Gender politics creeping in on youth violence debate

CONCERNS about teenage violence have been reported in the Bulletin recently and commented on in the letters page.

Unfortunately, some very negative attitudes towards women have crept into the debate. On Friday, KW from Tweed Heads wrote that “everyone” was asking “What are you mothers breeding?” as if fathers played no role in the “breeding” process. The implication that mothers are mere “breeders” as opposed to nurturing caregivers was extremely offensive.

On Saturday, KA from Southport went further to suggest part of the problem with boys in particular was the fact that they went to “predominantly female-inundated schools”. “Inundated”? – is he saying schools are overwhelmed or swamped with female teachers to the extent this could lead to behavioural problems?

To be fair, KA does give some thought to factors such as home background and upbringing although his reference to some children being brought up like “rabid mongrel dogs” was disconcerting, to put it mildly. Both KA & KW felt much of the problem could be dealt with by administering some sort of physical punishment such as “a good hiding” or a “swift kick in the pants”, usually by the father. Mothers are clearly considered ineffectual where discipline is concerned having been reduced to the “withholding of treats trick”.

Boys, it seems, need a “guiding male presence” but neither writer considered that it was not the lack of a man in the household that may have been part of the problem but the presence of a violent or aggressive one. Some men need no encouragement to use physical forms of punishment.

We have all heard the appalling statistics of domestic violence and how this can impact on a child’s wellbeing and behaviour.

Youth crime and general bad behaviour are serious issues in our society but singling out women as bad “breeders” or schools for having too many female teachers, seriously misses the point.

YVETTE DEMPSEY, CARRARA