(Toronto) Violent crime by teens could rise in Canada’s most populous city due to pandemic isolation and social media influence, experts say, as Toronto police investigate on a series of assaults committed by young girls.
Police said this week that a group of about 10 teenage girls allegedly assaulted several random people in downtown Toronto subway stations on December 17. Investigators have not confirmed whether the group was the same that allegedly stabbed a homeless person, who died of his injuries in hospital.
Experts point out that attacks involving groups of girls are extremely rare, but violence among young people may currently be on the rise.
Ardavan Eizadirad, assistant professor at Wilfrid Laurier University, said recent data from the Toronto Police Service suggests that more and more young people are involved in violent criminal behavior.
This increase could be attributed to a combination of factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic among others, he explained.
“When they don’t have access to a caring adult or community programs that reflect different cultural identities, people look to other things — which are often risk factors rather than protective — to find a sense of belonging. and a community,” Mr. Eizadirad said.
Toronto police data presented last month at a meeting of the Toronto District School Board’s Planning and Priorities Committee shows that 622 young people aged 12 to 29 were victims of knife attacks between January 2021 and November 2022. During this same period, 586 youths were charged with stabbing someone.
Kaitlynn Mendes, a sociology professor at Western University, added that some young people are currently struggling due to the social and economic impacts of the pandemic.
“There is a lot of isolation, loneliness. Maybe they have mental health issues, feel disconnected from society, or are bored, she explained. It is really difficult to know exactly why these people engage in these acts without talking to them”.
While social media has helped outsiders organize protests around the world, including the Arab Spring uprisings, it has also recently been used by some to connect with others interested in violence.
“What we’re seeing is that digital technologies are being used for more evil purposes than we originally envisioned,” Ms.me Mendes.
Women generally less violent
Toronto police have charged eight teenage girls between the ages of 13 and 16 with second-degree murder for fatally stabbing a homeless person.
Authorities said the investigation was separate from another involving the group of teenage girls who allegedly committed subway assaults, a case in which they are seeking to speak to victims.
“We have not confirmed whether or not it is the same group of girls,” police officer Caroline de Kloet said in a statement.
Jerry Flores, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto, said attacks involving groups of women or girls almost never happen.
We associate this kind of behavior more with boys, usually those associated with gangs. On an individual level, when women or girls use violence, it is usually to defend themselves against multiple forms of abuse.
Jerry Flores, professor of sociology at the University of Toronto
Flores said teen crime rates are generally difficult to measure because of privacy laws that protect young Canadians. According to him, young people can be involved in non-violent offenses or drug offenses, but it is unusual in the country for an underage child to commit a violent crime such as murder.
“When they are (determined), they can be very sensational, added Mr. Flores. So they get a lot of attention.”