There were 233 murders involving a knife or sharp instrument in the year leading to March 2024 (source ONS). 233 individuals who all had loved ones, hopes and dreams. Their lives should never have ended through being cruelly cut short by senseless and preventable acts of violence.
The new Government’s drive to tackle knife crime is welcome and reassuring given that the announcement has happened so early on in their term. Today’s (9 September 2024) one of a coalition involving Idris Elba – such a high-profile campaigner on this issue – shows they are ready to be held to account.
Swift action now needs to follow these bold commitments which include halving knife crime in the next decade.
At St Giles, we know that measures such as banning the sale of zombie knives provide part of a solution to a bigger package of measures.
Waiting until someone has sadly felt the need to pick up a weapon or experience the terror and pain of one entering their body is too late. We need to start with children – particularly but not exclusively with those from at-risk communities – to not only educate them about the realities and consequences of weapons but support them to become resilient to the narratives that perpetuate weapons crime. This isn’t about lecturing or scaring children – it’s about increasing their confidence, sense of belonging and fostering empathy for each other. It’s also about helping them stay engaged with school and understanding the benefits of an education.
Thanks to funding from the Youth Endowment Fund, we are providing mentors in schools to encourage children and young people to turn to them – not a knife – if things start to go wrong in their lives. Our mentors come from similar backgrounds to the young people they work with and have lived experience of the issues at hand. They’ve been there themselves and can really understand what is going through the heads of the young people they support, appropriately challenging any negative thinking patterns and intervening early on any red flags.
Sadly, hospital is where too many young people end up and often on multiple occasions. Experiencing a violent attack from a weapon is an incredibly traumatic and tragic event. However, it also represents an opportunity to intervene and address the factors which led young people to hospital in the first instance. Whilst in the quiet and safety of a hospital bed, young people have time and space to reflect on their situations and we are there on the ward to help them turn a corner. We work alongside clinical staff to provide emotional and practical support to young victims, establishing trusted relationships, providing support to overcome their trauma and address any issue which increases their vulnerability to future violence. This life-changing service has been proven to be effective in reducing violence. Last year, our team in Royal London Hospital reported a 4.1% re-admission rate for the young people supported by them compared to a national average of 30-40% for this cohort.
There are many other factors driving weapons crime, including county lines exploitation, poverty and historical cuts to public services, especially youth services and ones supporting mental health. It is vital that we work together as this is a multi-faceted problem requiring diverse and comprehensive solutions. By collaborating and sharing, we can each bring our own unique area of expertise to bear.
Unquestionably, any collaboration needs to involve children and young people. They tell us they feel unheard and stigmatised, with well-intentioned interventions often done to them rather than with them. Their views need to be encouraged and heard as peer-to-peer influence amongst young people is incredibly strong and they often hold the key to some of the best solutions to bring. Really listening to young people and understanding their world and pressures would be a great first step for all of us to take.
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