Child criminal exploitation and the victim–offender overlap: A trauma-informed reconceptualisation

Abstract

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE) is currently receiving significant attention in the United Kingdom with the proposal of a new dedicated offence. Presently, CCE is pursued under the Modern Slavery Act (2015) which aims to address exploitation through perpetrator accountability and victim support. Our research reveals new insights into trauma bonding, coercion, and ‘ideal victim’ narratives that complicate legal and safeguarding responses. Deploying new conceptual insights into social bonds and structural inequalities that generate trauma and enable exploitation, analysis of existing and proposed new legislation in the United Kingdom uncovers how measures often fall short in practice. We argue that existing instruments inadequately reflect the lived realities of exploited children, perpetuating harmful binaries of ‘victim’ and ‘offender’. Children are rarely identified as victims, statutory defences are misunderstood, and referral processes often fail to trigger meaningful investigations or long-term support. Drawing on existing research, we synthesise theoretical concepts from various fields including child sexual abuse trauma, domestic abuse and scenarios of coercive control, hostage taking and gang involvement. We argue that reframing CCE through a trauma-informed approach offers a more effective means of understanding and responding to exploitation. This explanatory model aims to inform – and integrate – legal and safeguarding strategies to more effectively support exploited children, challenge systemic failings, and promote justice and protection.