The taste of Corn Plasters in your Cupcakes

Kids.

Scary aren't they?

Now that every town has been over-run by teenage thugs drinking on street corners it isn't safe for adults to leave their houses or they'll be instantly murdered to death by some 11 year old in a 'hoodie'.

Or at least that's what certain sectors of our fine Media want you to believe kind reader...

Am I alone in wondering when exactly we started to hate kids so much? I mean when did we as adults become so impotent that we all have to clear off the streets at dusk for fear of bands of these 'killer kids'. When did this state of fear come to pass?

I went out after dark once. On a Saturday. And in my town it wasn't kids rolling around drunk and beating each other up. It was adults.

STOP THE PRESS

I know I was shocked myself.

See it seems that in your average small U.K . town the biggest thing you have to fear is other adults. Binge drinking. Binge fighting. Binge living.

Looking at NSPCC statistics it would appear that being a kid really isn't a particularly safe profession afterall.

See, according to the NSPCC, it looks as if on average each week a child is killed by a parent or carer. 25% of rapes reported are committed against people under 16 years of age. The people most likely to suffer a violent death are babies under 1 year.

So who is really it risk here?

See I thought as a timid 32 year old it was me who had the most to fear. I mean according to the Press I should be incontinent with terror about the 16 year old waiting for me in the shadows.

See I think society has always been afraid of it's young people. We've been expecting that evil looking youth to slit our throats since the Mods and Rockers took to Brighton Beach back in the 1960's.

But now I am starting to wonder. It almost seems like the Press might have some sort of, oh I don't know, agenda here?

"15 year old crack thug kills Christian mother of 4"

Makes a far sexier headline than

"Father beats 12 year old black and blue"

Which is more likely to happen though?

Answers on a Postcard please.