Chapter 5
Preventing Violence and Abuse
Section 1: Conflict Resolution and Violence
Prevention
Section 2: Recognizing and Preventing Abuse
Section 3: Sexual Abuse and Violence
Violence Around Us
Violence is any physical force that is used
to harm people or damage property
 Violence has started to become a way of
life in our community
 Observing and experiencing violence can
also make a person more violent towards
others
 A conflict is another name for a fight or a
disagreement
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Factors that Lead to Conflicts Between
Teens
Feeling threatened
 Unmanaged anger
 Lack of respect
 Bullying
 Gangs
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Avoiding Dangerous Situations
Recognize the signs
 Calm things down
 Leave the situation
 Firmly say you will not fight
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Resolving Conflict Without Violence
Conflict resolution is a nonviolent way to
deal with arguments
 Negotiate- bargain or compromise for a
peaceful solution to the problem
 Peer mediation
 Be assertive, use “I” messages, don’t
make assumptions, don’t raise your voice
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Making GREAT Decisions
 Give thought to the problem
 Review your choices
 Evaluate the consequences of each choice
 Assess and choose the best choice
 Think it over afterward
What is Abuse?
Abuse is physical or emotional harm to
someone
 Unfortunately, the most common forms of
abuse come from people one should be
able to trust
 Look for these characteristics in people:
controlling, obsessive, manipulative,
selfish, aggressive, needy, jealous, scary
temper, mean
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Types of Abuse
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Child abuse- physical abuse, emotional abuse,
sexual abuse, and neglect
Domestic abuse
 Elder abuse
 Hazing

Violence in domestic relationships often cycles
through three stages
Effects of Abuse
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Depression
Low self-esteem
Poor appetite or overeating
Low energy or fatigue
Poor concentration and difficulty making
decisions
Difficulty sleeping
Feelings of worthlessness
Feelings of guilt, shame, and anxiety
Protecting Yourself From Abuse
Create a supportive network of friends and
family
 Avoid disrespectful people
 Be assertive
 Show disapproval
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Help for The Abused
Tell someone
 Go somewhere safe
 Consider counseling
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Facts
30% of students are bullied or bully others
 1 in 3 teens do not feel safe at school
 As many as 3 million cases of child abuse
are reported every year in the U.S.
 It is estimated that an act of domestic
abuse happens every 15 seconds in the
U.S.
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Sexual Abuse
Any sexual act without consent
 Incest- sexual activity between family
members who are not husband and wife
 Child abuse is common and children feel
ashamed and are less likely to tell anyone
what is happening
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Sexual Harassment
Any unwanted remark, behavior, or touch
that has sexual content
 Examples: telling unwanted jokes, making
sexual remarks about a person’s clothing,
touching a person inappropriately, staring
at a person’s body parts, making sexual
gestures, continuously asking a person out
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Responding to Sexual Harassment
There are two things you can do to stop
the harassment:
 1. Tell the harasser to stop
 2. Report the harassment
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*Sexual harassment is illegal
Sexual Assault and Rape
Sexual assault is any sexual activity in
which force or the threat of force is used
 Date rape is sexual intercourse that is
forced on a victim by someone the victim
knows
 80% of victims of sexual assault and rape
know their attackers
 Victims of sexual assault and rape suffer
both physical and emotional trauma
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Protecting yourself from sexual
abuse and violence
Keep your doors and windows locked at
home, do not answer the door for
strangers
 Do not walk alone at night
 Keep your phone handy
 If you are being attacked, call out for
help!
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Help after a sexual assault
Make sure you are away from further
harm
 Call for help
 Don’t change anything about your body or
your environment
 Ask someone to take you to the hospital
 Seek therapy or counseling
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