Violence Affects Every Part of Life
Understanding the full impact is the first step toward change.
What Is Violence?
“Violence is an extreme form of aggression, such as assault, rape or murder."
Violence has many causes, including frustration, exposure to violent media, violence in the home or neighborhood and a tendency to see other people’s actions as hostile even when they’re not. Certain situations also increase the risk of aggression, such as drinking, insults and other provocations and environmental factors like heat and overcrowding. -Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology
Those experiencing violence or its aftermath find it impacts almost every area of their lives. Researchers are examining the often missed costs of this crisis.
Impact
Relationships
Experiencing violence can severely damage personal relationships, leading to isolation from friends and family, loss of trust, and difficulties in forming and maintaining healthy relationships. Victims may experience emotional and psychological trauma that impacts their ability to connect with others effectively. (Verywell Mind)| (Womens Health).
Watch: Jackson Katz on Preventing Sexual Violence
Medical Health
Victims of violence often suffer from a range of physical health issues, including injuries, chronic pain, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular problems. Additionally, violence can lead to long-term conditions such as traumatic brain injury and sexually transmitted infections (Womens Health).
Some may ask, is violence an infectious disease and can we “cure” it? Watch this video of Dr. Gary Slutkin, MD from the University of Illinois, Chicago School of Public Health and founder of the Interrupters project talking about his work.
Watch: Dr. Gary Slutkin – Is Violence an Infectious Disease?
Asthma
There is a significant correlation between experiencing violence and the development or exacerbation of asthma. Stress and trauma from violence can trigger or worsen asthma symptoms due to the body's heightened inflammatory response (Womens Health) | (MedScape).
Education
Violence impacts educational attainment by causing concentration difficulties, absenteeism, and higher dropout rates. Victims may struggle with academic performance and are less likely to pursue higher education, which can limit future opportunities (Womens Health).
Children and Violence
Children who witness or are victims of violence face increased risks of developing mental health issues like depression and anxiety. They may also struggle with behavioral problems, poor academic performance, and difficulty in forming healthy relationships in the future (Womens Health) | (Washington Post).
These impacts highlight the profound and far-reaching consequences that violence can have on various aspects of victims' lives, emphasizing the need for comprehensive support and intervention strategies.
Community Data & National Statistics
How does your community rank in safety and violence statistics? Click on the buttons below
Violence is a problem impacting communities internationally. Each nation is working individually and collectively to combat this issue.
UN Women develops dedicated national action plans to prevent and address violence against women, strengthening coordination among diverse groups required for sustained and meaningful action.
Futures Without Violence is a health and social justice nonprofit with a simple mission: to heal those among us who are traumatized by violence today – and to create healthy families and communities free of violence tomorrow.
Counseling & Support
The battle of community and civic leaders to reduce violence and its impact is ongoing. We continuously compile and share names of organizations who are available to assist you, as well as information about your community.
Governors State University provides counseling for students through its Student Health and Counseling Center and assistance for the community through the Psychology and Counseling Department's Community Counseling Center. For more information, click the buttons on the side.
Student Health and Counseling Center Advocating for Sexual Assault Prevention (ASAP) Community Counseling Center
Learn how to protect yourself against unwanted interactions! The National Domestic Violence Hotline is a great resource where you can "Get Help Without Saying A Word." 24/7 Online Chat is Available.