Four attention-grabbing videos have been launched today highlighting the devastating impact of violence between youths being recorded and posted online.
The ‘We Don’t Want This’ campaign aims to tackle growing concerns in Donegal over fighting footage spreading across social media.
The campaign shows that the violence, whether it’s outside schools or elsewhere, has far-reaching consequences for many people, including the victim of violence, the aggressor, the parents and the by-stander who records the incident.
Funded by Tusla, the four thought-provoking videos feature local actors in storylines guided by young representatives working with a subgroup of the Donegal North Central Child and Family Support Network.
The subgroup collaborated with Tusla, Foróige Youth Diversion Project, Donegal Youth Service, Local Youth and Family Service, Donegal Domestic Violence Service, An Garda Síochána, Loreto Community School, Milford, and The Donegal Youth Council to address the issue with a focus on early intervention.
Re-Act Productions, based in Donegal, came on board to produce the final set of videos.
Gardaí from the Donegal Division and PSNI representatives, Inspector Claire McBride and Inspector Michael Gahan at the #WeDontWantThis Campaign launch against Peer Violence. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin, Donegal Daily
Shaun Doogan and Ciaran McCann from Re-Act Productions. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin, Donegal Daily
The videos premiered today at a launch event in Century Cinemas Letterkenny. They can be viewed on the Parenting Platform on YouTube to help promote awareness and share the message that “We Don’t Want This” peer-on-peer violence behaviour to continue.
Chief Superintendent Goretti Sheridan officially launched the videos at the event and commented “This is a great initiative created by young people to highlight the impact of peer-on-peer violence. I have no doubt the messaging from these videos will help to reduce the number of incidents of peer-on-peer violence in our communities.
“It is important that the message is shared far and wide in the county to raise awareness among young people, guardians and professionals who will support those most impacted.
“An Garda Síochána are available to advise and support anyone affected by these types of incidents.”
Garda Patrick McGlynn (Juvenile Liaison Officer), PSNI Neighbourhood Policing Team Inspector Michael Gahan, Garda Chief Superintendent Goretti Sheridan and Garda Inspector Paul McGee, Chair of the Garda Youth Diversion Project in Donegal. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin, Donegal Daily
Garda juvenile liaison officer Patrick McGlynn said: “We have noticed young people are leaving school in the afternoon and they are being set upon by other youths. There could be somebody recording the incident or assault and then the recording would be shared online. When we go to speak to the young person involved, they are embarrassed and intimated by what happened, and a lot of the time they don’t want to pursue the matter with a formal complaint and they don’t want to go back to school. We decided as a committee we weren’t going to stand idly by.”
Garda McGlynn said he hoped the videos would be a talking point, giving an insight to people of what happens behind the scenes of such incidents, and encourage people to come forward and prevent peer violence.
Donegal Youth Council members – Mayor Jessica McDevitt, Stephen Sheridan and Charlie McHale. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin, Donegal Daily
Also speaking at the event, Martin Keeney, Prevention Partnership and Family Support (PPFS) Senior Manager, Tusla said “The launch of these videos is an important example of what can be achieved when organisations come together to look at targeted ways to tackle problems in our communities.
“Sharing recordings on social media of violent acts against young people is a serious issue which can cause huge damage to the lives of the young people involved and their families. These videos aim to promote awareness and highlight the dangers involved, which is an important part of how we tackle this issue. I hope this message can reach as large an audience as possible.”
Marie Hainsworth – Manager at Donegal Domestic Violence Services and Cathy Dill Children’s Services Coordinator at Donegal Domestic Violence Services. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin, Donegal Daily
Garda Sergeant Charlene Anderson, Garda Grainne Doherty, Sergeant Fergus McGroary, Garda Patrick McGlynn (Juvenile Liaison Officer), Garda Catherine Callaghan, Garda Yvonne Carolan, Chief Superintendent Goretti Sheridan, Superintendent David Kelly and Inspector Paul McHugh. Photo: Rachel McLaughlin, Donegal Daily
Dorothea Allen, Chair of the subgroup behind the project, said: “We want to stand up and say that we don’t want young people worried about being assaulted on the street or on the way home from school. We don’t want young people feeling that a fight is the only way to settle an argument. We don’t want parents being worried about young people leaving the house afraid if someone will attack them. We don’t want any of that for our young people, for our communities or for our county.”
This Donegal North Central Child and Family Support Network project has been funded under Donegal Tusla and Donegal CYPSC.
‘We Don’t Want This’ videos can be viewed on The Parenting Platform