To ask if anyone lives in an area where there have been stabbings

[JuniorAsparagus]

And is there any advice about how to stay safe?
I have a 52 year old black male friend. He is deaf, autistic and lives alone.
There have been two stabbings in the area of London where he lives.
He is already a vulnerable adult, and I am worried about his safety.
I live in a different part of the country.

I live in a safe quiet town in Berkshire. We have had a few stabbing in the last month or so.

I think they are all drug/gang related which is scary as it is a slow peaceful town really. I have lived here all my life and although drugs have always been here the violence seems to be increasing which is worrying.

Our police station has closed recently and now we only have a county one 20 minutes away. Only advice has been to stay vigilant and report any concerns.

I live in se london. I dont personally feel worried as its usually gangs.

Some areas don't have gangs (usually wealthy white middle class ones). I lived in such an area in London. I do think some places are safer than others.

TBH unless you are involved in county lines, gangs or drugs, you are very unlikely to be stabbed for walking down the road. It happens, but its rare and it is most likely to be as a result of someone with MH issues and you are in the wrong place at the wrong time.

(such as this sad set of circumstances - all persons white)
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-21195602

It sounds like perhaps he is anxious generally about his life and his anxiety is focusing/becoming fixated on the risk of being stabbed which is - as someone else pointed out - much much lower than the risk of being hit by a car.

Does he have a support worker? Has he discussed his fears with them?

I'm in an area that's had a lot

they were all targeted and I don't think anyone involved was over 25. My sister was saying the worst time to pop out - she's a freelancer - is school chucking out time.

If your friend is worried, that's a time I'd avoid any way because the noise and general palaver is horrible, but I can see my sister's point that that's the worst time.

Yes and the man killed was my age so I am not so sure there is a standard demographic for all stabbings.

Presumably the more time you spend out on the streets the bigger the risk.

I live in a small town, the type where everyone knows everyone. We have had a few stabbings, and they've always been personal. My brother included, he was stabbed very viciously by his own step brother and his life was saved by a miracle, well, a specialist NHS team which is the same thing in my eyes!

If arseholes in the wealthy areas stopped doing coke and weed, the people in the less wealthy areas wouldn’t have to worry so much. Celebs and their mates do coke every Friday in Primrose Hill. Another mum loses her son in Lewisham fighting turf wars for evil men to supply it.

Yes, where Jodie Chesney was sadly murdered, it has totally shaken the entire borough, as it is thankfully still a fairly rare occurence here. There is a problem with big groups of teens from schools outside of the area getting the train/bus into the town centre though, and there have been lots of fights and issue as a result, there has been an increased police presence though.

I think as another user said it is quite rare for random attacks to take place, and are typically drug related. It is murders like that of poor Jodie though that really put the fear into you, because there is no logical motive, so you don't have anyway of avoiding it.

I live same area as your friend (going by the news report) and it isnt just gang memebers that get stabbed here i would say a neighbours son was stabbed whilst putting out the rubbish and my son robbed with a knife on his way home from school.

There is CCTV up and down that road yet none were facing where the robbery took place.

Also the met police have said since the stabbings the other night they have upped patrols - i have not seen a single police officer?.

I lived in a not nice bit of south London for 3 years and standings were always gang related
I now live in an area of Manchester with the odd flare up of gun and knife crime and it’s always drugs related

Yes as I live in central London.

99% is gang related. He really need not worry.

Given your friend's vulnerability I'd be more worried about cuckooing.

crimestoppers-uk.org/campaigns-media/news/2018/mar/let-s-stop-cuckooing

Perhaps have a chat with him about not talking to or letting in anyone he doesn't know, and if he makes any new friends to tell you about them? Then you can judge whether these are legitimate friends or not and act on any concerns.

Yes, we have had incidents of cuckooing here, and he could be vulnerable to that.
Our family knew him when he was a child in care and have only been back in touch with him for the last year. We have met up twice, but not been to each other's homes. He messages every day, often several times, but he does not always respond to questions.
Often he sends me Daily Mail Online articles, which definitely feed his fear.

OP, here is a list of all the stabbing victims in London to March.

www.google.ca/url?sa=i&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwj5ifGw4cXhAhUl5oMKHdMJDrEQzPwBegQIARAC&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.standard.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2Fthe-names-of-all-the-victims-killed-by-knives-in-london-so-far-in-2019-a4086201.html&psig=AOvVaw0HmBBa8y8B4yd8Nk7XlqLs&ust=1554993781134494

They fall into three main demographics: young men involved in gangs, women stabbed by partners, and men stabbed by people known to them.

Your friend is obviously not at risk from the first two. In terms of the second, does he know/interact with many dodgy people? Is he able to judge how dangerous “new friends” are? Does he make friends with junkies etc?

I live in an area with lots of knife crime - I’m not remotely concerned about it because I don’t have any contact with the sort of people who would stab somebody. I don’t get into arguments with people involved in gangs. I don’t get into protracted disputes with crimmo neighbours. I don’t start fights in pubs. I mostly just go about my own business. DH is not the stabby sort, and neither are any of my extended family. So I don’t think I’m at any more risk than I would be if I lived in Hampstead or Devon.

There have been several within a mile of where I live including a 15 year old who was stabbed to death by another 15 year old & someone who was involved in drugs who was stabbed by a gang.

I am in an area of London (north) where there has been a few stabbings recently. It's a gang thing which sadly involves young people and thankfully members of the public are 'invisible' to gangs. I would't worry too much.

Yes. I do. I’m in a fairly prosperous part of London and there have been 2 stabbings close to me in the last month or two. Being honest, they make me feel no less safe. As sad as it is, they tend to be gang related, usually Operation Trident type stuff and unless I’m incredibly unlucky to get caught in a cross fire, I do not think I’m a target ergo I feel no less safe.
I feel far less safe given the spate of motorbike mugging which specifically target rolexes, diamond rings etc. as they do specifically target my demographic, ie women with children.

Sashkin he would see the black faces and assume that being black is what makes you vulnerable, rather than being in a gang or being involved in drugs.
That article is really helpful.

I shop in Croydon town centre quite often where there are regular stabbings. I don't feel at risk.

JuniorAsparagus I came back on to say that your friend could, indeed, be vulnerable if he has his own flat or home. Gangs use vulnerable people and take over their homes for stashing drugs and dealing. Keep an eye on him or he may even be trying to tell you he has been approached by gangs.

Thank you, User
Thank you to everyone who responded. Some really helpful comments.

If arseholes in the wealthy areas stopped doing coke and weed, the people in the less wealthy areas wouldn’t have to worry so much. Celebs and their mates do coke every Friday in Primrose Hill. Another mum loses her son in Lewisham fighting turf wars for evil men to supply it

Absolutely agree Unfinishedkitchen

Anyone who buys drugs is fuelling gang violence and I have in the past and I have been part of the problem and until we all take on more responsibility it will carry on

When we start seeing middle class boys involved in gang violence and lets be honest white mc boys then changes will quickly happen we shall wake up then

I work with ex offenders many ex gang members and they have come to that conclusion yet society is struggling with that or many are just turning a blind eye as it doesn’t impact them

Drugs are the cause of most stabbings ultimately: either people who are drunk or high or the gangs that end up springing up around the drugs trade.

If you aren't involved with drugs, don't have friends who are and don't have a violent partner the chances of getting stabbed are very low.

People have been stabbed less than a hundred and fifty yards from my house. But they weren't trying to stab me. They were trying to warn off another gang member or curry favour. It's awful and we need to fund appropriate policing as well as appropriate (and genuinely cool) youth opportunities, but it's unlikely to personally affect us if the factors I've listed earlier don't apply.