I just watched an interview with Glodi Wabelua, the UK’s first drug dealer convicted of Human Trafficking under the Modern Day Slavery Act.
This young man, at the age of 14 was kicked out of home by his parents and was homeless. He was then exploited by an older man and was sent to sell drugs in Hastings. Here he was robbed and eventually arrested for possession of class A drugs with intent to supply (PWITS). Glodi pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3years in custody.
He has never been recognised as a victim of exploitation and no help or support was offered to him on his release from prison.
This is an absolutely heartbreaking story and highlights to me the importance of interventions, help and support for our young people.
Opinions will always be divided, however, Glodi was once a vulnerable 14 year old boy who was exploited.
Victims of criminal exploitation face as much trauma as victims of sexual abuse! We can’t help anyone if we see one as voluntary and the other as forced.
Once upon a time, that 18 year old murderer was an 11 year old boy who was groomed and exploited. He too was sent all over the country, forced to sell drugs. Forced to sleep in trap houses, beaten if anything went wrong. He too was told that his family would deal with the consequences if anything went wrong.
Years later this kid becomes angry, bitter, desensitised. He has entered a lifestyle he knew nothing about. Kicked out school he begins to develop poor mental health.
Anxiety, PTSD, depression, maybe even psychosis from the skunk he uses to make himself feel better.
He can’t be on the streets without looking over his shoulder. He can’t trust anyone.
One day he takes a life.
Or his life is taken.
Or he ends up with a lengthy prison sentence.
Im not trying to justify or make any excuses here, I just need people to understand that there is a reason for everything.
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