Shun Violence as a Youth

It does not in anyway pay to be a violent youth. You will end up destroying yourself and your community. Violence by youths in some countries have caused many harms beyond repair. Let peace lead among all youths.

There is no award given to people who are violent in their dealings. The fact is that violence is bad and because of that is not something to be commended in any way. Violence has destroyed people and has rendered some relationships beyond repair. Many who were in relationship before are seriously in pains because of what youth violence has done to them. They find it difficult to stop crying till date.

Youth violence in Nigeria; Sourced from Afronline

People who have been hurt by youth violence feel tormented every day of their lives. They wake up everyday thinking that they will not live again. The emotional torment that youth violence has put them into make them feel this way. They are always in a state of unrest because of what the youths have put them into. They do not want to keep existing on the planet earth.

The Effects of Youths Violence

Social Disorder

When things are not in order we say that they are in disorder. In the same way, when our society is not in order, we say that it is a state of social or society disorder. Youths violence has brought about disorderliness in our society today. It has made many things go wrong in our entire society today.

Youths are filled with energy and can carry out some actions with great force. Because of their state, they have create fear in the minds of many people when they involve in aggressive riot in any part of the world. In Africa, the masses are always afraid whenever the youths pick it upon themselves to carry out any form of riot that is aggressive. They are men and women filled with strength.

According to World Health Organization, youth violence is a global public health problem. It includes a range of acts from bullying and physical fighting, to more severe sexual and physical assault to homicide. Some of the fight end up making people to be less secured in their homes. Any small noise make them to be emotionally tensed.

Reduced Productive

How can youth violence results to reduced productivity in our society? Manufacturing companies in any particular society where there is youth violence cannot continue with their production. If the violence is severe, the best thing the companies can do is to allow their workers seat at home.

Youth violence in United States which involved gun shooting on February 2018.

Instruction of this kind by the management of companies in that particular society will go a long way to protect the lives of the employees. When this happen, there will be reduction in productivity. This can go as far as resulting to scarcity of some products sold in the environment.

Economic Effect

Buying and selling is usually low when there is youth violence in a particular society. That is to say that economic activities in that nation or state drops. That is when the government of the country begins to lose money. There becomes crisis in the land and things are not settled.

A strong youth violence in any country reduces the Gross Domestic Product of that country. If there are countries that usually come and buy some commodities to sell to their own countries, youth violence can stop them. Because of the crisis, they know that they are not safe to travel. This then has negative effect on the country with such issue.

Academic Effect

This is another area where youth violence shows its strength. Many schools have been destroyed because of the violence among young people. Students that were affected stopped going to school. Some others lost their teachers in the violence and have to wait until a new teacher is employed to teach them.

Exposure to violent home and community environments, as well as injury due to violence, contribute to both reduced academic progress and increased disruptive or unfocused classroom behavior for children, adolescents, and teenagers. It is estimated that between 10 and 20% of children in the United States are exposed to domestic violence annually (Carlson 2000) and are physically injured (Fusco & Fantuzzo 2009).

According to Taiwo B. M airing his view on youth violence in Nigerian universities stated "Student unrest occurs in form of demonstrations, strikes, non- attendance (boycott) of classes, riot and a times destruction of properties and even loss of lives". This unrest often gives no room to adequate coverage of academic syllabus and consequently leading to the alleged falling standard of education ( Abdulkareem 1992).

Emotional Trauma

The shock that comes with emotional trauma usually lasts for long in the affected for a long time. Many sometimes feel like committing suicide due to the torment that comes with it. They feel pained as a result of the bad experience they had in the past. 

Many young men have taken advantage of ladies as a result of youth violence. Many got raped and assaulted sexually. The victims most times bitterly blame themselves for finding themselves in that condition sometime in life. As a result of this, many developed hatred towards men and vowed not to be into any relationship with any man in their lives. 

Protest against youth violence in New Delhi, India. 

Solutions to Youth Violence

Irrespective of how violent the youths may be, there are ways this bad behaviour can be reduced. The solution to youth violence are: 

• Good moral practice
• Peace promotion among youths
• Good governance and 
• Public sensitization 

Good Moral Practice

Good home upgrading matters in the life of every human living in any part of the world. The foundation of every youth is build from home. If the root of any tree is weak, the tree cannot survive with time. Also, a weak foundation will end up causing problem. 

In the same line, the global youth violence observed is because many youths do not have good moral upbringing. If youths have good moral practice, there will be less youth violence in our society. Parents and guardians should teach youths how to promote good lifestyles. This will reduce such vice to the minimal level.

Peace Promotion among Youths

The moment the youths truly understand that nothing good comes from violence, the better for them. Violence has never been a good way to settle issues. And killings of fellow humans have never proven as the best way to sort things out. So the way forward to stop youth violence of any form is by promoting peace. That is the lasting solution to put a stop to that social disorder.

If you see any youth close to you that is agitating to cause social unrest, just try as much as you can to talk sense into him. Let him understand that peace promotion is the best. He should not go on with his bad plan instead let him convert the strength to peace progress. He can become ambassador of peace rather than ambassador of social disorder.

Good Governance 

If you are a leader, try as much as you can to lead well. Leading well will make the society you govern to be peaceful. It will make the people you govern including the youths see what is good in your leadership. That will make them see the reason not to raise dust and cause trouble in the society.

A good leader does not make youths to be angry. He does not make them to be aggressive and end up making them engage in dangerous riot. If you are a vice chancellor or holding any high position in universities, try as much as you can to be accountable. If some funds are allocated to you to raise structures, do that as well. Do not give the young students the opportunity to rise against you.

Public Sensitization 

This is important. It is among the little things that matter. How many times have peace promoting bodies in individual countries of the world host programs on television channels and speak against youth violence and its negative impacts? Some youths do not have basic information on this kind of issue.

And to let the public know more on this, sensitization have to be integrated. This may not just be carried out on television channels but using other good ways to convey the message. Posters on streets can still convey the message to the masses.

References 

• Carlson, B. E. (2000). Children exposed to intimate partner violence: Research findings and implications for intervention. Trauma, Violence, and Abuse, 1(4), 321-342. 

• Fusco, R. A., & Fantuzzo, J. W. (2009). Domestic violence crimes and children: A population-based investigation of direct sensory exposure and the nature of involvement. Children and Youth Services Review, 31(2), 249-256.

• Valerie McGaha-Garnett (2013), The Effects of Violence on Academic Progress and Classroom Behavior: From a Parent’s Perspective, published by VISTAS Online, United States