Clare, Isobel ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6732-7807 and Loughery, Amy (2025) Women's Experiences of County Lines-Related Cuckooing in North Yorkshire. In: Bainbridge, Laura, Broad, Rose and Loughery, Amy, (eds.) Understanding and Preventing ‘Cuckooing’ Victimisation: County Lines and Beyond. Routledge

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Abstract

This chapter draws on empirical research into the experiences of women with involvement in county lines in North Yorkshire. Cuckooing, which is often understood as a form of county lines-related exploitation, is an issue of particular concern in this region and women who experienced cuckooing report high levels of sexual exploitation, abuse, and physical violence. The home is often understood as a safe place and cuckooing is particularly destructive as it targets spaces where individuals ought to feel safe. For these women, their homes were constructed as a source of vulnerability when interacting with county lines and are a site of continued insecurity. Although cuckooing is an exploitative practice, some participants initially viewed being cuckooed as preferable to other options for funding their drug dependence. Women were also cuckooed through romantic relationships. Once county lines groups had taken over their homes, participants described a climate of fear and coercion. Interactions between these women and support organisations are complex and plagued by significant barriers, with cuckooed women often being perceived as to blame for their predicament. This chapter concludes with suggestions for opportunities to provide support and mitigate some of the impacts of county lines cuckooing on female victims.

Item Type:	Book Section
Additional Information:	This is an Accepted Manuscript of a book chapter published by Routledge in Understanding and Preventing ‘Cuckooing’ Victimisation: County Lines and Beyond on 17/11/2025 available online: https://www.routledge.com/Understanding-and-Preventing-Cuckooing-Victimisation-County-Lines-and-Beyond/Bainbridge-Broad-Loughery/p/book/9781032766447
Status:	Published
DOI:	10.4324/9781003479406-6/
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
School/Department:	School of Humanities
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/13256

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