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 knife crime awareness week (Op Sceptre) 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.

 

Resources:

 

Letters:

 

In November 2023 we wrote to all secondary schools with a letter for parents and carers around knife crime. This was very well received, and schools told us we should include primary schools so in May 2024 we did this. To reach more parents and carers we also worked with housing providers send a letter via their networks. We know if we talk about knife crime we raise awareness and encourage parents and carers to talk to their children.

 

Please click the links below to download the letters to use in your networks.

 

• 🗎 Knife Crime Awareness Letter - Parents and Carers May 2024
• 🗎 Knife Crime Awareness Letter - Primary Schools May 2024
• 🗎 Knife Crime Awareness Letter - Housing Providers May 2024 

 

Videos:

 

In 2024 we worked with Ellie from the OPCC Youth Commission to share her message about knife crime. We hope this recourse will also help you to talk to parents, carers and the community about serious violence.

 

💻 Ellie's Message About Knife Crime Awareness

 

 

Communications and media assets

 

The Violence Reduction Unit have produced a communications and media assets to help you get involved and share information with the children, young people and community you work with. The focus of the assets are around reporting it, getting support, and awareness raising. Much of the information 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.

 

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 the Violence Reduction Unit by emailing - vru@hampshire.police.uk

 

Click here to download communications and media pack here

 

 

What is We Walk Away?

 

Walk Away, created by Leicestershire Police, is a behaviour change campaign which aims to prevent deaths and serious injuries caused by a person being assaulted on a night out, often as a result of drunken behaviour, or split-second errors of judgement.

 

It was initially launched ahead of the festive season in 2023 and has been refreshed with football-specific assets with funding from the Home Office. The campaign targets mainly men, aged 18-30, who are most likely to be a victim or suspect of such behaviour. It also calls on friends and bystanders of potential offenders, as well as members of the public, to de-escalate situations when it’s safe to.

 

Communications and media assets:

 

Leicestershire Police have put together a toolbox which includes:

 

Campaign guidance (social media guidance and stakeholder engagement information)

• Campaign activation guide (brand guidelines, background, key messages and strategy)
• Social media assets, graphics and videos
• Print assets – posters, takeaway food stickers, queue barrier banners
• Spotify ad script
• Digital ads
• Press release and intranet article templates

 

For more information on this campaign please get in touch with the National Police Chiefs Council via email on - info@npcc.police.uk

Click here to be taken to the We Walk Away toolbox

 

We know that talking about serious violence to children and young people can be really hard. We also know that taking about it can be a really effective method in helping to reduce it.

 

The below are a serious of recourses that the Violence Reduction Partnership have created to support you in your understanding of serious violence and knife crime.

 

Please note, we are in the process of designing some social media assets around serious violence for you to use on you channels. Please check back to see progress and if you have any suggestions about what might be helpful please let us know via email at vru@hampshire.police.uk

 

Please CLICK the documents below to view and download:

 

🗎 VRP Serious Violence Toolkit

The Violence Reduction Partnership Toolkit, endorsed by multiple safeguarding boards, supports a coordinated approach to preventing serious violence and enhancing support for victims and their families. It's designed to improve understanding and response to children's needs and risks, and is accessible to all practitioners in the Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, and Southampton areas.

 

Webinars:

💻 Ben Kinsella Trust, Serious Violence and Knife Crime - How to have Honest Conversations

 

Useful Documents:

🗎 Having Honest Conversations Infographic

🗎 Useful Websites Poster

 

 

Is Your Child Safe campaign which is aimed at parents and carers to raise awareness of child exploitation and offer help on how to see the signs, what to do and where to get help.

 

If you would like to support this campaign, please use the attached media pack to download the campaign images and use the suggested wording provided. The campaign will be running throughout the summer holidays therefore it is advisable to post one a week on your channels.

 

For the last two years The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in partnership with Hampshire County Council, Isle of Wight Council, Portsmouth City Council and Southampton City Council have used the campaign in partnership to raise awareness.

 

Child exploitation is happening now in Hampshire and on the Isle of Wight. The signs are subtle, which is why it is called a hidden harm.

 

The campaign aims to:

 

• Help parents and carers see the signs of exploitation
• Inform them on what they can do
• Tell them where they can get help

 

Click here to download the IYCS media pack