Young people on the Isle of Wight are being urged to speak out against knife crime by using a completely anonymous service provided by the charity Crimestoppers.
The campaign, run through Crimestoppers’ youth service Fearless.org, encourages young people to report what they know about weapons, violence or crime without fear of being identified, questioned or made to attend court.
Beth Simpson, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Regional Manager at Crimestoppers, has said:
“When you carry a knife, you’re not only risking someone else’s future, you’re risking your own too.
“It’s tragic that so many young lives have been ruined or lost because of knife crime. We want young people to know that speaking up about someone carrying a weapon is the best option for their safety and everyone around them. Fearless.org will take your information and pass it on. There is no way to know who you are or to be able to identify you. All we want to do is help protect you, your family, friends and the wider community from the harm that inevitably follows when knives are involved.”
The campaign is focusing on education and prevention by providing resources through Fearless.org to help young people understand the long-term consequences of carrying a knife.
Knife crime is often linked to drug activity, street gangs and the exploitation of vulnerable young people. Teenagers may be manipulated into hiding weapons, carrying them for others, or pressured to use violence to gain status.
Crimestoppers is emphasising that reports made via Fearless.org are 100% anonymous. The website does not trace IP addresses, and calls to the UK Contact Centre have no caller ID or call-back function.
More information about knife crime and how to report it anonymously can be found at www.fearless.org.
