What Youth Researchers Learned About Safety and Violence in Washington, DC

Most people we talked to don’t feel safe in their neighborhoods. Nearly half of our study’s participants (46%) said they had stayed home at least once in the last month because they felt unsafe. Many described keeping their “head on a swivel,” avoiding certain areas, or only going out when necessary.

One message we heard frequently was a mistrust of police. As one youth participant said, “I feel like the police are supposed to be a support system … [but] they’re more of a controlling force instead.” Even when people face threats, they often worry that calling for help could put them at greater risk.

And because of that lack of protection, many people feel they need to protect themselves. In fact, 60 percent of people we surveyed said they know at least three people who carry guns. The choice to carry a weapon is often inspired by fear.

Violence in the community doesn’t just hurt people physically. It also leaves lasting emotional wounds. More than half of our participating youth reported feeling stressed (51%), anxious (80%), or depressed (56%) due to exposure to violence.

A lot of us have lost people we love. For example, 80 percent of adults and 50 percent of youth in our surveys and focus groups had experienced the death of a friend or sibling. These losses aren’t just statistics; they’re real stories of grief.

Many people feel numb. Gunshots outside are part of everyday life. Some kids don’t even flinch anymore. Others cope through video games, music, or—sometimes—through substance use. We also heard over and over that people, whether young people or adults, need someone they can talk to who really gets it—a mentor, a therapist, or just someone who listens without judgment.

When we asked people about the causes of violence, they didn’t just talk about gangs or personal fights. They talked about access to guns, financial stress, social media, and parenting.

People told us how easy it is for youth to get a gun on the internet.

But even deeper than that, as a cause of violence, is poverty. People told us they’re struggling to meet basic needs. Two thirds of adults (68%) said they’d had trouble affording food or housing recently.

We didn’t just participate in this research—we led it. As young adults from Wards 7 and 8, we designed the study, asked the questions, ran the interviews and focus groups, and analyzed the data. We met multiple times a week for training and to reflect on what we were learning. What we heard often confirmed that which we already see and experience in our daily lives. This wasn’t just about studying the problem: It was about using research as a tool for change.

At the community data walk, we shared our findings and people added their own ideas for changing our community. They talked about the need for good jobs, safe places to spend time, mental health care, and programs created in partnership with youth—not just for us. One person said that if they had a billion dollars, they would build more third spaces[1]—and not just recreational centers, but other places where young people feel safe coming and going.

That comment stuck with us; real change starts with ideas like that. We’re not saying we have every answer, but we do know this: If you want to understand what’s going on and what could actually make a difference in communities, you need to listen to young people—not just when it’s easy, but all the time.

Where do we go from here?

These insights come from phase one of our project. In phase two, younger youth will join the next cohort of researchers and focus more on solutions. They’ll keep the momentum going, build off what we’ve found, and push the work forward.

If you’re reading this, you’re part of this work, too. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, policymaker, or just someone who cares, we hope you take the time to watch the webinar and hear more about these stories.

This work is about safety, but it’s also about power. And when young people lead, change is possible.

Footnote

[1] A third space is a collaborative environment in which people from different backgrounds, roles, or systems come together to share power, challenge dominant norms, and co-create new knowledge or practices.