Young Aussies say ‘enough is enough’ amid self-defence warning

Fed-up teens are considering taking extra security measures amid a spate of violent incidents but many are unaware that carrying a concealed weapon for the purposes of self-defence is illegal.

Research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows assaults have steadily increased over the past 10 years.

Around eight million Australians have experienced physical or sexual violence since the age of 15.

In 2022-2023, nearly two per cent or 358,500 people over the age of 15 in Australia were physically assaulted. A total of 459,800 people were threatened with assault and 89,100 experienced sexual assault.

Violent incidents have erupted at schools, shopping centres and on public transport and teens are becoming increasingly anxious about their own personal safety.

Fourteen-year-old schoolgirl Maria said she was limiting her social outings and her use of public transport in response to violent incidents, including the abduction and assault of a

teenager as he walked home from school in late 2023.

Benjamin Phikhohpoom suffered life-altering injuries as a result of the attack.

“It definitely does get you thinking about what could happen,” Maria said. “Everyone deserves to feel safe.”

Maria said she was also concerned about domestic violence and the impact on current and future generations.

“It’s really scary,” she said. “Violence is never the answer.”

Another teen, who did not want to be named, was considering items such as pepper spray or a tactical pen as a form of self-defence in response to violent crime but such items are illegal in multiple states. Pepper spray is classed as a prohibited weapon in states including New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland.

Tactical pens, which resemble an ordinary pen, are capable of shattering glass if used correctly and can collect DNA in the event of an attack but Australian law generally forbids an individual to carry weapons of any sort, even if they are intended for self-defence.

Mother-of-one Eda Fouki said taking commonsense, legal safety precautions was “a smart move” in the current environment.

“In my time, we used to catch the bus on our own from a very young age and we had that freedom,” she said “That’s not the case now in Melbourne – not these days anyway. You need to monitor where they (kids) are going and who they are with.”

Victorian student Rubino Frisina, who has been studying martial arts for many years, said the current wave of crime and domestic violence was concerning.

“It’s not fair and it’s definitely not right,” he said.

* Please note: Kids News editors amended this copy for accuracy prior to publication on the site. Images were also added by Kids News editors as per publishing requirements on the site.

* Author’s note: First name used for source who is under the age of 18 years.