Knife Crime Awareness Week 18th - 24th May 2026

This week is Knife Crime Awareness week. The Essex Violence and Vulnerability Unit (VVU) and other partners will be taking part in activity to raise awareness and educate on the dangers of knife harm.

While knife crime is reducing across the county, knife harm remains one of the top concerns for young people in Essex, and although progress has been made, continued collaboration is essential to maintain reductions and keep communities safe.

Since 2019/20, knife crime across Essex has been sustainably reduced, with reductions in knife crime of over 25% and over 50% reduction in young people entering hospital accident and emergency departments with knife related injuries. These outcomes demonstrate that alongside enforcement and education, early targeted intervention is an effective tool for preventing violence and keeping communities safe.

You can find lots of resources about Knife Harm on the VVU website.