of the which my department focused on were very much evidence led, so we looked at the evidence base, we looked at the the things we could to to protect communities to build resilience within communities. community after community, many vulnerable women in particular, saying we are living in fear, we are trapped that doesn t sound like progress, that sounds like it is actually as bad as it has ever been always? what i m saying is that there has been progress, i m not saying that the situation is resolved. it is far from it, which is why the programme is still ongoing. and the fear that exists in communities is a still significant. we worked very closely with victims of this particular crime and it is an insidious crime, because the first of all it is accompanied by shame. what we wanted to do was in the work we do as a department,
that there has been progress, i m - that there has been progress, i m not saying that the situation is resolved. it is far from it, not saying that the situation is resolved. it is farfrom it, which is why the programme is still ongoing. and the fear that exists in communities is a still significant. we work very closely with victims of this particular crime and it is an insidious crime, because the first of all it is accompanied by shame. what we wanted to do was in the work we do as a department, to try to tackle those taboo is and shame is so people were relieved of that burden. 0ne one man, we re calling allen, turned to loan sharks after a change in his circumstances. after it for some to give up work. we have disguised his identity because he is too scared to speak openly his words are spoken by an actor. i was petrified, it made me feel vulnerable, very, very vulnerable. i was worried sick.
didn t want to help. yeah. but the clear message from this case study is that people in that community didn t think that was an option. no, and that s part of the difficulty because you had someone there who was willing to go down that route, but then was directed towards an alternative route of resolution, which in the long run doesn t solve the problem. and i suppose i m not sitting in judgment on the individual. after months of living in fear, jane was finally able to escape her debt by selling family possessions. there s people being exploited. gonna cost more than money to fix this. it s costing people their lives, their homelife, their livelihood, everything. it s huge. hardship gives loan sharks an opening. fear is what lets them thrive.
will get what we are owed, one way oranothen ii will get what we are owed, one way or another- or another. it was launched in 2016 to combat paramilitaries or another. it was launched in 2016 to combat paramilitaries and - to combat paramilitaries and associated criminality. ajoint strategy with the police and hmrc. formerjustice minister led the programme until the executive folded. do you think progress has been made, has it been a good investment? i been made, has it been a good investment? been made, has it been a good investment? ~ ., , , investment? i think it has been, i think there investment? i think it has been, i think there is investment? i think it has been, i think there is still investment? i think it has been, i think there is still more investment? i think it has been, i think there is still more work - investment? i think it has been, i think there is still more work to l think there is still more work to do, i think that those part of the which my depart
because i was petrified. but when i handed that over he told me i owed them £1,300 because i had borrowed the money for a month. and they said it was the interest, so it was. so who can help? prosecution of money lenders is extremely difficult, and there s little sign that the executive s attempts to tackle the problem is changing things. frontline community groups we ve spoken to in recent months say they feel like they re operating in a vacuum, and that means they have to step in to help victims in spiralling debt and fear of violence by mediating on their behalf with the paramilitaries. east belfast mission is dealing directly with victims of paramilitary loan sharks.