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Kids Speak About Violence: Are You Listening?

NCJ Number
206266
Date Published
2003
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Based on findings from a national youth survey, this booklet explains to parents what their kids are saying about how violence has affected their lives and what could be done about it.
Abstract
Based on focus groups with children and youth conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, kids report experiencing violence in a variety of forms and in different places. They report that on school campuses and neighborhood streets they are confronted with gang-related violence, bullying, conflicts due to racial tension, verbal abuse, and fist-fighting. At a forum, 66 percent of the participants mentioned violence in the home as one of the most frequent forms of violence to which kids are exposed, and they are increasingly likely to be exposed to violence through the media. Kids indicate that meaningful communication with their parents is a rarity, as almost 20 percent of 6th through 12th graders report not having had a good conversation with one of their parents (lasting for at least 10 minutes) in more than a month. Communication is the key to providing guidance to children and youth as they encounter violence in their worlds. This booklet provides specific advice to parents on how to keep their children from becoming victims of various types of violence as well as how to keep their children from becoming violent. It also provides practical advice on how to conduct constructive conversations with their kids and stay connected with them through family activities.