Girls are becoming as violent as boys

Gangs of girls are now as violent as boys, and some carry knives. A Home Office report being published is expected to show that criminal offences committed by girls aged between 10 and 17 have risen by 25 per cent in three years.

Iyabo Oba, a youth worker from Hillingdon, has warned that the rising trend for violent crime among girls could soon reach the levels involving teenage boys.

Ms Oba, who spent over a year conducting research among girl gangs in London, said: "Young girls are now not moderating, but maddening the violence of young boys and they are becomingly gradually more violent. A cocktail of low self-esteem and overstated sense of self respect and shame mean that if a girl is attacked physically or verbally she will lash out. And as she does that, then she should, so the logic goes, be prepared to take 'man-licks' herself."

Ms Oba, whose findings will be published by the Centre for Policy Studies next month, said violence was shown by young women from a range of ethnic backgrounds, and teenage parenthood, drug use, poor education and housing were the causative factors.

"Girls are also forming their own gangs or 'cliques' - not in the old-fashioned way, but for self-preservation and for material gain. Aggressive acts by female gangs are rapidly rising," she added.

Ms Oba also revealed that gang initiations require girls to mug innocent passers-by. She said: "Be under no illusion: these girls are carrying knives and are prepared to use them.

Their deep sense of insecurity also underlies the incidence of widespread casual sex. "New York faced similar problems in the Eighties [but] now has the lowest crime rate of the 10 largest cities in the US. Can London, under Boris Johnson and Ray Lewis, fare as well? If so the rest of the country will reap the benefit." "

The Victory Youth Group (VYG), which aims to reverse this negative trend has seen many cases of young people who were also lost in the world of violence. Many came to the VYG through an invitation from a friend or as a bid to escape the violence that surrounded them; and are now also helping to try and reach out to others who may be in a similar situation.

The VYG opens its doors to young people aged 14 to 25 and offers practical help as well as free counselling and advice. Its aim is to help young people develop their full potential in a positive way; and many have already seen a benefit in various areas of their life.

Read more about the VYG.

Released on Thursday, 15th May 2008