Australia Calls for Early Intervention to Address Youth Violence
Experts and human rights advocates in Alice Springs, in Australia’s Northern Territory, have called for early intervention due to the rise in domestic, family, and sexual violence among people under the age of 18, according to ABC News Australia.
The latest calls for action were prompted by an incident at an Alice Springs shopping center on Tuesday morning. Northern Territory police arrested a 16-year-old boy after receiving a report that he had struck his 17-year-old partner, choked her, and pushed her to the ground.
Chai Brown, a researcher on domestic, family, and sexual violence, stated that people are increasingly experiencing or perpetrating violence at a younger age. According to her, this is partly due to people entering relationships at an earlier age and also reflects the prevalence of domestic and family violence in society. She also pointed out a strong link between violence experienced in childhood—particularly within the family—and the subsequent use of violence.
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Larissa Ellis, director of Women’s Safety Services of Central Australia, said that girls under the age of 18 who have experienced domestic, family, and sexual violence are a group whose needs are becoming increasingly apparent in the Northern Territory. At the same time, there is no crisis shelter in Alice Springs specifically designated for underage girls.
According to Ellis, the rate of domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory is three times the Australian average, while very little funding is allocated to prevention and early intervention.
Michael Liddell, director of men’s behavior change programs, linked the rise in violence among younger age groups to anger among young men and boys. Among the contributing factors, he cited inequality, alcohol, methamphetamine, jealousy, unemployment, and a lack of education. He added that anti-violence programs must constantly adapt to changing circumstances.
