Violence in Children from Violent Media, Who Truly is at Fault?
Marilyn A. Fernandez
Ashford University

Violence in Children from Violent Media, Who Truly is at Fault? We are all well aware that violence is not something we really should be exposing to our children, especially at a young age. Even though it is something that most parents are well aware of, many seem to overlook this when a violent incident happens. We all know of the parents concern for this, because it is constantly expressed when media whether it be video games, movies, and other forms come out with something they do not wish for their children to see. There are many protests, many out spoken parents ready and willing to express how they feel these types of media are wrong and will negatively affect their children as they try to use certain incidents that has happened in the past as evidence to this. Is it really the media’s fault or is it just a scapegoat for negligent parenting?

Keeping in mind that there are many out spoken parents, there is very little research or clinical attention has focused on the potential impact on children of living under conditions of chronic community violence. With that being said we must first discuss the effects of violence being seen by children. According to Psychological Bulletin, “results demonstrate that media violence enhances children's and adolescents' aggression in interactions with strangers, classmates, and friends.” (Wood, 1991). This would also fall under the same instances where certain parents refuse to show their children wresting shows or fighting movies and then their children are trying the moves they have seen on the movie or show on their friends. Causing serious injury, but if you notice the main point that I am pushing here is there the parent made it their responsibility to not allow their child to watch these particular show of this type of nature.
For example:
Pro Wrestling Under Fire After Child's Death
“Professional wrestling is being blamed again for the death of another child whose mother says he was imitating moves he saw on TV. Last week, 9-year-old, 65-pound Derek Garland died from injuries suffered after rough-housing with his 16-year-old, 225-pound friend Jason Crabb. Police are still investigating the exact cause of the death and have not decided whether to press charges against Crabb. However, an autopsy showed that Derek suffered injuries to his neck and head. Julie Garland, Derek's mother, said she didn't want her son to watch wrestling and feared he would hurt himself imitating wrestling moves.” (Colton & Robinson, 2014).
Would this be considered to be the mother’s fault even though she knew that she did not want her son watching wrestling because she was scared that he would hurt himself? She felt in her heart or gut or her maternal instincts said not to allow him, but she still did anyways. Which in turn now her son sustained a deadly injury. American Psychology states that, “School-age children often experience increases in anxiety and sleep disturbances with exposure to violence (Pynoos, 1993).”

We are well aware that exposure to violence is not healthy for anyone, no matter what the age is, but there is a large difference between actual violence and depicted violence, I believe that if a parent allows their child to watch such violent media then they need to emphasize to their child that this is fiction being depicted in media, such as video games, movie and shows. As a child I watch such cartoons like Tom & Jerry, where a mouse and a cat were constantly going at it back and forth attacking each other. I understood, that if I get ran over by a car, smashed by a mallet, and shot by a gun there is no unflattening yourself or just having a smoky black face from the gun. My parents allowed me to watch everything except for movie that had sexual content. A parent’s influence can help a child be able to perceive what it reality and what is not, what is