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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 1984
+MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TATTOOED THEMSELVES OUT OF CURIOSITY WHEN THEY WERE 13 OR 14 YEARS OLD, SAID MRS JUNE SHERRY, SUPERINTENDENT OF MA TAU WAI GIRLS' HOME, WHO HAD TAKEN PART IN THE SURVEY.
NOT A FEW +PEER GROUP INFLUENCE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART. YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THEMSELVES TATTOOED ON THE PERSUASION OF THE IR FRIENDS OR IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY THEMSELVES WITH THE COMPANY THEY KEEP,+ SHE SAID.
OTHERS DID SO JUST TO SHOW THEY WERE NO LESS COURAGEOUS.
+OFTEN THE DECISION TO HAVE TATTOOS IS MADE ON IMPULSE, WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE PARENTS, SHE SAID.
IN FACT, ONLY TWO OF THE 50 GIRLS INTERVIEWED IN MA TAU WAI GIRLS' HOME HAD CONSULTED THEIR PARENTS BEFORE THEY MADE SUCH A DECISION.
MRS SHERRY POINTED OUT THAT THE FEELING OF SMARTNESS AFTER BEING TATTOOED WOULD GRADUALLY GIVE WAY TO ONE OF REGRET WHEN THE UNDESIRABLE EFFECTS BEGAN TO SURFACE.
+FOR INSTANCE, THOSE WITH TATTOOS MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING JOBS AS THEIR PRICKED MARKS ARE OFTEN ASSOCIATED WITH CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS, SHE SAID,
TATTOOED GIRLS MAY FEEL EMBARRASSED IN EXPLAINING TO THE IR HUSBAND OR CHILDREN WHY THEY HAVE SUCH MARKS WHICH MAY MEAN AN ILL-SPENT AND MISCHIEVOUS YOUTH. THEY ARE THEREFORE MORE INCLINED TO HAVE THE IR TATTOOS REMOVED.
SO FAR THIS YEAR 12 INMATES IN MA TAU WAI GIRLS' HOME HAVE APPLIED FOR REFERRALS TO GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE IR TATTOOS AND SIX OF THEM HAVE COMPLETED THE OPERATION.
SOME RESORT TO WEARING LONG-SLEEVE CLOTHES TO HIDE THE +UNWANTED+ MARKS.
+JUVENILE DELIQUENTS SOMETIMES FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO LEAVE THE IR GANG BECAUSE THEIR TATTOOS ARE A GROUP IDENTITY SHARED BY ALL THE MEMBERS. THIS PHYSICAL REMINDER THUS POSES A PROBLEM IN THE REHABILITATION OF SUCH PERSONS,+ MRS SHERRY SAID,
TATTOOS DONE UNHYGIENICALLY CAN CAUSE SUCH DISEASES AS SKIN INFECTIONS AND SERUM HEPATITIS.
WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE TATTOOING OF YOUNG PERSONS BILL 1984 EARLIER THIS YEAR, IT IS NOW AN OFFENCE TO TATTOO A PERSON UNDER THE AGE OF 18.
+THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION IS INDEED A TIMELY ONE TO PREVENT YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DOING SOMETHING IRREVOCABLE, SHE SAID.
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