Adolescent girls are often as violent as boys but the problem goes unnoticed or unreported, according to a new report.

Researchers who studied the behaviour of 300 girls aged between 10 and 18 found they often display the same violent tendencies as teenage boys but society, including the courts, refuses to acknowledge the problem exists.

And the researchers added that unless violence in girls is acknowledged by educationalists, health professionals and the criminal justice system, violent girls will grow up without the same services offered to violent boys.

The research found that:

• The full extent of girls' violent behaviour is not reported to the police.
• Many violent girls were themselves victims of violent abuse or used drugs.
• Violence from girls could not be blamed entirely on abuse or psychiatric disorder.

Dr Anne Jasper, co-author of the report said: "The problem with not acknowledging that these girls are violent is that they then are not managed in a way that makes it as safe as possible for those caring for them.

Dr Anne Jasper

"The violence is often directed at the people who look after them, so it is leaving these people at risk if all the people around them are not acknowledging that they can be violent in their behaviour."

Dr Jasper said her research had not established the long term effect of the violence, but she called on professionals dealing with boys to recognise the same problems in girls.

"We find it difficult to acknowledge that girls can be violent, none of us like to believe that girls can behave in that way," she said.

"We feel that we have got services we can be offering to girls. They have as much right to have those services to help them change their behaviour."
 

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