news, we look at the hidden world of girls in gangs. a warning, some people may find the following programme distressing. the way children have been groomed has been the same for centuries, but the tactics around that exploitation have changed. it's very normalised that girls should be sexualised and sent around. this is a generation - that has been born into the internet age. the boys that are in gangs, they have girlfriends. the girls will do a lot of bad stuff for them just because they're in love with them. he had me selling his drugs for him. i think i was about 12, - they gave me stuff to hold. i looked in the bag and it was a gun. i that was when they were - grooming me for other stuff. lots of people told me to do it, and then you have other people telling you that it's wrong. it was exploitation and it was grooming. when girls are being sexually exploited in gangs, _ i there is a level of humiliationl that goes with that that people don't understand, and it isjust terrifying. - i still dream about- the victims that i created. ijust couldn't see a way out. 0nce they're involved, the purpose is to exploit, to make money, and it is ruthless. ijust couldn't even - look at myself any more. i don't think i wanted to die, ijust wanted to be free of the pain. there is a higher percentage of males that are picked up in terms of criminal exploitation. there is an underrepresentation of females. the way that children are exploited has been the same for centuries. what is happening is largely because of technology, the tools that they have to undertake these tactics have increased. the thing about girls is, because they are hidden, we don't really know what's going on. when you're understanding the structure of gangs, you have your elders, who are sort of out of the picture, nobody really knows who they are, all the money gets sent there. they are way out of the picture. they are usually older males. then you've got olders, controlling what we would class as street gangs. that is what we are talking about, street gangs. and the olders will run that. your youngers are the ones you're seeing getting killed in the streets. they're the ones that are out there, probably operating from a trap house, they're the ones that are feeding all of the money up to the olders. then you have your runners, they're the ones that will take the drugs, they're just running at about. you have your tinnies, who are children under the age of ten because they cannot be held criminally responsible for what they're doing. they've got quite a lot of power, because obviously the olders have got quite a lot of use for them. then you have links, usually girls who are there for sex. that's how it looks within a gang. if you want to do it very quickly, that is what it looks like. females... females can obviously be at any position, i guess, but they're not going to get much past a younger. if you think about it like a management situation, there's this many olders, then there's a whole lot of youngers, all fighting to become olders. for a girl to progress in that situation is very rare. a girl could progress by being quite ruthless, i would imagine. theyjust made everything, like, shivving and all of that, and it's not good. cos i've had people my age singing about they have shivved three men up. because they're talking - about shivving, if you don't stab someone, . you're like a link. i would say mainly from about 13 onwards, as the years went on, i started hanging around with people that were a lot older than me. i was influenced into fighting, robbing... if someone snitched, call me and i would beat them up. if someone did this, call aliyah. you look over my way or at my people, and i will come up and i will knock you out. i enjoyed beating up at one point in my life. you want something held, iwill hold it. you want something delivered, iwill take it. you want me to be in the car while you go and do something, i will be there. my mum and my dad would argue all the time. my dad would beat my mum up. we would get beaten. i used to come home after school and the window would be open. we would know that daddy has his stuff, and we'ld have a good evening. if the window was shut, we're not having a good evening. but we've known that our whole life, we've always known. that is what daddy took for him to be happy, but also it made him very horrible. i was born into poverty, i was domestically abused. there is no way around that. i was. the domestic abuse was taking place before my mum was pregnant, whilst, after. i was never the victim in terms of being hit, but it was always present. it was a very criminal household, there was always something going on. the domestic abuse ended once my dad went to prison for the first time. but then, that impacted on my mum's mental health. there was never a safe time, there was always something going on. there would be no food or no money on quite a few occasions. me and my sister, we would literally cry ourselves to sleep together, on top of my bunk bed. i often went to bed in pain because i was hungry. because of my mum's mental health, she could not work for ages. she wouldn't even go out for five weeks. a lot of girls that have parents with mental—health, they slip through the system because they're not naughty, so you get left. so that's what happened. there was a social services, but only a couple of times. the first time i remember getting drunk, when i was eight, it was my dad's birthday, i was given the champagne. i was severely intoxicated and got rushed to hospital, to then find out that i had alcohol poisoning. after that, i would drink. i was drinking because i was depressed. i think i was hurting, i was hiding a lot of trauma. i was going through things i never spoke about, things that had happened. i was just not stable, i didn't feel safe. i didn't have that umbrella. home is not always a safe place for young people. if you think about the places where safe places should be, home, school, that is not always the case. i was failed by every professional around me, social services, the police, doctors, they all failed me. they failed me by not listening to what i wasn't saying. they would ask me direct questions like, are you scared of your dad? i would say no. there were never asked me how my mum got a black eye. so, being hungry, having a parent with mental—health — these things going on, it raises vulnerabilities that leave you open to exploitation. people that exploit do not go into any situation of exploitation winging it, and it starts with building relationships, forming relationships, starting to break relationships down, like domestic abuse. it is a very manipulative way that gangs bring children into the fold, but it isn't a fold, it is a mask of exploitation. my mum met someone, a friend of a friend. he started coming to my house, and then his friend came. the first person that came, i saw him as a normal person, just a friend. they show that they like you, and then you like them. they ask you, "can my friend come?" that friend asks if another friend comes, they come and they say, "can you hold this for me, please? i will give you some money." they want you to hold drugs or weapons. three floors of people selling drugs from my house, and using my house as a trap house, and a base for them to stay. it becomes dangerous and unsafe. 0ur life was basicallyjust survival mode at that point. they are living in households where there is violence, where there is parental substance misuse, mental health that is undiagnosed, and these young people are trying to get away from that. that can be a big driver for pushing a young person into criminal activity. i properly got put into care when i was 12. as time went by, i was going through my own mental health and i was running away, so there were quite a few occasions where i was rough sleeping. i would get up in the morning, i would put on my clothes, probably go into bed with those clothes. we didn't have shampoo, i was washing with cold water and washing up liquid. there was a group of young people between 13 and 25, i don't know. they'd park their cars, they were always laughing and joking. you just wanted to be part of that. and they befriended me, they let me stand by them. there's a lot of young people that are seeking for their emotional needs to be met, maybe not feeling confident, seeking that recognition from outsiders, whether that is online or out in the community. there was a girl. i was 11 or 12, she was about 16. she was so beautiful and she had big curly hair. when the others were maybe taking the mickey out of me or saying unkind things about my clothes, she would be like, "allow it," so she was always very kind. over time, that child thinks that they are friends, that then leads to a point where the gang never can call in a favour. it's a thin veneer that allows this trust to be exploited. there was a point where i had been partying with them for so long, i had been getting everything for free, i would hold weapons or things like that, but then people would put pressure on, the boys were put pressure on, you're13 or 14, and these boys want to have sex. she told me, you don't have to have six, just make sure other girls are there that will. if you brought those girls, they would not do stuff to you. once you realise that, you decide that is what you're going to do, life changes. you were protecting yourself? by bringing other girls in, i'm protecting myself, or i think i am, but i am not. it brings out something in you that you cannot understand until you have been there. you have to befriend these girls, look in their face and be like, "come and party, it's free." no matter how much you like them, when my man says that he has chosen that one, you have to go and tell that girl that's what time it is. or they will rape you. there's only so many times that you can hear a line—up — when man after man does what he wants with a girl in a room, it triggers something in you that is nothing other than fear. do you know how me times they said they would rape my mum? it changes something in you. for me personally, i cannot speak for anyone else, i have nightmares, i haven't had a full night's sleep in years. i still dream about the victims i created, or i dream about the things that i heard and i saw. some girls can be sexually assaulted, and they don't want to be a sneak so they stay quiet. i started self harming. i went through a few things, this was when i was 13 or 14. i had no way to get it out. i was drinking more, i was running away more, i was having breakdowns — but silent breakdowns where there were no tears. i would just go out and get drunk, and i knew that when i would get drunk, i would black out, because i wouldn't feel it. cos i don't think i wanted to die, ijust wanted to be free of the pain. yeah. so it got worse. then there was a last time were i took an overdose, and they told me that day that i wouldn't be able to have kids, because of the damage it had done to me. that was the last time i ever harmed myself. so it was years, a good 2—3 years, of hurting myself. sometimes i didn't want to do that to myself because i didn't want people to see the marks. because of what i went through, the things that i did, it has affected me, i am now making it affect other people. that is a vicious cycle. i was fighting my way out, punching my way out. it took a long way to get out of that. 0nce girls are in gangs or any organised network, however entrenched or otherwise, they are vulnerable. they will be exploited. it doesn't matter if they are black or white, if they're 12 or 16, if their dad and mum are rich, or if they're poor. it doesn't matter if they are single—parent families, it doesn't matter. 0nce they're involved, the purpose is to exploit, to make money, and it's ruthless. they do not care about these children. the scope of girls that are being exploited, l criminally and sexually, is growing _ some are unaware they are being exploited because models- are used on them, where they do believe that they are in _ a romantic relationship with a partner. - what they don't realise i is that partner is actually a perpetrator. when i was a teenager, i met a guy in his 20s. we got into a relationship together. i sold his drugs, i couldn't tell that i was being exploited at that time because of what i went through. i could honestly slap myself in the face, because i'm not stupid but i was young and i was naive and very, very vulnerable. they are more likely to be looking for genuinely loving relationships, so it's not difficult then for an older man involved in criminal networks to appear like that. you're hearing all of the things you want to hear, you get so lost in that world that you're not realising what's actually happening and what you're getting yourself into, or what this older person has got you into. say if you're in a relationship and they keep asking - for pictures, and then - you don't want to send them, or you're scared they will leave you or something, | so you keep sending them. once you get into some i argument, they will send them out everywhere. the way safeguarding used to work mainly is around keeping the child safe from harm from within the home. however, things have changed. the addition of social media adds a contextual factor. victims of over 80% of online offences are young girls. it can start as a friend request. if you add random people and you don't know who they are, if you get mentioned or something, they have no idea what you look like or who you are, and they will still ask you for nudes because they know you're a young girl. i don't think it is a sense of, you are pretty or you are very developed, it'sjust more like a sense of power. like, you feel you can do that to someone. they have direct access to your personal life. i it's much easier to get to know you in a very short space - of time and it's much more difficult for that girl- or young person to put those barriers up. - you have people wanting you to do it, and then you have other people telling you that it is wrong and gross to do it. so you're torn. it's really important that young people are given the opportunity to understand what is healthy sexual development and what is harmful sexual development, that they have an understanding of consent and when they can say no. you might have done - what you did and you might regret it, and you cannot tell- someone because they willjudge you. they willjudge you for what you did. they think it is normal now and it isn't. - the answer is not to stop children from accessing the internet, because i don't thing that would take away the harm. the answer is to make sure these sites think about how users use their websites, how they sign up, what age they are. we need the legislation to make them take that action. children's needs are changing, and that means the way in which we work with them and the way in which we safeguard them needs to change, as well. a lot of our safeguarding models are built on old ways of working, where social media doesn't exist. we have to acknowledge that there is a gap in knowledge, and we have to acknowledge that, actually, these young people and the girls we're working with are the experts of their situation. i didn't know i was traumatised before, and i think a bit of that still lies in me now. i have to manage it a lot more than i did before. i didn't know what was going on, i didn't know i was depressed, i didn't know i was becoming an alcoholic, i didn't know i was a bully. i stopped harming myself, i stopped hurting people. that's where bridges lane comes into it. memoriesjust come back, everything. that is where it all started. that's where i got better. nine—and—a—half years since i have lived here. i had just turned 15, i arrived here with no trust, angry. i was angry at the world, at myself, because i wanted my mum and my dad. i got allocated by my key worker, rowena. i needed a family unit. ijust wanted to cry and hug someone, and i got to do that here. that house, that home toned me down. i wasn't lost no more. it gave me someone to trust, rowena, within that care home. don't cry! are you crying already? rowena! don't cry. i miss you, too. do i look different? your bedroom. i remember, i had two bedrooms. you wanted two rooms, but you just had one. but i had stuff in that room, so i had two. bridges lane is where it all started. you needed someone to believe in you, but you made it work. rowena believed in me, 100%. she was in my corner, you were patient. you didn't rush me. thank you for being my rowena. no one can ever say my name properly! it's like you never left, you have always been there. i don't think i could ever not know you, ever. don't cry! it's annoying. i never let no—one get up close and personal with me, ever, and rowena got into me somehow. by fire or by force! she just got into me. it's been a journey. this has been the best journey ever. like, just the family things, as well. either way, we were going to be a family, whether you liked it or not. we were going to eat, have breakfast on saturday. we ate together! that's one rule i didn't break. i didn't go up to my room with food. you had no choice! community is important to remind girls that there is hope at the end of the tunnel, because that encouragement that source of support is really important in boosting how these girls view themselves. there are lots of examples of girls who have been in these situations who have come out of it, you know? they are fantastic role models. there is nothing to stop any of these girls from becoming that. i think it will happen and it needs to happen sooner than it already is, but the fact we're having these conversations now is a step in the right direction. we weren't hearing - the voice of the survivor. what every girl needs is people to not give up on them. - it isn't all lost, it isn't all bad. | it's about understanding the trauma you went - through and turning that - into something so you can push forward. so you are not - forgotten any more. i was written off completely. i was that kid that you didn't want your kid to sit next to. | i have gone on to achieve — i have my own company, i i'm educated, i have not- forgotten where i came from. i will do everything _ in my power to make sure that girls feel the same way. i used to care about my friends more than myself but as you get older... you shouldn't change yourself for anyone, no matter what anyone says about you. it was hard. i had my ups and downs, but it's started to pick back up again. i've met someone, then i found out i was pregnant, and she is my saviour. i thank the lord everyday for that, and for her and for my life. but i'm still on a journey. my daughter is in my care. iam a mum, a mummy, a mother. i have a home, not a house. i work and i'm happy. my community and the area that i live in, it's smiles every day. "hello, hi!" that was never me. i'm in a better place. so, yeah... i was trying so hard. yeah. i'm all right. wet and windy weather, moves away. it will stay wet for most of the day, the rain comes into the south—eastern scotland. further south across wales, southern england, it will brighten up but they will be showers. where it is what it will be windy, it will feel cold. some rain could head to not his colon. the west has been missed for scotland and ireland. low pressure take the pressure away, and the next weather is still common during wednesday. wednesday morning is 24 wednesday. wednesday morning is 2a eastern parts of england. when will ease. cloud show should move. sunshine will, for many areas for a while. 0ut should move. sunshine will, for many areas for a while. out of the west, it will cloud throughout the day. rain coming in as well, mainly affecting northern ireland. ahead of that, a little bit warmer. highs around 16 or 17. goodbye. welcome to bbc news. i'm lewis vaughan jones. our top stories: facebook apologises as its platforms suffer their biggest ever outage. they say service on the social network, on whatsapp, and instagram is resuming but full access may take some time. a donor to britain's governing party involved in a russian corruption scandal. the latest allegation to come out of the pandora papers. we report from haiti, where busloads of migrants supported by the us find themselves back in a country they haven't lived in in years. translation: what hurts i is the treatment we received. inhuman. most of all, the chains on our feet. we're not slaves. migration is a right, not a crime.

Related Keywords

Facebook , Social Network , Outage , Users , Instagram , Whatsapp , Six , Company , Biden , Access , Republicans , Plans , Debt Ceiling , America , 100 , Agreement , Tv Shows , Governments , Shutdown , Crew , Borrowings , Hollywood Films , 20 Trillion , Contract , Producers , Productions , Walkout , History , Station , Halt , Reductions , Bbc News , Union , Girls , People , Way , Children , Gangs , World , Tactics , Same , Programme , Following , Warning , Exploitation , Internet Age , Lot , Drugs , Stuff , Boys , Girlfriends , Love , 12 , It , Lots , Bag , Gun , Grooming , Purpose , Level , Victims , Ijust Couldn T , Humiliationl , Isjust Terrifying , 0 , Spain , Money , Ijust , Males , Percentage , Terms , Criminal Exploitation , Tools , Underrepresentation , Females , Happening , Technology , Thing , What S Going On , Olders , Picture , Street Gangs , Out , Structure , Class , Elders , Nobody , Wall , Ones , Youngers , Trap House , Runners , Streets , Age , Tinnies , Ten , Power , Sex , Links , Gang , Have , Use , Situation , Fighting , Younger , Position , Management , Girl , Everything , Cos , Shivving , Theyjust , Stab Someone , Link , Men , Three , 13 , Someone , Someone Snitched , Call Aliyah , Something , In My Life , Iwill , One , Dad , Car , Home , Daddy , School , Window , Mum , We Ld , Evening , Life , Mother , Abuse , Place , Victim , Poverty , Hit , Mental Health , Time , Household , Prison , Bed , Food , Occasions , Me And My Sister , Bunk Bed , Top , She Wouldn T , Services , Parents , Ages , System , Five , Drunk , Times , Couple , Birthday , Hospital , Champagne , Eight , Alcohol Poisoning , Things , Trauma , Safe , Umbrella , Places , Case , Doctors , Social Services , Parent , Police , Wasn T Saying , Questions , Black Eye , Exploit , Vulnerabilities , Exploitation Winging It , Relationships , Building Relationships , It Isn T A Fold , Mask , Friend , Person , House , Weapons , Floors , Base , My House , 0ur Life Was Basicallyjust Survival Mode , Households , Point , Violence , Substance Misuse , Care , Criminal Activity , Driver , Clothes , Sleeping , Group , I Don T Know , Water , Shampoo , Washing Up Liquid , 25 , Part , Joking , Cars , Needs , Community , Recognition , Outsiders , 11 , 16 , Others , Mickey , Hair , Friends , Child , Favour , Veneer , Angry , Partying , Pressure , Will , Pressure On , 14 , Life Changes , It Doesn T , Oman , Party , Room , Nothing , Line Up , Fear , Anyone , Haven T , Sleep , Nightmares , Breakdowns , Tears , I Wouldn T , Overdose , Marks , Damage , Kids , 2 , 3 , Cycle , Way Out , Network , White , 0nce , Families , Doesn T Matter , Some , Scope , L Criminally , Partner , Relationship , Models , Perpetrator , Guy In His 20s , I Couldn T , Teenager , 20 , Face , Networks , You Don T , Pictures , I Argument , Harm , Everywhere , Safeguarding , Social Media , Factor , Addition , Offences , Friend Request , 80 , Sense Of , Nudes , Idea , Sense , It Sjust , Difficult , Barriers , Development , Understanding , Consent , Opportunity , Isn T , Answer , Internet , Sites , Websites , Action , Changing , Legislation , Gap , Knowledge , Working , Ways , Bit , Experts , Bridges Lane , Alcoholic , Bully , Come Back , Memoriesjust , Nine , 15 , Rowena , Family Unit , More , Hug , Care Home , Don T Cry , Trust , Bedroom , Rooms , Bedrooms , Two , Patient , Corner , Name , Family , Journey , Fire , Force , Breakfast , Hope , Rule , Choice , Tunnel , Source , Encouragement , Support , Situations , Role Models , Examples , Fact , Step , Survivor , Direction , Conversations , The Voice , We Weren T Hearing , Isn T All Lost , Isn T All Bad , Kid , Achieve , Ups And Downs , Saviour , Lord , Area , Daughter , Mummy , Iam , Rain , Weather , Most , South , South Eastern Scotland , Wales , Southern England , Showers , West , Colon , Northern Ireland , Areas , Eastern Parts , Sunshine Will , Cloud Show , 0ut , 24 , Well , Highs , Rain Coming , Goodbye , 17 , Vaughan Jones , To Britain S Governing Party , Platforms , On Whatsapp , Stories , Donor , Migrants , Haiti , Allegation , Scandal , Corruption , Papers , Busloads , Russian , Pandora , Migration , Treatment , Right , Crime , Country , Translation , Feet , Chains , Slaves ,