1. Violence Prevention
Chapter 8

2. Understanding Violence
Violence is any behavior that causes physical or psychological harm to a person or damage to property.
Popular TV shows, movies, music, and video games often feature violent content.
75,000 young people end up in the hospital due to violence each year.
Intimidation is purposefully frightening another person through threatening words, looks, or body language.
Name calling and teasing.
Bullying is the use of threats, taunts, or force to intimidate someone again and again.

3. Understanding Violence
Harassment is ongoing conduct that offends a person by criticizing his or her race, color, religion, disability, or gender.
The words can be written or spoken.
An assault is an attack on another person in order to hurt him or her.
More assaults are reported than any other type of violent crime in the U.S.
Rape is forced sexual activity.
Homicide is a violent crime that results in the death of another person.
Also known as murder.

4. Factors In Teen Violence
Some teens use violence to get respect.
Some to show their independence.
Some when they are feeling controlled and think it is their only choice.
Often teens who use violence have seen violence at home.
Teens wh0 use violence have not learned to deal with their feelings in healthful ways.
Playing violent video games can affect the way teens think about violence.

5. Factors In Teen Violence
Most teens do not engage in violence.
Other factors that may contribute to violence:
Prejudice is an unfair negative opinion of a group of people. This can lead to hate crimes.
Peer pressure from others may cause a teen to go against his or her personal values.
Media influence research shows a link between media influence and teen violence.
Drugs and alcohol affect your ability to make healthful decisions. Teens are more likely to engage in acts of violence.
Gangs are groups of people who come together to take part in illegal activities.
Weapons surveys show that 17 percent of teens admitted to carrying a gun or other weapon at some point.

6. Three actions you can take to protect yourself and others:
Effects of Violence
A teen is twice as likely as an adult to be a victim of violent crime.
A victim is any individual who suffers injury, loss, or death due to violence.
Survivors of violent crimes create physical and emotional injuries.
Survivors need help to recover.
Shame and embarrassment make victims reluctant to report violent crimes.
The person may even be partly to blame.
Never in the case of a rape though.
Three actions you can take to protect yourself and others:
Get medical attention.
You may not be aware of your injuries – shock.
Report the incident to the police.
This can prevent that person from hurting someone else.
Get treatment for the emotional effects of the crime.
Counseling helps survivors recover from their emotional and psychological pain.

7. 8 Things you can do to protect yourself:
Violence Prevention
8 Things you can do to protect yourself:
Guns cause serious injuries, avoid even picking one up.
If a stranger stops his/her car to ask for help, avoid them. Do not get close to the car.
Avoid carrying your backpack, wallet, or purse in a way that it is easy for someone to grab.
If anyone threatens you with violence, give that person the money/valuable. Safety is more important.
Make sure your family knows where you are, where you will be, and when you’ll be home.
Walk with a friend and in well lit areas after dark.
Lock your doors and windows at home and only open the door for someone you know.
Avoid giving out personal information when you answer the phone or replying to a text/ . Do not tell anyone you are home alone.
Practice safe online habits.
Is your online friend really another teen?
If you agree to meet, share your plans with a parent or other trusted adult.
Meet in a public place. It is safer with other people around if you need help.

8. Ways To Reduce Violence
Violence costs the country more than $158 million a year.
What can you do to reduce violent behavior?
Develop your own personal zero tolerance policy.
Zero tolerance policy makes no exceptions for anyone for any reason.
Encourage others to resolve conflicts peacefully.
Encourage your family to become members of a Neighborhood Watch program.
Report any acts of violence you witness.
Become an advocate, or supporter, of safety and victims’ rights.

9. Reducing Violence in Schools
Each year more than 3 million students report having experienced some type of crime at school.
Steps schools have taken to reduce violence on campus
Zero tolerance policies.
Students with weapons and participating in violent acts are expelled.
School uniforms.
Reduce wealthy/not and gang conflicts.
Security systems.
Helps keep weapons out of schools.
Locker and backpack searches.
Reduction of drugs and weapons in schools. Completely legal.
Conflict resolution programs.
A youth court is a special school program where teens decide resolutions for other teens for bullying and other problem behaviors.
Peer mediation is also popular.

10. Reducing Violence in Communities
Students can make their peers make more healthful choices.
Students start their own programs to reduce violence and criminal activities.
Communities create after school programs as a safe place for teens to spend their afternoons.
Academic, recreational, or cultural.
Improved lighting in parks and at playgrounds.
Neighborhood Watch programs.
Done in cooperation with law enforcement.
Avoid dangerous situations, travel with another person, and avoid taking shortcuts through unfamiliar or unsafe areas in your community.

11. Four main types of abuse
What is Abuse?
Abuse is the physical, mental, or emotional mistreatment of another person.
Abuse is never the fault of the victim.
Abuse is not the same as discipline.
Four main types of abuse
Physical Abuse causes physical harm.
Battery is the beating, hitting, or kicking of another person.
Domestic violence is physical abuse that occurs within a family.
Emotional Abuse
Involves words and gestures to make a person feel worthless, stupid, or helpless. Bullying, yelling, and teasing are examples.
Neglect is the failure to provide for the basic physical and emotional needs of a dependent.
Sometimes affects older family members who can’t care for themselves.
Sexual Abuse is sexual contact that is forced on another person.
Unwanted, touching, kissing, sexual activity, photographing a child for sexual materials, forcing a child to view sexual materials.

12. Effects of Abuse Physical Health Concerns Impaired brain development.
Impaired physical, mental, and emotional development.
Hyper-arousal response by certain areas of the brain.
Poor physical health, including various illnesses.
Mental/Emotional Health Concerns
Low self-esteem.
Increased risk for emotional problems such as depression, panic disorder, and post traumatic stress disorder.
Alcohol and drug abuse.
Difficulty with language development and academic achievement.
Eating disorders.
Suicide.
Social Health Concerns
Difficulty forming secure relationships.
Difficulty during adolescence.
Criminal and/or violent behavior.
Abusive behavior.

13. Preventing and Coping with Abuse
Experts have found that patterns of abuse may go back many generations in a family.
A cycle of abuse is a pattern of repeating abuse from one generation to the next.
Breaking the pattern of abuse requires outside help.
Many people who have been abused do not tell anyone.
Some adults think no one will believe they have been abused.
A child may feel that adults will think that he/she is lying.
A person may think that abuse is a private matter.
Some people believe they deserve the abuse because of something they have done wrong.
A person may think that their abuser will seek revenge.

14. Warning Signs of Abuse Divorce Illness
History of having been abused as a child
Unemployment and poverty
Emotional immaturity
Inability to deal with anger
Illness
Lack of communication and coping skills
Alcohol or other drug use
Feeling of worthlessness
Lack of parenting skills

15. Why Survivors Stay Silent
An abuser may be in a position of trust/authority.
Threats can be powerful enough to prevent a victim from reporting the abuse.
Men/boys often think they should be able to protect themselves from abuse.
Abusers usually have an advantage over their victims.
Some adults, who suffer domestic violence, make excuses for their injuries or for their abuser.
This behavior is called enabling.
This creates an atmosphere in which a person can continue their unacceptable behavior.
If an abuser feels as if he/she will not face consequences for the abuse, it is likely to continue.

16. Sources of Help for Victims of Abuse
If you have a friend you feel is being abused, talk to them.
Encourage them to seek help.
Talk to a trusted adult if they are too afraid.
A crisis hot line is a toll-free telephone service where abuse victims can get help and information.
Services include help for the abused, family members, and others who may be affected.
People who answer the phones are trained in abuse problems.
Conversations are confidential.
Additional hot line numbers can be found online or in the phone book.

17. 1-888-PREVENT

18. Breaking the Cycle of Abuse and Recovery
The only way anyone will get help is if the abuse is reported.
The cycle will not end until the abuse is reported.
Counseling, education, and learning new skills are the keys to breaking the cycle.
Recovery is possible for both the victim and the abuser.
Professional counseling is essential to understanding the emotional trauma of being abused.
The victim can learn ways to manage unpleasant emotions.
It is possible to leave an abusive situation.
Children and families can escape to shelters to find safety.
They stay while they put their lives back together.