21/04/2023
The number of Children, under 10
Years old , being treated in hospital, for injuries from acts of violence, has increased by……..80%
Attacks with bladed articles in the UK have risen by 46% since 2012, there’s been a 10% increase between 2021 and 2022 alone. Over 49,000 offences with a blade last year.
An Isle Of Wight teenager, was recently charged with planning a terrorist attack, at the Isle Of Wight Festival !!
Violence/aggression in our society and in particular, in children, is getting worse and very little is being done, to directly understand, challenge or decrease it.
Yet, in a recent
Police supported “Isle of Wight” community funding event,
a longstanding struggling group, designed to focus solely on understanding and preventing Aggression/Violence and Stress, in children, from as young as 4yrs , gets absolutely no interest and no support. Where as, a totally new “Football” focused group, gets £5,000 and other groups including Art, Fishing, Singing , Drumming, a DJ and a songwriting group got help and an Animal Rescue Centre receives enough money to pay for Cat food for a year and finally, the National lottery gives over £4000 to one of the most affluent and elite locations, on the island!
All of these activities received support , after being voted for by other Charities ? Do we have to wait for a child to die and to then present our own tragic story, to get any support from the Isle of Wight ?
At present, it's not a dominant feature here but let's not make the mistake of thinking, that the reasons leading to its proliferation, elsewhere ....Fear,exclusion and many others, are not here !!
Children do not suddenly decide to stab people and its a tragedy that can be avoided, by challenging the factors, that develop this degree of aggression and violence . Keeping children “occupied” or using the worn out and oversimplified answer of getting them, into activities such as “Art” “Drama” “Sport”………is not working!!!
We will go on trying to reach more people, irrespective of officialdoms apathy.