Factors that contribute to violence

Poverty, unemployment, economic dependency, substance abuse, dysfunctional family
and/or social environment and lack of emotional support, mental illness, media
influence (violent video games, television shows, and movies), access to firearms,
political and/or religious ideology, intolerance and ignorance, pregnancy
Suicide: National violent death reporting system

To help find ways to prevent violent deaths, we need to know the facts
Interpersonal violence

Homicide and suicide

intimate partner violence

Sexual assault

Dating violence

Stalking

Bullying

Child maltreatment

Neglect
Disparity
Suicide is a serious public health problem that can have lasting harmful effects on people,
families, and communities

Veterans

People who live in rural areas

Sexual and gender minorities

Middle-aged adults

Tribal populations (native Americans can have a higher rate of alcohol and drug use)

These groups may disproportionately experience factors linked to suicide, such as
substance misuse
Suicide risk factors

MDD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia

Substance abuse

PTSD

Eating disorders

Friends that committed suicide

Age (elderly white males has the highest rate)
Postvention: intervention conducted after a suicide, largely taking the form of support for the
bereaved
Preventing suicide

Strengthen economic supports (strengthen household financial security)

Protective environments (organizational policies, community-based policies)

Promote connectedness (peer mom programs, community engagement activities)

Teach coping and problem-solving skills (parenting skill and family relationship
programs)

Identify and support people at risk (crisis intervention, Tx to prevent re attempts)

Lessen harms and prevent risk (postvention, safe reporting)
Risk factors for IPV

Low self-esteem, poverty, risky sexual behavior, eating disorders, substance abuse, trust
and relationship issues

Victims often suffer in silence and accept abuse
Dating violence: abusive, controlling, aggressive behavior in an intimate relationship
Date rape: Xanax, Klonopin, alcohol, GHB
Stalking: pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, contact, harassment directed at a
person that instills fear
Pregnancy

Preeclampsia: hypertension during pregnant

Woman’s blood pressure goes up after delivery: evaluate for abuse

Increases stress

Use of harmful substances

Unexplained bruising to the chest and abdomen
Wheel of Power and control

Intimidation (displaying weapons, destroying pots)

Emotional abuse (putting her down, making her feel guilty, humiliating her)

Isolation (being controlling)

Minimizing, denying, and blaming (making light of the abuse, saying she caused it)

Using children (threatening to take the kids away, using visitation to harass her)

Using male privilege (treating her like a servant, being like a “master”)

Using economic abuse (preventing her from getting or keeping a job, taking her money)

Using coercion and threats (threatening to leave her or commit suicide, making her do
illegal things)
Impact of IPV
Victims will experience

Chronic fatigue

Disturbed sleeping

Misdiagnosis often occurs
Victims might stay because of cultural, religious, and economic factors