Traumatic Effects by Gang Wars

For the people that don’t know how living in a community surrounded by different type of gangs don’t get to fear what innocent people get to live. Growing up in a neighborhood where gang violence is seen everywhere petrifies me the most to ever become a victim to gang violence. I am against the violence caused by gang members taking away lives of  innocent victims changing a persons life forever, but also believing in a change for the community.

Gangs are enemies that fight over a simple color that defines them and their identity’s. Marking their territories in the neighborhoods without caring about the rest of the people that lives in the same streets or area. Gang violence happens at all times of day and night. Gang violence is a dangerous factor that affect the community’s that we live in. 

In recent news , “The Oakland murder rates have been so high because of gang wars in Oakland”. Based on the information, the city of Oakland has high rates of gang violence and a lot of people feel threat in the community. No one should feel frightened to walk around their neighborhoods knowing a tragedy can possibly happen to them or one of their love ones. It is sad to know that there are multiple of murders that happen every year due to gang violence. It is upsetting that there is not much we can do to stop any of these horrible actions. 

I am opposed to the gang wars that happen in the low-income communities and for all the victims in the community’s that have to see gang violence everyday. It is no fair for the people to live in risk and be afraid for their lives when they walk out of their homes. It is unfair for people to live traumatize, is like living in a war but you can’t go “back home” because you live in it.

Therefore, the people living in the center of places where a lot of drug dealers and gang members live in are in greater risk to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). A disorder that can traumatize the ones who see the war in the streets. PTSD can be develop when they have been part of a terrifying event where they have experience it or witness it. After the terrifying event, their minds constantly start thinking about that particular moment and the person becomes traumatize waking up at nights having nightmares reliving the moment in their dreams. They think the same thing is going to happen again and that they might go through the same danger all over again.

In addition, a teenager four years ago named Javier Arango, from East Oakland suffered from gang violence and was shot and left paralyzed. A victim that was coming back home with his friends from a prom night at his high school. And then all the sudden getting shot at and leaving him struck in a wheelchair along with a murder of his friend. 

After the horrible event, Javier had no choice but to stay to live in the in Oakland and he took the wrong decisions and joined a gang to feel protected. In a recent article, Javier says "I didn't have the chance to move to the suburbs or live somewhere else," he said. "No, I had to live in a rough area in a wheelchair." It is sad to know how gang violence leads into more violence because innocent victims take the wrong decisions into the worst after experiencing gang violence.

However, there are ways we can prevent a lot of teenagers from getting involved in gangs. Keeping them away from the streets and the violence. By offering different type of programs where they can work hard to start thinking of a better life. For example, more programs that would help them go to college with good grades and having chances to many scholarships. Joining sport teams to get themselves entertained during the weekends and be active into sports.

It won’t be easy to make changes and we won’t see a big difference from night to day. But with a lot of help from the community a huge part can be changed to a safer environment. It would make a difference for the fact that teenagers would get their minds out of the streets and start thinking of doing better things for the community. And maybe one day gang violence will decreased it rate crimes.