YMCA campaign aims to highlight increase in County Lines across Brighton and Hove

The scheme, launched by YMCA WiSE alongside a group of Brighton University student volunteers, aims to raise awareness among fellow students and the wider community of child criminal exploitation.

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The Wise UP to Exploitation campaign will also highlight links between child criminal exploitation and the sale and distribution of drugs in Brighton and Hove. 

Organisers say the social media campaign will start conversations about recreational drug use in Brighton and Hove and the impact on children and young people who are exploited through this process.

Project worker Magdalene Mill from YMCA WiSE said: “Child criminal exploitation is a type of abuse where children are targeted, often through social media platforms such as snap chat and Instagram, they are then groomed and coerced into committing criminal acts. On the surface it may appear that children who are criminally exploited have made a freely given choice, however, among other tactics, Intimidation, violence, sexual violence, debt bondage and weapons have been used to manipulate them to commit crimes.”

The launch of the campaign comes following a report, published late last year, by London City Hall which shows that child criminal exploitation has increased markedly over the last two years and Brighton is the top target of county lines dealers.

Campaign volunteer Genevieve Orsi said: “I think many of my peers have no idea that children in Brighton and Hove are being abused in this way and I want to make sure as many people as possible know that this is happening.” 

Hove MP Peter Kyle, who is also shadow minister for victims and youth justice, is backing the campaign.

He added: “Consuming illicit drugs isn’t a pain-free choice. When someone orders their fix, they set off a chain of processes with exploitation at its heart. 

“Young people from all across the country are coerced to travel long distances, putting themselves in mortal danger and held in modern slavery to exploitative drug gangs. These gangs hold vulnerable young people in debt bondage, often threatening to injure or kill loved ones unless the victims do as they say.”

To find out more about the campaign visit: ymcadlg.org/wise-up-to-exploitation/