Exploitation is putting thousands of teenagers at risk,  Teenage years should be about identity and independence — not being drawn into crime or dangerous situations. Yet many young people are being targeted, coerced or groomed.

12% of teenagers had been asked in the past year to sell or transport drugs, or store drugs, weapons or money

Periods of going missing make children more vulnerable to coercion – and can indicate that harm is already taking place.

11% stayed somewhere overnight without permission in the past year.

Self-identifying as being in a ‘gang’ is rare – but where it occurs, it’s strongly linked with drug storage or transport, and going missing. Bribery is the most common tactic used to exploit children.

2.4% of 13–17-year-olds said they’d been in a ‘gang’ in the past 12 months