NCAYV Promotes Solutions to Youth Violence

Need to Focus Private Sector Resources on Ending the Growing Epidemic that is a leading Cause of Death for American Youth

Today, in the wake of the school shootings in Bosnia and Germany, the US based National Campaign Against Youth Violence (NCAYV) called upon the media, sports and entertainment industry to increase its support for solutions to violence. This year in the United States, two out of every three kids will be threatened with a weapon, beaten up or bullied.

"Youth violence is a growing threat facing every nation, but it can be prevented," said Sarah Ingersoll, Executive Director of NCAYV. "Unless we have the full engagement of the private sector's creativity, global reach and resources, communities worldwide will never learn of solutions to youth violence."

Violence remains the single greatest threat to the health and safety of young people in the U.S. Each day more than 14,000 young people are victims of violent acts: bullying, fights, taunting, cliques, harassment, hate crimes, assaults, beatings, stabbings, injuries, rape, shootings, suicides, homicides. An average of ten Americans under the age of 19 are murdered each day. In Philadelphia alone, more than 400 firearms and 336 knives were confiscated during the 1999-2000 school year.

The United States leads the world in homicides against children and youth under the age of 15, accounting for 73 percent of all homicides of children from birth to age 15 in the world's top 26 industrialized countries.

"The events of this past week prove that we need a comprehensive communications effort to end youth violence in this country and the world. We need to do more than express our condolences to the families of victims of these horrible acts - we need to address the root causes of youth violence", said Ms. Ingersoll.

NCAYV is a 501(c)(3) organization founded on a simple premise: solutions exist to greatly reduce youth violence in our country. NCAYV's unique role is to use the nation's creative communications resources to increase awareness of, and investment in, solutions. NCAYV efforts include a national media campaign, and national events such as concerts and movie screenings, including Saturday Out Loud - an event that rallies youth to action through a concert, forum, fashion show, web pledge, and sports activity.

Attention Editors: There are many programs across the United States working to end youth violence. If you would like more information about local programs operating in your area contact NCAYV: 202/687-1660 or www.noviolence.net