It's been a very tough week in south London. A 15-year-old boy was shot in his home, the third this month. Black on black crime is at the top of the news agenda, and the news programmes are awash with people from the 'black community' who you would n0rmally never see in any other context, to give their opinion on the escalation in 'gun crime' among young people.

As the mother of a 13-year-old living in south London, it is worrying. But it's not news to us. This is the circumstances our children are growing up under. I think what is worrying is that not enough of us are campaigning for something to be done about it. For some time we have been aware that guns are a problem in the community - it affects the choices you make concerning where you rave, how much freedom you allow your kids, and things like having a car become essential because you don't want your kids to ride public transport late at night.

I don't like her to travel through Brixton when it's dark, so she might go the long way round via Clapham to my best friend's house, however she will always collect her where possible. Kids have to be streetwise from a young age, know how to carry themselves with confidence so they don't look like an obvious victim.

Tears welled in my eyes as I read about this 15 year-old Billy Cox - he was no angel from the sounds of it - but nonetheless - I bet his mother would rather have him alive with a tag, than having to choose his coffin.

When I read stories like this, I am glad I do not have a son. I do have a 19-year old brother though.