Violence in Scotland

Not everywhere in Scotland has the same levels of knife crime. But most places are affected by violence. Changing how we view violence is helping us reduce violent crime. In an effort to keep going forward, this topic helps to raise awareness of violence and how it escalates.

Resources

Present

Understanding Violence

As violent crimes reduce in Scotland we need to look more closely at how violence escalates, for example within gangs or between friends and gender relationships.

What we know that surprises many, is that perpetrators of violence are often victims themselves or have experienced trauma of some kind in their childhood.

This topic explains why understanding the role our childhood experiences in how we behave is just as important as knowing how to deal with the heat of the moment.

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Act

Get involved in some activities

Are You Feeling ACE or No?

To understand more about adverse childhood experiences or ACEs.

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The Clothes Line

The clothesline activity looks at the forms of violence that we perpetrate or that are committed against us or surround us and how to break the cycle of violence and hurt.

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People and Things

Increase awareness of power in relationships.

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Discuss

Get a discussion going

Aces to Assets

View a video by James Docherty from Glasgow as he talks about the importance of seeing people with lived experience of violence.

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Let's Talk About John

We link to John's story to think about the causes and consequences of violence in his life.

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Are You Feeling ACE Today?

To understand the role of adverse childhood experiences on our behaviour as teenagers and adults.

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Quiz

Test your knowledge to see what you've learned about the causes and consequences of violence.

Each quiz lets you answer questions as an individual or a group. When the quiz is finished, press the button to reveal the answers and see how much you've picked up. Feel free to try it more than once.

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Story

Real life from behind the knife

John's story

These real life stories explain the background, the challenges of being involved in knife crime and the hard lessons learned when trying to move on.

Click the link to read the story and interact with a video, audio track or illustration.

John's story

Watch

Discover more with these videos and illustrations

Knife Crime Graffiti Animation

This animation is about a group of Scottish teenagers and the consequences of knife crime. Watch how a knife affects one teen as he finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Mark's Story: One Knife. Many Victims.

Mark’s night kicks off like any other. But a split second decision he makes early on will turn his life

What are the consequences of carrying a knife?

Do you know what the consequences of carrying a knife are? For a start, one of the key facts on knife crime is that if you carry a knife you are more likely to get stabbed yourself.

What happens if your friend gets caught with a knife?

Did you know that just being present at an incident involving knife crime could be enough to earn jail time? And depending on circumstances, you could even face a murder charge in the event of a death.

What happens if you use a knife on someone?

Don't be misunderstood about knife crime and the consequences. There is no ‘safe place’ to stab someone. It's all the same, and chances are you will be going to jail, no matter the eventual outcome.

Don't Be in the Dark About Knife Crime

If you get caught up in knife crime, you’re not just going to get a slap on the wrists. It doesn’t matter if it’s for your own protection or if you are carrying a knife for someone else. Just carrying a knife can get you sent to prison for up to four years, even if you don’t use it.

What happens if you're caught with a knife?

If you get caught up in knife crime, you’re not just going to get a slap on the wrists. It doesn’t matter if it’s for your own protection or if you are carrying a knife for someone else.