Girls on the Offensive

*This article first appeared in the Nov. 18, 2007 issue of Today's Pentecostal Evangel.

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that’s what little girls are made of, or so the nursery rhyme says. Statistics from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, however, tell a different story, and it’s anything but sweet.

The number of girls aged 10-17 arrested for aggravated assault has doubled during the last 20 years. The number of boys arrested for weapons possession rose 22 percent between 1983 and 2003, while the number of girls increased by a whopping 125 percent.

In more recent years (1996-2005), the number of juveniles arrested for violent crimes was down for both genders. The number of males under age 18 arrested was down 27.9 percent, and the number of females in this age group arrested was down 10.2 percent. During the same timeframe, the number of juvenile females arrested for drug abuse violations increased 14.4 percent, but the number of juvenile males arrested decreased 13.6 percent for the same offense.

The portrait of violent girls is more complicated than the numbers show, according to Katie Luther, adjunct professor at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, Calif.

Luther, who is completing a doctorate in sociology with a specialization in criminology at the University of California, Riverside, points to several changes in police arresting policies to account for the increased numbers.

“Girls have been aggressive for a while,” Luther says. “It’s just they are now getting processed more often.”

For instance, a mutually combative situation between parents and children used to result in an order for anger management for the child, whereas now the child will be arrested along with the parents. In addition, the zero-tolerance policy in schools can give children police records for getting into fights with peers.

St. Louis University professor Martha Shockey-Eckles concurs that the legal system is more open to taking action against women; therefore the numbers are up. “It’s a combination of both. More crime, plus the legal system that takes it more seriously.”

Shockey-Eckles says girl violence is reflective of the rise in violence among the adult female population. Girls mimic the behavior that is modeled for them, and since the women’s movement of the 1960s, women have increasingly been modeling historically male behavior—including acts of violence and aggression.

Other dynamics taking place within the home play a significant part in the equation.
The primary factor, says Kathryn Seifert, founder and CEO of Eastern Shore Psychological Services, is exposure to domestic violence as a small child. Add to that what we see in the media, says Seifert, and it’s a recipe for aggression.

“We have female heroes in movies, TV shows and video games who can also be quite violent,” says Seifert, author of How Children Become Violent: Keeping Your Kids out of Gangs, Terrorist Organizations, and Cults.

“An abused child would see that and conclude showing power is a way to never be in a vulnerable position again. Those raised in stable homes can see violence in the media and not be very affected by it. But a vulnerable child grabs onto it like it’s going to protect them.”

According to Dr. Herbert Mandell, national medical director of KidsPeace, what isn’t taking place in a girl’s childhood is just as predictive of youth violence as what is happening. In a word, it’s about supervision.

“There has been an erosion of the kind of neighborhood values that used to exist,” says Mandell. “Even if parents weren’t around, there was a high level of supervision from concerned neighbors who were willing to look out for each others’ kids. There was greater trust because people knew each other.

“That has broken down with people moving around so much,” Mandell goes on. “People often have no idea who they’re living near, and it’s difficult to find a qualified babysitter. Kids become more accessible targets, which begets greater challenges with self-esteem and controlling impulses. If you’re already vulnerable and don’t have a safe harbor, if you feel you’re the only protection that you have, you are more likely to lash out against others.”

Besides the financial burden of having more girls in prison, Shockey-Eckles refers to the social cost of girl violence, as well. “These young women are going to be the mothers of our next generation of kids,” she says. “If we don’t care enough to do something to help these young women now, we not only lose them, but the next generation as well.” She suggests that schools, families, police and the courts need to collaborate for any change to take place.

Olga Vigil, leadership development coordinator for the AG National Girls Ministries, believes churches can play a big role in both prevention and intervention when it comes to girl violence.

“Find out what is already being offered in your community and join forces to make the most impact — it could be as simple as offering the use of the church’s facilities, resources or manpower to help facilitate these programs or as intricate as starting a parenting program coupled with an after school program for the girls,” says Vigil.

Another key for churches is recognizing when a girl’s needs extend beyond the scope of care the pastor can provide. In these cases, she says, it’s best to refer her and her family to professional Christian counselors.

Vigil places primary responsibility on the shoulders of parents. “Our children will learn to handle life’s difficult situations by watching how we as parents deal with these situations at home or in public,” she says. “We teach our children basic everyday life functions; how to tie their shoes, ride their bikes, and cross the street. Conflict is part of life too and we as Christian parents have the responsibility to teach them how to handle conflict in a healthy productive way.”