BOSTON For more than 20 years, we have traveled throughout the United States addressing youth violence as a public health problem. We started hearing occasional stories about girls fighting some 15 years ago. Ten years ago the stories became more frequent ; we started getting an earful about girls fighting.
Turning to the numbers, our fears were confirmed. Not only were school personnel anecdotally reporting that girls were fighting more, but girls were also getting arrested for violent crimes at all-time increasingly higher rates as well. National data were beginning to show the increase.
There are those who discount the figures and explain away the changes in girls’ behavior by saying, « It’s about time they fight back, » or « Girls’ behavior hasn’t changed, police are just arresting girls more, » or just not believing that girls could do such things.
But why wouldn’t girls’ behavior change in this area, as in so many others ? Statistics may not tell the whole story, but when coupled with real-life stories from throughout the country, the picture is clearer.
In many areas, girls and women continue to close the gaps between their behaviors and achievement levels compared with that of boys and men. Tragically, violent behavior is no exception. As society has changed, the differences between the ways girls and boys display anger and aggression have as well.
Today, American girls are showing their mean streaks. They are fighting, and not just in self-defense. They are fighting other girls. They are not yet fighting as much as boys, but the similarities are striking. Explanations of gender-based victimization only delay a focus on prevention.
Girls are different ! In addition to the obvious biological differences, society socializes girls and boys differently. The gender inequality in America creates circumstances in which girls and young women are vulnerable to violent victimization in their families, intimate relationships and the larger community. We must take these differences into account. Girls must learn how to be non-victim and non-violent.
Girls are not different ! Girls are clearly demonstrating their similarities with boys with increased participation in sports, enhanced academic accomplishments and expanded career achievements. When socialization and opportunity are coupled, girls’ behavior has changed.
Two decades ago, psychologist Leonard Eron suggested that to prevent youth violence in America we should « socialize our boys more like we socialize our girls. » We have done the opposite. We are socializing girls more like boys, and it is clear that girls are capable of similar levels of violence. Like boys, girls resort to fighting to prove a point, get respect, gain a reputation and for status.
We believe that socialization and cultural changes explain the changes in girls’ behavior. Specifically, the entertainment media – movies, television, music, teen magazines – are depicting girls in roles a male superhero could play with hardly a script change. We are teaching girls, as we have for decades with boys, that fighting is appropriate and acceptable when dealing with hurt, pain, anger and conflict.
As we market violence to girls, the parameters around girls’ behavior have changed and their repertoire of responses to problems and pain expands.
The major risk factors for violence include gun availability, poverty, alcohol and drug use, biological factors, witnessing/victimization, and social/cultural influences. Historically, these risk factors have lined up for girls no differently than for boys. The notable recent exception is the change in the social and cultural influences on girls.
Traditionally, high-risk girls acted out with self-destructive behavior (using alcohol or drugs, running away, suicide attempts, prostitution and cutting), not violence against others. Boys more typically externalized their risks with fighting, bullying, and violence. Now, violence and physical aggression are being marketed to our daughters in the same way as it has been to our sons.
Predictably, school is where much of this plays out. Students and faculty are reporting more hazing resulting in physical harm and illegal activity. We hear about girls being mean-spirited and aggressive toward other girls and more recently toward teachers. Standard responses consist of disbelief, uncertainty and expansion of « no tolerance » policies predicated on the threat of severe punishment – expulsion in particular – as the primary deterrent. But it is not working with girls, just as it hasn’t worked with boys.
The problem rests in our « Rambo » hearts and « Terminator » minds. Equality is not the problem. Our values are. America has tolerated the epidemic of violence among boys for far too long. Maybe its spread to girls will wake us up to the impact of a toxic environment that is now affecting even the most resilient.
Are the changes in girls’ behavior permanent ? We really don’t know. But we do believe in individual and collective action. We have experienced the consequences of delay and inaction. The change in girls’ behavior is significant enough to issue this warning : Don’t forget the girls !
(Deborah Prothrow-Stith is a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Howard Spivak is a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. They are co-authors of »Murder Is No Accident : Sugar and Spice and No Longer Nice. » This article first appeared in The Boston Globe.) BOSTON For more than 20 years, we have traveled throughout the United States addressing youth violence as a public health problem. We started hearing occasional stories about girls fighting some 15 years ago. Ten years ago the stories became more frequent ; we started getting an earful about girls fighting.
Turning to the numbers, our fears were confirmed. Not only were school personnel anecdotally reporting that girls were fighting more, but girls were also getting arrested for violent crimes at all-time increasingly higher rates as well. National data were beginning to show the increase.
There are those who discount the figures and explain away the changes in girls’ behavior by saying, « It’s about time they fight back, » or « Girls’ behavior hasn’t changed, police are just arresting girls more, » or just not believing that girls could do such things.
But why wouldn’t girls’ behavior change in this area, as in so many others ? Statistics may not tell the whole story, but when coupled with real-life stories from throughout the country, the picture is clearer.
In many areas, girls and women continue to close the gaps between their behaviors and achievement levels compared with that of boys and men. Tragically, violent behavior is no exception. As society has changed, the differences between the ways girls and boys display anger and aggression have as well.
Today, American girls are showing their mean streaks. They are fighting, and not just in self-defense. They are fighting other girls. They are not yet fighting as much as boys, but the similarities are striking. Explanations of gender-based victimization only delay a focus on prevention.
Girls are different ! In addition to the obvious biological differences, society socializes girls and boys differently. The gender inequality in America creates circumstances in which girls and young women are vulnerable to violent victimization in their families, intimate relationships and the larger community. We must take these differences into account. Girls must learn how to be non-victim and non-violent.
Girls are not different ! Girls are clearly demonstrating their similarities with boys with increased participation in sports, enhanced academic accomplishments and expanded career achievements. When socialization and opportunity are coupled, girls’ behavior has changed.
Two decades ago, psychologist Leonard Eron suggested that to prevent youth violence in America we should « socialize our boys more like we socialize our girls. » We have done the opposite. We are socializing girls more like boys, and it is clear that girls are capable of similar levels of violence. Like boys, girls resort to fighting to prove a point, get respect, gain a reputation and for status.
We believe that socialization and cultural changes explain the changes in girls’ behavior. Specifically, the entertainment media – movies, television, music, teen magazines – are depicting girls in roles a male superhero could play with hardly a script change. We are teaching girls, as we have for decades with boys, that fighting is appropriate and acceptable when dealing with hurt, pain, anger and conflict.
As we market violence to girls, the parameters around girls’ behavior have changed and their repertoire of responses to problems and pain expands.
The major risk factors for violence include gun availability, poverty, alcohol and drug use, biological factors, witnessing/victimization, and social/cultural influences. Historically, these risk factors have lined up for girls no differently than for boys. The notable recent exception is the change in the social and cultural influences on girls.
Traditionally, high-risk girls acted out with self-destructive behavior (using alcohol or drugs, running away, suicide attempts, prostitution and cutting), not violence against others. Boys more typically externalized their risks with fighting, bullying, and violence. Now, violence and physical aggression are being marketed to our daughters in the same way as it has been to our sons.
Predictably, school is where much of this plays out. Students and faculty are reporting more hazing resulting in physical harm and illegal activity. We hear about girls being mean-spirited and aggressive toward other girls and more recently toward teachers. Standard responses consist of disbelief, uncertainty and expansion of « no tolerance » policies predicated on the threat of severe punishment – expulsion in particular – as the primary deterrent. But it is not working with girls, just as it hasn’t worked with boys.
The problem rests in our « Rambo » hearts and « Terminator » minds. Equality is not the problem. Our values are. America has tolerated the epidemic of violence among boys for far too long. Maybe its spread to girls will wake us up to the impact of a toxic environment that is now affecting even the most resilient.
Are the changes in girls’ behavior permanent ? We really don’t know. But we do believe in individual and collective action. We have experienced the consequences of delay and inaction. The change in girls’ behavior is significant enough to issue this warning : Don’t forget the girls !
(Deborah Prothrow-Stith is a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Howard Spivak is a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. They are co-authors of »Murder Is No Accident : Sugar and Spice and No Longer Nice. » This article first appeared in The Boston Globe.) BOSTON For more than 20 years, we have traveled throughout the United States addressing youth violence as a public health problem. We started hearing occasional stories about girls fighting some 15 years ago. Ten years ago the stories became more frequent ; we started getting an earful about girls fighting.
Turning to the numbers, our fears were confirmed. Not only were school personnel anecdotally reporting that girls were fighting more, but girls were also getting arrested for violent crimes at all-time increasingly higher rates as well. National data were beginning to show the increase.
There are those who discount the figures and explain away the changes in girls’ behavior by saying, « It’s about time they fight back, » or « Girls’ behavior hasn’t changed, police are just arresting girls more, » or just not believing that girls could do such things.
But why wouldn’t girls’ behavior change in this area, as in so many others ? Statistics may not tell the whole story, but when coupled with real-life stories from throughout the country, the picture is clearer.
In many areas, girls and women continue to close the gaps between their behaviors and achievement levels compared with that of boys and men. Tragically, violent behavior is no exception. As society has changed, the differences between the ways girls and boys display anger and aggression have as well.
Today, American girls are showing their mean streaks. They are fighting, and not just in self-defense. They are fighting other girls. They are not yet fighting as much as boys, but the similarities are striking. Explanations of gender-based victimization only delay a focus on prevention.
Girls are different ! In addition to the obvious biological differences, society socializes girls and boys differently. The gender inequality in America creates circumstances in which girls and young women are vulnerable to violent victimization in their families, intimate relationships and the larger community. We must take these differences into account. Girls must learn how to be non-victim and non-violent.
Girls are not different ! Girls are clearly demonstrating their similarities with boys with increased participation in sports, enhanced academic accomplishments and expanded career achievements. When socialization and opportunity are coupled, girls’ behavior has changed.
Two decades ago, psychologist Leonard Eron suggested that to prevent youth violence in America we should « socialize our boys more like we socialize our girls. » We have done the opposite. We are socializing girls more like boys, and it is clear that girls are capable of similar levels of violence. Like boys, girls resort to fighting to prove a point, get respect, gain a reputation and for status.
We believe that socialization and cultural changes explain the changes in girls’ behavior. Specifically, the entertainment media – movies, television, music, teen magazines – are depicting girls in roles a male superhero could play with hardly a script change. We are teaching girls, as we have for decades with boys, that fighting is appropriate and acceptable when dealing with hurt, pain, anger and conflict.
As we market violence to girls, the parameters around girls’ behavior have changed and their repertoire of responses to problems and pain expands.
The major risk factors for violence include gun availability, poverty, alcohol and drug use, biological factors, witnessing/victimization, and social/cultural influences. Historically, these risk factors have lined up for girls no differently than for boys. The notable recent exception is the change in the social and cultural influences on girls.
Traditionally, high-risk girls acted out with self-destructive behavior (using alcohol or drugs, running away, suicide attempts, prostitution and cutting), not violence against others. Boys more typically externalized their risks with fighting, bullying, and violence. Now, violence and physical aggression are being marketed to our daughters in the same way as it has been to our sons.
Predictably, school is where much of this plays out. Students and faculty are reporting more hazing resulting in physical harm and illegal activity. We hear about girls being mean-spirited and aggressive toward other girls and more recently toward teachers. Standard responses consist of disbelief, uncertainty and expansion of « no tolerance » policies predicated on the threat of severe punishment – expulsion in particular – as the primary deterrent. But it is not working with girls, just as it hasn’t worked with boys.
The problem rests in our « Rambo » hearts and « Terminator » minds. Equality is not the problem. Our values are. America has tolerated the epidemic of violence among boys for far too long. Maybe its spread to girls will wake us up to the impact of a toxic environment that is now affecting even the most resilient.
Are the changes in girls’ behavior permanent ? We really don’t know. But we do believe in individual and collective action. We have experienced the consequences of delay and inaction. The change in girls’ behavior is significant enough to issue this warning : Don’t forget the girls !
(Deborah Prothrow-Stith is a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. Howard Spivak is a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. They are co-authors of »Murder Is No Accident : Sugar and Spice and No Longer Nice. » This article first appeared in The Boston Globe).
