EXCLUSIVE: 90% of young people on Merseyside have seen or been affected by youth violence
Survey results seen by our #NotinMyCity campaign show extent of issues facing young people
Stats seen by our #NotinMyCity campaign lay bare how youth violence is impacting the lives of young people across Merseyside.
A survey from the Young Person's Advisory Service's Peer Action Collective has revealed nine out of 10 young people say they've seen or been affected by youth violence.
63% of the cases reported came from those aged 16-20.
#NotinMyCity campaign launch
This week we've launched the #NotInMyCIty campaign to shine a light on a spate of violent incidents that have claimed the lives of innocent people.
On Wednesday we're taking a look at the issue of youth violence, and the perceptions young people have about incidents they're hearing about on the radio or seeing on social media.
Survey results reveal...
The #NotinMyCity team has been given exclusive access to the PAC survey results - they show:
- More than half of young people believe physical violence is the biggest problem facing young people on Merseyside
- 9/10 say they've seen or been affected by youth violence
- 2/3 said the incident could have been prevented if there was stronger support in places of education
- 2/3 said more security was needed in areas the incidents occur
Luise Watson from the Peer Active Collective group at YPAS said: "We've spoken to a lot of young people across Merseyside this summer, and what they're telling us is that fear plays a big part in the mental health impact on young people."
Children as young as nine fearful
60% of those responding to the survey said hearing about these incidents made them feel "unsafe". 45% felt "scared".
Concerningly, three quarters of young people said they wouldn't tell anyone if violence was going to affect them, with 2/5 saying they don't trust anyone.
Luise added: "A lot of young people are wary of travelling to places they don't know, in different postcodes. A lot of young people are saying they're hesitant to travel on public transport or head into town due to feeling fearful of what might happen.
"Children as young as 9, 10, 11 (years of age) are talking about fear of gun violence and knife crime but they're also just as fearful of, or impacted by, what might be classed as lower level acts of violence like bullying, hate crime, verbal abuse, intimidation - there are a lot of different types of youth violence affecting young people."
"Call it out"
Youth ambassadors for the PAC programme backed up the survey findings.
Grace from the PAC team told Hits Radio Liverpool: "When I leave the house I grab my keys, I grab my phone, but some people leave the house - they take a knife, they take a gun, they could take any form of weapon with them."
Grace is backing the #NotInMyCity Campaign and wants other young people to get involved too:
"I don't think anyone in this city wants anybody else to be harmed - we need to come together as a community and speak out - call it as you see it."