Hawaii Violence Prevention

Violent behavior in children is escalating in this country.  We see and hear about every day.  Bullies, kids killing kids and teen suicides seems like it is an everyday occurrence.  It is important as parents that we recognize signs and behavioral problems now with our children while they are still young.  Violence in children will eventually lead to violence in adults as many statistics show.

You should monitor video games, television shows and internet content that your children come into contact with.  Use whatever parental locks that are in place on your television and internet, and do not buy or let them borrow video games that are violent.  While some may think it is harmless, children tend to absorb things like a sponge, even when you think they are not paying attention.

Children learn through example.  Although there are instances where violent children and teens come from very loving families, more often than not, children come from homes where violence, hitting, yelling, bullying and drugs are normal occurrences.  Your child will assume that is how everyone acts and will behave this way in every environment they are in like school, after school care, toward other children and even at other people’s homes.

Recognize some warning signs of violent behavior.  If a child is always irritable, haves frequent violent outbursts at minor things, hitting when upset and destroying their property as well as others your child may have violent tendencies.  If you notice these signs seek counseling for your child right away.  Prolonging counseling will only lead to more violent behavior later down the road.

Know who your child is friends with.  Sometimes children will try to emulate their friends.  Whether that is so they can be considered cool, fit in, or because they are scared what will happen if they do not go along with that behavior.  If your child’s friends are bullies, chances are your child is going to act like this as well.

Violence happens in the workplace.  In fact the number one reason women die on the job is due to violence.  Most employers have violence protection plans in order in the event that violence happens and that is good, they should.  Do the employees know what the plan is if something should happen?  Here are a few tips for employers who do not have a plan in place and for employees who find themselves in the middle of workplace violence.

Jobs that have the greatest threat to workplace violence are workers that are required to exchange money with the public, delivery drivers, employees who work alone and at odd hours, working in high crime areas, and sometimes co-workers will commit the violence.  The reasons can vary from problems at home, finances, bills, not happy with service, thinking that you wronged them in some way, and some have psychological problems.  Every employer should make violence prevention programs mandatory training for their employees.  Install better lighting, installing or upgrading security devices, and creating good visibility inside and out.

Preventive measures will never be flawless and in the event of a right now situation you should be prepared for the “what if’s”.  Ask yourself what you would do in different types of scenarios.  Memorize exits and places to hide in the event a situation might take place.  You need to understand that if you are prepared your survival mode will kick in instead of all consuming panic.  You will be afraid, it will be the most terrifying thing you will ever witness, be prepared for that.  Know that the sounds of gunshots on movies are not what gunshots sound like in real life.  If you hear what sounds like gunshots, assume that it is and act accordingly.  If you can get out, do so, and do it fast.  Call 911 and give useful information.  If you have to confront, throw things.  Remember anything can be used as a weapon.

How many times have you left on vacation only to think the whole time, what did I forget?  Did I turn that off?  Getting ready for vacation is stressful and feeling as if you have left your home unprotected only adds to the stress.  However, you can ease you mind a little bit by following these simple tips.

Inform your neighbor, a trusted friend, family member or both that you are going on vacation.  Ask if they would not mind checking on your house while you are gone.  Give them a key to the house so that they can take mail in, water plants and generally check to be sure everything is alright.  You can also call your local post office and have them hold your mail and stop your newspapers from coming until you have returned.  Nothing screams an easy target like a mailbox full of mail and old newspapers lying on your porch.

Purchase some timers for your lights.  It gives intruders the appearance that someone is home, especially if you set the timers to go off at random times.  Disable your garage door so that it does not open.  Potential intruders will not find an easy entrance there.  Remove your spare key.  Let’s face it you are not fooling anybody with the key under the mat, over the door, in the flower pot, or with a fake rock.  Intruders will search every likely spot that the key may be at, it is better for you to remove the key and give to your neighbor or relative.

Call your local police department if you plan on being gone longer than a week.  Ask if they can drive by your house.  This will give you an added measure of security.  If you have a security system, make sure it is properly set.  Hopefully after following these tips you can feel a little more secure about leaving your home.



Domestic violence happens in homes every day.  It does not discriminate between race, age, gender, or sexual preference. Signs of domestic violence should be easy to spot, right?  Wrong.  Some forms of abuse will leave no outward signs of damage, while causing a great deal of scarring on the inside.  Leaving the abused feeling depressed, alone and helpless.  People are still of a mind to look away and not get involved.  But that only solidifies the thoughts of the abused and empowers the abuser.

Whether you are in an abusive relationship or you know someone who is in an abusive relationship there are some signs that would point to domestic violence.  Are you afraid of your partner?  Avoiding certain topics that you know will set them off in a fit of violence or cause them to yell.  You feel ashamed of how your partner treats you and you avoid family and friends.  Your partner hides money from you and limits your use of a vehicle.  Those are ways that the abuser can control you.  This is not a healthy relationship.

If you know someone who may be in an abusive relationship, unless they have marks on their outer body that is obvious, you may not be aware of the abuse.  Someone who you are used to seeing every day and now suddenly you don’t see them at all, there could be abuse there.  If you notice that your friend looks to their partner before speaking and seems scared, that’s a sign of abuse.

It is the sole purpose of the abuser to gain and keep control over the abused in any way possible.  No tactic is off limits.  Fear, shame, intimidation, and guilt will be used to keep you firmly in the abuser’s clutches.  As the abused it is your responsibility to admit that your relationship is abusive.  No one should have to live in fear and be subjected to taunts and threats.

Violence against children is an issue of public health worldwide. In the United States alone, 1,740 children died from abuse and neglect in 2008 and child protective services victimized 772,000 children, according for the Center for Disease Controls.

Types of Violent Behavior and its Consequences

Abuse of children under the age of 18 can taken on a number of forms and be perpetrated by any adults, such as, a caregiver, a coach, a teacher, or a member of the clergy. In addition to physical violence, abuse can be sexual, emotional or neglect. Emotional abuse is when an adult damages a child emotionally through rejection, name calling, threatening, in addition other verbal and non-verbal communication. Neglect is when a child’s needs aren’t met, such as, housing, food, health care and education.

Children who have experienced these types of behavior have a higher chance of health problems as adults. Chronic disease, depression, obesity, and alcoholism are just a few of the problems the may face.

Factors that Increase Violence Against Children

There are a number of factors that can increase the chance of maltreatment of children although their presence doesn’t always mean that abuse has occurred. Family environment is a good indicator of violence against children. Homes where there is a lot of stress due to drug or alcohol abuse, long-term health problems, financial issues, social isolation, or a history of violence are more likely to harbor the maltreatment of children. A violent community can also allow child abuse to flourish.
Under these conditions, children 4 years old and younger are at the greatest risk for violence leading to serious injury and even death.

Positive Parenting Skills

The role of public health agencies is to prevent violence against children. Parents need support and to be taught positive parenting skills which include communication skills, suitable discipline methods and how to attend to children’s needs both physical and emotional. Programs for the prevention of violence against children also offer parents social support.

Domestic violence has reached epic proportions in the United States with more than 15 million children exposed to violence at home. Over 2,000 women and children are killed and 2,000,000 injured. Because of the recession more and more people are seeking out public resources for help.

To that end, President Barack Obama signed into law legislation considered necessary to prevent child abuse and domestic violence. In order to improve services provided for child abuse victims and support programs provided to families, President Obama signed The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA)on December 20, 2010.

Another piece of legislation, The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) was also signed into law. The FVPSA provides funds for shelters and services that help women and children. In addition support for violence prevention programs was expanded to include dating violence and children exposed to violence.

In a move to help stop violence worldwide, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee passed the International Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) on December 14, 2010. This legislation, supported by Democrats and Republicans alike, aims to create a five-year plan to end violence against women and girls worldwide. John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the bill in February 2010.

I-VAWA has strong support from voters regardless of demographics and political party. According to research by the Family Violence Prevention Fund and Women Thrive Worldwide, more than 80 percent of voters back the legislation.

Under the passage of the I-VAWA, programming to help women and girls receive education and economic opportunities would help stop violence. The program would also provide guidance for men and boys to provide support to victims in addition to other programming for survivors of family violence. This law would also require the United States to respond to gender-based violence occurring in other countries within six months of their outbreak.

Parents play a major role in minimizing violent behavior in their children. According to the American Psychological Association aggressive behavior is learned at a young age, a time when parents can do something and help their children mature emotionally without resorting to violence.
Providing a secure environment where children can develop trust for their caregivers. When parents are involved in their child’s life, the likelihood of behavior problems decreases. If a parent finds offering consistent attention difficult, local parenting classes could help him learn how to handle difficult situations.
Supervising children’s activities also provides the necessary involvement to limit violent behavior. When a parent ensures supervision of their child, the child not only receives protection from others but also gains encouragement and support from adults they respect.
Modeling appropriate behavior is another way in which parents can teach children how to act. Rewarding a child’™s ability to solve problems without violence while valueing honesty and respect will encourage children to repeat their good behaviors. Being consistent about rules will also teach children how to behave. When children are provided with clear expectations and rules, life is less confusing for them. They know what is expected of them and what the repercussions are when they step over the line.
Providing a non-violent home also helps discourage violent behavior. Verbal abuse in addition to physical abuse can lead to violence. Even intense, hostile arguments between parents can set an example of poor behavior for children. Limiting exposure to violence in media also helps reduce violent behavior. Parents can do this by limiting television and by discussing what they do see on TV. It is important to help children understand the reality of the violence they see on TV.
Children also need to learn how to stand against violent behavior in others. Parents should teach children to respond to others calmly without threatening or hitting another.

Along with domestic violence, documented cases of school and cyber bullying have steadily increased over the years. Violence has become a widespread epidemic that forces its victims to suffer in silence, sometimes for years. The abused are often ashamed to ask for help or discuss the problem with friends or family. Teen violence is a growing problem that has resulted in death for far too many young people, and teenage girls as young as sixteen are in violent relationships with ongoing verbal and physical abuse from their partner. While it is not reported as often, men are also abused by their mates.

Learning to identify violent behavior is an important step in violence prevention. One of the best ways to detect violent behavior is by noting how the person treats other people. Disrespectful and cruel treatment of others are examples of a person who is capable of violence. Some common characteristics of a violent personality are quick tempers and unreasonable arguments, negative criticism or hurtful comments, and forced or degrading sexual activity. An essential key to personal safety and violence prevention is recognizing the signs of violent conduct. Knowing how to read the signs of abusive behavior is your strongest weapon for violence prevention.

Reports of violence on the road are being reported more frequently as well. To ensure your safety and prevent violence while driving you must remain calm and stay in control. If an altercation occurs call the authorities immediately. Using common courtesy when you are on the road will help you avoid a problem that could escalate and get out of hand. You will be cut off by a rude driver at some point, the best defense for violence prevention when this happens is to just let it go. Chasing or racing other drivers is bad judgement, and you should never risk your safety because an inconsiderate driver with a cell phone cut in front of you with almost no room to spare.

No one likes to be in a violent situation, nor in one that is uneasy and headed towards that direction. Violence is a very serious act that often starts with emotions that get out of control. Many things can contribute to violent behavior and outbursts that occur with people, but often after a situation has died down, no one can really pinpoint what happened to cause things to spark.

Situations that lead to violent behavior often start out innocently enough and escalate with the wrong look, the wrong words or anything else that sparks off the instigator. There are several indicators that a person can look for in situations that are potentially harmful, but here are very important ones to keep your eye on in case you’re ever involved in one:

- Know the Person
The best way to get to know a person is to do a little research and find out more about them. Do they have a temper? Do they always act out? Knowing these things can help the person involved avoid anything harmful or embarrassing. This is good only if you are acquainted with the person already. If you’re not:

- Watch the Person
If you don’t know what may set the person off, just sit back and watch them and look for other physical or verbal cues that would signal to you that a violent situation is about to erupt.

- Mind Your Business
If the person driving sporadically is not in your lane, don’t think that you have to take care of it. If they are in your lane and they become hostile or irate, stay calm and don’t cause a scene. Call the authorities if things get out of hand.

Violent behavior certainly doesn’t have to be something that you find yourself in if you make sure that you avoid the things that can cause it. Keep your eyes, ears and mind sharp and watch for those cues!

As more people search for ways to improve their quality of life, the interest in health and violence prevention is at an all time high. This has lead public health officials to implement a four step procedure that can be applied to help monitor health and violence prevention procedures. This process is applied to violent crimes and health issues faced by each community. The steps for health and violence prevention involves defining the problem, describing risks and protective elements, developing and testing prevention methods, and a guarantee of widespread acceptance.

The data used to define the results of violent deaths and injuries is a precise combination of vital records, police reports, coroner reports, and medical examiners. Identifying risks can help community leaders understand what makes a person commit violence, and why certain people are subjected to violent acts. Protective factors outline the characteristics that can decrease the potential to victimize, and what keeps you from becoming a victim. When the data has been compiled the findings are used to develop and test new strategies for health and violence prevention. Once the new prevention platforms have proved to be effective they are given widespread promotion with an evaluation of the process, training, technical assistance, and networking.

Each state applies the four step procedure to monitor violent behavior in their area. When information regarding violent deaths are submitted to the National Violent Death Reporting System, or NVDRS, the state is provided with an accurate account of injuries and deaths that were caused by violence. This data supplies vital information that state officials use to develop new programs for health and violence prevention. These widespread programs offer toll free hot lines, violence prevention centers for teens, and resource information to help recognize and prevent youth suicide and teen violence. Health and violence prevention is a vital issue that concerns the entire population.