Stabbed 56 times: Knife crime infecting Victorian youths

When a 16-year-old boy was chased down by eight teenagers and was stabbed 56 times, it wasn’t just a horrific single act of violence.

When a 16-year-old boy was chased down by eight teenagers and was stabbed 56 times after leaving a house party in March last year, it wasn’t just a horrific single act of violence.

It was, as we now know, part of a wider trend that has seen young kids arm themselves with knives at alarming rates.

Victoria has an increasingly concerning rate of youth knife crime and it isn’t disappearing anytime soon. To make matters more difficult, there are many conflicting opinions on what to do about it.

Knife crime is riddled throughout Melbourne’s suburbs. Most knife crimes recorded are the result of gang on gang violence.

Victorian Police say they “ … know that gang members are more commonly carrying and are prepared to use knives …” and they’re “ … determined to intervene before this type of behaviour becomes endemic to their lives”.

However, many communities are still questioning when change is going to occur.

Associate professor in Criminology from the University of Sydney, Garner Clancey, insisted that there is a challenge with “ … balancing what the community expects and what justice allows”.

Reservoir teenager Declan Cutler, 16, was stabbed to death last year.

The father of slain teen Declan Cutler, Bryan Beattie, is supported by Declan's friend River outside the Supreme Court.

Prof Clancey says the carrying of knives could be the result of numerous factors, but commonly violence is the result of simple rebellion.

“As the younger generation begin to develop independence, they’re more likely to take risks … it can be to feel a sort of exhilaration,” he told news.com.au.

However Victorian Police believe that the behaviour associated with gang-related offending stems from unhealthy environments prevalent in Victorian homes.

Police believe crime and gang affiliation can often be socially appealing or act as a way of escapism.

Often those involved in affiliated crimes look for ‘a sense of purpose’ unable to be achieved in other aspects of their life.

According to the Victorian police youth gang strategy (2023-2026), low socio-economic areas and fractured family structures are a likely contributor to youth crime.

From 2021 to 2022, around 57 per cent of 10-to-13 year-old offenders had either previously fallen victim to violent crimes or family violence.

Prof Clancey doesn’t necessarily believe low socio-economic areas are the root cause of youth knife crime. He says that while “violence is more likely to be because of what they’re seeing”, it does not necessarily mean violence is only limited to ‘poorer’ areas.

Prof Clancey also mentioned that there are many reasons as to why the younger generation have started carrying weapons. Key reasons he believes are self defence or even credibility to their peers.

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Police at the scene of a fatal stabbing in Footscray which happened in apartments above the Royal Hotel. Thursday, November 16. 2023. Picture: David Crosling

“Because maybe carrying a knife makes them look tough,” he said.

From January 2022 there has been an alarming number of reports of stabbing incidents.

In March of 2022, 16-year-old Declan Cutler was chased down and was stabbed 56 times after leaving a house party in Reservoir. This attack stemmed from an ongoing gang rivalry.

Three months later an 11-year-old-girl was beaten and stabbed repeatedly by three children, near the Frankston shopping centre. She was captured on camera cowering in a corner prior to her being stabbed.

On the 4th of December a stabbing in St Kilda left an 18 year-old boy succumbing to his injuries at St Kilda beach.

In May this year, Pasawm Lyhym, 16, was stabbed to death at a train station in Sunshine.

One month later, 14-year-old Ethan Hoac was mowed down and repeatedly stabbed while he was walking from St Albans train station.

In the following months, 16-year-old Rhyan Singh was stabbed by a 20-year-old man after being robbed of his phone and new Air Jordans.

In September a 17-year-old boy was left fighting for life after a gang attack near Wangaratta.

Shortly after, a 17-year-old girl was charged with murder after stabbing an 18-year-old man in Mildura and a 12-year-old girl in Footscray was charged with murder after stabbing a 37-year-old woman.

It doesn’t stop there. Knife crimes and gang violence are not only impacting individuals directly involved, but their surrounding community. Victorian communities are becoming increasingly fearful and are taking to social media to express their concerns.

Weapons seized by Victoria Police who posted a caption: “Scary how many weapons are circulating in our community.” Picture: Facebook: @VictoriaPolice

Victorian police state they are actively working towards reducing youth crime. Through collaborations with Communities that care and Crime stoppers, the police hope to address the individual factors encouraging this type of youth violence. They hope that by addressing community needs and adapting their methods to suit each factor and type of community, they can begin to decline the rates of assaults, homicides and other related offences.

Prof Clancey stated that in order for campaigns, such as these, to make a difference, the campaigns have to form a connection and for them to work they have to happen progressively over time. He mentioned that to be effectively connected to Victorian youths, those involved in creating campaigns need to “ … understand the motivation …” behind youth crime and “ … understand from their perspective”. He also believes that to advocate to the younger generation campaigns need to “respond to their circumstances and relate to the children in meaningful ways”.