Are you getting pressure from your friends to get involved in anti-social behaviour?
Maybe you have found yourself doing something that you know is wrong. It is easy to be influenced by our friends:
- it makes us feel as though we belong
- we might be scared of losing friends if we said no
- making friends can be hard, so to risk losing them feels wrong
What is anti-social behaviour?
Perhaps you don't think what your friends are doing is considered to be anti-social behaviour. There are many different types so if you're unsure take a look at our ‘Get the facts’ page.
What can I do?
No-one likes to annoy their friends and it can be difficult doing things on your own. But if you learn to say “no”, people will start to see it's a waste of time trying to get you to do stuff.
- Suggest other things to do - such as joining a voluntary group e.g. Victim Support Groups, Voluntary Police cadets, sports teams, scouts - find out what opportunities there are with the Metropolitan Police here.
- Find friends who aren't involved in anti-social behaviour.
- Talk to someone you trust who might be able to help you.
Above all, you probably know that anti-social behaviour causes other people to be miserable and distressed. You are in control of your own behaviour, so take action and start to feel better about yourself. If you can't do it alone:
- talk to your parents or an adult you trust
- talk to a brother or sister
- talk to a teacher
- talk to your Safer Schools Officer or Safer Neighbourhoods Team
- call a confidential helpline such as ChildLine on 0800 1111
Getting more help
For more information about anti-social behaviour visit our ‘Get the facts’ or ‘More help and advice’ pages.
For other related topics, take a look at our sections on bullying and gangs and group violence.
