At every school anti-violence campaigner Hugh van Cuylenburg visits he gets the same question: what can young people do to avoid becoming the casualty of street violence? While it is clear the innocent victims of many assaults have done nothing wrong – or even everything right - Mr van Cuylenberg and other experts do have some tips for young people to help them keep safe.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
1) Don't talk to groups of strangers when out late drinking. "We suggest not engaging in any form of conversation with people that you don't know," Mr van Cuylenburg said. Deakin University Associate Professor Peter Miller said it is also a good idea to avoid eye contact and cross the road to avoid groups of young men.
2) Don't linger at "hotspots" where people who have been drinking congregate. These include taxi ranks and the outside of clubs, pubs and fast-food outlets, Mr van Cuylenburg said.
3) Stay with your friends, avoid being alone. "I think when you're by yourself you're slightly more vulnerable and can present an easier target," Mr van Cuylenburg said.
4) Real men walk away from heated street disputes. University of Western Sydney criminology Professor Stephen Tomsen said young men need to learn that they do not need to respond aggressively to insults and annoying behaviour from the public. "It must be possible for them to believe that just disengaging and walking away from a street dispute that is becoming very heated is a respectable and rational social practice," he said.
5) Don't get drunk. People that consume more than eight alcoholic drinks are more than 3.5 times likely to become a victim of crime, said Professor Miller. He said sober people have a much better ability to read the mood of others.
