AFC Totton
What is knife crime awareness week?
REDUCING KNIFE CRIME is business as usual for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary all-year round. However, twice a year, during May and November, Operation Sceptre (knife crime awareness week) takes place. This is an intensification week where activity is implemented across Hampshire to target knife crime, take knives off the street and educate children, families and communities.
The Violence Reduction Unit have produced this pack to help you get involved and share information with the children, young people and community you work with.
The focus of the information in the pack is around reporting knife crime, getting support and raising awareness. Much of the information in the pack can be used at any time of the year so although we would encourage you to use it during knife crime awareness week, please feel free to use it at any time.
What is the Violence Reduction Unit?
Hampshire and Isle of Wight VRU is a small team who work in partnership to coordinate a collaborative response to tackle the root causes of violence.
The VRU supports the Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP) made up of 25 different public sector bodies across the Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton (HIPS) area who come together to make our communities safer.
What is the Violence Reduction Partnership?
The VRP is a partnership of authorities across Hampshire, IOW, Portsmouth and Southampton, who work together to tackle and prevent serious violence. They are police, health, justice, fire, local authorities, education, prisons and the voluntary and charity sector.
The Serious Violence Duty was introduced under the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and requires specified and relevant authorities to work together to prevent and reduce serious violence. The Serious Violence Duty requires partnerships to take a multi-agency, public health approach to understand the causes and impact of serious violence, to develop a strategic response, which focuses on prevention and early intervention, and monitor the impact of this response.
The Violence Reduction Partnership has a vision for Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and Southampton to be a place where people can live their lives free from violence and the fear of violence.
Knife Crime awareness week – resources
We have worked with young people from Motive8 to produce the following resources. We would like to thank them for the time and support they have given.
Please feel free to use these resources in the best way for you. We have created some suggested content you may wish to use. You can download all the resources from our Google Drive.
Please adapt to suit your audience or platform and if there is anything else you think would help share the conversation wider, please get in touch with Sallie, the VRU Comms and Engagement Officer, on [email protected]
Social Media
Poster
Where to get support/advice/report it
For professionals:
- Violence Reduction Partnership – Serious Violence Toolkit
The toolkit was developed to support professionals working with children, young people and families who are involved in serious violence. There is also information about how to have honest conversations with children and young people about knife crime.
- Fearless
Fearless is part of the Crimestoppers brand. It enables young people to pass on information about crime 100% anonymously. They offer professionals resources.
- Ben Kinsella
Ben Kinsella are a charity that educate young people on the dangers of knife crime and help them to make positive choices to stay safe. They offer professional resources such as lesson plans.
For children and young people:
- Fearless
Fearless is part of the Crimestoppers brand. It enables young people to pass on information about crime 100% anonymously.
- Childline
Children and young people can contact Childline for free to talk about anything they are worried about. They offer a range of creative games to support children and young people with their feelings.
