The question no one wants to ask-just why do our youth carry a knife?

Youths running around London with large knives is not a new sight. As a matter of fact it is depressingly normal and not something that shocks Londoners today as they are accustomed to hearing about our youth going out ‘tooled up’. Debates go on, parents, teachers and other members of our society beg them to not carry a knife in fear that it will be used against them in a fight and be the final cause of their own death. Yet they still go out carrying. So just what is it that makes a teenager leave his house with a knife?

Simple answer, fear. Our teenagers are growing up in a society where they are scared and permanently looking over their shoulder. Going from one area to another is the postcode lottery for them. Are there others in that area that do not want them there? Are they friends with someone who is not liked in that area? Is there going to be trouble in that area and are they going to be another victim of knife crime?

The sad reality is that it is hard being a teenager in today’s society. The gap between the rich and poor is expanding vastly and the youth are watching their parents struggle to put food on the table. County lines is snapping at their heels encouraging them to take the plunge and earn quick money to buy themselves the latest footwear, clothes and such to keep up with up their peers. Communication between youths and parents is often strained, not through lack of care but what the youth feel is lack of understanding from parents about the way they live.

One teenager was recently asked if her friend was stabbed to death in front of her, would she tell the police who the perpetrator was? She answered with out any hesitation, ‘No of course not.’ She was then asked why? ‘Because then they will come after me, even after prison or their friends will come after me.’ The repercussions are long and scaringly vast and once again highlight that are youth are growing up in fear.

Most of us as teenagers had the freedom to jump on a bus and go to different places to meet up with friends, they feel they don’t have this same freedom in fear that someone somewhere will have some kind of issue with them and that could be their last day.

Bereaved parents, anti knife crime campaigners and our police do everything they can to work with our youngsters to encourage a positive way of life but sadly this is a problem that needs to be addressed by society at large, starting with the inequalities for some groups compared others. Also the socio economic disparities that exist in our communities with the view that some of us are peasants compared others and will never have a million pound mansion. let alone wedding like some.

All these factors contribute to why our teenagers are going out carrying a knife and feel that leaving the house without one is not safe. Ultimately this issue is long and hard to address and the simple answer is that we can not police our way out of it, but need equality and fairness in our society for everyone. Our youths need better job opportunities and a society that actually gives them a chance.