What to do if you think your teen is carrying a knife & the steps to help
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KNIFE crime offences have skyrocketed by a staggering 80 per cent over the past decade. And despite being only 21 days into the New Year, several knife crime attacks have been reported in London alone. Incidents include a 17-year-old left fighting for his life after being stabbed in the early hours of January 1 in Brixton.
![[Caucasian mother talking with mixed-race son in bedroom.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/kennerfamily-4026-JS849683884.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
Four days later, on January 5, a 15-year-old and 17-year-old were rushed to hospital after a double stabbing in North London. January 6 then saw an 18-year-old college student stabbed and rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Less than 24 hours later, 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa was fatally stabbed 27 times by two people armed with “lengthy machetes” on a London bus on the way home from school.
![[Photo of Kelyan Bokassa.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/POLICE-Woolwich-17404521jpg-JS962414880.jpg?strip=all&w=820)
With knife crime continually on the rise, parents are understandably worried about their children's safety. According to The Ben Kinsella Trust, a charity founded by Brooke Kinsella and her family following the tragic murder of her brother Ben in 2008, this alarming trend has instilled fear in many young people, with a shocking one in three not feeling safe in their neighbourhood.
Even more troubling, a disturbing one in four of these young people admit to considering carrying a knife for self-defence. This fear can be a gateway to a negative spiral. Children who feel unsafe or isolated can be more susceptible to grooming by gangs, who exploit their anxieties and offer a false sense of belonging.
