Its Time to Look Beyond

It’s time to look beyond the drinking glass

By: Paul Mazerolle
Violence involving young people is increasing and the community has to take a broad look at why, writes Paul Mazerolle

IT IS hard to escape the impact of violence in our community. Recent incidents of domestic and family-related homicide have been shocking, as have ongoing episodes of youth violence that end in senseless deaths and serious injury. Tragically, these incidents are preventable. Police statistics over the past decade (1997-2006) reveal substantial increases in youth violence across Australia.

Offences involving violence, as a proportion of total juvenile offences, are rising, even though there has been a more proactive social and institutional response to the problem. Youth violence is typically predicted by four consistent factors: gender (male), age (15-24), alcohol consumption, and peer influences.

But while the problem is largely driven by young men, there also is a growing trend for violence in the very young — those aged 10 to 14 — as well as young women. Adolescence and emerging adulthood provide much opportunity for exposure to violence.

Being under the influence of alcohol not only makes some individuals feel invincible, but fosters an inflated sense of ego and a higher likelihood to interpret slights to that inflated self-appraisal. Add to that the pressure of interacting in a social environment that strongly endorses the use of violence as part of being male, and it becomes clear why we have so many assaults and so many tragic incidents. The fact that many “nice, law-abiding boys” are caught up in these events illustrates even more the effects of being a young male within a peer group where alcohol and machismo are highly valued.

Concerns over the role of binge drinking and the role of alcohol in our culture are clearly on the mark. But another part of the problem is an underlying cultural endorsement of the use of violence to resolve conflict, to settle differences, as well as to inform others of the importance of the tough guy role.Such endorsement is not only played out in and around nightclubs and parties, but occurs every weekend on our football fields, regularly on our highways when road rage escalates, and even in our workplaces.

So, what can be done to prevent and control violence in young people? There is a need for collective responsibility and action. Schools, churches, governments, community groups, the judiciary and the hospitality industry all have a role to play, as do the young people themselves and their families. There are no quick and easy solutions. To move forward, we need to understand the nature and complexity of the problem, to assess the effectiveness of programs and initiatives designed to prevent youth violence, to consider both short- and long-term approaches, as well as the commitment, both financial and non-financial, to responding effectively, staying the course and modifying where appropriate. While it is imperative to address both the risk factors and situational conditions that encourage youth violence, we cannot lose sight of the challenge of a culture that supports the use of violence to resolve conflict. Perhaps the only saving grace in this area is the very limited access to handguns in Australia.

Professor Paul Mazerolle is director of the violence research and prevention program at Griffith University.