Life on the line: kyle'story

Sabrina Hewitt Using her experience telling the story of the many Kyle's across the country needing our help!

BFCA caught up with Sabrina Hewitt, who recently published her thought-provoking book on Amazon, Life on the Lines: Kyle's Story.

Combining her personal experience of exploitation with her role as a specialist trainer, Sabrina shares a unique narrative that takes readers into the unknown territory of county lines. Her story brings to life the struggles of Kyle, a 14-year-old boy navigating the dangerous world of exploitation, offering a raw and insightful perspective on an issue that affects many vulnerable young people.

As someone who was criminally exploited from a young age, I draw on my personal experiences to provide expert training, advice, and guidance to professionals and organisations working with at-risk children and young people.

Driven by a deep passion to raise awareness about exploitation, I decided to write Life on the Lines, a fictional story about Kyle, a 14-year-old boy from London who is groomed and exploited through county lines. Fiction is a powerful way to highlight society’s darker realities, and Kyle’s story serves multiple purposes—it doesn’t just entertain; it educates and initiates critical dialogue about the pressing issues surrounding child exploitation.

Children, particularly teens, are vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation. Through Kyle’s journey, I aim to bring visibility to the overlooked aspects of this reality, showing how predators manipulate young minds. His story serves as a lens to help readers understand how such situations unfold and how easily anyone can fall victim, regardless of their background.

Focusing on Kyle’s adolescent perspective allows me to delve into the emotions, confusion, and decision-making challenges young people face. Adolescence is a vulnerable time when external pressures and lack of life experience can lead to poor choices. Kyle’s story humanizes a demographic that is often judged rather than understood.

Narratives around criminal exploitation open up essential conversations about youth protection, legal accountability, and community support. My hope is that Kyle’s story will challenge stereotypes, spark discussions, and inspire policy changes. By framing this issue within a personal and relatable story, I aim to make these abstract concepts feel immediate and urgent, prompting readers to reflect on how society can better protect its youth.

Fiction has long been a tool for inspiring social change. Kyle’s story shines a light on the systemic failures—broken families, inadequate social services, and educational shortcomings—that allow children to be exploited. It evokes compassion, outrage, and a desire to repair these cracks, empowering readers to become part of the solution.

Many view crime simplistically, seeing only wrongdoers rather than victims of circumstance. Kyle’s story challenges this perspective, encouraging empathy for those coerced into criminal activity. By exploring the psychological impact of exploitation, it highlights how deeply these experiences affect a young person’s mental health, selfworth, and future. Kyle’s journey through trauma and recovery offers a deeper emotional connection, encouraging readers to understand the complexities faced by real-life victims.

Writing Life on the Lines allows me to mirror real-life issues and raise awareness about how society must protect its most vulnerable members. This story is not just about Kyle—it’s about the countless young people facing similar situations, and it calls for change.

If Kyle’s story resonates with you and you want to gain a deeper understanding of the realities faced by vulnerable children, Life on the Lines is a must-read. By supporting this book, you’re not only embracing a powerful narrative, but also raising awareness about the critical issue of child exploitation. Together, we can spark much-needed conversations and drive change.