Assault

Disagreements and arguments are a part of life. Nobody goes all the way through their life without having a few ‘fall outs’ or getting angry. We run into trouble if we let our tempers get the better of us, and use our fists to get our message across.

If you are ever tempted to lose your temper, take a moment to ‘re-play’ the facts below:

1 Physically hurting another person is against the law. It is called an assault

2 Even a ‘minor’ fight can lead to a serious assault

3 Being young is no excuse under the law. If a young person assaults someone – they can be prosecuted

4 Punishments for young people range from a ‘reprimand’ at a police station – to being taken to court. Courts can take away young people’s freedom

5 We have many laws to protect young people. If you assault a young person – the punishments can be very severe (even if you are a young person yourself).

A serious assault against another young person could lead to a criminal record and prevent you from having a job working with children such as a youth worker.

It could also stop you from travelling to countries such as America where you would be considered a ‘risk of harm to children’.