In response to recent data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing a 4% increase in knife-related crime across the UK—with a staggering 55,008 recorded offences— tech-for-good company, Cornerstone VR, have partnered with professionals across the UK, including Thurrock Council and Enfield Council, to launch an immersive series of virtual reality films that confront the realities of youth knife crime.

Created in collaboration with police officers, educational institutions, youth justice, foster agencies, social care professionals, and most importantly, children and young people who are – or could be – impacted by knife crime, the new series of virtual reality films aim to build empathy and understanding amongst professionals, caregivers and young people about the impact of carrying a knife.

Professionals working directly with adolescents are finding more young people are carrying knives as a result of societal pressures.

“There’s an element of peer pressure, they think it makes them scarier, instead of making them more of a target,” shared a Youth Justice Service police representative from a partnering council.

“The statistics aren’t enough. From me personally, speaking to young people about carrying knives is that they think they are invincible. That carrying the knife will protect them and they don’t believe that carrying puts them in more danger, not less.”

The 2024 Children, Violence and Vulnerability Survey (Report 1) from the Youth Endowment Fund, which surveyed over 10,000 teenage children (aged-13-17) in England and Wales found that younger teenagers aged 13-15 are more likely to carry weapons compared to those aged 16-17, and that nearly half (47%) of those who carry a weapon do so for self-protection.

A Specialist Worker from one council added, “Some young people can be very naïve and don’t properly understand the risks of carrying a knife, for example: being hurt by their own knife or the reality of knife injuries, for example stomach injuries resulting in colostomy bags or injuries to limbs resulting in loss of use of the limb. There are some good resources available which are suitable for children/young people but often these don’t come across in a way that is inviting or relatable for children and young people.”

Cornerstone VR’s new 360-degree films cover a number of scenarios, from being the victim of a robbery and being threatened with a knife, to a serious knife related incident at a party.

Seema Moules, Child Exploitation and Missing Team Manager at Thurrock Council, highlighted the importance of relatability in addressing this issue: “It was important to create a resource that feels relevant to young people. These VR films capture the real pressures and risks of knife crime in a way that resonates.”

Linda Crawford, Head of Enfield Youth Justice Service, shared, “Addressing knife crime with young people means overcoming fear, distrust, and deeply ingrained norms. Cornerstone VR’s
VR-enabled films are creating a powerful, interactive way to educate, engage, and equip young people and the adults around them with the tools to promote safer decisions.”

Serena Hadi, Head of Operations and Practice at Cornerstone VR, explained how the VR series seeks to fill this gap: “Statistics alone often fail to communicate the visceral reality of knife crime. We wanted to create a VR series that allows our users to understand the scope of this societal issue affecting more young people every day.”

Mohammed Hussain, Managing Director of Cornerstone VR added “Our ultimate aim is to help children and young people make more informed decisions, and to have the support from those around them to do so. We are extremely grateful to our collaborators for their input in making these films as realistic and impactful as possible.”

Virtual reality has been praised by charities and organisations as an excellent way to educate young people, including a recent comment from the well-established and respected Fighting Knife Crime London, stating, “[We] are happy to recommend virtual reality as an excellent way to engage young people in the cruel reality of carrying a knife.”

At a recent Lives Before Knives event held at St Michael’s CE High School, students, teachers, and parents had the opportunity to experience the VR content firsthand. One student reflected, “That felt real,” noting that the immersive nature of VR allowed them to understand the situations and potential consequences in a way they hadn’t before.

Mohammed Hussain shared his thoughts on the programme’s potential impact: “Hearing that our VR series resonated with young people is incredibly validating – it’s exactly why we’re so passionate about what we do. VR truly holds the power of storytelling in a medium unlike any other, especially when it speaks directly to the reality of some young people’s lives.

“We hope this immersive approach will help shift perceptions and empower young people to make safer choices.”

Cornerstone VR is dedicated to driving impactful change through its flagship virtual reality (VR) programme, empowering professionals and caregivers to deliver enhanced care and support to individuals of all ages.

The programme’s immersive experiences are designed to foster empathy and understanding of early-life trauma and societal influences, such as abuse and neglect, covering key topics such as child exploitation, social media and the digital world, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).

For more information visit; www.cornerstonevr.co.uk