Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson has been educating children and adults on the dangers of knife crime and criminal child exploitation across Swindon by raising awareness of the signs to look out for.
At the weekend, he attended a knife crime awareness event hosted by Owen’s World Foundation in the Brunel Centre where he spoke about the devastating impact of knife crime and how parents, carers and trusted adults can support young people who may be in danger of being exploited by criminal gangs.
On Tuesday, he joined the Wiltshire Police Early Intervention team to educate students at Nova Hreod on the dangers of exploitation and how to report their concerns.
It follows the launch of the Spot the Signs campaign which is being run jointly by the office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and Wiltshire Police to help stem the instances of child exploitation in our communities and the serious violence often associated with this type of exploitation, including knife crime and gang culture.
It also comes as the OPCC and Wiltshire Police took part in Sceptre week - a national week of targeted knife crime awareness and activity.
Mr Wilkinson said: “Only a small percentage of young people will find themselves in a position where criminal gangs are taking advantage of them and making them do things they don't want to.
“However, it's important to let them and their peers know that there are signs to look out for, and there is always a way out.
“Tackling serious violence has been identified as a priority by both myself and Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Catherine Roper in recognition of the serious harm it causes victims, their families and the wider communities where it occurs.”
The signs to look out for include:
- Unexplained money or gifts, such as new trainers, clothing or phones
- Significant decline in school attendance and/or performance
- Changes in mood and behaviour, such as becoming more surly, aggressive or angry
- Increasing amounts of time spent on social media, particularly talking to ‘friends’ they haven’t met or you don’t know
- Relationships with older people
- Possession of a second mobile phone from which they are receiving a high volume of calls or need to leave urgently after receiving a text/call.
These indicators do not necessarily mean a child is being exploited – however they are possible warning signs which could indicate that a child is being used by criminal gangs for their own gain.
To find out more, please visit the Spot the Signs campaign page, or there is support available for young people on the Check it Out section of the OPCC website.
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