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<p>The Government recognises the devastating impact of county lines activity on children
and vulnerable people which can include both sexual and criminal exploitation.</p><p>We
are determined to disrupt these ruthless gangs and put an end to the exploitation
associated with county lines. The Home Office has announced £25m of targeted investment
over this year and next to uplift the law enforcement response to this exploitative
model of drugs supply and to increase specialist support to children, young people
and their families who are affected.</p><p>This is in addition to providing £3.6m
to establish the new National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC) in September
2018, which has significantly enhanced our cross-border intelligence and activity
on county lines to better safeguard and protect victims of county lines. Work is ongoing
to protect the exploited and target the offenders, and in four separate weeks of law
enforcement intensification over 2,500 arrests have been made and over 3,000 vulnerable
individuals have been engaged for safeguarding.</p><p>The Government provides a range
of support for county lines victims including: funding Young People’s Advocates in
Birmingham, Manchester and London to work directly with gang-affected women and girls,
especially if they have been victims, or are at risk, of sexual violence by gangs
including county lines; funding through the Trusted Relationships fund of £13 million
to help foster relationships between frontline professionals and young people at risk
of sexual exploitation including exploitation through county lines; and the £22m Early
Intervention Youth Fund is funding 10 projects which will specifically address those
at risk of involvement in county lines and criminal exploitation.</p>
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