Causes and Effects on Teen Violence

By: Ire Sterling

Mrs. Verdun English 5B 25 March 2014

The violence done by others is often less painful than that which we do to ourselves, quoted by Franois De La Rochefoucaould. Growing up as a teenager today is a different than for any other generation. Issues include from teen pregnancy, teen abortion, teen abuse, teen gangs, the peer pressure, poor role models, but most importantly teen violence. Teen violence is an important issue that affects our society today. Feeling that I am alone, sometimes I wonder what the right decision for my generation is. It is hard because most of them are just followers and just want to fit in. Everyone wants to end teen violence, but no one actually understands why teen violence occurs. It could be because of home abuse, family issues or even trust issues period. There are many causes and effects of teen violence that directly impact teen lives. We all wonder what actually causes teen violence, the different stories and side remarks that have taken place. Teens commit violence because they may have abusive relationships in their homes. If they grow up in a violent home, they will very likely become violent in the future. This may happen because they had learned violent and aggressive ways from their parents or other elders. They may even have flashbacks on the abuse and take it out on a friend or a relationship they are currently in. General family issues may be another cause teen violence. A lot of families have bad relationships with one another, but some are just another kind of violence in the family. We have our ups and downs with our families, but it may not get serious enough to where death comes in. However, sometimes in- laws may get in the mix and things can go out of control. I once had violence in my family but not to the point of abuse, maybe close, but nothing too serious. We all

know the saying Blood is thicker than water, but teens sometimes pick their friends over family because of family trust issues. While teens are at school, there are cliques and cliques turn into beings themselves and try to bully other cliques that are below them and even individuals. School bullying is real and it causes a lot of violence in a teens personal life. This can lead to suicide, from depression from the bullies or the amount of school work and too much peer pressure on them. Teens may even take out their anger and hurt from their enemies on a third party. In the worst cases, they may take someones life. The effects bullying are serious and being victim of bulling is horrible, but the hard thing to determine is the response of a person to the situation. Teenagers feel peer pressured easily, especially if another teen looks cool doing it. For example, doing alcohol and drugs is often seen as cool. Doing alcohol and drugs can get into a teenagers mind and cause them to make very bad decisions. Getting drunk make them feel they are better than whoever is around and may make them feel like they are above the law. They can have hangovers; do things that they do not even remember-things they would really like to take back. Also, with drugs they can cause a lot of violence towards themselves and others around them to feed their addiction. They can also get in a lot of trouble with the law by selling and doing drugs. There are many external influences that can cause teen violence. These include internet, music, television, video games, and social media. It is natural that teens get influenced by a thing that is on television or in movies. It is even understandable to believe what somebody tells them on the social networks. In our society there is nothing but sex and violence in movies, games, songs and shows that teenagers are exposed to. They react to things as though they are real, and

it often turns out poorly. Also the social networks like, Instagram, twitter, and Facebook have a lot of bad influence on teens. Additionally, teens take cyber- bullying personally and may fight or even commit suicide over it. To witness teen violence is very hard and scary. I once was good friends with a girl that participated in teen violence. We were young teenagers and we were experiencing violence in our neighborhood. One day, we were playing at the playground and my friends older sister was jumped by two other teenage girls. My friend was tough, so she jumped in to help her sister. I was scared so I ran home and then a heard gun shots. Later on that night I found out that my friends sister died by a shot right to the head. Later on that year, my friend committed suicide because of what happened to her sister, she was afraid of her life. Sadly, the cause of this fight was a boyfriend situation, but the result was the loss of two innocent lives. My friends suicide was horrible and left me with tears for a long time. It was sad to see something so small turn out disastrous. Even though bullying is not always violent, it can have similar effects. The academic performance of victims may decrease because they are too worried about what is going to happen to them when the bell rings so they are not focused on their school work. Bullying is a big contributor to teen violence because suicide may result, and the killing of others may result also. I was bullied in my middle school years, and, to tell the truth, I had suicidal thoughts in my mind. However, I never told anyone or reacted to it. I was scared to do things like going to the bathroom and even eating the school lunch because of bullies. In todays society when teens get bullied, they play along but sometimes it turns into a fight. Nobody tells the adults because they either do not want to be a rat, or fear getting bullied by that bully.

When teens try to dodge bullies, they hang with them and try to fit in with the group and sometimes those groups are gangs. They may join in their violent behavior in order to avoid being the victim. According to the National Gang Trends Survey, there are more than 24,500 street gangs in the United States and more than 772,500 gang members are teens and young adults (Teen Violence Statistics, 2009). As the number of gang increase, more violence and bulling is happening. Sometimes teens would want to join gangs just to fit in with the crowd, but the gang does not actually fit who they really are. They may join gangs to let out their anger towards bullies on other innocent people. This is where guns are involved. Many teens either have a gun or their parents have one and they take borrow. Teens carry guns to just feel safe or protected from other rivals they might run into in the street. Some teens carry a weapon to respond to drive-by shootings. Education is the key to success in life, and getting caught up with gangs, guns and other illegal items is going to ruin the teens future. Family and friends are a critical part of teen development and decision making. However, when a teen has an anger issue and is very violent, family and friends may not want to be in their presence. Teens may face serious charges and can even be tried as an adult. However, violent teens may not have anyone to help them make good decisions. Further, they will not have family or friends to communicate with or to visit them once they are punished. Not having somebody on their side may cause teens to turn to even more violent offenders for support . The violence is often a public safety issue and often times are dangerous to the community. This may mean a life in jail, but it basically guarantees a life of violence. Teens often communicate with each other either on the phone or on the computer. Some teens even communicate through some games and not in person. This can affect a teens health and social life. This is especially a problem if the teen experiences violence by cyber- bullying.

Teens from all over the United States love social networks. Those that get bullied on networks are afraid, ashamed, but most importantly have low self-esteem. In my generation, most teens do not stand up for them because of either they are not the bigger person. Teenagers that have low self-esteem are the most likely to commit suicide. According CBC news, in 2003, there only 41 suicides from cyber-bullying, but the rate has gone up tremendously now. This happens mostly between the ages of 10 and 17, but can involve adults. Most teens play round with cyber- bullying, but it is serious because some teens feelings are soft and they take the lightest comments to heart. Cyber- bullying is a common cause of teen violence. Personally, I believe the real cause of teen violence is the lack of things for teens to do and the shortages of places are welcome. This leads them on the streets, exposed. Teens get distracted easily and thats not always a good thing. Teens want to make easy money and selling drugs and prostitution are two means to easy money. Anymore, teens really do not have good role models. Most parents just let their child just do anything, but teens need to be guided even after they are legally adults. Teen Violence is not always the teens fault. Violence often surrounds poverty. Given the current economy many children are growing up in violent neighborhoods struggling for income. With violence everywhere it is hard to escape. Violence is a part of every aspect of a teenagers existence. There are other different reasons teen violence occur. One other reason is teen health. Dealing with food as a teen violent it is mainly because of wither of the weight or even stress of not too much food being provided. Teens take their anger or low self- confident on them under them and most of those teens are overweight. Most teens even talk about their friends

if they are not the shape they may want them to be, but they think it is funny. Sometimes we just need to help those that are not healthy because we may be in the same situation one day. Violence can come into relationships because it is all teen know. Female teens may think when their male friends abuse them it is alright, or that they are playing. However it often escalates and girls cannot get out of it, because they are either in love or they are afraid. I know a few girls that deal with this problem and seeing them every day at school in the neighborhood is really sad. I want to help them, but do not know the circumstances of getting involved in that type of situation. I do not want the death of her, knowing he might found out she told or I dont want her committing suicide because of what she once loved is gone forever. In my generation today, I can see lot of teen violence, but truthfully it is mostly the females doing the violence towards the males and that makes them abuse them even more so. As I reading on teen violence statics it was shocking towards me because didnt know they had so much hate in teens over the past 14 years. Here are some statics on teen violence: In 2000 nine percent of the murders in the United States were committed by the persons less than 18 years of age (Teen Violence Statistics). One in ten teens arrested has been engaging in violent activity that could have resulted in a serious injury or the death of another person (Teen Violence Statistics). There are more statistics, but just seeing 2 was more than enough. It is really sad to have a bad name in the United States and if you are a teenager it is even worse. Unfortunately, I am not sure there is a solution on ending teen violence. However, there are ways people can help. Parents need to be more involved in their teens lives. Also, more community spaces that are safe for teens need to be built. Social media is a big part of teen life, as are television and music. Since jobs are hard to get, teens do not even bother to go out and

search for one. As a society we must find a way to limit the violence in these sources. Teen violence surrounds todays teenagers, but they need a way out. Teen violence is not just a problem, as most people look at it. It is teens, the future, our future, and the next generation. If the violence is starting now, imagine how it will be in the future. We all need help, from a higher power. Mary McCarthy says In violence we forget who we are. That is so true. The past takes over peoples bodies and it is just not them, it is the revenge, it is the violence that has taken over them. While, doing this research on teen violence really look on the inside of some teens and their story. Everyone is victim on teen violence no matter what type of situation they are in. Seeking an answer is very important to help stop these causes and effects of youth violence.

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