By Annagiulia Mura
Like any big city, London can be dangerous. Following the pandemic that began in 2020 – and which is not completely over – the situation has been getting worse, and is still struggling to recover.
The unemployment and poverty rate are still high, which has caused an increase in thefts and assaults on the streets, according to Met Police statistics.
“What is the picture of poverty at the start of 2022, coming up to two years after a global pandemic struck? To an extent the picture is unclear: we don’t yet have official poverty data covering the pandemic period, and we know that the quality of the very surveys we rely on for this information were affected by the onset of the pandemic,” said the UK Poverty Report 2022, by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
“But many sources make it clear that while some groups have been well supported and face better prospects as we enter 2022, others face deep and persistent poverty.”
Crime is common
True, crime is common, especially in large cities, but according to the Metropolitan Police there was a notable increase in violence against people with the aim of stealing objects, at the end of December 2021, especially in the City of London.
Chiho Lohi, 34, a nurse assistant living in Ilford, was mugged in February while waiting for the bus. “I was going to work to work the night shift,” says Lohi, “and they took the phone from my hands while I was waiting for the bus.
“He was a man on a bicycle, it was dark because it was night but he didn’t have his face covered. I got very scared. I was on the phone with my mom and I started screaming. I have all my personal stuff on the phone,” she said.
She is not alone. Gabriel Solanes, 25, a Barclays bank worker, was beat up recently by a group of young men in Victoria Park, east London, who wanted his wallet. ”I gave them what they wanted, I was just thinking about surviving. Then they let me go and I went home and I was crying and I was lonely,” said Gabriel.
”The police came after a long time and even though they were very kind they couldn’t do much. These things happen all the time … what difference does my case make?”
Tackling the problem
London’s mayor, Sadiq Khan, is taking steps to tackle the problem of increasing crime. He has had more surveillance cameras installed and the plan for his new campaign, as written on his manifesto, is to invest economically in more police officers.
He has also established a new Violence Reduction Unit, a team of specialists who are tasked with looking into why crime happens.
“Our approach is rooted in prevention and early intervention and we are a champion and a voice for young people and communities across London, the Mayor of London’s website says.
“We believe in the importance of education and being in school, and we’re invested in providing both support and positive opportunities for young people, working with communities to give them the tools and resources to deliver change where they live.”
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