IT STARTS WITH US: ADRESSING VIOLENCE AGAINST YOUTH

Violence doesn’t always take place on battlefields- it happens in our neighborhoods, our classrooms and our homes. Places that our youth should feel protected in, yet they are the ones subjected to these attacks.

Violence at School

School is where our youth spend up 62% of their time. They are there to grow, learn and create friendships. This unfortunately isn’t the case for most students who attend school. Often the perpetrator of these violent acts is experiencing violence elsewhere but other times the violence can be rooted in prejudice. This leads to them releasing this tension on others, often the people they’ll target will be a minority group. These victims will go on to develop types of internal hatred and or do it to someone else continuing the cycle, or even commit suicide. Don’t just take my word for it though, look at the statistic.

Cameron (“Cam”) Thompson, an 18-year-old Black transgender teenage girl was shot and killed on December 16th 2024. Antwon Rose, an unarmed 16 year old black boy was shot on June 19th 2018 as a result of police, and as of 2025, 56% of indigenous women experienced physical assault while 46% experienced sexual assault. These people aren’t just numbers, they’re sisters, brothers, parents and teachers and now they’re gone. We can’t brush this off, we have to do something about it.

Gang Violence

Gang violence mainly occurs in larger urban areas as well as heavily concentrated areas. Most youth may get involved in gang related activities as a means of protection or social and economic benefits. By being in a gang you can acquire goods and materials such as drugs and alcohol. Some may find emotional support in gangs and even build familial bonds with members. Gangs mainly attract those of lower social status and those in poverty. Youth in impoverished situations will resort to these gangs if they feel their future is hopeless and filled with misfortune. They’ll get desperate and view gangs as a more reachable and better alternative. Teens in gangs have to face a lot of the violence and the consequences of being in a gang.

Rival gangs

Death and injury

You may end up dragging friends or family members into it.

Mental issues

Leaving a gang often has consequences so even if you try to leave, that past will follow you and most gangs will threaten you with violence and even death if you attempt to leave.

I hope you guys are doing well. I just wanted to speak on this topic because of the recent charlie Kirk shooting and Celeste’s death. There’s just so much violence everywhere and I wanna bring awareness to it. Thank you for reading.