Girls gone wild -AGD

Gone are the days of the Stepford wives and women in the kitchen bare foot and pregnant saying those oh so famous words "Dinners ready". Girls nowadays are more likely to graduate than boys and become anything they want. The term Girl Power has mushroomed in recent years giving girls their power back. Women are being recognised and encouraged to better themselves but there is an ugly side to girl power.

There is a growing phenomenon taking the world by storm known as Angry Girl Disorder (AGD), more girls are acting out their anger. In recent years the number of girls arrested for violent crimes has increased according to The Philosophers Magazine (TPM) online between 1980-2003 there has been a 96% increase in the number of girls (ages 10-17) being arrested for aggravated assault. AGD is not your average mean girl catfight or self defence, it is a full on fit of rage where one loses control and attacks another in a way that could end with a fatality. Girls have graduated from using words as weapons through name calling, rumours and cruel instant messages to using their fists.

In many ways women and girls have continued to close the gap between their behaviours and accomplishments with that of boys and men. Tragically violent behaviour has been no exception. Girls have resorted to physical confrontations to prove a point, get respect or to get a reputation and status. AGD is no Childs' play and is not to be taken lightly.

Traditionally high risk girls use to hurt themselves by using alcohol, drugs, running away, suicide attempts, prostitution, and cutting but not hurting others. Girls feel frustrated that there are so many limitations on them and the immense pressure put on them to be perfect and meet the impossible cultural of sexuality and beauty, in addition to being intelligent and assertive.

With media images saturated in violence society is modelling the bad behaviour of glamorised tough girls. Gender inequalities have created circumstances in which girls and young women are vulnerable to violent victimisation in their families, immediate relationships and larger community. Girls need to learn to be non victims and non violent which is seemingly hard in a country like South Africa where women and children are attacked on a daily basis and the police usually do nothing to help, this adds even more strain on women.

Caroline Mbeka

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com