There is no question that graphically violent entertainment hurts some children more than others, and probably hurts more children than we know. We strongly believe that we ignore the damage done to those children at their peril, and our own. Penny Bain is Executive Director and Lynne Melcombe is Communications Consultant at the BC Institute Against Family Violence. Video and computer games are among children s most asked-for gifts. Seventy-seven percent of US teenagers now own a video game console.
Additional teens play games on home computers.
Electronic games are only 27 years old and require technical skill to play. As a result, most parents and other adults over 30 are not knowledgeable about games and their content. In violent games, children must become more violent to win. Action figures associated with several violent games rated inappropriate for children are being marketed to children as young as four. Promo for Half Life.