Knife Harm and Weapon Carrying
What is happening?
Weapon carrying — particularly knife carrying — is rarely a simple act of aggression. For many young people, carrying a weapon is primarily about protection: a response to a perceived threat environment where they feel unsafe and believe they have no other option.
What may be underneath it?
Fear is the most common driver of weapon carrying. The person may have been a victim of violence, may be in a conflict situation, or may be in an environment where carrying is normalised. Carrying can also be linked to identity, status or peer pressure. Understanding the specific driver is essential to an effective response.
What makes things worse?
Treating weapon carrying purely as a criminal justice matter without exploring the underlying fear or threat environment misses the point. Removing the weapon without addressing the reason for carrying it leaves the person feeling more vulnerable, not less. Responses that increase shame or stigma can entrench the behaviour.
What can help?
Explore the threat environment honestly. What does the person believe would happen if they did not carry? What would make them feel safe enough not to carry? Consider whether there are practical safety measures that could reduce the perceived need. Engage with the person's own risk assessment rather than dismissing it.
What happens next?
RAP Academy works with individuals involved in or at risk of weapon-related harm. A referral can be made through the professional referral pathway.
Questions to think about
- 1.What does the person believe the weapon protects them from?
- 2.Has the person experienced violence or threats that inform this belief?
- 3.What would need to change for the person to feel safe without carrying?
- 4.Who else knows about the carrying, and what is their influence?
- 5.What are the person's own concerns about the risks of carrying?