Girls getting more violent
By Bruce McDougall
February 06, 2006

GIRLS are taking knives into class, assaulting teachers and committing brutal robberies in a disturbing upsurge of hardcore violence by female students.

Teenage girls have threatened to stalk and even bomb people, to physically harm school principals and have enlisted gangs to carry out revenge attacks, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

The frightening situation emerged as NSW remained in shock after the brutal bashing murder of taxi driver Youbert Hormozi - allegedly by two 14-year-old girls.

In an attempt to crack down on teenage lawlessness, Premier Morris Iemma yesterday told adults they must be responsible for their children - and warned negligent parents they would be forced to sign "responsibility contracts".

Victims of female assault have been hospitalised and police called to schools when violence has surged out of control, Education Department documents obtained under Freedom of Information show.

And in a worrying trend, parents increasingly are becoming involved in their children's school disputes.

Mr Iemma recognised the problem was as much with girls as boys yesterday, saying: "The need to teach respect to young people is not gender specific ... it is no longer a case of needing to focus on angry young males."

Putting the onus on parents, he added: "We need strong role models and direction for boys and girls and it needs to start in the home."

Psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg said one of the most profound motivations for girls trying to "outbloke the blokes" in violence was the desire for male attention.

"If she believes she's in competition with another chick for a guy's affections, she'll resort to violence for male attention by adopting more overtly aggressive behaviour," he said.

Mr Carr-Gregg said nasty video games, reality TV and rock videos suggested "girl power was sex power" and sent destructive messages to teens.

"Young people, if they don't have good role models, will allow Hollywood educate them about what it means to be male or female," he said. "Many of our kids are growing in a psychological wasteland ... it's teaching kids the only way to solve problems is through violence."

There is little Australian research into the nature and extent of adolescent female violence but international evidence points to a startling rise.

In one incident recorded in school files, four teenage females in Sydney's southwest assaulted and robbed two female students, taking their money, watches and phones.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,18054004-28698,00.html