The Increasing Violence among the Youth

The recent years have seen an unprecedented increase in the violence among the youth, often lethal violence all around the nation. Anecdotal evidence of increase in violence by young people against women, children and old people, of abduction, molestation, of road rage and other violent actions to get whatever they want is alarming. This epidemic has caused serious concern to parents, families and the public in general. This has shaken the very roots of the idea of building a peaceful, secure society where the youth become torch-bearers for the progress of the nation. Obviously, the personal losses, the trauma, the emotional pain due to the violent acts are immense. There is a growing fear that our institutions are unable to maintain social order. Brutal violence and the fear of violence have changed the way people live and think and have raised many questions for someone to answer.

One of the strongest influences on the young minds today is undoubtedly media which mainly constitutes television and cinema. The vulnerable youth today are constantly exposed to the media which has a lot to show by means of vulgarity and violence. Scenes of gory violence in films and some of the TV programmes provoke the youth to develop negative and dark thoughts which may, one day, turn into real life deadly scenes. Since media plays a serious role in influencing the youth, it can, in fact, be utilised in increasing awareness among the young. The media has a tremendous potential to communicate, educate and enlighten the ignorant masses to guard against this terrible spread of violence among the youth. The media can be used as a positive channel to direct the energy of the youth in the constructive mould.