The first in a series of three hard-hitting short films highlighting the harm being caused by paramilitaries has been launched by the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC). They are based on detailed insight and research conducted by SSESW academic Colm Walsh, as commissioned by EPPOC.

‘Violence’, ‘Community Worker’ and ‘Child Criminal Exploitation’ provide insight into how today’s paramilitary gangs intimidate, control, and coerce individuals and communities. The films are presented in case study style and feature three individuals, a young woman, a 19-year-old man and a community worker.

Adele Brown, Director of EPPOC, said:

“We created these short films to expose how young people are groomed, recruited, exploited, and harmed by paramilitary criminal gangs. Evidence shows paramilitarism continues to affect up to 40% of adults and 45% of young people in Northern Ireland and in some areas these figures can be almost double. Preliminary research estimates this costs Northern Ireland a minimum of £0.5bn a year.

The EPPOC programme is investing in over 100 projects across the community, voluntary and public sector with the aim of creating safer communities which are resilient to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control. The programme funds activities that are designed to break the cycle of paramilitary harm in our communities. Our EA Connect Programme reduced young people’s intent to engage in violence from 43% to 3%. We understand that a sustained and collaborative approach can make a difference.”

SSESW academic Dr Colm Walsh (Criminology) said:

“The Troubles normalised violence in many communities, making them the perfect breeding ground for paramilitaries and criminals to operate in. Today we are getting to grips with the hidden harms caused by these gangs such as child criminal exploitation, abuse of women, coercive control, economic crime, extortion, and gatekeeping.

My research has revealed examples of young people being actively groomed over a prolonged period of time, taking increasingly dangerous risks to undertake more serious forms of crime. Young people described activities such as violence, intimidation, extortion, property damage and the concealment of weapons. The study revealed there was significant overlap between Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Criminal Exploitation, with young men and women at risk of being exploited in different ways within criminal and non-criminal networks. The research also revealed that very often victims do not realise they are being manipulated and exploited.

The three films use this research to show how today’s paramilitaries use coercive and controlling behaviours to ruthlessly groom and abuse young people. The films shine a light on how paramilitary groups and gangs target and manipulate young people and the devastating impact this has on them. They will form the basis of an educational workshop where practitioners will screen the videos as a means to engage with groups of young people about the issues highlighted.”