Be heard, say no to violence

How many murders on our streets will it take until something is seriously done about the crime epidemic that has gripped the capital?

Violence in London has always seemed to rise and fall like a wave, and right now we are at the height of a wave.

We seem to be in a period where every day there is a stabbing and at least every week a new murder happens on our doorsteps.

Last week, it caught national attention, with the killing of 15-year-old Elianne Andam.

This week another unfortunate soul was caught up in violence – this time a 22-year-old man in Brixton.

Even on the day Ms Andam was killed, a 13-year-old boy was stabbed a mere mile away in Croydon.

Thankfully he escaped without life-changing injuries.

But the trauma remains, and we are as a city locked in a cycle at the moment of tit-for-tat and unexplainable bursts of violence.

So what is to be done?

Social justice charity Nacro released a report in 2020 which outlined the idea that fear of being attacked leads to the belief that carrying a knife is the only option for young people to protect themselves.

We need to address this climate of fear, rather than increasing stop and search policies or adding jail time on to sentences.

They have not been found to prevent rises in knife crime. Additionally, the issue needs appropriate investment.

Parents need to be helped to be able to understand the behaviours of young people and prevent harm.

The Tory Party conference has dominated national news headlines and the Home Secretary can be seen bleating about trans people and migrants.

But she has a crisis on her hands and strong Government interference is required to address this spate of violence.

We must not let this wave of violence become the new normal.

The thousands of people who turned up to Ms Andam’s vigil on Wednesday evening have shown that our communities want to make their voices heard and say no to violence.

Spirit of South London
South London Press

 

Picture: Pixabay/Leo