13.1-13.13
Rates of Crime and Violence
Rates of violence have been steadily lower from the 1990’s, even though not all crime statistics are included the majority of the time in surveys. There are many variables to violence occurring; location, religion, sex, political beliefs, and mental health is to name a few. Violence on school grounds has been on the rise as well and has made the topic of gun control a conflicted issue for the U.S.
There is also interpersonal violence which are acts inflicted on one individual by someone else or a small group of others. This includes homicides, elderly abuse, domestic violence, sexual violence, and hate crimes. Homicides are the thirteenth leading cause of death and rates are higher in the U.S than in any other nation. A hate crime is a violent or destructive behavior towards people or property and are motivated by a bias. This bias can include race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and disabilities. The factors towards this type of violence can be thrill seeking motives, feeling threatened of losing jobs by others, or just fearing the unknown in general.
Family Violence
Domestic violence is the use of control or force to maintain power over another individual in the home. This can be verbal abuse, physical abuse, or threats. There is usually a cycle of violence connected to this. Initially, it starts with a building of tension, leading to acute battering, and then the remorse stage. The cycle then repeats when triggers of past abuse reappears. There is also child abuse, which can include neglect, verbal/physical abuse, and sexual abuse. The results of these types of abuse on a child can lead to problems later down the line, such as depression and suicide.
Sexual Violence
Sexual assault is defined as a person being sexually intimate with another person without their consent. Rape is the most aggressive form of sexual assault, and acquaintance rape is the most common. This is where drugs and alcohol usually come into play, and the rapist is known to the victim. About 1 in 5 women and 1 in 59 men have experienced rape. Sexual violence is promoted by factors such as blaming the victim, certain situational factors, and male misconceptions. Sexual harassment and stalking doesn’t necessarily include any physical action, but are two common forms that are just as important.
Collective Violence
Collective violence includes gangs and terrorism. Gangs are involved in either sex/drug trafficking, shootings, theft, and killings of innocent bystanders. People join gangs for a variety of reasons; companionship and a sense of self-worth being a few. Terrorism are attacks that are used against people or property in order to coerce a government or further certain social/political objectives.
Preventing Violence
To prevent violence, there are a number of safe ways to go about this. If you are a person who is very attuned to social media, knowing what is acceptable to post keeping yourself safe is key. Making sure that pictures or certain posts you wouldn’t want your boss or family to see, probably shouldn’t be exemplified. It’s also advised to make sure you erase all pertinent information on your phone when you’re selling or throwing it away. There are also a number of safety measures when dating as well. Make sure a close friend goes with you, or at least knows your location and when and you should return. Also, watching alcohol consumption can prevent your inhibitions being lowered, if there is an unwanted situation. It’s very important also to be direct with whom ever you’re with and make sure boundaries are set in place. There are also many ways to keep yourself safe on campus if you happen to live at school. Walking in well lit areas while alone is recommended, and taking routes where people are normally walking is also another great tip. On campus assaults are increasing, and campus police are able to enforce laws that are applicable to the general community.
Basic Safety Measures
Motor vehicle crashes can happen and there are factors that one can control; impaired driving, wearing a seat belt, and texting while driving. In 2016 over 40,000 Americans died in crashes and these preventable situations should be taken into account. There is also safety protocols for recreational purposes, such as wearing a helmet and proper padding for activities; snowboarding, biking, and skate boarding are a few. Wearing a helmet decreases chances of head injuries by half. On another topic, prevention of hearing loss or damage is something that most people don’t normally think about. Attending concerts and listening to loud music can cause damage without the proper precautions taken. Anything louder than 85 dB’s can be detrimental.
Reflection
For my reflection this week, I’ve been keeping up with my yoga and I’ve noticed that I have less back pain than usual. I have scoliosis of the spine and at times there is a lot of burning sensations. I’ve been consistent with my yoga for a couple weeks now, and I’ve noticed I have better posture while sitting and less pain. I guess that’s an achievement so far in my journey, besides some weight loss. I have been trying to see if yoga would give me the results I’d like and now I’m seeing some. As for this week’s reading, I have never personally dealt with anything concerning assaults or violence. I do however, always take precautions when I do happen to meet with someone new. The information that seemed the most applicable to me is listening to music extremely loud. In the book, it says if someone else can hear your music while wearing headphones, then its way to loud. I’m going to be more aware now of the volume, and try to preserve my hearing.
References
Donatelle, R. J. (2019). My health. New York: Pearson.
Kim's Health Journey 