Violence Is Preventable ~ Unity is the Key (11:00 am)

In recent years, there has been major growth in the understanding of how violence burdens communities and contributes to a wide spectrum of health consequences and health risk behaviors in children and adults.

The WHO's 2002 World report on violence and health and its subsequent follow-up have demonstrated that violence can be prevented and its impact reduced. Below, in accordance with the title of this blog, 10 facts about preventing violence are listed. These facts are not based on information from just the U.S., but are based on a world-wide view of the impact that violence has on us all.

The concluding findings are encouraging ones. :)


Reference: World Health Organizaton (http://www.who.int/en/)

---

10 facts about violence prevention

13 July 2007

1. Violence accounts for over 1.6 million deaths per year or 4,000 people per day. It is a significant public health, human rights and human development problem.
   
   
2. Self-directed and interpersonal violence account for more than 80% of violence-related deaths. Of those killed by violence, just over half die by their own hand, over 35% because of injuries inflicted by another person, and over 11% as a direct result of war or some other form of collective violence.
   
   
3. 90% of deaths due to violence occur in low- and middle-income countries. For each single death due to violence, there are dozens of hospitalizations, hundreds of emergency department visits, and thousands of doctors' appointments.
   
   
4. Interpersonal and self-inflicted violence are heavy contributors to global death rates among men aged 15 to 44 years. For every young person killed by violence, an estimated 20-40 receive injuries that require hospital treatment. The ratio of suicide attempts to suicides among people under age 25 may reach as high as 100:1.
   
   
5. The health impact of violence is not limited to physical injury. Long-term effects can include depression, mental disorders, suicide attempts, chronic pain syndromes, unwanted pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections. Children who are victims of violence have a higher risk of alcohol and drug misuse, smoking, and high-risk sexual behaviour.
   
   
6. Violence is preventable and its impacts can be reduced. Proven and promising prevention strategies address underlying causes for individuals, families/close relationships, community, and society. Outcome evaluation research is needed to test these strategies in low- and middle-income countries.
   
   
7. Proven individual prevention strategies include pre-school enrichment programmes during early childhood (ages 3-5 years), life skills training and social development programmes for children aged 6 to 18 years and assisting high-risk adolescents and young adults to complete schooling and pursue courses of higher education and vocational training.
   
   
8. Proven family prevention strategies include providing training for parents on child development, non-violent discipline and problem-solving skills; promoting parental involvement in the lives of children and adolescents through programmes to develop home-school partnerships; and mentoring programmes to develop attachments between high risk youth and caring adults in order to build social skills and provide a sustained relationship.
   
   
9. Proven and promising community prevention strategies include increasing the availability and quality of childcare facilities, increasing the availability and quality of pre-school enrichment programmes and improving school settings, including teacher practices, school policies and security.
   
   
10. In society, strategies that are proven and promising include reducing alcohol availability and misuse through enactment and enforcement of liquor licensing laws, taxation and pricing; reducing access to lethal means, including firearms, sedatives and pesticides; and promoting gender equality through strategies such as supporting the economic empowerment of women.