The UK is facing a knife crime phenomenon that has increased over the past decade, with young people being the most affected demographic. While knife crime has been receiving a lot of public attention in the past years, the authorities still have to find a way to fight against a misconception that, unfortunately, fuels many offences involving knives or sharp objects. According to StreetDoctors, a charity dedicated to tackling knife crime, a persistent myth among teens is that certain parts of the human body can be “safely” stabbed, without posing a fatal risk to the victim.
Martin Griffiths CBE, a leading UK trauma surgeon and Clinical Director for the London Violence Reduction Programme, said: “Over the years, I’ve been asked many times: ‘Where is a safe place to stab someone?’. The question reflects a dangerous common myth and highlights the pressure that young people feel to potentially carry weapons.”
In response to this misconception, the London-based charity teamed up with the Saatchi & Saatchi agency, putting youngsters face to face with “The Fatal Question:” Where is a safe place to stab someone? Using a real-sized interactive human sculpture, teenagers from London schools were invited to respond to this fatal question by pointing to areas of the body they believed would cause no serious harm. A guessed body part emitted a beam of light, projecting the real-life stories of the people who have lost their lives because of a single stab wound in an area supposedly considered “safe.”
The teens’ interaction with the art installation was documented in a three-minute-long video, directed by Jonathan Kneebone of The Glue Society. With the agency’s help, the charity aims to reach as many young people across the UK as possible, promoting lifesaving knowledge not only through the video but also through workshops in schools, prisons, and local community groups.
“With The Fatal Question, our goal was to bring that reality to life in a way that was visceral and unforgettable. By asking teenagers to engage physically with the sculpture, make their own guesses, and then surrounding them with the real stories of young people who didn’t survive, we have shown how shocking these stories really are. These are difficult conversations, but they matter. If one young person walks away thinking twice, questioning what they thought they knew, then we’ve done something important,” explained Franki Goodwin, CCO, Saatchi & Saatchi.
Martin Tilbury MBE, CEO of StreetDoctors, continued: “At StreetDoctors, we work with young people every day who are navigating complex realities where fear and misinformation can shape dangerous decisions. The question, ‘Where is a safe place to stab someone?’ is often asked out of confusion and worry by young people. The campaign is about supporting young people in their environment and providing them with informed information. Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to prevent street violence and this campaign is helping young people make the right life-changing choices.”
CREDITS:
Brand: StreetDoctors
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi London
Directed by: The Glue Society
Produced by: Biscuit Filmworks x Revolver
