Should we be concerned about increasing girls' violence and their participation in gangs? The question suggests that violence among girls or involving girls is infact increasing

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Should we be concerned about increasing girls’ violence and their participation in gangs?

The question suggests that violence among girls or involving girls is infact increasing. This is a topic that will be explored in the essay. Are we troubled by a minority of cases, given headline inches because of the gender of the perpetrator? The idea that more girls are joining gangs, and that their violence is increasing, will be examined and the implications of this, if true will be considered. The word violence needs to be explored and perhaps explained more clearly. There is some confusion about what this word encompasses and in what it means to different people. This will be cleared up.

Newspaper headlines about girl gangs with members as young as fourteen roaming the streets and randomly attacking victims can be seen everywhere. These newspapers give a very bleak view of the problem with headlines like “When they are bad, they are very, very bad” with lines such as “Look at these girls- or their boyfriends- the wrong way and they’re liable to beat or knife you” (E. Mills 1996). These articles make it sound commonplace with anyone leaving their home at risk of being jumped by rampaging girls but is this really the case?

Violent behaviour by girls is something that has not really been looked at thoroughly until the last five or six years. The reason for this lack of research could be that the topic is a new phenomenon but is more likely because an overwhelming majority of violence is committed by men. “It is well established that males account for most violence, most homicides, most violent assaults, as well as most forms of violent victimization” (Newburn and Stanko 1994). This lack of research means there is little or no information on female “pathways into violence; the manner in which they are violent; how they use or ‘manage’ violence; how they deal with potentially violent encounters; and how they desist from using violence.” (Burman, Batchelor & Brown 2001)  

Susan Batchelor was part of a team that studied this perceived increase in violent and aggressive behaviour by girls, with the intention of getting the views of “ordinary girls” and examining the differences between what is reported in the media and the real life experiences of young girls and violence. This study was called “A view from the Girls: Exploring Violence and Violent Behaviour”. The findings from this study i.e. “violence by girls is not a major social problem” (S. Batchelor 2001) contradict the opinions that can be found in many of the national broadsheet newspapers.  Some official statistics may give the impression that the number of  girls convicted of violence against the person  has grown but the figures are still tiny compared to those of males. Batchelor found no evidence to suggest that there is any real problem with girls and violence, let alone an increase in this problem as only 5% (40 of 800 girls) admitted to be routinely physically violent towards others. The study also found no evidence of the existence of girl gangs. Batchelor states, “not one of the 800 teenage girls that took part in the research claimed to be in a girl gang, nor did they know of anyone else who was a member” (S. Batchelor 2001)  

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      The research did find that the interviewed girls views on what counts as violence differs from the adult or legal view. “A common understanding of violence is of an intentionally harmful, interpersonal physical act” (S. Batchelor 2001) however some girls believed that verbal abuse or intimidation is more harmful than that of physical violence “I think that verbal stuff hurts you longer. Physical Violence, well, that is going to go away” (Anne quoted in Burman, Brown, Batchelor. 2003 Taking it to heart Girls and the meaning of violence). The girls also look at the context in which ...

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