Get informed : Violence

RECRUITMENT

Not everyone gets in! New members may be recruited by friends, acquaintances, or family members. Usually, it is the gangs that choose the new members — not the other way around. Recruitment may be direct or subtle. It isn’t always easy to know if a street gang is trying to recruit you, because they won’t necessarily come out and ask you if you want to be a member. But you might ask yourself some questions or wonder if you're being targeted as a potential member if:

• Family members or people you know are members of a street gang
• You’ve dropped out of school or work, or are thinking of dropping out
• You’re having problems with “the system” or society in general
• You’ve already committed illegal acts (selling drugs, prostitution, theft)
• You’re all alone, isolated

If you’re a girl, a member may attempt to recruit you through:

• seduction (charming you, getting you to go out with him, promising you a more exciting life)
• gifts (offering you jewellery, clothes, meals in restaurants, money, an apartment, drugs)
• feelings (promising to protect you, offering you a way out of your family environment if you’re experiencing conflicts or violence)

The benefits people see in joining gangs. Some young people become gang members because they think that this will allow them to meet some of their needs and fulfill their desires, such as:

• protecting themselves from other gangs or from their own family
• being part of a new “family”
• being with a friend who is already a member
• being recognized as strong and important
• being accepted and appreciated
• being proud of oneself
• partying and having fun
• having money

But all this comes with many risks...

Safe and sound. There are choices you can make about your behaviour and attitudes that can help you keep gangs away from you. For example, you can:

• Work at maintaining good self-esteem
• Keep your friends who have the same moral values as yours
• Fill your free time
• Take an active interest in your studies and in projects in other parts of your life, in order to learn what it feels like to be successful
• Take an interest in the adults and activities (extracurricular activities, school projects) in your school
• Let yourself be inspired and encouraged by adults role models
• Let your parents take an interest in you, in what you’re doing, and in who you are
• Have confidence in your future

INITIATION

In order to become a member of a gang, a future member may be forced to perform certain acts. These may include:

• Taking large quantities of drugs and alcohol
• Fighting with members of the gang
• Committing crimes
• Having sex with one or more members of the gang (especially in the case of girls)