Teen binge drinking tied to violent girl fights
VIDEO - Girl fights, they're all over YouTube, but why are they happening?...
“I’ve seen plenty, fights breakout all the time over small things, over big things” said one teen girl. “Like oh you looked at me different to oh you’re talking to my boyfriend.”
Girl fights, they’re all over YouTube, but why are they happening?
As girls have access to drugs and alcohol more, they’re behaving more like boys.
On Monday San Diego county officials focused on binge drinking as one tie to the female violence.
Defined by the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health as girls fighting at school or work, or taking part in a group-against group fight or attacking someone with the intent to seriously hurt them.
According to the survey, about one in four girls between the ages of 12 and 17 had been engaged in at least one of those types of violent behavior in the past year.
The survey also revealed the girls who fought were more likely than those who did not to have reported binge drinking and illicit drug use in the last thirty days.
“No, we’re not saying it’s all about the alcohol. We’re focusing on alcohol as one of the intervenable effects,” said Trauma doctor Michael Sise.
Sise says while binge drinking is just one link to the violence, it is one that shows up in many high-risk behaviors.
“If you don’t make it clear that drinking is unacceptable, that violence is unacceptable, then you’re putting them in danger. It works to tell our kids what to expect it works to show up and be a force in their lives it’s our future and its their health and safety.” Sise said.
