Project Materials

THE EFFECT OF MASSACRE ON THE BEHAVIOURAL PATTERN OF YOUTH

Chapter one

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Massacres, defined as the planned and indiscriminate death of a large number of people, have far-reaching and long-lasting effects on the behavioural patterns of youth, particularly those who are directly exposed to violence.

When young people undergo or witness such horrific experiences, their psychological and emotional states are altered, perhaps leading to long-term behavioural changes.

In areas devastated by conflicts, civil wars, and genocides, massacres have resulted in negative results in youth, such as violence, anxiety, depression, and other types of psychological trauma. Exposure to mass violence has regularly been linked to an increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related mental health difficulties among kids (Baker & Shalhoub-Kevorkian, 2019).

Massacres have a significant impact on youth, disrupting their social and moral development. Youth who have been exposed to significant amounts of violence frequently struggle to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable behaviours. The normalisation of violence can lead to the development of violent tendencies and antisocial behaviours as coping strategies.

Kithinji (2020) discovered that youth who witnessed atrocities during ethnic wars in Kenya demonstrated higher levels of violent behaviour than their peers who had not been exposed to such traumatic experiences.

The long-term consequences of this exposure frequently appear as strained social interactions and difficulty reintegrating into peaceful communities.

Furthermore, massacres frequently undermine the community structures and support networks that youth rely on for growth. The loss of family members, friends, and mentors causes a sense of loneliness and abandonment in the young population, which can intensify feelings of anger and pessimism.

Snider et al. (2020) found that kids who lose close family members in mass killings are more prone to develop a variety of psychiatric problems, including substance misuse and suicidal thinking.

The collapse of schools and other social institutions also adds to the breakdown of community relationships, depriving youth of the resources they require to cope with trauma.

Another important consideration is how massacres influence young people’s political and ideological perspectives. Exposure to violence often leads to radicalisation, as young people seek out extreme beliefs to explain or justify the atrocities they have experienced.

For example, studies conducted in post-genocide Rwanda found that youth who survived the violence were more likely to adopt polarised political beliefs and show less tolerance for opposing groups (McDoom, 2019).

This shift in worldview has the potential to set off a cycle of violence in which young people who have witnessed massacres become perpetrators themselves.

Youth affected by massacres frequently experience severe challenges to getting mental health care and other support services, especially in low-income or conflict-ridden areas. The scarcity of resources exacerbates the trauma they face, forcing many to deal with their psychological scars on their own.

According to research, if behavioural changes caused by exposure to massacres are not addressed immediately and appropriately, they can become entrenched, resulting in a generation of youth struggling with mental health concerns and reduced social functioning (Oluoha & Nwokolo, 2019).