Voices is the Dorset Echo's weekly youth page - written for young people by young people.

This week Billy Sullivan questions what is being done about knife crime.

The rise in knife crime amongst young people is shocking.

The number of children aged 16 and under treated for stab wounds in hospitals has soared more than 60 per cent in the last five years - and this number is still rising.

But what is being done to maintain a tolerable level.

NHS figures show the number of stab victims, aged 10 to 16, rose by 63 per cent between 2011/12 and 2016/17.

The age of the stabbing victims was described as 'disturbingly' by youth workers working in paediatric units in London - but still what is being done?

There is an obligation to our youth that we simply cannot ignore any longer.

The only way to tackle this preposterous dilemma is to tackle it by its roots – through education.

There is evidence to suggest, although the criminal age of responsibility is 10 years-old, children over this age do not fully grasp action and consequence.

Schools need to educate students so that they fully comprehend the traumatic consequences that follow such a horrific act.

Everyone around them will be affected - both the attacker's and victim's families, friends, classmates, teachers plus they need to comprehend the disciplinary actions that will be taken against them.

There needs to be workshops, lectures, PSHCE days, art performances based on the subject.

But, as with so many vital lessons, schools do not have adequate funding. Some can barely keep a full curriculum together let alone, run extras classes.

No matter how we do it or how school's manage it, we must educate our children on violence.

By Billy Sullivan