Charity asks Swindon and Wiltshire to help break wall of silence around violence

The Crimestoppers charity has launched a national campaign called Silence Won't Stop Violence.

Its move comes as the organisation reveals knife crime reports made to it have risen more than 300 percent in four years, with gun information handed over up by a third.

It is appealing to people in communities throughout the country to share information - and reassuring them that any information given will be treated in strictest confidence.

The charity says that in the midst of a pandemic there has never been a greater need to protect communities and National Health Service from harm.

Regional manager Emily van der Lely said: “Violence in all its forms has a significant impact on communities in Wiltshire and Swindon and across the UK; from victims of domestic abuse to young people carrying knives, its ripple effect can fuel the fear of crime, tear apart families, and overstretch our health service who have to deal with the resulting physical and emotional trauma.

“A public health approach recognises that violence is a preventable problem requiring a society-wide response. 

"We’re supporting this through early intervention and education to help prevent violence happening in the first place. We recognise that you may be close to crime, but may also want to do the right thing and bring violence in your community to an end. 

"If you know who may be carrying weapons or threatening or harming others, you can tell us 100 percent anonymously.”

The three-week campaign aims to break the wall of silence and help reset the status quo on violent crime. Crimestoppers’ response is to raise awareness of the impact of violence and offer individuals in communities a way to speak up about incidents, before or after they take place, 100 percent anonymously.

Crimestoppers is working with a number of violence reduction units across the UK to support a public health approach to tackling violence, including promoting its youth service Fearless.org

The Crimestoppers website, which has details of the campaign and other work by the charity, is https://crimestoppers-uk.org/

Reports can be made via the website and by calling 0800 555 111.