As the Christmas party season approaches, One Punch UK launches its 2019 Punched Out Cold campaign – now in its 6th Year.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the devastation one punch can cause, and urges people to think about the long-term consequences of their actions.
One Punch UK hopes to get every police force in the UK supporting the campaign so the hard-hitting poster and important message reaches as many people as possible. In 2018, the poster was viewed more than 1.6 million times on social media, something the campaign hopes to double this year.
Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness, who is supporting the campaign, along with all three regional police forces and their PCCs, firmly believes that education is key.
She said: “Every act of violence is one too many. My vision is to prevent crime and tragedy before they happen. This campaign is about making safe choices, recognising the warning signs and teaching people to think again when they face potentially violent situations. An impulsive action, with clouded judgment, on a festive night out can result in a lifetime of regret.
“By starting early and educating young people, we can make a difference. Identifying and tackling the root causes of crime and harm in our communities is a top priority for me and I will be working closely with One Punch UK as part of the prevention work that’s at the heart of my Violence Reduction Unit. Violence is not inevitable, it is in large parts predictable and through campaigns like this we can help prevent it.”
Committed campaigner and founder of One Punch, Maxine Thompson-Curl, said: “This campaign is so important to educate people what a single punch can and the devastation it can cause”.
