As our society is pulled farther to extremes, as our children become easier prey to online recruiters, more and more families discover that a loved one’s radicalization is not a niche problem.
Young people are blessed with an openness that can drive positive change – think about the civil rights movement. However, this openness can also be exploited by extremist groups who offer a deceptive sense of identity, community, power and purpose—turning them on destructive paths that alienate them from their families, subject them to rigid rules, and blind them to the consequences of their actions.
While our society values freedom of expression, it is crucial for families to recognize that not all legally protected protests are benign or healthy. Extreme beliefs and behaviors, even when legal, can evolve into illegal, harmful, and even deadly actions — a harsh lesson that the founding families of Parents for Peace had to learn on their own.
Rather than retreat in shame and guilt, these families came together to build Parents for Peace as a confidential non-partisan resource to help ensure no other families experienced the same pain.
If you’re worried about someone you care about, don’t hesitate to contact our helpline. We are here to help you with your concerns about a loved one’s extreme beliefs or behaviors. We take a non-partisan, public health approach and implement strict data protection and confidentiality protocols.
Engage with your family and loved ones: Spending quality time and participating in activities is a powerful antidote to feelings of distress.
Listen, don’t debate: Now is not the time for debate. Extremist groups prey on unresolved grievances. This is a moment for deep and compassionate listening.
Ask open-ended questions about their emotional state: Doing so provides a much-needed outlet for expression. Remember, your attentive presence is a powerful affirmation that their feelings are acknowledged and valued. It is also the best prevention against recruiters trying to engage with them.
Guard media exposure: Protecting young and impressionable minds from graphic content is more important now than ever. Given the ubiquity of media, it’s challenging to fully control what your loved ones see or hear. But do what you can to reduce the constant news updates and alarming content.
Parents for Peace (P4P) runs the nation’s first and only free & confidential intervention helpline for these families. We help you understand and address a loved one’s attraction to extreme beliefs and behaviors. Call us at 844-49-PEACE (844-497-3223) or email us at help@parents4peace.org.
We are not a crisis line. In case of emergency, contact 911 or 988 immediately.
Parents for Peace (P4P) empowers families to build resilience against extreme beliefs and behaviors, as a public health issue. By partnering with educators, we aim to provide the knowledge and tools needed to identify and counteract extremist influences, ensuring safe learning environments for all.
Once the lead singer of a Neo-Nazi metal band, Arno’s life took a dramatic turn with the birth of his daughter, leading him from hate to hope. Today, as a speaker, filmmaker, and author of My Life After Hate and co-author of The Gift of Our Wounds, Arno uses his narrative to encourage empathy and understanding. His work at Parents for Peace focuses on helping individuals reject violence by seeing themselves in others and finding common humanity. Learn about the rest of our team here.
