Preventing ViolenceChapter 7

Cost of ViolenceSection 1

• To the victim may be:

a. Serious injuries

b. Emotional scars

• To the assailant may be:

c. Guilt or shame

d. Fear of revenge

e. Criminal charges

• To society may be:

f. Healthcare

g. Law enforcement

h. Fear of violence

Risk Factors for Violence

• Poverty: People without jobs, food, healthcare, or respect from others may have higher levels of frustration and anger.

• Family violence : Children who witness violence are more likely to use violence to solve their own problems.

• Media violence: People’s attitudes and behaviors can be shaped by what they see on TV or in the movies. This is especially true for children.

• Availability of weapons:High homicide rates lead to an increase in gun purchases, which leads to an increase in homicides.

• Drug abuse: The use of alcohol and illegal drugs affects a person’s ability to make good decisions.

• Membership in gangs: Most territorial gangs sell drugs and many are involved in other criminal behaviors.

Violence in SchoolsSection 2

• Harassment: Unwanted remarks or actions that cause a person emotional or physical harm.

• Bullying: 5 ways you can help stop bullying:

a. Don’t make jokes at others’ expense or single out a person for exclusion.

b. Don’t reward a bully with positive attention.

c. Speak up.

d. Don’t believe or spread rumors.

e. Reach out to students who seem isolated.

• Hazing: Hazing is requiring a person to do degrading, risky, or illegal acts in order to join a group.

• Gender and Hazing: a. Male teens are more likely to report physical abuse. Females are more likely to report emotional abuse.

• Preventing Hazing: b. School administrators and teachers must establish rules and address reports quickly and fairly.

Sexual Harassment

• Sexual harassment: Any uninvited or unwelcome sexual remarks or sexual advance.

• Four ways you can help stop sexual harassment:

a. Speak up assertively when you feel disrespected.

b. Use refusal skills to reject unwanted sexual advances.

c. Avoid being alone with someone you don’t trust.

d. Report sexual harassment to an adult.

Hate Violence

Prejudice: a. Negative feelings about a group based on stereotypes.

Intolerance: b. Lack of acceptance of another person’s opinions, beliefs, or actions.

Discrimination: c. The unfair treatment of a person or group based on prejudice.

Vandalism: d. Intentionally damaging or destroying another person’s property.

How Fights StartSection 3

•ArgumentsTwo factors that often lead to arguments:

a. Anger b. Hurt pride & embarrassment

•RevengeThe desire for revenge leads to a dangerous cycle of fighting.

Role of friends and bystanders in fights

• Friends – May urge you to fight while staying out of the fight themselves

• Bystanders– May gather at the scene of a potential fight, hoping to see a fight

Control

• What is the main reason for domestic violence and dating violence?

One person’s desire to have control over another.

• List two reason’s why a victim may not fight back.

Fear that the violence will escalate

Believes that they deserve to be hit

Preventing FightsSection 4

•Choosing not to fight

a.Ignore conflict

b.Confront the person

Ignoring a conflict

• Five tips that can help you decide when to ignore a conflict

a. You will probably never see the person again.

b. The person or issue isn’t very important to you.

c. The conflict is based on rumors that can be overlooked.

d. The conflict is about something trivial or silly.

e. A person tries to get you in trouble by provoking a fight.

When Ignoring a conflict

• YOU NEED TO:

Be flexible because your safety is your first concern.

• Trust your judgment and be prepared to try a new tactic if your first choice doesn't’t work. For example, you suspect the person may become angrier if you ignore the situation.

Control your anger because you might overreact to a situation.

Confronting a person wisely

• Three general steps for confronting a person wisely:

a. Choose the time and place wisely

• Pick a time when you can talk face-to-face in a public area. Make sure you don’t have an audience because if friends are around the person may think you are trying to embarrass them.

b. Stay calm-Keep voice low and avoid name calling

c. Negotiate a solution

• Do the unexpected: Be friendly, caring, confident. Try to make the situation seem as if it is not serious enough to fight about.

• Provide a way out: To avoid fighting, present the person with compromise solutions. Provides an easy way out. “Let’s try this for a week and see how it goes.

• Be willing to apologize: Sometimes a sincere apology can be the quickest way to diffuse the situation.

Helping others to avoid fights

• Mediation is a process for resolving conflicts that involves a neutral third party.

Four strategies that bystanders can use to prevent fights.

a. Ignore people who make negative remarks about others.

b. Refuse to spread rumors.

c. Do not relay threats or insults.

d. Stay away from an area where you expect a fight to take place.

When to involve an adult

• If a friend reveals plans of violence to you, it is important to ask for help.

• Such plans should be taken seriously especially if your friend talks about using a weapon.

• Doing this is a true act of caring for your friend! It shows that you care too much to let your friend be lost to violence.