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Anita Rani investigated the worrying increase of violence by young women. Attacks by girls aged 10-17yrs have jumped by 22% in England and Wales - that's just in the last four years.
Many believe the rise goes hand-in-hand with the trend of women binge drinking.
Student, Liam Sharratt had a glass smashed in his face by a young drunk woman in 2007, which left his face scarred for life.
But can the excuse of alcohol be solely used to explain the increase in violent crimes by young women?
Dr. Roger Grimshaw, a criminologist from King's College London believes women's role in society has changed and this is affected their behaviour, "with the freedom women have, to choose different lifestyles, you also have the freedom to make bad choices."
But what do you think? Why have young women become more violent? Is alcohol directly responsible? And what is the solution?
Comments
Well said, Maureen Lipman. For goodness sake, canb we get a sense of perspective? A quiet drink and a cigarette INSIDE rarely led to the sort of problems we're seeing now.
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I work as a youth offending officer. I have found that not only are girls drinking more, the alcohol they consume is very high percentage. The chosen drink in my area is now Vodka and energy drink.
Young girls are getting arrested for drunk and disorderley and assaults. Having worked with young people for a number of years, I would rather work with a young male than a young female.
More and more females are entering the service with a lack of respect for any rules and boundaries, and all try to be way older than their years. The young females I am involved in seem to have no knowledge for their health or personal safety.
As well as parents the education starts with schools. I feel that schools let young people down massively when it comes to providing young people with helpful and useful information.
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Im 17 and I think the rise in violence related to binge drinking amoung teenage girls is an increasingly serious problem. Girls are often not given enough structure in their lives which causes them to be childish and immature. If they are old enough to drink, they are old enough to deal with the consequences!
Elise, Middlesex
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When court proceedings result from violence, particularly alcohol fueled, add a cost for the policing involved in dealing with the miscreant. Insignificant fines don't influence the crime whereas something much more significant would.
It's not rocket science. If you can't pay, don't stray.
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I am a young woman from Carlisle and i am quite shocked at the image you have portraid of Carlisle. I now live in Kent and i see more violence here than i have ever seen in Carlisle. I lived in Carlisle for 27 years and yes there was fights but Carlisle isnt as bad you made it out to be. i know every one is entitled to there own opinion but of all the years i went clubbing in Carlisle i only ever got into 1 fight. I do agree however that teenage drinking is a problem but not sure if this can ever be resolved due to so many parents buying alcohol for their own children.
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I could have put my next paycheck on that they would have to go to an area in the North to highlight this issue. Anything negative, all pile up North!!
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To tackle the issue of binge drinking, we need to stop selling alcohol in the supermarkets and corner shops. We should go back to selling alcohol in pubs and off licences only. Of course we then punish the majority because of the minority, but thats all this country ever does anyway
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We are currently in Portugal. Alcohol is much cheaper than the UK i.e wine can be bought for 0.99 cents and beer 6 for €1. We have not seen one Portuguese person drunk in the street in the past few months or ever. It is a culture thing winthin the UK and the authorities don't deal with it properly. On the spot fines and a criminal record would stop it.
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I think the reasons for the binge drinking and loss of control leading to violent behaviour is due to the pressure on girls to have it all, career, children, a degree etc. Not all girls want it all but are afraid to own up to this and so use drink to escape the pressures placed on them
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Why don't the government raise the legal age for drinking alcohol to 21 years as in the USA.
Lorraine Bullock
Spain
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I think women and men are more violent and distrubtive with drink. I am now 50 and when I was younger the largers were only 3%, there were spirits but mostly we did not drink them and wine was not even first choice drink. Girls mostly drank cinzano and lemondade. What I'm saying is that the drinks are to strong and the youngsters cannot cope with 5/6% largers and alcohopops at 6% - reduce the strength then they will calm down!!!!
Mrs Clarke, Bucks
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If bars were forced to provide extra security, and take responsibility for any bad behaviour or lose their licence then surely they would be more sensible in the way they sell alcohol. Oh and maybe our police offers would have more time to do other things. Claire in West Bromwich
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honestly as a student, and being the same as most student making the best of uni life we all go out for a good time drinking, i do not agree that drinking is the mian source to be blamed for violence, todays youth culture is portried as being violent and this is now effecting how the youths off this generation are being bought up. i honeslty beleive women are more voilent due to the 'ladette' culture as well as this i also notice the girl that degrade them selves when drinking by going out not for a good time with friend but alot of the time aiming to awake the next morning next to a stranger who they hardly know
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This is not just a women issue, to me the main problem is that once again the govenment and the police are not applying the laws that we already have. We have a drinking age limit of 18 force people to provide ID before selling the alcohol in both pubs and off licences, if then an underage person is arrested for underage drinking warn the pub or off licence that sold alcoholto them, then the next time prosecute the establishment and take their alcohol licence away from them, it only has to happen a few times and people will no longer sell to underage drinkers Job Done !!!!
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When I worked as a trainer in a supermarket cashiers were told that it was illegal to serve a drunk or an habitual drinker. If this happened the supermarket could face a substantial fine. Are Nightclub owners or bar staff subjected to the same fine?
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Perhaps making those who cause injury requiring NHS treatment be made to pay for the treatment they receive or cause others to require.
That way, a bill of £100-£500 may get those self inflicting offenders to think twice, also reduce the money they have available to re-offend.
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The images from Carlisle are shocking especially to those who live in or near that city. That street is even closed to traffic over the weekend and is generally a no-go area because of this behaviour.
However you needed to show that churches in the area are working to help
There are churches like Hebron are in that very street and from what I have heard offer an oasis away from the drunkenness This is them http://www.hebronec.co.uk/ I am not a member there but feel you could have have shown that it is not all bad news from Carlisle!!
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I think it would be a good idea to enforce the law as it stands for men AND women. Too often I have seen people being served alcohol, when they are obviously under the influence already. Obviously pub and clubs suffer under this law economically, but given the problems we are now having in this country I think police should come down more heavily on those places who break the law. Likewise, serving or supplying under agers with drink should be treated more seriously. Bands of young people wander around near where I stay passing Buckfast bottles between them. Nothing against Buckfast - I quite like it, I can't afford it though. My wine comes in at about £3 a bottle, which is why I was against raising alcohol prices in Scotland. It would punish me, not the young drinkers who seem to be able to find the money regardless. Where do they get it? Maybe parents should ask for more dig money - looks like the kids can afford it. Which might be the answer to truancy, too - go to school or you get no new clothes, no pocket money, no new mobile, no new computer games. Why can't today's parents ever seem to be able to say "NO"!!!
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Absolutely, alcohol is related to violence. No question. 60% murder involves alcohol. Why are women drinking more? Evolving pressures in society, choice, freedom, observational learning from parents, family, TV.
There is a huge amount of evidence that the price of alcohol is directly related to how much we drink. No question. Alcohol is the cheapest it's been in real terms since the 18th century. Supermarkets have a big responsibility in this. To get an expert opinion you need to ask the right people. Addictions specialist consultant psychiatrists are the people to speak to, or in fact any body who actually works in a drug and alcohol service. In the same way the smoking ban has had a very beneficial impact on public health (almost overnight reduction of heart attacks for one), just watch as alcoholism starts to drop in Scotland with the minimum price per unit.
Nobody in the major political parties will agree with this, because the alcohol lobby is very powerful and generates a lot of tax.
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As a 60 yr old Doctor of psychology I do wish that we could hav e listened to the psychologist called Harlow in the 1950's who prophesied just what would happen to our teenagers if they were not given enough tactile LOVE as babies and children. He showed that they would not be able to make adequate relationships as young adults and more seriously would be violent and destructive, unable to mate properly and kill each other. Ok so his experiments were with young primates (not allowed these days I am sure!) But........look at our young males and females now - blame the family life and unloving parents- Not cool I know but LOVE is needed in this world RIGHT NOW.
Susan (Spain)
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I would like to see the return of off licences properly monitored with a real threat of loosing their licence if they don't keep to the rules. Stop the sales in supermarkets! They tend to sell cheap and they have the funds to fight in court - something the council struggle with. Support our pub industry with tax breaks and enforce large taxes or fines on the licenced bars and clubs that encourage irrisponsible drinking. There are other social problems to overcome - but this would be a very good start.
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If supermarkets were not licensed to sell alcohol, it would not be available at less than cost price. Dozens of public houses are closing every week; without supermarket competition they would have increased business, along with off licences. Alcohol is generally the ingredient which causes women and men to become violent.
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I do think that violence is directly related to binge drinking. It obscures your perspective and can make you highly unaware of what you are doing. Many people I know have done amazingly stupid things while drunk and have absolutely no recollection of what has happened the night before, including fights.
There is alot of talk at the moment about raising the price of alcohol to curb disruptive behaviour and violence but that will not stop people who are determined to drink.
A more positive, effective solution would be to fine people on the spot for unsuitable behaviour such as fighting and aggression. This would directly target the ones responsible and let the people who do not cause problems get on with having a good time. A fixed penatly would help stop young people from being violent if they actually thought there would be a consequence for their actions.
Catherine, Ross - on - Wye
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The solution to most aspects of alcohol abuse is quite easy. Off sales, sell alcohol through state controlled warehouses with ration books and id. No sales in Supermarkets, corner shops etc.
Pubs., bars and restaurants. If they sell alcohol to drunk people, or have violence inside or from people leaving the premises, close it down forever. Opening times 7- 10.30 only.
It is all a matter of money. The government do not want the sales of alcohol to lessen and will not restrict the sales, so they accept a certain amount of abuse to keep the taxes coming in. The sentences handed out by courts are far too lenient. Assaults by drunken and others on hospital ambulance and police should be punished by imprisonment, starting at 6 months and going up to 30 years or more for serious assaults when people have to lose their jobs.
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I think drinking to excess plays a large part in violent behaviour and until we can encourage a more leasurly drinking culture these experiances are likely to stay with us.
I would particularly like to point out though that all these reports; even though they are tackling a very important issue; they never mention that a huge majority of people (male and female) are drinking without violent behaviour. Maybe we should be looking at the mental state and life styles of these violent people as a whole and not use it as an excuse to cut away at yet more civil liberties.
If we are going to tackle it, let's ta ole the root of the problem and not just jump onto a part of it.
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Hi why are we always saying whats to be done about under age drinking, why can`t we learn from other countries where they don`t sell alcohol in every shop corner or supermarket, Alcohol should only be served in licence authorized outdoor shops, and not make it so easy for our kids to get hold off Regards Don
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The anger is there waiting to be released. Getting rid of drinking doesn't get rid of the problem. Women get angry and young women particularly - because of the mixed messages about our status and what we have to do to be appealing and to be 'happy'. We know that the 'empowerment' that is supposed to be achieved by conforming to the ideals promoted by the media - models, plastic celebs, makeover programmes etc. etc. etc. - is shallow and ultimately self-defeating. But the pressure to conform is enormously strong. We have to use our energy to fight this pressure rather than fight each other on the streets.
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It should surprise no one that women can be and in fact often are extremely violent people. Women have always been violent its just that now they are more likely to be seen being violent--don't take my word for it read the excellent book by award winning writer Patricia Pearson "When She Was Bad" or go the web site of Erin Pizzey the first lady to open a refuge
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well, you wanted equality, you've got it, welcome to the world of the man, you know , that place that your mothers always viewed as slightly uncouth and uncivilised, barely tolerated with a condescending shake of the head. (accompanied with the word "men" ) since burning your bras and escaping the kitchen all you've managed to do is destroy femininity, lose the respect of your peers and cast the next generation to a barren emotional wasteland and a life in child therapy while you selfishly pursue a feminist utopia. congratulations !!!!
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I really am sick of hearing about cheap supermarket alcohol being the cause of bad behaviour,it's a minority that cause the problems, and it's what they are sniffing up their noses along with alcohol, that's the real problem.
Drugs and drink, and they don't get their Cocaine at the Supermarket,so let's get real and call like it is!
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Girls need God.
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how great and caring are the British public- and why are we not allowed to interfere any more in each other's lives. If we all took more personal responsibility for oursleves and others then we could say to that wild young person in the street - ENOUGH! iT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE TRIED TO BECOME SO ANONYMOUS as a society in general that these little wild cats think it is OK to behave like animals in the street because it looks like we all "mond our own business" and expect teahcers, police etc to do it for us!!!=- Come on - other countries use the extended family and teach their young to drink alcohol with respect- I have lived in Spain and France and have never seen their teenagers drunk in the street - it is our unguided, unloved, media driven youngsters letting themselves down as soon as the booze is around.......WHY?
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when a drunk, be it male or female, is caught by the police causing trouble the police should be able to contact their employers.
Because in reality would they be in a fit state to go work in the morning? what do they do- phone in sick?
if they don't work, where do they get the money!
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I was very surprised at Adrian's comments that 'girls will grow out of drinking when they are older'
Does he not read reports that there are more young women being treated for long term liver damage than ever before, some even dying.
He should try to be more responsible or know his facts before he speaks.
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I think the problems of girls and boys drinking so young and getting into trouble starts in the home and at school.
Parents/teachers don't instil in their children a sense of self esteem and caring - all people see on TV and the news are people who have forgotten how to care and are out for themselves.
It needs a complete fresh start in schools and homes with young children learning right and wrong and respect for each other.
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I first saw a drunken woman when I was 12 yers old [55 yrs. ago]. I was horrified to see this lady trying to crawl into her home. I filled with a mixture of disgust and sympathy. I decided that day I would never drink, and never have. The point of this missive is: if they saw photos of themselves in the local papers, or even on the internet, they may be so horrified at how they look, and rethink about the amount they drink. After all they spend a lot of time getting ready to go out, then finish looking an absolute disaster.
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Perhaps women are becoming more violent because they are drinking more.
Why are they drinking more?
I would suggest it may have something to do with alcopops.
Maybe statisticians would like to compare the data between the launch of alcopops in the late 1980s ( when Bacardi introduced the Breezer,) with the rise in drunken and violent behaviour.
Perhaps women and young teens are more susceptible to sweet flavoured alcohol which tastes innocuous.
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I work in the security industry both on the Isle of Man, West Yorkshire & Hampshire. There has been a distinct increase in the the violence of women within the UK in comparison to that of the Isle of Man. This is one area that ID cards could have an advantage. Many venues operate an over 21 and increasingly over 25 policy to make for a better enjoyable experience. The advantage of ID cards is that they could be used in readers to validate that they are over the age of consent for purchasing and could be validated by any official with the relevant qualifications and rights of access. It could also assist the likes of my colleagues who work the doors in many areas and for those that don't have security/door supervisors on site the card reader could be used for P.O.A if approved by the A.C.P.O...
Women who cause trouble should also be treated in exactly the same manner as males for any offences .. place notices on venues stating the policy before admission and failing to adhere to that should result in a county wide pub watch ban... all these measures combined would deter most from doing something stupid.
The Isle of Man is a very small community and most locals know each other in one way or another and it doesn't take long for the word to spread if they have been 'misbehaving' and that in itself is a kind of deterrent as opposed to the UK where visitors hop from county to county and not really fussed about embarrassing themselves as a consequence of their actions. If they are banned in the Isle of Man it is in effect the end of their social life as the ban enforced is that of no access to the premises or loitering outside, If the UK Courts were to make a more rigorous enforcement and make it a wider area of banning then again.. many people would think twice before getting involved in a fracas.
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How absurd. Well said PortugalSue.
Drink in the UK is already some of the most expensive in the world - and still we have drunkenness. Conversely whenever I go to Spain, where drink is cheap, I see very little trouble.
It is a matter of culture, not of price.
Why does the BBC always reproduce without questioning the claims of the lobby currently trying to increase taxes on booze?
Who is behind this lobby?
Who would gain from it?
Is the government really behind this campaign, despite its denials? Certainly the govt would gain from higher taxes and, I suspect, are trying to create a PR 'environment' in which tax increases would be tolerated.
Is such a campaign funded by NHS money? Is that a proper use of public money?
Why is the BBC not asking these questions?
That is where the real story is.
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As an ex police officer I am heartily sick of all the handwringing over these problems.
This subject has come up at the same time as the not terribly surprising revelation that young people are now seeing robbery as an every day fact of life and are becoming conditioned to it. It has also arisen on a day when the Met Police have admitted that they have allowed a serial rapist to prowl the streets unmolested for four or more years. These are, quite simply, massive indictments on modern day policing.
We keep being told that there are more police than ever before and that is yet another political lie by serial liars like Gordon Brown, Jacqui Smith and Jack Straw. Well if that is the case, where are they? Old High Street photos taken randomly, nearly always showed a uniformed police officer on foot. Now 24 hour CCTV would have trouble picking one up, unless of course it was a fleeting glimpse of one flashing by in a police car on blues and twos.
Thereby hangs the problem. The police are out of touch with the public they serve and purely reactive. You call, they may respond if you're lucky. In my day we were proactive and on the streets in numbers, despite the fact that overall there were fewer of us, and we nipped problems in the bud.
The One Show reporter said that there were large groups of young people drunk in Carlisle ON THEIR WAY to clubs and pubs. The police nowadays stand by and wait for things to get out of control and then step in. We had black marias, tenders and coaches to detain drunks BEFORE they caused problems.
The politicians and the non street wise senior police officers haven't got a clue. It's about getting uniforms on the street, stepping in early, arresting, then court the next morning. Not cautions, fixed penalty notices and all that namby pamby nonsense. You'll never sort out the few persistent offenders but the legions out there who just think they can do what they like on the streets will soon get fed up with being banged up overnight and a few visits to the magistrates' court.
Yes, increasing off sales of high strength alcohol might have a minor effect but it comes back to the responsible drinkers being penalised. That is all because the police have not got the backbone to do the job they're paid to do and that's get on the streets in numbers make executive decisions and enforce the existing laws which we, the public, have passed through Parliament.
Difficult it ain't!
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I have been working in a high school as a pastoral care worker for 6 years now. Violence among teenage girls has increased in this time, and so has the binge drinking. Many of the girls I know, some even as young as 12 and 13 years old, regularly get drunk, mostly on vodka. A lot of these girls are unhappy in their lives one way or another, and many have very low self esteem. There is also a 'ladett' type attitude amongst them.
Sadly, many of the parents and adults in these children lives abuse alcohol too.
It feels like they are growing up in a society which views getting drunk as the only way to have a good time, relax and unwind. This is also portrayed in T.V programmes and soaps (East Enders and Corrie are both based around pubs) f ilms and other media.
A lot of these children are born in to dysfunctional families, with out a real sense of love and stability and where boundaries are not in place.
Some times the parents seem to have too many problems of thier own to bring up thier children properly. Sometimes it seems some of them just don't want to grow up, but still go out and 'have a good time' . I guess in all I feel we are not providing our youth with very good role models. It feels like things will get worse with every new generation, unless we all take responsibility.Gillian, Norfolk.
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I also think that it's a big problem. Unfortunately there is not one simple solution to the problem, the solution has to be in several small stages.
I'm 18 and whenever I go out in the evening and/or to a party I don't drink any alcohol because I don't like the taste and don't like the thought of not being in control of myself. I just have lots of lemon and lime and I still have fun when I go out. I think that soft drinks should be cheaper and more readily available. Trouble is a lot of young girls are pressurised into copying their so-called friends even though some of them in the back of their mind don't want to do it, I think if they have these they should discuss it with their parents. Don't forget the vast majority of young girls are sensible and don't do it and the media should focus on the ones that don't drink any at all. I was quite lucky to be bought up by loving parents and I am sensible as a result and I am strong-minded, if I feel that something is wrong I don't do it, if there was more strong-minded girls I reckon that some of them wouldn't do it. I watched a programme on teen taboos about sex once and pupils in Year 11 at one school thought that the vast majority of their class year had sex when actually an annoymas survey carried out discovered that most had not and most pupils felted reassured.
Schools could do a similar survey with binge-drinking and I reckon that the survey would show a lot less then what teens think and as a result most would feel reassured. I have got no problems with people that drink responsibly. Maybe the irresponsible ones should be named and shamed. Parents should also set an example as well, care and love them and make them reassured they don't have to keep things a secret and also discipline them if they do it but it's better to structure them in the first place, prevention is better than cure.
All the things I said is only my opinion.
Luke, Bristol
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Totally agree with comments from sidecarjohn and would suggest the police involve their local authorities and licence bar holders to have printed onto drink mats plus large posters displayed prominently in all bars the following message:-
'Never argue with an idiot, people
watching may easily be mistaken'!!!
Any guilty parties facing on the spot fines for first offence, or hefty court fines or imprisonment on subsequent offences could not then say they have not been warned.
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I was married to an alcoholic. He didn't smoke, whereas I do. He used to argue that if I stopped smoking he would stop drinking. Of course, he never did! My answer would be that, by smoking, I am only damaging myself. I don't get drunk and fall over or, even worse, get violent on a couple of cigarettes! A lot of young girls are getting drunk these days because they think it's "cool" to get out of their heads very early on in the evening. It's not cool - it's stupid, and the sooner the drinking age goes up to 21 (for males and females) the better.
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I agree with lyeemoon about lack of proper policing.
Not only that, but where is the psychiatric care to help people realise the error of their ways?
It's partly "ladette" culture, lack of Christian morals that values all things IN MODERATION.
We are nearing the end of the period of Lent, a time to give up excess and bad habits, but of course it isn't "cool" to be Christian and follow that guidance.
In Lincoln there is an army of Christians who go out on Saturday nights doing the job that the police fail to do.
I don't understand this culture that tells young people that they must be inebriated in order to have fun - Christianity teaches you how to enjoy life to the full, to celebrate without having to drink large quantities of vodka!!
I personally can't drink the stuff, it gives me headaches.
There is a photo of me aged 4 sipping my Dad's beer! I took one taste and decided that it tasted like poison.
I grew up during the "ladette" years, but it never appealed to me. I couldn't stand Zoe Ball or that obnoxious Sara Cox trying to be as obnoxious as their male chauvinist counterparts. It was embarrassing to watch.
Women should learn to be ladies, not lower themselves to men's football hooligan ways - that's not equality, it's taking Tracey Emin and Sarah Lucas without the pinch of irony that was intended.
I prefer a nice Baileys, but if I have one too many it just sends me to sleep, so I agree with whoever it was that said that it probably isn't alcohol causing the violence - more like drugs.
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post 6, you are spot on, do they not have drunken women in London.
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You don`t need to be a doctor or a shrink to know that the way to stop binge drinking by both sexes, is to force the licensee/barmen/barmaids to recognize when the punter has had enough, and refuse to serve them if necessary call on the bouncer to eject them. Trouble is taking as much money over the counter seems more important.
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Sorry to inform you, jeannie56, but by smoking yes, you do affect those around you, who have to breathe in your cancerous second hand smoke. It took me years to convince my Mum of the effect her smoking had on me, how I could never concentrate properly if I'd been in a room full of cigarette smoke, how irritable it made me, the nose bleeds, the fact that my lungs most probably look like the inside of a chimney from having no choice but to breathe in her cigarette smoke...... how much happier I was when I moved out and was no longer affected by it....
she won't give up smoking, but at least she now respects me enough to go in the conservatory when we're there to smoke. For her this is a massive step forward.
Please, please I do hope you did give up smoking, and if not please realise that by smoking you are exposing other people to cancerous gases.
Sorry to hear about your husband, and I agree with you about raising the legal age - which makes you wonder, how many of the violence is caused by those out celebrating their 18th or 21st birthday?? Birthdays that are defined by cards depicting drunkeness???
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Dr. Roger Grimshaw, a criminologist from King's College London believes women's role in society has changed and this is affected their behaviour, "with the freedom women have, to choose different lifestyles, you also have the freedom to make bad choices."
No IT WASN'T! It was that bloke from our uni! Grimshaw wasn't on the show. Why can't we get any credit up here. You can't even quote the right people in your own interviews!
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Posts 6 & 46 you've totally missed the point. This is a nationwide problem. Carlisle is the same as London only to a smaller degree but a major problem nonetheless.
I was a PC in London in the '60s and we arrested a few female drunks at a time when a female drunk in Cumbria would have been unheard of. It is all relative, so please desist from your ridiculous northern victim stance.
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Clubs used to let girls in for free. Now they let them in and let them drink for free all night. Boys / men have to pay but go to the clubs as there are a lot of girls getting off their faces on free drink. It is difficult for some men to make a connection sober with a sober girl. Drunk girls will talk to anyone.
It is not rocket salad. Stop the free/cheap drink and have a zero tolerance approach to anyone drunk on the street.
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Perhaps a government funded EU exchange for a school term might help to heal some of the wounds. Wounds to the person and to our society - brought about by irresponsible, tax-incentive induced Alcopops, alco-outlets offering crazy, irresponsible offers, dodgy and gobby irresponsible ladette role-muddles and stoopid 'carry on snarling' slops, sorry soaps. Dumb cash-insatiable-meedya has alot to answer for too. All for dosh and bu**er the rest of you! The country's gone down the swanee as we all know but I honestly believe there is still hope - across the Channel. Hello Europe . . Can we have your assistance please?
"Life educates" - Pestalozzi, swiss educationalist famed for the triangular pencils.
An opportunity for impressionable adolescents to experience another country's culture and social mores away from their drag-down peers at school. This, literally once-in-a-lifetime experience could open the senses to amazing things! Wondrous opportunities including looking and listening and learning about respect and responsibility, maturity and an intelligent sense of wonder and thirst for knowledge which only grows. Conversation in french, german, swedish, italian or spanish or whatever . . to impress the local lotharios. Would also perhaps impress your mates too, when you return like our Audrey from Roman Holiday speaking italian, discussing arta and literature and confidently being able to rustle up an italian dish (!) and dine and deport one's chic self in the continental way bien sur.
Well, just a thought. Sure you need the 3 'E's of Education etc etc but you also need the 3 'C's of Communication and Confidence and Customs so readily acquired from one's neighbourly environment. Not forgetting the 3 'R's of Responsibility and Respect and another word beginning with R. 'thought about Regina but I can hear sniggering from the back already. Being made to feel worfwhile is nice too innit! Clarification of purpose!!!
Wouldn't it be amazing if the EU could actually pull together on something like a united, interwoven, exchange-kids mechanism programme type thing? I'll sell it! Heigh-ho, off to dream . . .
G'night all. God bless. Ross - Scotland
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Simply girls have always had a degree of self-confidence at that age and have never been afraid to have a fight, Ive seen this alot so nothing new to me. They dont always need alcohol either. However the report had one arrest In It, a bloke!, but girls have been like this for as long as I can remember, just no-one has realised It until programmes like these flag It up.
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So to sum up what everyone has said we need:
1. Police should intervene sooner and put drunks in cells overnight and in court in the morning.
2. Further debate on whether it is due to culture or price (eg other countries have cheap booze but not this problem) will just go round and round in circles. Silly gimmicks won't make any difference.
3. Last but not least, Jesus Christ. Christian values (and more especially God's grace in saving people by Jesus Christ) give direction and joy to life that the ladette culture can never give. There really is a better way to spend an evening - and a life!
For further discussion:
1. Are the Government really hyping the PR to justify tax rises? how can we find out?
2. Why don't programmes like the One Show ever show the virtues of true Christianity (not Roman Catholicism or liberal versions but the old Gospel Christianity that says that Jesus saves a sinner absolutely from sin). Viewers need to hear why the beliefs about being forgiven and saved by God's grace are so life changing. After all you did show Muslim youths being "good" a while ago. Why is the only alternative "getting into sports". Sports have their place but we are made by God and in His image and need Him, not mere sports, to satisfy us!
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I was attacked over two years ago by one off seven drunken women group while I was conducting my duty as a bus driver. The assault left me unable to work for a long time and later my diabetes worsen and started insulin treatments which is revoked my driving liecence as a bus driver and my employment was terminated. I do agree with post 54 by EnglishChurchman.
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There is an easy way to cut this behaviour right out, either by women or men. The way is to make them accountable.
How? If any person is arrested for reasons related to alcohol or violence, the solution is to hold special courts to be held only on a Tuesday. That person is to be held in custody until the hearing. 70% of these people are almost certainly employed as they spend so much on getting drunk, or have child care arranged for that evening.
Even if they are released post hearing with just a fine or a warning, there are unlikely to be repetative instances as having to explain to an employer why you were not at work for two days, time and time again or even being able to arrange child care for a Friday or Saturday night may well become an issue.
The result: accountability for their own actions, the policy could start on a future date, say June 1st and everyone knows that if they are arrested on a Friday or Saturday night for reasons of alcohol or violence, it will no longer be a case of sleep it off and carry on regardless in the Morning.
By all means enjoy yourselves, but have respect for others and become responsible for your own actions.
Phil O
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Yes. Why cant people just drink enough to feel happy not violent
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The drinking age should be put up to 21 years of age by the government. The lack of discipline in our schools and homes is, i'm sure a contributing factor also.
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Stop serving women lager in pint measures, beer included. I might be an old git but it don't look right or nice. I also aggree with "thebadnogbad"
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why is it assumed that women don't know what they are doing, men have been drinking, being violent, not thinking about their health forever!! so why should women be looked on as they don't know what there doing. Women have always had the same feelings and emotions as men and it is only recently that women have been able to feel the freedom to do what they choose to do. Yes women sometimes get violent, yes woman want to have sex on their terms, yes woman don't want to think of their health they want to be hedonistic, and you can do it best when you don't have the responsibilities of a family.
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I am surprised that no one has taken issue with Dr. Grimshaw’s correlation between women’s freedom and increased violence, an argument that could be interpreted as misogynistic. As he is a psychologist he should have communicated the greater complexity of the problem. The issue is much more systemic, cultural and hugely complex. In my opinion the problem is embedded in inequality, poverty and a society based on individualistic, capitalist principles which have eroded communities. As a society we have ignored wider issues of poverty, alcohol abuse and violence against women for generations, choosing to focus on individual aspirations such as those related to wealth. This has contributed to the gradual erosion of people’s capacity to parent and deficits in children’s facilities for emotional regulation. These children feel vulnerable, shamed and isolated and will often defend against this with violence. Alcohol and substance misuse is also one way of self soothing but this has obvious negative consequences for everyone concerned. As a society we have a responsibility towards the most vulnerable in our society – i.e children. We need to have a greater investment in our communities and look to broader, long term social interventions which tackle the roots of problems related to alcohol and violence rather than proposing more punitive reactionary measures which only perpetuate the cycle.
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I think that drinking is good..
I like to play beer pong.
I dont see a problem with it.
Just dont drive.
And dont put your drink down at a club.
So please take my advice and lay off of people.
Tristan comerford
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