A group of mates who live in the same area as each other, or all go to the same school, and who hang around together is not a gang<\/b>.\u00a0 Everybody likes to feel part of a group, and that\u2019s absolutely fine as long as what the group does is within the law.<\/p>\n
Gangs are groups of people who may commit crimes or hurt people. They might carry knives or weapons and use them to show off or to threaten people. They might try and get you involved with them and what they do \u2013 or threaten to hurt you if you don\u2019t join them.<\/p>\n
Some people join gangs because they think this will make them money or make them safer. Really, being in a gang can make people less safe, as rival gangs target them, and can end up with them in trouble with the police.<\/p>\n
People can feel intimidated and scared of gangs, especially if the gang is violent. You might feel worried about being threatened or attacked. If you\u2019re scared of a gang, there are people who can help you:<\/p>\n
You might feel that if you join a gang, you\u2019ll be safe and not be picked on. But often this is isn\u2019t true \u2013 being in a gang puts you in danger from people who are in other, rival gangs.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ll also be more at risk of carrying out a crime and having to answer to the police.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
No one has the right to force you into doing something \u2013 if they do, that\u2019s a crime and you need to speak with the police.<\/p>\n
It can be really difficult for children and young people to escape joining a gang especially if it\u2019s in your neighbourhood. Being in a gang isn\u2019t a crime in itself but it can put you at much more risk of hurting someone else or being hurt yourself.<\/p>\n
If your group of friends starts to get involved with gangs, try to make new friends. It\u2019s hard to leave behind your friends, but there are lots of other people out there for you to make friends with, and lots of other activities you can get involved with that could be a lot safer and more fun. The most important thing is to keep yourself safe.<\/p>\n
Talk to Voice<\/a><\/strong> if you are feeling pressured into joining a gang.<\/p>\n You can also access free advice and support from ex gangmembers at Gangsline by calling <\/b>0800 032 9538<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a007753 351 256<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What are gangs? A group of mates who live in the same area as each other, or all go to the same school, and who hang around together is not a gang.\u00a0 Everybody likes to feel part of a group, and that\u2019s absolutely fine as long as what the group…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":587,"parent":701,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-yp2.php","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n