Beyond the Headlines:  Why lived experience and early support are key to reducing knife crime 

Knife crime in the UK has dominated headlines in recent months, sparking widespread concern. While the statistics are shocking, they only scratch the surface of a deeper, more complex issue.  

To truly understand and reduce knife crime, we must look beyond the numbers. Tools like our Core Indicators of Violence dashboard, delving into knife crime trends across England and Wales, help us track key data. But the human stories behind these figures reveal the urgent need for early intervention, community support and lived experience at the heart of solutions.  

The reality behind the numbers 

Knife crime is always spoken about through statistics, but behind every number is a real young person, somebody friend, sibling, or child. The recently published Children, Violence and Vulnerability 2024 (CVV 2024) findings did not shock me as much as I thought it would, but what it did do was sadden me. We have a long way to go before actual change is seen.  

The figures show what many of us already know, and from experience, violence is becoming normalised, and in some communities, it is part of their everyday livelihood. Too many young people feel unsafe, unheard, and unprotected. The normalisation of violence is a reflection of systemic failures that need urgent attention.  

The role of social media in youth violence 

In today’s digital age, young people can easily access knife-related content on social media platforms. This exposure can distort their perceptions of safety and normality — It makes carrying a knife seem like a normal, even necessary part of life.  

Social media can unintentionally amplify fears by making dangerous behaviours appear more widespread than they truly are, fuelling anxiety and, at times, imitation. However, this also reveals that the problem is far more complex and deep-rooted than we might assume. Algorithms don’t differentiate between curiosity and vulnerability, and young people can be groomed online into thinking that violence equals respect. The line between performance and reality blurs, especially when platforms are used to plan or glorify violence. Despite growing awareness, the question remains: what are we actually doing about it? 

Why  lived experiences matters 

For me, this issue is personal. My brother once felt that carrying a knife was the only way to protect himself. That experience stayed with me, not just because of the fear it created, but because of what it revealed: the deep lack of safety, trust, and support young people feel when they turn to weapons for security. Nothing I said ever made him feel safe because his fears became a reality – that’s why I joined YEF’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB). 

I believe that lived experience should be at the heart of shaping solutions to youth violence. And I believe in change. We can’t keep reacting only when it’s too late. That’s why interventions are so important. Whether it’s access to mentoring, therapy, youth spaces, or trauma-informed education, early support can save lives. A young person carrying a weapon might not be doing it to harm — they might be doing it because they’re scared. Interventions can shift that mindset and offer them safer paths. We need to stop viewing everything as a one-size-fits-all approach; not every young person feels and thinks the same. Each reason is valid, pain is pain, and nobody does something for no reason.  

It takes all of us 

No young person is born to carry knives or be exposed to them – things happen that cause that mindset. What’s clear is this: young people don’t just need punishment, they need understanding. They need communities, role models, and organisations that believe in their potential. Tackling knife crime requires collaboration across all seven sectors —  

• Youth Sector
• Youth Justice 
• Children’s Services 
• Education 
• Health 
• Neighbourhood 
• Policing 

Each play a vital role in prevention and early intervention. 

What you can do 

My message to the reader is: Knife crime is not inevitable. We all have a role to play: 

• Speak up when you see something wrong.  
• Support local youth projects.  
• Consider volunteering your time at local charities that support young people, your guidance could make a lasting difference.  
• Listen to young people not just when they’ve made a mistake, but before they reach that point.  

Let’s stop talking about young people and start working with them. 

Because beyond every statistic is a real life.