Rise in number of girls being identified as victims in county lines exploitation, data shows

"Marike van Harskamp, the head of policy at Catch22, stated, 'Part of the problem is that there is a very gendered understanding of criminal exploitation and county lines, that it only concerns boys. It often means girls are not properly identified.'"

"Catch22 highlighted that while about half of the boys referred to its county lines service received support from the National Referral Mechanism, only about one in six girls received similar assistance."

"The boyfriend model plays a significant role in how girls become victims of county lines exploitation, as they are often groomed into believing they are in a relationship before being forced into criminal activities."

Data from Catch22 indicates that girls and young women represented 22% of its county lines caseload in 2025, up from 15% in 2024. The charity supports government efforts to combat county lines exploitation, which involves gangs transporting drugs from urban to rural areas. A gendered understanding of the issue often leads to girls being overlooked as victims. While half of boys referred to the service receive support, only one in six girls do. The boyfriend model is a key factor in girls' involvement in criminal exploitation.

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