Milton Keynes people urged to stand together to curb knife crime

A young woman called Naz Islam, sick of the rising number of stabbings, has drawn up a special survey that she plans to hand to the government.

The findings will be used to support a community led proposal for stronger action against knife crime and will be presented to policymakers as part of an effort to encourage meaningful change.

You can give your support online here.

Naz said: “In Milton Keynes, too many lives have been lost or affected by violence… Too many young people carry knives because they believe they need one for protection. But carrying a knife does not make you safer. One argument, one confrontation or one bad decision can turn into a death that can never be undone.”

She added: “Knife-crime education should be taught in schools in a way that young people can actually understand and relate to. They need to see the real consequences of carrying a knife, not just for the person carrying it, but for the person who could be injured or killed and the families left behind.

“People who deliberately carry knives, particularly repeat offenders, need meaningful and proportionate consequences. This must apply to teenagers as well as adults.Where someone deliberately uses a knife to seriously injure or kill another person, the sentence must reflect the seriousness and permanent consequences of that decision.”

Naz believes victims and bereaved families need much greater support, including appropriate financial assistance and compensation where available.

“At the same time, we must give young people a genuine chance to change. More investment is needed in youth services, mentoring, rehabilitation and early intervention so that young people can be helped before violence happens,” she said.

“We cannot keep waiting for another teenager to die before asking what could have been done differently. How many more families have to receive that phone call?”

She lists a number of MK people who have recently lost their lives in knife incidents.

“Gary Stanley, aged 52, was simply doing his job as a security guard. He should have been able to go to work and return home safely to his family. Farriss, aged 19, was only 19 years old. He was someone's child, someone's loved one and someone with a whole future ahead of him...

“Mohammed Tanveerul Islam, aged 26, was a loving brother, uncle, son, grandson and partner. He was not gang-affiliated, yet his life was still taken through knife violence.

“These victims were not statistics. They were real people with families, friends, personalities, dreams and futures.”

Naz is calling for MPs and the Government to:

1. Strengthen the law around knife carrying and repeat offending.

Introduce meaningful consequences for young people who repeatedly carry knives.

2. Ensure serious knife attacks and killings receive sentences that properly reflect the harm caused.

3. Provide greater support and compensation for victims and bereaved families.

4. Introduce stronger knife-crime education in schools.

Invest in youth services, mentoring, rehabilitation and early intervention.

5. Act before another family loses someone they love.

She said: “Milton Keynes and the wider community deserve safer streets. Young people deserve better choices. Families deserve justice.

“Enough is enough.”