Angry mom Ianthia Wade has urged the Island to get real about youth violence after her 17-year-old daughter Ceola had her nose broken in a fight with a fellow Bermuda High School student.

Mr. Wade said the fight, which erupted after an argument in the common room on Wednesday morning, had left her daughter needing surgery.

It comes just days after a 14-year-old Berkeley Institute student, alleged to have attacked a girl from Warwick Academy at the Hamilton bus terminal, was charged with assault.

Mrs. Wade, wife of former Progressive Labour Party leader the late Frederick Wade, said yesterday: "There was a fight, now one person is about to get surgery.

"Ceola had just had surgery on her nose in August because it was obstructed and she couldn't breathe properly. Now it is broken. There was blood everywhere. She couldn't breathe properly because of the blockage on her nose. They said it's a serious break."

Her daughter, who is one of triplets, also suffered a large lump on her forehead, a black eye and scratches. "She looks like she came out of a boxing ring," said Mrs. Wade

The incident, at the fee-paying school in Hamilton, showed youth violence wasn't confined to one segment of society, said Mrs.Wade.

"There seems to be a lot of stress in young people's lives for them to react physically when they have problems m as opposed to talking it out.

"To me it's a greater problem, it's a community problem. It is touching all walks of life m private schools, public schools, black and white.

"I want people to understand it's affecting everybody. People just assume it won't happen to their children.

She said children were now carrying knives to parties. "All the children know that."

Schools needed to come clean about similar incidents, believes Mrs. Wade "It is really not a reflection on the school, it is a reflection on society."

Plastic surgeon Christopher Johnson said:"We have seen a lot of young women and girls attacking other girls, and in some cases attacking boys even.

"It's very worrisome. It's indicative of some deeper problem in the social fabric here."

Dr. Johnson said he had to testify at court cases m the last two involving women involved glassing or stabbing with major injuries to the face, especially.

"This problem needs to be addressed. I only see the injured party."

Most times it seemed to involve someone who is overly aggressive choosing unaggressive victims, said Dr. Johnson.

"We see some very, very serious injuries.

I think it is an overall sense of lawlessness, there are few consequences. In my opinion we have a very high tolerance for violence in Bermuda. People are less apt to get the Police involved."

And the legal system was a barrier for some victims who had to wait years to get a day in court, said Dr. Johnso

"If you know you can injure someone in anger and get away with it, what is the social deterrent

Clearly these people lack control of their own behaviour. I have so many cases it would blow your mind."

Dr. Johnson said he operates on up to ten violence victims a month. "That's over 100 cases a year, that's too many in a place this small."

Bermuda High Schools head Linda Parker said:"A fight occurred on the school's premises yesterday morning between two secondary students resulting in one of them being hospitalised.

"This incident is being addressed internally through our standard disciplinary policy.

"Within the Bermuda High School for Girls, we have a zero tolerance for violence of any type.

During this academic year, we have begun exploring the adoption of the Ophelia Project, a programme designed to minimise relational aggression."