Information and Advice
There is always a choice and there are always options.
No matter what situation you are in and no matter how bad it might seem, there will always be somewhere to go, or someone to turn to.
If you want help for yourself or for someone else, or to find out facts about knife crime, follow these links.
Report a Crime
Dial 999
If you, or anyone else is in immediate danger you must call the police.
Fearless.org
If you know something about a crime or a fight that has taken place or is being planned, you can give information anonymously to Fearless. The website has a quick close tab, there is no browsing history, no personal details are taken – not even an IP address – there is no way you can be identified, but you could be saving a life.
Help Staying Safe
Childline
If you need advice, information or someone to talk to – either on the phone or online, contact Childline, who will talk you through problems, but also have a very useful knife crime section on their website.
Samaritans
Contact the Samaritans. They are not just for mental health issues.
#KnifeFree
A Home Office website which covers risks, support, real stories, and where to look for positive activities
What to do
What to do if your friend is stabbed or someone near you is stabbed
Michael Carver, lead nurse for Violence Reduction at The Royal London Hospital, explains what happens when someone is stabbed and what you need to do to help save them.
- Stop
- Make sure you and others around you are safe
- If you are in danger, leave the victim and get to a safe place
- When you are safe, shout for help.
- Dial 999 and stay on the line
- Check: can they talk?
– If they can, it means they are awake and breathing
– If not, put your ear near their mouth and nose to check for breathing - If they are not breathing, apply chest compressions (see link to cpr instructions below)
- If the weapon is still in the wound, do not remove it.
- If they are bleeding, apply pressure as hard as you can, using a towel or any piece of clothing
- Keep applying pressure until the ambulance arrives.
When the patient arrives in hospital, they will be in a bay with 8 people who will strip them and search for further injuries.
Note from Billy’s Wish: Do not be tempted to leave the scene and go home with a stab wound. It could be worse than you realise and will almost certainly become infected, which could result in death if not treated.
What to do if someone isn’t breathing
This funny clip, featuring a mini Vinnie Jones, gives basic CPR advice which could help you save someone’s life.
Top tips to remember:
- As always, check that you are not in any danger
- Put your ear near their mouth and nose to check for breathing
- Shout for help and dial 999
- Don’t panic – the call handler will give you all the instructions you need
- Apply chest compressions, as shown in the clip
- Press hard and fast to the beat of ‘Staying alive’ until help arrives
Knives and the Law
Carrying a weapon
The law is clear about carrying knives. The rules are there to keep you and others safe. If you’re caught illegally carrying a knife you could be arrested and prosecuted. It’s no excuse to say it was for your own protection or you were carrying it for someone else. Remember: if you choose to carry a weapon, you put your future in danger. If you don’t take it with you, it won’t be used. If you know someone is carrying a knife or a fight is being planned, you could save a life by reporting it. You can do this completely anonymously at Fearless.
Knife possession
It’s illegal to:
- sell a knife of any kind to anyone under 18 years old (16 to 18 year olds in Scotland can buy cutlery and kitchen knives)
- carry a knife in public without good reason – unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, e.g. a Swiss Army knife (a “lock knife” does not come into the category of “folding pocket knife” because it is not immediately foldable at all times)
- carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife
- use any knife in a threatening way – including a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife
Banned knives
Examples of knives that are completely banned are:
- disguised knife
- stealth knife & baton
- sword
- zombie knife
This is not a complete list of banned knives and weapons. Contact your local police to check if a knife or weapon is illegal.
‘Good reasons’ to carry a knife
If you’re charged with carrying a knife illegally, a court will decide if you’ve got a good reason to carry it based on set guidelines. If you have any doubt, leave the knife at home, or don’t agree to carry any weapon for someone else.
Examples of good reasons include:
- taking knives you use at work to and from work, for example if you are a chef
- taking knives to a gallery or museum to be exhibited
- the knife is going to be used for theatre, film, television, historical re-enactment or religious purposes, e.g. the kirpan some Sikhs carry
(source: www.police.uk)
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