Antwerp combines economic prosperity with significant social inequality between neighborhoods. In the most vulnerable communities, adolescents face poverty, limited access to education and employment, which facilitates their recruitment by criminal groups. The port infrastructure is used for cocaine smuggling, and minors are drawn into…

AI SUMMARY Middlesbrough has transformed from a major industrial center into a city facing deindustrialization, mass unemployment, and rising social deprivation. The closure of enterprises and job cuts are linked to poverty, intergenerational unemployment, domestic violence, and decreased social mobility. In the 12 months prior to…

AI SUMMARY Romania remains one of the main countries of origin for victims of human trafficking in the EU, despite a relatively low level of violent crime. In 2020–2024, 2662 victims were identified, about half of whom were children, who were predominantly exploited sexually or through forced labor.…