi word for the extended family — which now ran Bradford city council.”

While West Yorkshire girls fall victim to Body Snatchers, local officials imitate Stepford Wives. And the one man determined to deliver his city from this horror movie mash-up is now out of work. Just another overcast day in England.