MISSING CHILDREN

BY akilah.shakurhall
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The County Line Phenomenon

Nearly 10 years ago I attended a conference in Lambeth called the Exploitation of Children. It was organised by Social Workers and Police Officers who worked specifically with children. The organisers invited professionals working within the Criminal Justice System (CJS) and other agencies, to educate us on this new phenomenon.

We know that children have always been exploited, either by their parents/legal guardians or paedophiles. But this was something new, which had caught the attention of Social Workers because of their running of care homes. These children were susceptible because they were in care. Yes they were being supervised but because of the issues that led them to be there in the first place, they became ‘easy’ targets.

LAMBETH CONFERENCE

Furthermore at this conference one of the discussions was about the hierarchy of drug involvement. For instance, those at the top with the power, importing the drugs, who made millions from its sales. It concluded that they were responsible for this situation hitting the UK streets.

We broke up in to groups to discuss this and read other materials given to us. In my group was one Police Officer if there were more I don’t know. He rolled his eyes at the facilitator and informed us that he was a serving Officer for 15 years. He said the problem was with the scum on Angell Estate/Myatts Field not anyone in Kent! Or wherever the ‘Big Shots’ lived. These are council estates in Brixton.

PREVIOUS ATTITUDES

This was a common attitude among Police Officers then, along with the CJS, who were real quick to prosecute children for supplying drugs. They really didn’t care about the background behind it, they found drugs, had evidence of supplying and that was enough.

DISCREPANCIES IN DATA

Furthermore, most of the data for missing Black children seems to be between 2019 and 2020, The National Crime Agency. It reports that 14% of our children were missing while only 3% of the population. Yet we only received 22% of the ‘missing publicity appeals’ while whites received 66%. However, imagine if we had the data prior to 2019, imagine how many children were missing then!

The lack of national publicity may not be a surprised to many Black people, but may be for others. Our reporting seems to be amongst ourselves on social media, this is where I spend my time educating the community about County Lines.

WHAT IS COUNTY LINES?

It is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK. They use children and vulnerable adults to move drugs, and sell it. As well as to store drugs and money up and down the country.

These gangs and criminal networks often use coercion. For example, I know where your family live! Intimidation, imagine a year 7 child being approached by young adults. Violence is used and weapons ‘man’s got a Glock! Or always carries a knife, and is not shy to show you, if you seem apprehensive.

Phone lines are used where people who want drugs can call in. Some of these children are used to operate the phones or to deliver the drugs once the call is made. Some children would have been groomed, because they went along with it for money, or something, like to improve their ‘street rep’. However, most young people would have got more than they bargained for, in long hours working, isolation, in not being able to leave the ‘trap house’. Or missing the comforts of home, regular food and a shower. Just the normality of being a child.

TYPE OF CHILDREN TARGETTED

  • Children in care, especially residential care.
  • Those that have mental health or substance misuse issues.
  • Those from families with little money.
  • Lack of safe/stable home environment (parents mental health/drug addicts).
  • Connection with people involved in drugs (the man dem on the estates).
  • Neglected children or those experienced sexual or physical abuse.
  • Children excluded from school and are in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs).

MISSING CHILDREN

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Missing Bexleyheath 12 year old girl

UNDER REPORTING

I don’t know if this girl is linked to County Lines but I printed her picture last week before I made the decision to write about this subject. I wanted an imprint of her face to help me remember what she looks like. I didn’t even take down her name, so I did an online search but found nothing, even though she was in the news only last week! This is the problem, Black and mixed race missing children are not priority news.

The Children’s Society, reports that children have been trafficked from London to places as far as Scotland, Devon, Scunthorpe and Liverpool. If you are stopped by the Police and your drugs taken you owe that money to the gangs. Many feel obligated to return to that lifestyle to pay this debt. The Courts are very aware of this factor and tend to remand young people in custody as a ‘safe option’.

SEXUAL ABUSE

Another way gangs get children to co-operate in County Lines is sexual exploitation. Boys get sexually abused by gang members, this is often kept very quiet by the victim and the perpetrators. The victim because of fear and shame and the perpetrators because how are children going to be groomed if they believe they could be sexually abused!

FEMALE EXPLOITATION

The Local Government Association reported in July, 2021 that there was an increasing trend by County Line drugs gangs to recruit females. This is because females are considered less of a target of suspicion than males. They would be expected to carry drugs and weapons as they are less likely to be discovered by public services.

There has been reports of girls being filmed while being sexually assaulted by multiple gang members. And indecent images taken and shared as part of gang initiation/revenge and or punishment. Young women have been raped, passed around dealers as “gift girls” as reward for making profits, and even shot at.

CUCKOOING

This is when gangs take over someone’s home to use for preparing drugs and selling. The person is usually vulnerable due to their own drug use or mental health issues. This is where the drug line phone is to be able to send out runners to supply the drugs. The dangers of this may not be seen and wasn’t seen by Abdi Ali who was killed in a cuckooed home, and kept in the attic for 8 months.

Abdi Ali 17 years old

He was killed by the drug addict whose home he cuckooed, rolled up in a duvet and hidden in the attic. RIP – it was a terrible murder.

Nearly 10 years ago I heard about County Lines at the Lambeth Conference. It has taken too long for the Modern Day Slavery Act 2015 to be used against County Line gangs. The first case was in 2017, and it took another two years for most lawyers to actually get their heads around presenting these cases under the Act.

It has also taken years for communities to actually find out what is going on and had to wait until their child went missing to actually find out. Most Black people noticed the frequency of missing children on social media, that made them ask, what was going on! Again the under reporting in the national news, did their usual thing!

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO?

Does your child falls into any of the vulnerable categories above? you need to pay attention to your child, in education, friends and social life. Let your child get in the habit of telling you where s/he is going and try and take them.

If your child does not fall into any of the above categories but you notice:

  • Change in behaviour, ie: more secretive, withdrawn or isolated from peers, or not mixing with usual friends.
  • Unexplained amounts of money, mobile phones, credit, clothing, jewellery, new haircuts or other items and gifts. Do not ignore, especially if they are NOT working. Have a conversation and seek assistance from other family members.
  • Frequently missing episodes and being found out of area.
  • Expressions around invincibility or not caring about what happens to them.
  • Increasing use of drugs or alcohol.
  • Fear of reprisal from gang members or violence from young people or adults.

There are so much things you have to look out for, this list could go on and on. What we want at raesolutions.co.uk is to educate the community, to avoid our children getting caught up. Once you catch a fish after the patience of waiting it is difficult to let it go. It is the same with County Lines, once your child is caught up it is difficult to get away.

POST TRAUMATIC STRESS (PTSD)

I have heard stories of a child returning with injuries or dishevelled. Eating out the house, and not talking about what happened. This is common, the child does not want the authorities to get involved as they are afraid they or their family may be in danger. This is very difficult for parents to apprehend, and the parent feels powerless.

Let your child know that you are happy they are home. Take time off work to get to know your child again. Encourage your child to talk about how they plan to spend their time, the aim is to get to know if your child feels safe. You need to know if your home is a safe place, because if it is not, you have to seriously consider leaving that area. In some cases parents actually leave the country with their family for peace sake.

FAMILY VISITS

Eventually let other family members know that your child is home, and invite them to come over on a regular basis. However, these visits should not be to interrogate the child but to let the child know that they are loved and cared about.

When I was a child it was important to my mother for us to know all our cousins. On weekends we would take the train to Ealing, or Finsbury Park to visit our family. As a result, I felt kinship and knew I had other family who cared about me. Many of us now have lost touch with our cousins, especially those that live where a lot of effort has to be made to see them. The effort is actually worth it as the feeling of belonging and knowing where and with whom you belong –is integral to human existence.

Children belong first to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and a wider community. Belonging acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of relationships in defining identities. In early childhood, and throughout life, relationships are crucial to a sense of belonging. Belonging is central to being and becoming in that it shapes who children are and who they can become.

FINALLY

Most of us did not read any books on relationships but we are in them and working it out. Furthermore, we did not read books on raising children but we are having children and most are doing a good job. The thing is, the challenges of relationships are distracting us from our parenting. As well as, our lack of parenting skills which assists this phenomena. Add inequalities such as, our children being excluded from schools, growing up without a strong identity in the UK and feeling marginalised. Feeling disposable.

I personally believe we need improvement in our relationship choices, our parenting skills and if you talk of God in your home, are there photos of ‘Jesus’ that doesn’t look like you? Yet Revelations 1:14-15 describes him with woolly hair and brown feet! We give power to others that don’t look like us, which aids the lack of identity and power our children need. This may take away the respect and gratitude that we should receive from them!

Here is a book that I have come across that may assist, the author is Black American and I know things are different there, but when did that stop us!

‘Handbook for Raising Black Children A Comprehensive Holistic Guide’ by Llaila Olela Afrika. (ISBN 1-59232-187-9).

Until my next Blog take care.