Causes and Prevention of Violence

🚫Causes and Prevention of Violence Unit 7 – Types of Violence: Self & Collective

Self-directed and collective violence are complex issues with far-reaching impacts. This unit explores various forms of violence, from suicide to hate crimes, examining risk factors and protective elements at individual and societal levels. Prevention strategies target multiple levels, from personal skill-building to policy changes. The unit highlights evidence-based programs and emphasizes the need for collaborative, multidisciplinary approaches to reduce violence and promote safer communities.

Key Concepts and Definitions

  • Violence involves the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community
  • Self-directed violence refers to violence in which the perpetrator and the victim are the same individual and is subdivided into suicidal behavior and self-abuse
  • Collective violence refers to violence committed by larger groups of individuals and can be subdivided into social, political and economic violence
  • Risk factors are characteristics at the biological, psychological, family, community, or cultural level that precede and are associated with a higher likelihood of negative outcomes
  • Protective factors are attributes or conditions that help increase resilience and reduce the likelihood of negative outcomes
  • Prevention strategies aim to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors at individual, relationship, community, and societal levels
  • Suicidal behavior includes suicidal ideation (thoughts), suicide attempts, and completed suicides
    • Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned

Types of Self-Directed Violence

  • Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death and is a major public health problem worldwide
  • Suicidal ideation refers to thinking about, considering, or planning suicide and can range from fleeting thoughts to detailed plans
  • Suicide attempts are non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behaviors with an intent to die as a result of the behavior
  • Self-mutilation involves the deliberate and direct destruction or alteration of body tissue without conscious suicidal intent
    • Examples include cutting, burning, scratching, and hitting oneself
  • Self-poisoning is the intentional ingestion of a substance in excess of the prescribed or generally recognized therapeutic dosage
  • Indirect self-destructive behaviors are actions that have unintended negative consequences for the individual
    • These can include substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behaviors, and reckless driving

Forms of Collective Violence

  • Collective violence is the instrumental use of violence by people who identify themselves as members of a group against another group or set of individuals, in order to achieve political, economic, or social objectives
  • Social violence includes hate crimes, terrorist acts, and mob violence
    • Hate crimes are criminal acts motivated by bias against a particular group based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity
  • Political violence refers to violence perpetrated by governing institutions or non-state entities to achieve political goals
    • Examples include war, state-sponsored terrorism, genocide, torture, and violent political repression
  • Economic violence involves the use of violence as a means to achieve economic gain or prevent economic loss
    • This can include property crimes, robbery, extortion, and forced labor
  • Structural violence refers to systemic ways in which social structures harm or disadvantage individuals, often through the unequal distribution of resources and power
    • Examples include poverty, discrimination, and lack of access to education or healthcare

Psychological Factors

  • Individual psychological factors can contribute to the risk of engaging in or being a victim of violence
  • Mental health disorders, particularly depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders, are associated with increased risk of suicidal behavior and interpersonal violence
  • Impulsivity, aggression, and poor emotional regulation skills can increase the likelihood of violent behavior
  • Exposure to violence, abuse, or neglect during childhood can lead to the development of psychological trauma and increase the risk of future violent behavior
    • This includes witnessing domestic violence, experiencing physical or sexual abuse, and living in unsafe or unstable environments
  • Feelings of hopelessness, social isolation, and lack of social support are risk factors for suicidal behavior
  • Certain personality traits, such as narcissism, psychopathy, and authoritarianism, have been linked to increased aggression and violence
  • Cognitive distortions, such as blaming others or minimizing the consequences of one's actions, can contribute to the perpetration of violence

Societal and Cultural Influences

  • Societal and cultural factors can create an environment that promotes or normalizes violence
  • Income inequality, poverty, and lack of economic opportunities can contribute to higher rates of violence in communities
  • Cultural norms that support the use of violence, such as the glorification of violence in media or the acceptance of corporal punishment, can increase the likelihood of violent behavior
  • Gender inequalities and rigid gender roles can contribute to violence against women and gender-based violence
    • This includes intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and honor killings
  • Discrimination and marginalization of certain groups based on race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation can lead to increased risk of violence
  • Easy access to weapons, particularly firearms, can facilitate the occurrence of violent acts
  • Weak or inadequate laws and policies related to violence prevention and insufficient enforcement can create a permissive environment for violence
  • Exposure to violent media content, such as video games, movies, and television shows, may desensitize individuals to violence and increase aggressive thoughts and behaviors

Prevention Strategies

  • Violence prevention strategies aim to reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors at various levels of the social ecology
  • Individual-level strategies focus on promoting healthy coping skills, emotional regulation, and problem-solving abilities
    • Examples include mental health treatment, substance abuse prevention programs, and life skills training
  • Relationship-level strategies aim to foster healthy, supportive, and non-violent relationships
    • These can include family therapy, couples counseling, and bystander intervention training
  • Community-level strategies focus on creating safe, stable, and nurturing environments
    • Examples include improving neighborhood safety, increasing access to mental health services, and promoting positive youth development programs
  • Societal-level strategies involve changing social norms, policies, and laws to create a culture of non-violence
    • This can include gun control legislation, media campaigns to promote non-violence, and policies to reduce income inequality
  • Early intervention and prevention programs targeting at-risk populations, such as youth exposed to violence or individuals with mental health concerns, can be effective in reducing future violent behavior
  • Collaborative, multi-sectoral approaches that involve partnerships between public health, education, justice, and social service agencies are essential for comprehensive violence prevention efforts

Case Studies and Examples

  • The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a school-based intervention that has been shown to reduce bullying and improve school climate
    • The program includes components at the school, classroom, individual, and community levels
  • The Cure Violence model, formerly known as CeaseFire, is a community-based violence prevention program that treats violence as a public health issue
    • The program employs violence interrupters and outreach workers to mediate conflicts, change social norms, and connect high-risk individuals to services
  • The World Health Organization's INSPIRE package outlines seven evidence-based strategies for ending violence against children
    • These strategies include implementation and enforcement of laws, norms and values, safe environments, parent and caregiver support, income and economic strengthening, response and support services, and education and life skills
  • The Interpersonal Violence Prevention Program (IPVP) is a hospital-based intervention that provides counseling and case management services to victims of violence
    • The program aims to reduce re-injury and retaliation by addressing the psychological and social consequences of violence
  • The Good Behavior Game is a classroom-based behavior management strategy that has been shown to reduce aggressive and disruptive behavior in children
    • The game rewards students for exhibiting positive behaviors and has long-term effects on reducing violent and criminal behavior later in life

Implications and Future Directions

  • Addressing violence requires a multi-disciplinary, public health approach that focuses on prevention and early intervention
  • Continued research is needed to better understand the complex interplay of risk and protective factors that contribute to violence at individual, relationship, community, and societal levels
  • Developing and evaluating culturally-sensitive and context-specific violence prevention programs is essential for addressing the unique needs of diverse populations
  • Investing in early childhood development, education, and poverty reduction initiatives can have long-term impacts on reducing violence and promoting positive outcomes
  • Strengthening the capacity of healthcare, social service, and justice systems to identify and respond to violence is critical for providing support to victims and preventing future violence
  • Promoting policies and norms that support gender equality, non-violence, and social justice can create a societal climate that is less conducive to violence
  • Utilizing technology and social media to disseminate violence prevention messages and resources can help reach a wider audience and promote positive change
  • Encouraging collaboration and partnerships between researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community members is essential for translating research into effective violence prevention practice and policy


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© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.
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