Violence begins at home – psychologists
‘Kids become defensive in abusive environment’
It should come as no surprise that youngsters have become perpetrators of vicious crimes.
Child psychologists said violent behaviour by minors begins at home and may be why the country has witnessed a series of shocking crimes involving youths.
Four 14-year-olds appeared in court yesterday in connection with the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl at a Bloemfontein school.
Sowetan has also recently reported on a 17-year-old school boy who was arrested in Limpopo for the murder of his 15-year-old girlfriend.
Police said they were investigating the possibility that the suspect had wanted to force the girl to abort a pregnancy.
“The collapse of the family unit frustrates children‚ it makes them anxious and defensive,” said child psychologist Jennifer Butler.
“Parents and elders must understand the impact neglect has on a child and their outlook on the world.
“Children become what their environment exposes them to.”
Butler said society generally tolerates violence‚ and so does the family unit.
“The economy dictates too. Because parents work hard‚ they tend to forget to attend to [their children]. And there is of- ten the issue of an identity crisis among children‚ resulting from family feuds and rejection from other learners in school‚ which can be frustrating for them‚” said Butler.
Another child psychologist Orit Grossman said: “There is a lot of access to content online and on television‚ they (children) see it from the media and start to mimic. Domestic violence makes violence attractive to them‚”
According to Ashley Jay‚ also a child psychologist‚ abusive environments make children defensive.