Around the world, young people who get into trouble with the law are at risk from violence, sexual abuse and even murder. And the biggest threat often comes from the police and prison officials who should be protecting them.
Vulnerable street children are easy targets. Sometimes police officers abuse or attack young people to get money, or to sexually abuse them. In some countries in Latin America violence (and even murder) has been used against young people and gang members by the police and the army just because they don’t want them to be on the streets.
Members of the public also commit violence against young people. In places like Latin America and South Africa groups of people (‘vigilantes’) have attacked – and even murdered – street children they think are involved in drugs or other crime.
The police and politicians often deliberately ignore or even encourage the vigilantes. Sometimes they won’t do anything to investigate the attack or try to catch the people responsible. And young people who have been attacked are often scared to come forward.
Governments should be protecting young people at risk. But there are countries where they are being attacked and murdered and nothing is being done. We need to stop them getting away with it.
