'Shove that. There’s always hope': Young people’s lived experience of child criminal exploitation

Maxwell, Nina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3931-7729 2026. 'Shove that. There’s always hope': Young people’s lived experience of child criminal exploitation. Journal of Youth Studies 29 (1) , pp. 54-70. 10.1080/13676261.2024.2397025

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives. Download (725kB)

Abstract

Criminally exploited young people are often found with tangible evidence of criminality, challenging traditional notions of the victim offender dichotomy. This paper presents criminally exploited young people’s narratives regarding their lived experiences in Wales. It offers a nuanced perspective of victimhood by drawing on their personal accounts of how they were offered a false sense of hope by individuals who manipulated their unmet needs and limited resources to garner their trust. Young people appeared resigned to exploitative relationships and violence because of their powerlessness and lack of opportunities but rationalised their involvement rather than acknowledging themselves as victims.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Research Institutes & Centres > Children’s Social Care Research and Development Centre (CASCADE) Schools > Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Publisher:	Taylor and Francis Group
ISSN:	1367-6261
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	29 August 2024
Date of Acceptance:	21 August 2024
Last Modified:	10 Mar 2026 10:53
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/171644

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item