Stranger attacks in London a sign of social, economic stresses: Expert
Recent stranger attacks in London are shocking but reflect broader societal issues, a local criminologist says, in the wake of two stabbings of random passersby in a southwest London neighbourhood.
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Recent stranger attacks in London are shocking but reflect broader societal issues, a local criminologist says, in the wake of two stabbings of random passersby in a southwest London neighbourhood.
Though the victims in the attacks in London, including two stabbings in a southwest London neighbourhood and a brazen daylight stabbing at a Richmond Row train crossing earlier this year, are not known to their assailants, the violence isn’t always random happenstance, said Joseph Michalski, a sociology professor at King’s University College and founder of its criminology program.
The attacks are happening within a broader social context where many people are struggling – with addiction, poverty, abuse, long-term trauma, homelessness, joblessness, complex mental health issues or a combination of several factors – with limited resources available to help, he said.
“In my view, these violent incidents are not entirely random. I would expect you’d see an uptick in these perceived random occurrences if social and economic conditions worsen. We’d expect higher levels of tension, anger, frustration and people lashing out,” Michalski said.
“As a society, we’re wise to be a little more proactive in terms of making sure we have good health services and community resources for people who are suffering. That’s the smartest thing we can do as a humane, responsible society.”
Violent crime rates, on the decline for decades after spikes in the early 1990s, increased slightly in Canada in 2020 and 2021, Michalski said. Most violent crime occurs between people known to each other, oftentimes after a dispute, he said. Violence among strangers always has been rarer and, because of the fear it creates in the public, tends to stand out more, Michalski said.
An expert report on repeat offenders and random-stranger violence released by the British Columbia government last fall listed several contributing factors to the attacks and made recommendations to improve public safety.
The report, written by a former police chief and a health sciences researcher with input from more than 60 experts, said the increasing drug toxicity, including acquired brain injuries caused by lack of oxygen during drug overdoses, are a “likely” contributor to aggressive behaviour and increased violence.
Increases in methamphetamine use – an illicit street drug known to trigger hallucinations, paranoid delusions and mood disturbances – is also a potential factor in random street violence, the report said.
The report authors cite pandemic-related social isolation and the shuttering of community resources, along with limited treatment options for people with complex mental health issues as possible factors in the spate of stranger violence in B.C. communities.
The London region also has not been immune to violence against strangers.
St. Thomas police on Thursday announced an “out-of-control” man inside a bank assaulted two strangers, a police officer and – once he was transported to hospital for assessment – a doctor. A 40-year-old London man faces charges.
London police announced June 13 a 28-year-old man is charged with two counts of aggravated assault after two separate stabbings in the city’s southwest left two men with serious injuries.
One man was walking on a trail with a family member in the evening on June 9 near Base Line Road and Emery Street when he was approached from behind and stabbed, police said.
The second stabbing happened a block away on June 11, when a man walking his dog was approached and stabbed multiple times, police said.
Investigators say the accused was not known to either of the stabbing victims.
The weekend stabbings come less than three months after a driver waiting in his car at a downtown rail crossing was critically injured in a random stabbing in broad daylight. Police charged a 19-year-old man with attempted murder in the March 21 incident.
Michalski said people should take regular precautions when out in public, including being aware of their surroundings and not taking unnecessary risks. People should also report aggressive or escalating behavior they witness to police so they can intervene.
“If you see somebody in trouble, rather than stigmatize them, see them as someone who needs help,” he said.
While the untargeted attacks are particularly shocking, Michalski said, it’s important to keep them in perspective.
“If you think about yourself and the people you are close to, how many have been subject to a random act of violence? Probably the answer for most of us is going to be no,” he said.
“You’re far more likely to suffer a random act of kindness than you are to suffer a random act of violence.”
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