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

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.