Do “African Gangs” Exist in Melbourne? The African Australian Narrative

Existing literature rebutting the “African gangs” construct in Australia has mostly been dominated by Western knowledge, with little attention paid to African ways of knowing. This construct harms many Australians marginalized by media-perpetuated preconceived notions. This study aimed to address this gap by incorporating African epistemology and ontology into the discussion based on semi-structured interviews with 13 African Australians. Findings revealed that the term gang is not a recognized word or concept in many African Australian languages. This linguistic disparity can lead to cross-cultural misunderstandings. Young African Australians are vulnerable to exploitation by organized crime groups, who recruit disengaged youth to commit offenses for financial gain, thereby exposing them to debt and violence. Focusing on the “African gangs” narrative conceals young people’s vulnerability to victimization. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of African Australians and can strengthen the capacity for stakeholders to work jointly to address these problems.<p></p>