You do not need to carry a knife, there is help, there is a life without violence

Too many young lives are being needlessly destroyed. Too much blood is being spilled. Teens across the country are being stabbed – with seven murdered in London alone already this year.

While the motives behind each attack are varied and complex, many young people say they carry knives to protect themselves. It’s never right to carry a weapon and we have a duty, as a society, to break down this misguided mind set.

We must also accept those who pick up these dreadful weapons in the first place may also be lost.

“The pain does not end when you are gone. For those you leave behind, it begins.”

But we cannot get away from the fact that young men in towns and cities across the country, many the age of JOE readers, seem to be increasingly more likely to take a knife with them when they leave home.

People just like you or people you know.

And I speak directly to them when I say this:

There is another way. There is help. There is a life without violence. 

Part of the problem is the more young people see and hear about people carrying knives, the more may think they need to protect themselves by carrying a weapon too.

If you are standing at your front door, contemplating putting a knife in your pocket, know this: You are far more likely to be stabbed with your own blade than you are to use it in self-defence.

And if you are stabbed, there is a high chance you will not survive. 

The pain does not end when you are gone. For those you leave behind, it begins.

I understand there are many young people facing tough life challenges. There might be violence in your family or trouble at home. Exclusion from school may also be a risk factor. Drugs are a huge problem.

We will help those drifting dangerously into the knife crime abyss. 

But we will also protect the innocent.

This week we’ve launched our refreshed #knifefree campaign. 

It shows real life stories of how young people have taken steps to leave the dark world of weapons behind them and no longer feel the need to carry a blade.

These will be shown in cinemas during the Easter holidays and shared on social media. You will notice our campaign posters around key cities and hear anti-knife messaging on digital platforms, including radio. 

One of three young people featured in videos from the campaign is Sean, who found his way out through boxing. For Cameron – whose best friend was repeatedly stabbed – it was the realisation of the pain his mother would feel if he was killed in the street. Meghan found a path away from violence through performing arts. 

These are inspirational stories that prove there is a choice.