“Crossing the Line: Rethinking the Alpha Victim” - The Vulnerability & Policing Futures Research Centre hosts the premiere of a new film
Taking place at Hyde Park Picture House in Leeds, the event brought together researchers, practitioners and policymakers to showcase the film and explore the emerging themes in a panel discussion.
Lead investigator Dr Laura Bainbridge of the School of Law, University of Leeds and postdoctoral researchers Dr Amy Loughery (University of Leeds) and Dr Chris Devany (University of York) created the film for practitioners. It follows the story of Alfie Parker, a teenager whose life has become tangled in exploitation and county lines drug trafficking. Frequently described as a “complex case”, Alfie’s experiences are examined through the lens of a multi-agency meeting, where professionals assess his situation, risks, and vulnerabilities.
While practitioners discuss Alfie, the film centres Alfie’s own voice, revealing how manipulation, fear, and a lack of meaningful support contributed to his exploitation. Through his story, the film challenges the label of “alpha victim” and prompts viewers to reconsider the systems and assumptions that shape responses to young people at risk.
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Following the screening, the panel members reflected on how policing, social care, and community services can better recognise the complexity of people’s lives and respond in trauma‑informed, person‑centred ways. Attendees were invited to consider how systems might move beyond enforcement-led approaches to better support those facing intersecting forms of harm.
L-R: Dr Devany, Heather Wilson, Dr Loughery, Dr Junior Smart OBE, FCGI, and Dr Bainbridge.
The film forms part of a wider suite of resources that have been created for practitioners on recognising “alpha victims” and identifying signs of criminal exploitation and risk factors. This includes a workshop PowerPoint, training plans, worksheets and a resource bank that complement the film.
Dr Laura Bainbridge said:
This film grew out of deep collaboration with people whose voices are too often overlooked within policing and public debate. Our aim was to challenge assumptions about vulnerability and to show the complex realities that sit behind the label of an ‘alpha victim.
We hope the film encourages practitioners and policymakers to rethink how they understand coercion, survival and support, and to see the people behind the narratives.
- Read more about the project Crossing the Line: Rethinking The ‘Alpha Victim’.
