Daniela Rodriguez

Hlth 301

Short Essay #5

Violence is defined as : "The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or

actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or

has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or

deprivation.” (World Health Organization, 2002.) Violence is most commonly present among and

towards minorities and many who are helpless. This includes: people of color, women, the

LGBTQ community, the elderly, and children. What makes violence so easy to be inflicted on

these people is how outnumbered they are and a state of mentality that allows certain people to

feel like they can inflict violence upon them. This violence is used on their targeted people in

order to have control and submission over them. It allows for a sense of control and domination

from the perpetrator who they could consider, a husband, wife, parent, stranger, caregiver, etc.

They achieve this power by inflicting violence on their victims in order for them to obey or listen

to them or simply just to punish them. The media may sometimes play a role because the people

inflicting the violence may be seeing it through the media and it could be where they gather their

ideas. Seeing various forms of violence through media such as new reports, violent video games,

and the dismissal of violence as an issue through media is what they could be learning and

getting ideas from. Everything could play a factor in this issue it would just require some

recognition or attention in order to bring it to the light as the bigger issue that it is.

“One reason why violence has largely been ignored as a public health issue is the lack of a clear

definition of the problem.” (World Health Organization, 2002.) This is an issue that occurs
globally and can essentially happen to anyone not just the people listed above but there has been

some prevalence shown in the targeted groups listed so they would require more of the attention

on the issue. Violence can be personal or interpersonal depending on the perpetrator and the

victims relationship or lack thereof. This is what makes it difficult to find a cause that could be

widely recognized other than the need for power and control. No two situations of violence occur

and begin the same way. Violence has several faces and forms in which they occur which makes

it so it cant be so easily found as a global health or social issue until situations are brought to the

light and fought for. There is a large spectrum in which we could fit racial violence, homophobic

violence, misogynist violence, caregiver violence, and guardian violence.

Some solutions to this issue of violence would be the start up of more programs globally

where we recognize events of violence for what they are. We could provide support and guidance

for the victims. Violence needs more recognition as the big issue that it is and more credibility to

the victims as well. No case should be too big or small to handle. We should provide protection

to all the vulnerable and defenseless as well such as women experiencing domestic violence,

disabled people, the elderly, and children. The first step would be the acknowledging violence in

great numbers and globally.

Sources

First ever Global Report on Violence and Health released. (2010, December 7). Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/pr73/en/

World report on violence and health. (2002). World Health Organization Geneva. Retrieved from
https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/world_report/en/abstract_en.pdf