"Blame Hasn't Solved Anything": Says Mother Co-Founding Anti-Violence Charity

20 May 2018, 17:43 | Updated: 20 May 2018, 21:02

This mother who is co-founding an anti-violence charity in the wake of increasing violence told Andrew Castle that "blame hasn't solved anything."

Teenagers who have been stabbed or shot are getting medical help from friends and family, or backstreet clinics, because they are too scared to go to hospital, according to a group of mothers.

Three mothers are co-founding an anti-violence charity in London and say that teenagers who have been stabbed are scared of being stigmatised or labelled as a gang member, even if they're innocent.

Elaine Donnellon told Andrew Castle: "We need to stop conflating victims with perpetuators.

"We've got to move away from the language that the vast majority of them are gang members or drug users."

She said: "We're a little fed up with blame.

"Blame's not solved anything.

"The real issue is we have to stop the reasons why they want to carry knives, and we have to go in with a public health long term approach."