social networking to help curb melbourne city violence

The Saturday Age (15.08.09) reported on youths working to make Melbourne a safer city through social networking and online media. Jennifer Lim's story (which you can read here) covered STEP BACK THINK - a youth-led organisation founded after the bashing of then 20-year-old James Macready-Bryan.

STEP BACK THINK intends to use social media so that club patrons are given a voice and can "rate" venues and share their experiences in terms of safety. Venue operators are reported to be up in arms about the idea, probably because this campaign might compel them to actually have to DO something! If it does force them to work in collaboration to help make nightspots safer, it's great for everyone and shows the versatility and multiple (non-time-wasting) uses of social media. Ultimately, what happened to James shouldn't happen to anyone.