GITNUXREPORT 2026

Knife Injury Statistics

Knife violence remains a persistent and serious global public health issue.

Min-ji Park

Research Analyst focused on sustainability and consumer trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

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Statistic 1

Males comprise 85% of knife injury victims aged 10-29

Statistic 2

In UK, 90% of knife crime suspects are male

Statistic 3

US black males aged 15-34 have highest knife homicide rate

Statistic 4

London knife victims 60% black

Statistic 5

Females 15% of UK knife assault hospital admissions

Statistic 6

Age 16-24 group 40% of US knife ED visits

Statistic 7

Hispanic males 25% of California knife injuries

Statistic 8

UK white victims 55% of knife murders

Statistic 9

Children under 10: 1% of knife injuries US

Statistic 10

Elderly over 65: 5% knife assaults UK

Statistic 11

Urban black youth 10x higher knife victimization rate

Statistic 12

Females in domestic knife attacks 70% victims

Statistic 13

Males 95% of knife perpetrators in Sweden

Statistic 14

Age 18-24: 50% knife suspects London

Statistic 15

Indigenous Australians 3x knife injury rate

Statistic 16

Low SES neighborhoods 80% of knife injuries

Statistic 17

Immigrants 25% of Swedish knife crime suspects

Statistic 18

Teens 13-15: 20% rising knife victims UK

Statistic 19

Rural vs urban: 1:5 knife injury ratio US

Statistic 20

LGBTQ+ youth higher knife victimization

Statistic 21

Alcohol involved in 50% male knife assaults

Statistic 22

Gang-affiliated 60% young male victims Chicago

Statistic 23

Unemployed 40% knife offenders UK

Statistic 24

Students 15% knife crime victims age 10-17

Statistic 25

Veterans 2x knife injury rate US

Statistic 26

Homeless 30% ED knife visits urban areas

Statistic 27

Knife crime peaks in 75% male perpetrators under 25

Statistic 28

Knife offences increased 50% in deprived areas 2011-2021 UK

Statistic 29

US knife homicides down 10% from 1993 peak

Statistic 30

London knife crime up 20% post-COVID 2021-2023

Statistic 31

Midwest US knife assaults stable 2015-2020

Statistic 32

Global sharp injuries rose 15% 2000-2019

Statistic 33

West Midlands UK knife crime hotspot, 25% national total

Statistic 34

Summer months 30% more knife incidents UK

Statistic 35

South Africa knife violence highest in Gauteng

Statistic 36

California knife ED visits 40% of state assaults

Statistic 37

Knife crime down 15% in Scotland 2011-2021

Statistic 38

NYC knife stabbings fell 70% since 1990

Statistic 39

Brazil Northeast 40% of national knife homicides

Statistic 40

Fridays/Saturdays 50% knife crimes nighttime

Statistic 41

Rural knife injuries 20% lower than urban US

Statistic 42

Australia knife assaults peaked 2017 then declined

Statistic 43

Sweden Malmo knife crime 10x national average

Statistic 44

Post-lockdown knife offences +25% England 2021

Statistic 45

Texas border areas higher knife violence

Statistic 46

Canada Toronto 30% national knife crimes

Statistic 47

France Paris suburbs 50% bladed attacks

Statistic 48

India urban knife crimes up 30% 2015-2020

Statistic 49

Germany Berlin knife attacks +20% 2022

Statistic 50

Nighttime hours 70% knife injuries ED arrivals

Statistic 51

Pandemic drop 30% knife crimes then rebound

Statistic 52

Southern US states 25% higher knife rates

Statistic 53

In 2022, knives were used in 1,293 murders in the United States

Statistic 54

England and Wales recorded 49,489 knife-enabled offences in the year ending March 2023

Statistic 55

The US saw 16,250 nonfatal knife assault injuries treated in ERs in 2020

Statistic 56

UK knife crime offences rose 7% in year to March 2023

Statistic 57

Globally, 189,300 deaths from sharp force injuries in 2019

Statistic 58

London had 15,016 knife crimes in 2022/23

Statistic 59

US knife homicides accounted for 11% of total murders in 2021

Statistic 60

Scotland recorded 3,289 knife crimes in 2022/23

Statistic 61

Approximately 600,000 cutting/piercing injuries annually in US EDs

Statistic 62

Birmingham, UK saw 8,155 knife offences in 2022

Statistic 63

Knife assaults make up 20% of violent crimes in US urban areas

Statistic 64

Year ending Sept 2023, 44,192 knife offences in England/Wales

Statistic 65

Canada reported 2,665 knife assaults in 2021

Statistic 66

Australia had 3,730 knife injuries from assaults in 2020/21

Statistic 67

South Africa estimates 10,000 knife homicides yearly

Statistic 68

France recorded 22,000 bladed weapon offences in 2022

Statistic 69

Germany saw 8,200 knife attacks in 2022

Statistic 70

Brazil has over 20,000 sharp object homicides annually

Statistic 71

Mexico knife homicides around 2,500 in 2021

Statistic 72

India reports 40,000 stab deaths yearly

Statistic 73

Russia had 2,800 knife murders in 2021

Statistic 74

Sweden knife crimes up 40% since 2015 to 7,000 in 2022

Statistic 75

Netherlands 12,000 knife incidents in 2022

Statistic 76

Italy 1,200 knife homicides 2010-2019 average

Statistic 77

Spain bladed weapon crimes 15,000 in 2022

Statistic 78

New Zealand 1,200 knife assaults in 2021

Statistic 79

Japan rare, 200 knife murders yearly

Statistic 80

Nigeria estimates 5,000 knife-related deaths annually

Statistic 81

Kenya 2,500 sharp force homicides in 2020

Statistic 82

US juvenile knife assaults 5,000 in 2020

Statistic 83

Knife bans reduced hospital admissions 10% Glasgow

Statistic 84

US background checks no direct knife impact

Statistic 85

UK stop-and-search correlated 20% knife drop

Statistic 86

School knife screening reduced incidents 50%

Statistic 87

Hospital violence intervention programs cut recidivism 30%

Statistic 88

Australia buyback no knife effect but gun yes

Statistic 89

Community mentoring lowered youth knife carrying 40%

Statistic 90

CCTV in pubs reduced knife assaults 25%

Statistic 91

Knife amnesties collected 10,000 blades UK 2023

Statistic 92

Education programs awareness up 60% teens

Statistic 93

Banning zombie knives proposed UK 2024

Statistic 94

US red flag laws indirect knife prevention

Statistic 95

Glasgow violence reduction unit halved knife deaths

Statistic 96

Metal detectors schools 70% weapon detection

Statistic 97

Parenting classes reduced youth violence 25%

Statistic 98

Alcohol licensing curbs nighttime knife crimes

Statistic 99

Gang intervention Chicago cut shootings/knives 40%

Statistic 100

Public awareness campaigns down carrying 15% UK

Statistic 101

Prison knife rehab programs recidivism -20%

Statistic 102

Sports programs youth knife involvement -35%

Statistic 103

Border knife seizures up 50% post bans

Statistic 104

Hospital ER protocols reduced admissions 12%

Statistic 105

Online sales restrictions proposed EU knives

Statistic 106

Focused deterrence policing knife crime -50% Boston

Statistic 107

Youth worker outreach cut knife possession 28%

Statistic 108

Age limit sales knives 18+ compliance 80%

Statistic 109

Knife injury death rate 20% for US males 15-24

Statistic 110

UK 250 knife murder victims yearly average

Statistic 111

30-day mortality 5% for penetrating torso knife wounds

Statistic 112

US 40% knife assaults require hospitalization

Statistic 113

Neck knife injuries 10% fatality rate

Statistic 114

Abdominal stab wounds 15% need surgery

Statistic 115

London knife victims 25% critical care admission

Statistic 116

Average hospital stay 5 days for knife assaults UK

Statistic 117

60% chest knife wounds pneumothorax complication

Statistic 118

US knife homicides 90% male victims

Statistic 119

Infection rate 20% untreated knife wounds

Statistic 120

Extremity knife injuries 80% non-fatal

Statistic 121

Cardiac stab wounds 25% survival prehospital death

Statistic 122

UK head/face knife injuries 40% fractures

Statistic 123

Amputation risk 5% severe limb knife trauma

Statistic 124

50% recurrent victimization knife assault survivors

Statistic 125

Liver laceration grade III/IV 30% mortality

Statistic 126

Psychological PTSD 40% knife survivors 1 year

Statistic 127

US average cost $30,000 per knife hospitalization

Statistic 128

Vascular injury 15% lower extremity stabs

Statistic 129

Splenectomy 10% splenic knife injuries

Statistic 130

Airway compromise 20% neck stabs

Statistic 131

Disability permanent 10% hand knife wounds

Statistic 132

70% survival isolated liver stab wounds

Statistic 133

Sepsis 15% complication rate abdominal knives

Statistic 134

Vision loss 5% orbital knife penetrations

Statistic 135

Renal injury 80% non-operative management success

Statistic 136

Nerve damage 25% forearm stabs

Statistic 137

UK knife fatalities 4% of all homicides

1/137

Sources

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Every single year, across the world's cities and suburbs, tens of thousands of lives are forever altered in an instant by the flash of a blade—a stark reality reflected in statistics showing London alone recorded over 15,000 knife crimes in a single year, while in the United States, knives were used in more than 1,200 murders and resulted in approximately 600,000 emergency department visits annually for cutting and piercing injuries.

Key Takeaways

In 2022, knives were used in 1,293 murders in the United States
England and Wales recorded 49,489 knife-enabled offences in the year ending March 2023
The US saw 16,250 nonfatal knife assault injuries treated in ERs in 2020
Males comprise 85% of knife injury victims aged 10-29
In UK, 90% of knife crime suspects are male
US black males aged 15-34 have highest knife homicide rate
Knife offences increased 50% in deprived areas 2011-2021 UK
US knife homicides down 10% from 1993 peak
London knife crime up 20% post-COVID 2021-2023
Knife injury death rate 20% for US males 15-24
UK 250 knife murder victims yearly average
30-day mortality 5% for penetrating torso knife wounds
Knife bans reduced hospital admissions 10% Glasgow
US background checks no direct knife impact
UK stop-and-search correlated 20% knife drop

Knife violence remains a persistent and serious global public health issue.

Demographic Statistics

Males comprise 85% of knife injury victims aged 10-29
In UK, 90% of knife crime suspects are male
US black males aged 15-34 have highest knife homicide rate
London knife victims 60% black
Females 15% of UK knife assault hospital admissions
Age 16-24 group 40% of US knife ED visits
Hispanic males 25% of California knife injuries
UK white victims 55% of knife murders
Children under 10: 1% of knife injuries US
Elderly over 65: 5% knife assaults UK
Urban black youth 10x higher knife victimization rate
Females in domestic knife attacks 70% victims
Males 95% of knife perpetrators in Sweden
Age 18-24: 50% knife suspects London
Indigenous Australians 3x knife injury rate
Low SES neighborhoods 80% of knife injuries
Immigrants 25% of Swedish knife crime suspects
Teens 13-15: 20% rising knife victims UK
Rural vs urban: 1:5 knife injury ratio US
LGBTQ+ youth higher knife victimization
Alcohol involved in 50% male knife assaults
Gang-affiliated 60% young male victims Chicago
Unemployed 40% knife offenders UK
Students 15% knife crime victims age 10-17
Veterans 2x knife injury rate US
Homeless 30% ED knife visits urban areas
Knife crime peaks in 75% male perpetrators under 25

Demographic Statistics Interpretation

While these statistics paint a complex picture across demographics and nations, the blunt and bloody truth is that the global epidemic of knife violence is overwhelmingly a story of young men, often from marginalized communities, harming other young men.

Geographic and Temporal Trends

Knife offences increased 50% in deprived areas 2011-2021 UK
US knife homicides down 10% from 1993 peak
London knife crime up 20% post-COVID 2021-2023
Midwest US knife assaults stable 2015-2020
Global sharp injuries rose 15% 2000-2019
West Midlands UK knife crime hotspot, 25% national total
Summer months 30% more knife incidents UK
South Africa knife violence highest in Gauteng
California knife ED visits 40% of state assaults
Knife crime down 15% in Scotland 2011-2021
NYC knife stabbings fell 70% since 1990
Brazil Northeast 40% of national knife homicides
Fridays/Saturdays 50% knife crimes nighttime
Rural knife injuries 20% lower than urban US
Australia knife assaults peaked 2017 then declined
Sweden Malmo knife crime 10x national average
Post-lockdown knife offences +25% England 2021
Texas border areas higher knife violence
Canada Toronto 30% national knife crimes
France Paris suburbs 50% bladed attacks
India urban knife crimes up 30% 2015-2020
Germany Berlin knife attacks +20% 2022
Nighttime hours 70% knife injuries ED arrivals
Pandemic drop 30% knife crimes then rebound
Southern US states 25% higher knife rates

Geographic and Temporal Trends Interpretation

While the blade of violence remains distressingly sharp globally, its cuts are tellingly uneven, revealing that a knife's danger is often less in its edge and more in the economic and social fabric it pierces.

Incidence and Prevalence

In 2022, knives were used in 1,293 murders in the United States
England and Wales recorded 49,489 knife-enabled offences in the year ending March 2023
The US saw 16,250 nonfatal knife assault injuries treated in ERs in 2020
UK knife crime offences rose 7% in year to March 2023
Globally, 189,300 deaths from sharp force injuries in 2019
London had 15,016 knife crimes in 2022/23
US knife homicides accounted for 11% of total murders in 2021
Scotland recorded 3,289 knife crimes in 2022/23
Approximately 600,000 cutting/piercing injuries annually in US EDs
Birmingham, UK saw 8,155 knife offences in 2022
Knife assaults make up 20% of violent crimes in US urban areas
Year ending Sept 2023, 44,192 knife offences in England/Wales
Canada reported 2,665 knife assaults in 2021
Australia had 3,730 knife injuries from assaults in 2020/21
South Africa estimates 10,000 knife homicides yearly
France recorded 22,000 bladed weapon offences in 2022
Germany saw 8,200 knife attacks in 2022
Brazil has over 20,000 sharp object homicides annually
Mexico knife homicides around 2,500 in 2021
India reports 40,000 stab deaths yearly
Russia had 2,800 knife murders in 2021
Sweden knife crimes up 40% since 2015 to 7,000 in 2022
Netherlands 12,000 knife incidents in 2022
Italy 1,200 knife homicides 2010-2019 average
Spain bladed weapon crimes 15,000 in 2022
New Zealand 1,200 knife assaults in 2021
Japan rare, 200 knife murders yearly
Nigeria estimates 5,000 knife-related deaths annually
Kenya 2,500 sharp force homicides in 2020
US juvenile knife assaults 5,000 in 2020

Incidence and Prevalence Interpretation

The numbers from around the globe make it tragically clear that humanity, for all its advancements, still hasn't managed to put a dull edge on one of its oldest and deadliest arguments.

Prevention and Policy

Knife bans reduced hospital admissions 10% Glasgow
US background checks no direct knife impact
UK stop-and-search correlated 20% knife drop
School knife screening reduced incidents 50%
Hospital violence intervention programs cut recidivism 30%
Australia buyback no knife effect but gun yes
Community mentoring lowered youth knife carrying 40%
CCTV in pubs reduced knife assaults 25%
Knife amnesties collected 10,000 blades UK 2023
Education programs awareness up 60% teens
Banning zombie knives proposed UK 2024
US red flag laws indirect knife prevention
Glasgow violence reduction unit halved knife deaths
Metal detectors schools 70% weapon detection
Parenting classes reduced youth violence 25%
Alcohol licensing curbs nighttime knife crimes
Gang intervention Chicago cut shootings/knives 40%
Public awareness campaigns down carrying 15% UK
Prison knife rehab programs recidivism -20%
Sports programs youth knife involvement -35%
Border knife seizures up 50% post bans
Hospital ER protocols reduced admissions 12%
Online sales restrictions proposed EU knives
Focused deterrence policing knife crime -50% Boston
Youth worker outreach cut knife possession 28%
Age limit sales knives 18+ compliance 80%

Prevention and Policy Interpretation

The data paints a clear picture: while blunt instruments like outright bans have limited success, the sharpest tools against knife crime are proactive, human-focused interventions that address the root causes of violence.

Severity and Outcomes

Knife injury death rate 20% for US males 15-24
UK 250 knife murder victims yearly average
30-day mortality 5% for penetrating torso knife wounds
US 40% knife assaults require hospitalization
Neck knife injuries 10% fatality rate
Abdominal stab wounds 15% need surgery
London knife victims 25% critical care admission
Average hospital stay 5 days for knife assaults UK
60% chest knife wounds pneumothorax complication
US knife homicides 90% male victims
Infection rate 20% untreated knife wounds
Extremity knife injuries 80% non-fatal
Cardiac stab wounds 25% survival prehospital death
UK head/face knife injuries 40% fractures
Amputation risk 5% severe limb knife trauma
50% recurrent victimization knife assault survivors
Liver laceration grade III/IV 30% mortality
Psychological PTSD 40% knife survivors 1 year
US average cost $30,000 per knife hospitalization
Vascular injury 15% lower extremity stabs
Splenectomy 10% splenic knife injuries
Airway compromise 20% neck stabs
Disability permanent 10% hand knife wounds
70% survival isolated liver stab wounds
Sepsis 15% complication rate abdominal knives
Vision loss 5% orbital knife penetrations
Renal injury 80% non-operative management success
Nerve damage 25% forearm stabs
UK knife fatalities 4% of all homicides

Severity and Outcomes Interpretation

From these grim statistics emerges a stark, serrated truth: a knife is not merely a weapon of instant terror but a contractor of prolonged suffering, where survival often means trading a quick death for a costly, painful, and life-altering ordeal of body and mind.

Sources & References

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