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See Jane Hit: Why Girls Are Growing More Violent and What We Can Do AboutIt
From one of America's leading authorities on juvenile violence and aggression, a groundbreaking investigation of the explosion in violent behavior by girls: its causes, consequences, and possible solutions
"Teen Hazing Turns Vicious," "Gang Beats Man Senseless," "Teenagers Indicted for Murder," "School Shooter Sought Revenge for Put-downs," "Youth Arrested in Murder Plot Aimed at Parents." The headlines don't seem remarkable: juvenile violence has always been with us. What is new is that these stories aren't about boys, they're about girls. Just ten years ago, almost ten boys were arrested for assault for every girl. Now the ratio is four to one, and it's dropping rapidly. What's going on with American girls? See Jane Hit is the first big-picture answer to this crucial question, a groundbreaking examination of this hidden epidemic by one of America's most respected authorities on juvenile violent aggression.
In See Jane Hit, Dr. James Garbarino shows that the rise in girls' violence is the product of many interrelated cultural developments, several of which are largely positive. Girls have learned to express themselves physically in organized sports-thirty years ago, the number of boys playing organized sports was more than ten times greater than the number of girls; now we're almost at 1:1. In a number of other ways, too, the cultural foot binding that has kept girls from embracing their own physical power has been removed, which is largely to be celebrated. But nothing happens in isolation, and there's rarely such a momentous societal shift with absolutely no downside. One problem is that girls aren't being trained to handle their own physical aggression the way boys are: our methods of child-rearing culture include all sorts of mechanisms for socializing boys to express their violence in socially acceptable ways, but with girls we lag very far behind. At the same time, the culture has become more toxic for boys and girls alike, and girls' sexuality is linked with violence in new and disturbing ways.
Ultimately, this brilliant, far-reaching examination of physical aggression and the "new" American girl shows us there is much we can do differently. See Jane Hit is not just a powerful wake-up call; it's a clear-eyed, compassionate prescription for real-world solutions.
"Teen Hazing Turns Vicious," "Gang Beats Man Senseless," "Teenagers Indicted for Murder," "School Shooter Sought Revenge for Put-downs," "Youth Arrested in Murder Plot Aimed at Parents." The headlines don't seem remarkable: juvenile violence has always been with us. What is new is that these stories aren't about boys, they're about girls. Just ten years ago, almost ten boys were arrested for assault for every girl. Now the ratio is four to one, and it's dropping rapidly. What's going on with American girls? See Jane Hit is the first big-picture answer to this crucial question, a groundbreaking examination of this hidden epidemic by one of America's most respected authorities on juvenile violent aggression.
In See Jane Hit, Dr. James Garbarino shows that the rise in girls' violence is the product of many interrelated cultural developments, several of which are largely positive. Girls have learned to express themselves physically in organized sports-thirty years ago, the number of boys playing organized sports was more than ten times greater than the number of girls; now we're almost at 1:1. In a number of other ways, too, the cultural foot binding that has kept girls from embracing their own physical power has been removed, which is largely to be celebrated. But nothing happens in isolation, and there's rarely such a momentous societal shift with absolutely no downside. One problem is that girls aren't being trained to handle their own physical aggression the way boys are: our methods of child-rearing culture include all sorts of mechanisms for socializing boys to express their violence in socially acceptable ways, but with girls we lag very far behind. At the same time, the culture has become more toxic for boys and girls alike, and girls' sexuality is linked with violence in new and disturbing ways.
Ultimately, this brilliant, far-reaching examination of physical aggression and the "new" American girl shows us there is much we can do differently. See Jane Hit is not just a powerful wake-up call; it's a clear-eyed, compassionate prescription for real-world solutions.
- GenresNonfictionPsychology
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 28, 2010
Far too many of this author's theories on why girls are more aggressive seem to based in sexist notions about where women and girls "belong" in society. I picked the book hoping for something informative and interesting and instead got sexist excuses. Try harder there are real answers!
June 22, 2008
A book about why girls are growing ever more violent in American society.
A bit of ambivalence toward this book. I agree with the author's hypothesis - that many girls (not just troubled ones) in today's society ARE growing more agressive; expressing it in ways both physical and verbal.
I'm just not sure I agree with a basic premise of his, that female inclusion into the world of sports has opened the door for this aggressiveness to spill over into life outside the basketball court (or baseball field, or whatever).
As far as I can see, he cites no statistics for this claim linking female athletes (or girls in general) to physical violence outside of sports situations. Do athletic girls tend to be more violent outside the court? Are nonathletic girls more violent as a result of what happens in the sports world? His evidence in the book seems to be purely anecdotal.
I do agree with his points about girls' talents in the realms of verbal and relational aggression. This has traditionally been the means of gaining and expressing power in the world of the female, and it too appears to be on the rise.
In our media-soaked culture that celebrates assertiveness/aggression/violence in both males and females, the author concludes that while boys have "already reached an upper ceiling; troubled boys are already about as violent as they can get", there may still be "growth potential" for girls' physical aggression; a rather depressing outlook for society as a whole.
A bit of ambivalence toward this book. I agree with the author's hypothesis - that many girls (not just troubled ones) in today's society ARE growing more agressive; expressing it in ways both physical and verbal.
I'm just not sure I agree with a basic premise of his, that female inclusion into the world of sports has opened the door for this aggressiveness to spill over into life outside the basketball court (or baseball field, or whatever).
As far as I can see, he cites no statistics for this claim linking female athletes (or girls in general) to physical violence outside of sports situations. Do athletic girls tend to be more violent outside the court? Are nonathletic girls more violent as a result of what happens in the sports world? His evidence in the book seems to be purely anecdotal.
I do agree with his points about girls' talents in the realms of verbal and relational aggression. This has traditionally been the means of gaining and expressing power in the world of the female, and it too appears to be on the rise.
In our media-soaked culture that celebrates assertiveness/aggression/violence in both males and females, the author concludes that while boys have "already reached an upper ceiling; troubled boys are already about as violent as they can get", there may still be "growth potential" for girls' physical aggression; a rather depressing outlook for society as a whole.
January 16, 2009
Well written, fast psych book.
Garbarino is extremely knowledgable in aggression in general, and I like how he discusses the difference in girls than boys. There are a lot of complexities along with this issue mostly stemming from the fact that women are empowered and it is at the root of aggression in girls. This issue has a real double-edge sword.
There is also a lot of talk in this book about social-toxicity in our culture and TV.
Good points all around. I would definately pair this with "Odd Girl Out" by Rachel Simmons.
Garbarino is extremely knowledgable in aggression in general, and I like how he discusses the difference in girls than boys. There are a lot of complexities along with this issue mostly stemming from the fact that women are empowered and it is at the root of aggression in girls. This issue has a real double-edge sword.
There is also a lot of talk in this book about social-toxicity in our culture and TV.
Good points all around. I would definately pair this with "Odd Girl Out" by Rachel Simmons.
January 31, 2009
I work with violent men mostly and they often claim that the women they are involved with are violent. The arrest rates for girls and women of violent crimes is on the increase. So I have to ask myself what is going on? Is this part of media images, women's liberation, androgyny, violent culture, that and more? Garbarino has some theories and some answers which makes the book useful to me in teaching and responding to clients.
August 11, 2011
im reading it for class. when i started reading it i automatically was turned off by the theory that the more girls feel confident or join sports the more aggressive they become. later the author goes on to change his mind and not agree and give good facts and example on how girls ARE becoming more aggressive. so far it's ok. i have to wait and read the rest to see how good it actually is.
January 24, 2015
A very necessary book about the rise of physical aggression in adolescent females. Focuses primarily on the delinquent use of physical aggression, but does bring up some of the more positive aspects, such as increased participation in sports. Strong on research, weak on ideas for helping the problem.
May 31, 2011
Since reading this book I've been paying more attention to how female aggression is portrayed in the media. The author's main point, as far as "what we can do about it", seems to be channel it into sports. I was hoping for a bit more on that score...
July 17, 2008
I read this one for a class but it did not feel like that when I was reading it - very interesting perspective on why girls have become more aggressive and what can be done about it.
July 24, 2008
dry toast...when I am VERY hungry...
August 29, 2013
Interesting topic. Irritating discussion.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews