Oslo police warn of rising vulnerability among girls in criminal networks

Oslo police and city officials have raised concerns over the growing involvement of vulnerable girls in criminal activity, warning that many remain undetected by support systems, Dagbladet reports.

The annual Salto report on youth crime in the capital highlights that while boys have long dominated crime statistics, girls—though still underrepresented—are increasingly appearing in cases of violent offenses. Authorities admit they struggle to identify at-risk girls before they are exploited by criminal networks.

“Girls have largely gone under the radar. We must address this, especially as vulnerable young girls risk being recruited into crime, where ruthless figures stand ready to exploit them,” said Jane Bechmann Dahl, head of the preventive unit at Oslo Police District.

A 2025 Swedish study by Brå (the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention) found that criminal networks target girls precisely because they are harder for law enforcement to detect. Unlike boys, girls rarely climb the ranks in these networks but are often drawn in through relationships with involved males. Their roles typically include transporting, storing, or packaging drugs, or facilitating violence—such as luring victims.

Data from last year shows that two-thirds of girls registered for repeat offenses in Oslo had previously been victims or witnesses in cases involving domestic violence or sexual abuse. The report notes that girls in criminal environments face a higher risk of sexual assault, worsening their mental health and further marginalizing them.

Police and municipal services acknowledge difficulties in detecting girls whose problematic behavior differs from that of boys. While some girls exhibit visible signs like violence or substance abuse, others engage in less obvious but harmful conduct, such as online harassment—including sharing degrading images, spreading rumors, or stalking.

Oslo’s Commissioner for Social Services, Julianne Ferskaug, emphasized the challenge of tracking recruitment via social media. “Our experts see different patterns of behavior. The use of platforms like Snapchat to recruit both girls and boys makes oversight particularly difficult,” she said.

The report also underscores a broader trend: though overall youth crime has slightly declined, offenses are growing more serious, and younger age groups are increasingly involved. Police express particular concern over severe violent crimes and the exploitation of vulnerable minors by criminal networks.