From Isolation to Invasion: Disability and Loneliness as Catalysts for Cuckooing

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of ‘cuckooing’, i.e., the exploitation of people's homes by Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) or by local perpetrators for criminal activities, in the North-East of England. The chapter discusses the strategic shift in organised crime that targets marginalised populations, which in this study primarily includes disabled people and intersections with loneliness, social isolation, and substance misuse. The narratives of practitioners with experience of county lines and cuckooing, alongside victims/survivors with lived experience, are presented. These narratives illustrate the profound social harm to victims/survivors whose homes have been commandeered under the guise of friendship or romantic interest, which escalates into abuse and exploitation. The analysis emphasises the intersections between disability, socio-economic factors, loneliness, and isolation, which render individuals particularly susceptible to cuckooing. In conclusion, there is a discussion of the broader societal implications, emphasising how social and economic inequalities, facilitated by austerity politics, contribute to the structural vulnerabilities that local perpetrators and OCGs exploit. By understanding the impacts and underlying causes of cuckooing, the chapter seeks to foster a more effective approach to highlight how disabled populations, particularly those who are socially isolated, are at particular risk of this form of exploitation within their communities.