FIGHTING
KNIFE CRIME
Fighting Knife Crime - A new approach engaging parents and Carers Anoushka Dunic, Police officer, Metropolitan Police
T
hirty young people tragically lost their lives to knife-crime in London in 2021, the highest number of deaths in the capital since knife- related records began in 2003. Having been a police officer with the Metropolitan Police for over twenty years, I have been exposed to the violence and trauma that haunts our capital and devastates the lives of many. In the last few years, I was proud to undertake the role as an engagement officer with an East London Gangs Unit www.FightingKnifeCrime.London
that deepened my understanding of the anguish parents, carers and families endure after losing a child to violence. My interaction with parents and carers revealed they feel unheard, stigmatised and undervalued by the services designed to safeguard them. As such, my work focused on empowering them and creating a platform for their voices to be heard. Having identified this gap, I piloted a project that was recognised within a Vulnerability Knowledge and Practice 19
