Signs of criminal exploitation
Here are some signs to look out for that can suggest that someone you know might be being criminally exploited.
Signs of criminal exploitation
- Frequent missing episodes and being found in a different area to where you live
- Found with large quantities of drugs or weapons
- Found with drugs inside rectum or vagina
- Unexplained amounts of money, mobile phones, credit, clothing, jewellery, new haircuts or other items and gifts
- Being arrested in a different area to where you live – especially for drug related offences
- Multiple referrals for incidents in the same location
- Returned from missing episodes with injuries, or dishevelled appearance
- Change in behaviour, ie more secretive, withdrawn, or isolated from peers, or not mixing with usual friends
- Unexplained absences from, or not engaged in school, college, training, or work
- Increasingly disruptive, hostile or physically aggressive at home or school, including the use of sexualised language and language in relation to drug dealing and/or violence
- Expressions around invincibility or not caring about what happens to them
- Increased interest in making money
- Reports of being taken to parties, people’s houses, unknown areas, hotels, nightclubs, takeaways or out of area by unknown adults
- Increasing use of drugs or alcohol
- Fear of reprisal from gang members or violence from young people or adults
- Having multiple mobile phones, sim cards or use of a phone that causes concern eg multiple callers or more texts/pings than usual
- Possession of hotel keys/cards, or keys to unknown premises
- Disclosure of a sexual or physical assault, followed by withdrawal of the allegation
- Abduction or forced imprisonment
- Entering or leaving vehicles/cars with unknown adults
- Self harm or significant changes in emotional well-being
- Agencies unable to engage with the child or young person
- New peer groups and/or relationships
- Relationships with controlling or older individuals or groups
- Neglect
Risks
The risk to a child or young person, and their family and friends, as a result of experiencing criminal exploitation can include, but is not limited to:
- Physical injuries, including risk of serious violence and death
- Emotional and psychological trauma
- Sexual violence, including sexual assault, rape, internally inserting drugs, indecent images being taken and shared as part of initiation, revenge, or punishment
- Debt bondage, where a child or young person and their families are ‘in debt’ to the exploiters, which is then used to control the young person
- Neglect, and the child or young person’s basic needs not being met
- Living in unclean, dangerous and/or unhygienic environments that they have been placed in by their exploiters
- Tiredness and sleep deprivation, where the child or young person is expected to carry out criminal activities over long periods and through the night
- Poor attendance and/or attainment at school/college/university
- Criminalised, criminal records, prison sentences