Escaping Cycles

• Posted By: Times Editors
• Posted On: 7:00 a.m. | July 6, 2012

Welcome to Multimedia U.  An occasional feature showcasing the work of students and emerging visual journalists across the country and around the world.

This installment features “Escaping Cycles,” a video by Karen Farfan, a senior in the Visual Journalism program at Brooks Institute in Ventura.

Karen writes:

“Escaping Cycles shares the stories of female victims who grew up in violent homes then later became the aggressors.  These survivors recount their traumas and warn young girls to not enter gangs.

According to gang intervention experts, there has in recent years been an increase in numbers of young girls entering gangs in southern California.  As a journalist interested in women’s issues, I feel this is an area of urgent concern.  My aim is to help girls see the detrimental consequences of seeking love and acceptance in gangs.  In addition, I want my audience to be aware that sometimes these girls are themselves victims of violent crimes, usually at the hand of their caregivers.

Supporting youth outreach programs, such as the ones I profile, benefits not only the mistreated girls, but the larger communities in which they live, communities we all share.”