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Girls in gangs leading desperate lives, says report | Girls in gangs leading desperate lives, says report |
(35 minutes later) | |
Girls in gangs are leading "desperate lives" in which "rape is used as a weapon and carrying drugs and guns is seen as normal", a think tank has said. | Girls in gangs are leading "desperate lives" in which "rape is used as a weapon and carrying drugs and guns is seen as normal", a think tank has said. |
The Centre for Social Justice said the "daily suffering" of thousands of women and girls "goes largely unnoticed". | The Centre for Social Justice said the "daily suffering" of thousands of women and girls "goes largely unnoticed". |
Girls as young as eight are being used to carry drugs, it added. | Girls as young as eight are being used to carry drugs, it added. |
The CSJ called for youth workers to be embedded in hospital trauma units to identify victims, and for more support to be given to help girls leave gangs. | The CSJ called for youth workers to be embedded in hospital trauma units to identify victims, and for more support to be given to help girls leave gangs. |
The CSJ - a right-leaning think tank established by current cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith when he was Conservative Party leader - carried out the research with the London youth charity XLP, speaking to current and former gang members, voluntary organisations and government agencies. | The CSJ - a right-leaning think tank established by current cabinet minister Iain Duncan Smith when he was Conservative Party leader - carried out the research with the London youth charity XLP, speaking to current and former gang members, voluntary organisations and government agencies. |
Targets | Targets |
Researchers producing the Girls and Gangs report heard that: | Researchers producing the Girls and Gangs report heard that: |
Involvement in gang culture has a detrimental impact on the education of girls and young women, researchers said, suggesting that some schools had turned a blind eye to gang activity in order to protect their reputations. | Involvement in gang culture has a detrimental impact on the education of girls and young women, researchers said, suggesting that some schools had turned a blind eye to gang activity in order to protect their reputations. |
One headteacher told the study: "We can't compete with the attraction of fast cars, sex and drugs." | One headteacher told the study: "We can't compete with the attraction of fast cars, sex and drugs." |
The CSJ will host a conference on girls and gangs in London on Monday. | The CSJ will host a conference on girls and gangs in London on Monday. |
Rape as weapon | Rape as weapon |
Deputy policy director, Edward Boyd, said the report had discovered a "brutal underworld" where sexual exploitation and carrying guns and drugs were "almost commonplace". | Deputy policy director, Edward Boyd, said the report had discovered a "brutal underworld" where sexual exploitation and carrying guns and drugs were "almost commonplace". |
"They live in a parallel world where rape is used as a weapon and carrying drugs and guns is seen as normal." | "They live in a parallel world where rape is used as a weapon and carrying drugs and guns is seen as normal." |
Mr Boyd told the BBC that the way police carry out stop-and-search may be inadvertently leading to girls carrying illegal items, since 95% of those stopped were male. | |
Former gang member Tracey Miller said she got involved with gangs due to her bad home life. | Former gang member Tracey Miller said she got involved with gangs due to her bad home life. |
Ms Miller, who said she was convicted of stabbing someone, said she had carried a knife for protection. | Ms Miller, who said she was convicted of stabbing someone, said she had carried a knife for protection. |
"I think I got away with so much for so long because I was a female," she said. | "I think I got away with so much for so long because I was a female," she said. |
The report said a Home Office gangs strategy launched in 2011 had not made enough progress. | The report said a Home Office gangs strategy launched in 2011 had not made enough progress. |
It called for: | It called for: |
Patrick Regan, chief executive of the report's co-author, XLP, said the biggest issue with girls in gangs was that "we simply don't know the full extent of the problem". | |
A recent report by the Office of the Children's Commissioner suggested almost 2,500 children were known to be victims of child sexual exploitation by gangs and groups. | A recent report by the Office of the Children's Commissioner suggested almost 2,500 children were known to be victims of child sexual exploitation by gangs and groups. |
But Mr Regan said the data "is merely the tip of the iceberg". | But Mr Regan said the data "is merely the tip of the iceberg". |
Crime Prevention Minister Norman Baker said the government was leading "ground breaking work" to identify women and girls who can get drawn into gangs. | |
"Girls associated with gangs can face sexual violence and we have provided £1.2 million for 13 Young People's Advocates to support those at risk," he said. | |
He said the government had set up a network of more than 70 people with experience of dealing with gangs to work with 33 of the worst affected areas of the country, including 20 in London. |