Dez Loreen
Northern News Services
Published Monday, November 19, 2007

INUVIK - The Inuvik Youth Centre is coming down on youth violence and one parent says it couldn't happen soon enough.

A father, who did not wish to be identified, said his youngest son was beaten in front of the centre during its hours of operation.

"I'm pretty disturbed about all this," he said.

He said his son was passing through the front of the centre when he was beaten by a number of young people.

"There were a few of them there," he said.

"We know who the boy was, he's been doing it to a lot of kids around there."

He said his son is a tall boy who doesn't like to fight but gets picked on for his size.

"He's big, but he doesn't like to get in confrontations," he said.

The boy's father, who lives in the south, said that after the beating, his son came to live with him.

With the recent fight, the father is concerned for the state of the town.

"It's getting terrible in Inuvik," he said.

According to Youth Centre board chair Rob Smith, the centre has a zero-tolerance policy towards violence.

"If a fight breaks out in the centre, we call the police," said Smith.

"If someone is fighting outside and it needs police attention, we call as well."

Smith added that the centre is also classified as a drug-free zone and the use of drugs and alcohol is strictly banned.

"The policy calls for the person to be removed from the building," he said.

He said the board is looking at the policy, to examine what changes need to be made.

"I think they need to be toughened up a little bit," said Smith.

He explained that a lot is left up to the discretion of the workers at the time.