Dealing With Gang Violence, Tips For College Students 

Gang violence is not just a problem in the outside world but it is also something that you have to deal with in school. Unfortunately, there are a number of students who get involved with gangs as they see it as their escape from their own personal problems. Some join because of the peer pressure of having to fit in. Regardless of the reason, nothing good comes out when you get involved with these groups. Here are some tips on how you can deal with gang violence on your campus.

Choose The Right Set Of Friends

The first thing you have to do to deal with this is to not get involved. When meeting new people, if you feel that something is not right with them or you feel unsafe, just walk away. It is better that you get out early rather than get trapped within their network. Some students found this the hard way and usually things don’t end well when you get involved with these types of people.

Don’t Give In To Pressure

You might find yourself in a position that most of your acquaintances are into this and you feel that the only way to belong is to join them. 

Don’t – you don’t have to be like them just to be recognized. If you feel that you are being left out because of it, then it’s good for you. There are people that are much better influenced than them so don’t feel pressured.

Find Better Ways To Address Your Problems

You might have your own personal issues to deal with at home but being with a gang is not the solution. 

Try better alternatives on how you can deal with your problems. Try joining other school activities or even try new sports. Engage yourself in things that would help you surpass whatever problems you are facing. 

Having the right set of friends also helps. Stay away from peers who will advise you to do negative things to cope up. Remember, violence is not the solution to the problem. 

Stay Away From Their Area

If you will notice, we keep on implying to keep yourself away from their environment. This is because it is one of the most effective ways on how you can deal with it. 

The more you are exposed to them, the higher the chance you will get involved. If you know that a certain place is riddled with gangs, then better keep yourself away from it.

If Threatened, Inform the Authorities

Fear is the usual reason why students do not inform authorities about their ordeal with gang violence. They feel that this may put them at risk. But the only way that you can deal with these is to inform the right authorities and let them know what is happening. 

They understand the risk and are trained to handle this type of situation. The longer you keep it to yourself, the more you will get harassed and intimidated. Let your family know what is happening to you as well.

If You Are A Victim, Join A Support Group

Regardless of how much you try to stay away from gang violence, sometimes you really just can’t avoid it. If you fell victim to any type of gang violence and are having a hard time dealing with it on your own, then there are various support groups out there that can guide you with the process. You can also get ideas on how other victims were able to recover from their experiences and apply it to your own.

Help A Friend Stay Out Of Trouble

If you find yourself in a situation where you see your friend getting involved with gang members, it would be nice if you could at least try and talk them out of it. 

As their friend, it is your responsibility to keep them safe. Try to talk sense out of them. Who knows, maybe a simple chat is the only thing your friend needs. 

Gang violence is a problem most schools and colleges often deal with. You might not be able to resolve this all on your own but what you can do is keep yourself from becoming one of the problems.