Knife crime amongst girls is escalating. In July 2008 Sian Simpson was stabbed to death by Chelsea Bennett after an argument over a boy. The knife pierced Sian's lung and heart causing “shock and massive internal bleeding” and the teenager was pronounced dead in hospital less than 45 minutes after arrival. Chelsea admitted killing Sian, but said she acted in self-defence when her victim came at her with a knife. Stories like this are all too common, this needs to come to an end. We interviewed young residents of Croydon and asked them what they thought about the growing menace of girls carrying knives. Olivia Bukorenczki is 15 years old and goes to Shirley High School: believes that a big part of the problem is young people being part of gangs. When she hung around with a group that were in a gang, she would get into trouble, argue and have fights with other girls her age. One day a girl was waiting outside school for her with a knife. “I was so scared and was all by myself. It made me think if I did not stop I would get killed.” Olivia believes that if it were not for a passing policeman, she would not be alive today to tell the story. “There are lots of girl gangs not being tackled. There are the same amount of girls walking around with knives as boys. 
New evidence suggests that Girls in gangs are just as vicious and equally as violent as boys. The difference is, the dispute usually involves a love interest. This can also be shown through causing of jealousy amongst young men which can also be the cause of stabbings. This was highlighted just last week when 16-year-old Samantha Joseph, along with six Croydon gang members, was jailed for life for her part in the murder of teenager Shakilus Townsend.A boy named Joseph had been part of a ploy to lure the 16-year-old, who had become besotted with her, to a secluded road in Thornton Heath where he was approached by Joseph’s boyfriend,  and 6 other gang members.The group beat him with a baseball bat, kicked him and stabbed him several times – leaving him to die, in the arms of a resident of Beulah Crescent. Someone must come to a conclusion to prevent such occurrences happening in order to save the lives of many (including those who ruin their future and are jailed for the entirety of their life). 
 

Leo Beghila Whitgift school