Big splash in U.S. (and even foreign) newspapers yesterday and today stemming from this AP story on 12-year-old Nicole Townes. She was beaten into a coma Feb. 28 by, um, girlfriends. It happened after another girl's boyfriend kissed Townes on a dare at a birthday party.

The most disturbing thing about the whole case: the rival's mother was a primary instigator, telling her daughter to "handle your business" (i.e. defend your honor). No, wait, what's worse is that a meek 12-year-old girl was scapegoated; as opposed to whomever issued the dare, and as opposed to the "boyfriend" himself. The whole thing sounds like a weird set-up.

The AP story gives the impression that Townes has just come out of her coma, but in fact that happened six weeks ago, as this report from WBAL indicates. The Washington Times had the horrifying details of the attack in its March 11 edition, a few days after charges were filed. Afefe Tyehimba's commentary in the Baltimore City Paper closes with a chilling reminder of just how commonplace youth violence has become.

The real value added by AP reporter Wiley Hall's story is the sociological backdrop.

The beating was shocking not just because of its savagery, but because it was meted out by other girls. Authorities say it is symptomatic of a disturbing trend around the country: Girls are turning to violence more often and with terrifying intensity. "We're seeing girls doing things now that we used to put off on boys," former Baltimore school Police Chief Jansen Robinson said. "This is vicious, 'I-want-to-hurt-you' fighting. It's a nationwide phenomenon and it's catching us all off guard."

...Phil Leaf, director of the Center for the Prevention of Youth Violence at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, said society should not have been caught by surprise by the surge in girl violence.

"In retrospect, we can see girls falling prey to the same influences as boys," Leaf said. "A decade or so ago, we were worried about the lack of male role models in the home. Today, there is a dearth of effective female role models as the mothers who used to be there are forced back into the job market or get rendered ineffective through abuse of drugs and alcohol."

Which underscores the need for fathers to be there. Instead, we excuse absent dads. Why expect too much from men, those dumb beasts?

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at April 27, 2004 11:48 AM

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