Behind the numbers: the real impact of exploitation and gangs

Children who identify as being in gangs are 62 times more likely to be seriously injured and need hospital treatment than their peers.

For James*, that risk wasn’t a statistic — it was his daily reality. James was criminally exploited for six years. He describes that period as living in constant uncertainty — afraid of the people controlling him, but also afraid of what might happen if he tried to walk away.

For years, he woke up expecting something bad to happen.

“You get used to waking up scared,” he said. “You just think, ‘Today might be the day something goes wrong.’”

That fear is reflected in the findings of our latest survey of nearly 11,000 teenagers across England and Wales — Children, Violence and Vulnerability 2025. But behind every number is a child with hopes, fears, and a story often hidden from view.

In this blog, we reflect on what the data tells us about exploitation and gangs, hear from James — now a young adult — and share the perspective of the Joe Dix Foundation, founded by a bereaved family campaigning to protect other children from harm.

Exploitation and gangs: what the data shows

Our fourth Children, Violence and Vulnerability report focuses on children’s experiences of exploitation and gangs. Here’s what we found:

A few years ago, James was one of them. He never set out to join a gang.

“It starts with older boys being nice to you… then before you know it, you’re doing things you never thought you’d do.”

James remembers the first time he was asked to hold something.

“They tell you it’s nothing, that it’s just helping out. But you don’t feel like you can say no.”

The risks faced by exploited children are severe.
Among those who had been exploited, 73% had been victims of violence and 48% had been seriously injured.

James still lives with the impact of that violence.

“It becomes normal. Getting hurt, seeing people get hurt… you just accept it.”

James went missing repeatedly. Each time he returned home, he felt more trapped.

“You don’t want your family to worry, but you also don’t want anyone asking questions.”

What the numbers mean for children and families

Statistics help us understand the scale of exploitation, but they cannot fully capture the fear, coercion, and trauma shaping children’s lives. To understand that reality, we need to listen — to young people like James, and to families who have lived through the devastating consequences of exploitation.

Vulnerabilities linked to child criminal exploitation

The survey shows that many children who are exploited share similar vulnerabilities:

• They are five times more likely to have a parent or sibling in prison (58% compared to 11% of all children).
• More than half had been supported by a social worker, compared to just 16% of all teenagers.

These patterns show how exploitation often takes hold where children already face instability, adversity, or gaps in support — and why early, trusted intervention matters.

Leaving exploitation: what helps young people step away

The data also shows that most young people eventually leave gangs. They do so for many reasons — including wanting to grow older, avoid trouble, or become a role model for others.

But leaving is rarely simple. The statistics highlight how child criminal exploitation can reach any young person if the right pressures, opportunities, or threats are in place. That’s why understanding how young people leave — and what helps them do so safely — is essential.

A young person’s experience of leaving exploitation

For James, the turning point was wanting something different for his future.

“People think you can just stop, but you can’t. You’re scared of what might happen if you leave.”

“What changed things for me was someone actually listening. Someone who didn’t treat me like I was the problem.”

“I just wanted to live a normal life. I wanted to grow older, get a job, stop looking over my shoulder.”

What made that possible was support that treated James as someone worth investing in.

“I didn’t think my life could be different until someone showed me it could.”

A family’s experience of criminal exploitation

But the impact of exploitation doesn’t fall on young people alone. It ripples through families, reshaping everyday life with fear and uncertainty.

Emma and Phil Dix share their experience of their son Joe, who tragically lost his life in 2022.

“No one expects their child to be criminally exploited.

Joe’s exploitation began when he was just 13 and continued for many years before he was fatally stabbed in 2022. As his parents, we were made to feel that Joe had chosen this path — but we now understand that exploitation does not work that way.

We watched our child slip away from us the deeper he became involved. His anger would erupt at the smallest question. He would go missing for days at a time.

During those years, we weren’t living — we were surviving. Every phone call triggered a jolt of fear: would it be the police, or the hospital? When Joe went missing, we longed for any sign that he was safe. A single text message — just the word ‘Hello’ — lifted our hopes, only for hours of silence to follow.

The impact of exploitation doesn’t fall on the child alone; it affects the entire family. It put immense strain on our relationship. The endless worry, sleepless nights, fear, and desperation are something that will always stay with us.

We will forever wonder whether Joe knew how much we cared, and whether there was anything more we could have done to protect him. Joe’s exploiters have left us with a feeling no parent should ever carry — that we failed to keep our son safe.”

With the support of others, Emma and Phil established the Joe Dix Foundation with one clear purpose: to ensure no other family endures the pain they experienced in losing their son.

The Foundation provides support and delivers presentations highlighting the key factors surrounding the criminal exploitation of young people. They work in schools, colleges, youth centres, and with other agencies, reaching young people and their parents or guardians. Their workshops aim to raise awareness and ensure these critical issues are recognised earlier.

“Awareness remains paramount.”

Protecting children from exploitation and gangs

Behind every statistic is a child. Behind every child is a family.

The evidence is clear: exploitation reshapes childhoods, families, and futures. But it doesn’t have to. With the right evidence-based support — delivered early, persistently, and with compassion — we can protect young people long before they reach crisis point.

*Name changed to protect identity.