Parties can be fun.
But they
can also be incredibly dangerous.
News of a car hitting a 14-year-old girl at an out-of-control party in Tauranga’s Welcome Bay suburb last Saturday night brings this risk into sharp focus.
The girl was seriously injured and taken to Starship Hospital after the Kaitemako Rd incident.
The fact that someone was so badly hurt is terrible. It is estimated that there were at least 200 teens there, and the actions of some are also appalling.
They became aggressive toward the police and ambulance staff who were trying to help the injured girl. An eyewitness has described how the party got out of control, with multiple fights occurring.
Unfortunately, none of this is new.
Out-of-control teen parties and the problems associated with them have been going on for decades, and there are examples of when they have ended in death or injury.
In Tauranga, two others made headlines in November, and one of them was also in Welcome Bay.
A family with a newborn recounted how they were terrified as hundreds of youths partied and brawled in their street on a Saturday night.
A private Halloween party on Victory St, Welcome Bay, escalated into a large-scale disturbance. It spilled into nearby streets and driveways as youths converged on the suburb.
In Mount Maunganui, later in November, a mother told how a group of youths bashed her 17-year-old son and left him “face down” in the surf near a beach party.
His mother says that “he could have died”. She spoke out about the “scary” incident to warn other parents of teens as the summer party season was starting to ramp up.
The New Year brought similar behaviour. A police officer was hit by a bottle after police tried to break up an unruly crowd of about 1000 youths in Whangamatā on January 1.
In nearby Pāuanui on the same night, police encountered another large group of about 300 youths near the Surf Club Reserve.
It’s not hard to find similar examples going back years, but these latest ones are a good opportunity to place the issue back in front of parents and remind teens of the risks of parties.
Parties can start small and well-intended, but easily blow out when uninvited teens turn up. Social media means information about parties can spread like wildfire.
Rival factions can clash, and then violence breaks out. Sometimes innocent bystanders get hurt.
The sheer number of young people involved can make it difficult for those hosting the party, and even the police, to manage.
Alcohol, drugs and macho behaviour help fuel the problem. It only takes one or two drunk and aggressive people to start trouble.
Parents have a big role to play when it comes to parties and teen safety.
If they are hosting a party, they have a responsibility to take steps to ensure it will be as safe and orderly as possible. Limiting numbers, advising neighbours and calling police earlier rather than later if problems occur can help.
There are also legal obligations when it comes to serving alcohol.
Police, on their website, make clear: “As a host it is your responsibility to make sure drinking doesn’t get out of hand and your party doesn’t get out of control.
“Alcohol can be served to young people under 18 at a private party if they have express consent from a parent or guardian and it is served in a safe and responsible manner.”
Avoiding parties is an obvious and safe solution, but for many parents, it won’t be a practical one. Some teens will have freedom, and some will be determined to attend parties even if they are not allowed. Some will even hold them when their parents are away.
Parents can teach their teenagers about party safety and leaving if things get out of control.
But, of course, there are no guarantees.
Going to any party carries risk, and that danger can escalate quickly.
It can be a fine line between a great night out and one that ends in hospital – or worse.
