Child Criminal Exploitation is common in county lines and occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. Child Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.
County lines is a growing problem in the UK. Gangs are exploiting vulnerable young people, some just 12 years old, to carry drugs and sell them to other parts of the country.
Often, these children are assumed missing and when they turn up out of their area and in trouble with the police, they are criminalised and not seen as victims. They can go for days without food and are forced to live in awful, squat conditions
Criminal exploitation of children is broader than just county lines and includes for instance children forced to work on cannabis farms or to commit theft.
How it affects children and vulnerable adults
Like other forms of abuse and exploitation, county lines exploitation:
- can affect any child or young person (male or female) under the age of 18 years;
- can affect any vulnerable adult over the age of 18 years;
- can still be exploitation even if the activity appears consensual;
- can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and is often accompanied by violence or threats of violence;
- can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and young people or adults; and
- is typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources.