Teen Victoria Lindsay Beaten; Could Your Teen Be Next?

Parents Play a Vital Role in Keeping Our Teens from Violence

According to a report on MSNBC, 8 teens have been charged in the brutal beating of 16-year-old cheerleader Victoria Lindsay. Victoria was apparently lured into a house in late March when 6 teen girls then viciously attacked her. The girls videotaped the beatings to place on YouTube and MySpace. The remaining two teens that were charged were young men, who acted as a lookout while the beatings took place. They are calling this a "revenge" beating for comments that were allegedly posted on Victoria Lindsay's MySpace page.

When I watched this video, I was utterly and incredibly appalled at what I saw. What is happening with our teens today, which would make them think so little of hurting another human being? Have they been so desensitized to violence, that they don't realize the extent to which they can truly damage someone physically, or do they just not care?

Parents of teens, it's time to wake up and start taking some steps to prevent your own teen from becoming physically violent with others. If you don't take action to make sure your teens are acting like civilized human beings, who will? Ask yourselves the following questions, and then sit down and talk with your teen. You may be surprised at what they tell you.

Do you really know your teens' friends?
Do you know each of them personally? Do you know their temperaments? Have they been in trouble with the law? If you answered no to any of these questions, you need to make a drastic change, and quickly. It's time to start participating in the lives of your teens and their friends; whether they like it or not. You are their parent first, and then you are their friend.

Has your teen been acting out aggressively?
If so, do you know why? Bottled anger and repressed emotions can be a huge downfall for teenagers. They need to have the ability to speak to someone about their feelings, and to feel safe while doing it. If you aren't comfortable talking to your teen, then seek counseling for them. Give them a place to speak their minds, so that it will reduce their overall stress level, thus reducing the chances of violence.