New video exposes grim reality of knife crime in Nottinghamshire

A new video delving inside the lives of young men impacted by violence in Nottinghamshire has been released as part of a social media campaign shattering myths about knife crime.
Community activist Damien Henry speaks in the video about his experiences with knife crime.Community activist Damien Henry speaks in the video about his experiences with knife crime.
Community activist Damien Henry speaks in the video about his experiences with knife crime.

The ‘Community Voices’ video comes as police in Nottinghamshire take part in ‘Operation Sceptre’ – a national week of action against knives.

The film is the last in a series of short films, co-produced with young people, which has been funded by Nottinghamshire’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping to lay bare the devastating consequences of carrying knives.

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Since launching in September, the #STOPVIOLENCE social media campaign has received thousands of views while directing vulnerable victims and their parents and carers towards professional help and support.

In the final film, the unglamorous, no details spared, truth is revealed through a series of interviews with local people.

Dave Wakelin, VRU Director, said: “The real impact of this video comes from the fact these are local people telling local Nottinghamshire stories. These are real life accounts of people who have been affected by knife violence and for me, that’s what makes it so powerful.

“We can learn from their accounts and experiences. Their insight is essential for us as a VRU to understand the causes of violence. We often end up policing the consequences of knife crime and these accounts give us the opportunity to start to understand the ‘why’ so we can stop it happening and prevent escalations in our community.”

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Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping added: “One of the primary ambitions of this campaign is to ‘tell it like it really is’ with no gloss or censorship and this final video is very much testament to that mind-set.

“Young people look to their peers for guidance and validation which can be positive or negative. Here, we have young people sharing their experiences to make a difference in the world around them and we hope the truths they reveal will strike a chord with young people and prompt the right response.”

All the videos, along with advice and help, can be found at www.hashtagng.co.uk.