Violence and young children: Violence-prevention strategies

Violence, including child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence, is a significant public health problem in the United States. A public health approach can help providers understand the health burden from violence, evaluate evidence for prevention strategies, and learn where to turn for information about planning and implementing prevention strategies for this preventable problem. For the past three decades, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has published “Healthy People” objectives for the next decade. The Healthy People 2020 initiative includes 13 measurable objectives related to violence prevention, one of which was selected as a Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicator. Progress to achieve these objectives can save thousands of lives, reduce the suffering of victims and their families, and decrease financial cost to the law enforcement and healthcare systems. The role that nurses can and do play in violence prevention is critical and extends beyond just caring for victims to also include preventing violence before it happens. This article summarizes the violence prevention objectives in Healthy People 2020 and the resources for prevention available to support nurses and others as they move prevention efforts forward in communities to stop violence before it starts.

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Rape Surveillance through District Surgeon Offices in Johannesburg, 1996–1998: Findings, Evaluation and Prevention Implications

South African Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1177/008124630003000201 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 30 (2) ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Lu-Anne Swart ◽

Angela Gilchrist ◽

Alex Butchart ◽

Mohamed Seedat ◽

Lorna Martin

Keyword(s):

Violence Prevention ◽

Policy Formulation ◽

Epidemiological Surveillance ◽

Rape Prevention ◽

Institutional Constraints ◽

Future Research ◽

Rape Victims ◽

Prevention Strategies ◽

Methodological Issues ◽

Information Management Systems

Rape prevention efforts are hampered by a chronic lack of adequate epidemiological and surveillance data. Information on identifying factors such as the who, when, where and how of rape is needed to inform the design of effective intervention programmes. Results from a demonstration Rape Surveillance Project show that records of rape cases presenting at three medico-legal clinics provide a valuable source for the epidemiological surveillance of rape. From January 1996 to December 1998 a surveillance questionnaire was completed for rape victims presenting at the Hillbrow, Lenasia South, and Chris Hani Baragwanath Medico-Legal Clinics in Gauteng. Analysis of the data suggests which women are most at risk for being raped, by whom they are raped, the areas where attacks most often occur, and the day and time when rapes are mostly committed. Despite the limited database and difficulties with generalizing findings beyond the three clinics, it is apparent that surveillance procedures have enormous import for sexual violence prevention and intervention. Implications for prevention strategies, aftercare, policy formulation, and future research are discussed. Methodological issues and institutional constraints are also discussed with a view to strengthening and developing such information management systems.

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Violence in childhood-onset schizophrenia

Mental Illness ◽

10.1108/mi.2013.e2 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 7-11

Author(s):

Randal G. Ross ◽

Julia Maximon ◽

Jonathan Kusumi ◽

Susan Lurie

Keyword(s):

Violence Prevention ◽

Violent Behavior ◽

Case Series ◽

Prevention Strategies ◽

Childhood Onset ◽

Diagnostic Interviews ◽

Adolescents And Adults ◽

Childhood Onset Schizophrenia ◽

History Of ◽

History Of Violence

Violence is elevated in older adolescents and adults with schizophrenia; however, little is known about younger children. This report focuses on rates of violence in younger children with schizophrenic-spectrum illnesses. A retrospective review of structured diagnostic interviews from a case series of 81 children, ages 4-15 years of age, with childhood onset of schizophrenic-spectrum illness is reported. Seventy-two percent of children had a history of violent behavior, including 25 children (31%) with a history of severe violence. Of those with a history of violence, 60% had a least one episode of violence that did not appear to be in response to an external stimulus (internally driven violence). There was no significant impact of age or gender. For many children, these internally driven violent episodes were rare and unpredictable, but severe. Similar to what is found in adolescents and adults, violence is common in children with schizophrenic-spectrum illnesses. General violence prevention strategies combined with early identification and treatment of childhood psychotic illnesses may decrease the morbidity associated with childhood psychotic violence.

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Lessons from Columbine: effective school‐based violence prevention strategies and programmes

Journal of Children s Services ◽

10.5042/jcs.2010.0021 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 53-62 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Delbert Elliott

Keyword(s):

Violence Prevention ◽

Prevention Strategies ◽

Effective School ◽

School Based

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Digital or Digitally Delivered Responses to Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence During COVID-19

JMIR Public Health and Surveillance ◽

10.2196/19831 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. e19831 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Chuka Emezue

Keyword(s):

Best Practices ◽

Violence Prevention ◽

Intimate Relationships ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Service Providers ◽

Prevention Strategies ◽

Critical Resource ◽

Women And Girls ◽

Digital Or ◽

At Home

Before the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), 1 in 3 women and girls, globally, were victimized by an abusive partner in intimate relationships. However, the current pandemic has amplified cases of domestic violence (DV) against women and girls, with up to thrice the prevalence in DV cases compared to the same time last year. Evidence of the adverse effects of the pandemic on DV is still emerging, even as violence prevention strategies are iteratively being refined by service providers, advocacy agencies, and survivors to meet stay-at-home mandates. Emotional and material support for survivors is a critical resource increasingly delivered using digital and technology-based modalities, which offer several advantages and challenges. This paper rapidly describes current DV mitigation approaches using digital solutions, signaling emerging best practices to support survivors, their children, and abusers during stay-at-home advisories. Some examples of technology-based strategies and solutions are presented. An immediate priority is mapping out current digital solutions in response to COVID-19–related DV and outlining issues with uptake, coverage, and meaningful use of digital solutions.

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