In the last few years we’ve seen viral videos of parents teaching and taunting their children to fight others.
Some have done this due to their child being bullied. Some teach their children violence for other reasons.
Just last year a mother forced her child to physically fight her bully and not only videotaped it but made it viral.
Are parents that violent? Are they voyeuristic? Or do parents really think that’s the only way to win?
The latest violent exhibition came from an unidentified NYC park, where two little girls were harassed into fighting each other. You could hear the voice of an older female egging the child to slap the other. It’s so outrageous that your blood pressure could climb sky high. (See Video)
The video, originally posted on YouTube, shows the two girls being forced to slap one another. They fight, hitting each other and pulling each other's hair, while older people in the background are heard jeering and egging the children on. Finally, one of the girls began to cry and walked away. She put on her backpack and sobbed "I'm not playing! I'm not playing!"
ACS ( Administration for Children’s Services in NYC) investigated and learned that the incident took place in the Bronx.
At first it was unclear if the older females forcing the children to fight are parents or older siblings or random teenagers, but the video will be used as evidence by the police or child protective services.
Police questioned a teenager they believed to be behind the violent video that shows two young grade- school girls forced to fight one another in The Bronx and determined that the 17-year-old sister of one of the girls helped orchestrate the cruel brawl.
Today, the NYPD charged two teenagers, as juveniles in the fight between girls inside Edgar Allan Poe Park in the Bronx. The 14 and 15 year-old girls are charged with child endangerment as juveniles and two others are also facing charges.
Authorities say the incident began as a fight between two older girls over candy. They then proceeded to use their baby sisters, all of 6 and 7 years old, to settle the score.
When the video first went viral, police had no idea where the footage was shot. But the mother of the 7-year-old eventually stepped forward and identified her daughter, and police pieced the facts together. Apparently the fight happened months ago. What caused all of this? The 14 and 16 year-olds argued about candy and forced their little sisters to fight for them.
As appalling as all of this is, another case in Cincinnati occurred when a woman accused of helping her daughter beat another teenage girl inside a high school classroom has been indicted on misdemeanor charges including assault.
Precious Allen, 31-years-old of Hamilton County, OH was indicted Thursday on assault and trespassing charges. She had initially faced more serious felony charges.
Police said Allen held the victim down and told her 14-year-old daughter to hit the girl with a combination lock. Police say the victim suffered cuts and bruises. Allen's daughter allegedly gave a teacher a black eye in the same scuffle.
Allen maintains the alleged victim attacked her and her daughter Feb. 7 at Withrow High School and that the teen was bigger and taller than them.
And in December, two parents in Georgia were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor after a video appeared to show them egging on their daughter in a fight. Similar incidents have also been caught on camera.
What parents don’t understand is that all of this forced fighting has emotional repercussions on children. And where do 14 and 15 year-olds learn this violence? Likely at home. Whether it’s learned behavior or forced violence, the damage lasts way into adulthood. By teaching children to be violent, it sets a behavior for how they should deal with their own frustrations – leaving them to become angry, resentful and yes—violent! Teaching children to deal with frustration, resent and anger s in a constructive way sets the tone for the way they will treat others – and for a happy and healthy adulthood.
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