1. Unit 2: Violence & Injury Prevention
Lesson 2 – Factors That Contribute to Violence

2. Health Behavior Outcomes
Avoid situations where violence is likely to occur.
Avoid associating with others who are involved in or who encourage violence or criminal activity.

3. Journal Entry Page 53
Describe what you feel is the most serious consequence of violence for targets, for perpetrators, and for bystanders and explain why?

4. “Every act of violence affects us all.”
Motivate
“Every act of violence affects us all.”
Do you agree with this statement, why or why not?

5. Motivate
Some people believe that everything that happens in our world, both good and bad, affects every one of us.
From a distance or directly
No matter how far away from or close to an act of violence people have been, most have felt empathy for those who have been its targets.
What if it had been me? What if this had happened to my family, my friends, my community, or our country?

6. Motivate
The effects of violence are even more real when it happens to you or to those you care about…
… but it would be unhealthy to think about violence or live in fear of it all the time.
Understanding more about how violence happens can help motivate people take the steps to prevent or stop it as much as possible.

7. Factors That Contribute to Violence
Attitudes – views people hold about themselves, others, or the world.
Behaviors – things they do to put them at risk of committing or being a target of an act of violence.
Environment – surrounding that can make violence more likely.

8. Reasons for Violence Review each reason and categorize each item.
Classify the items with an:
A for attitude…
B for behavior…
E for environment…

9. Reasons for Violence (cont.)
Strong feelings, such as anger or jealousy.
A, or B if the person acts on these feelings in violent ways.
Seeing another person or group of people as a threat. A
Feeling frustrated by a lack of skills or opportunities.
Not knowing how to manage conflicts. B
Being surrounded by or witnessing violence in the environment of home, school, or community. E

10. Reasons for Violence (cont.)
Viewing violence as an acceptable way to handle conflicts or solve problems. A

11. Reasons a Person Might Become a Target of Violence
Being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
E or B, if the person’s behaviors put him or her in the situation
Not knowing how to manage conflicts or potentially risky situations. B
Being different in some way from the perpetrator.
A, in terms of beliefs or values, or B, in terms of how a person dresses, acts, etc.
Not asking for or getting support or help to keep themselves safe.

12. Attitudes That Contribute to Violence
Strong emotions
Hate
Anger
Frustration
Jealousy
Vengeance
Lack of respect for differences.
Need for personal power or control.
View that violence can solve problems or settle differences.
Bias, prejudice, or hate toward another person or group.

13. Behaviors That Contribute to Violence
Poor communication or conflict resolution skills.
Poor coping or stress-management skills.
Impulsiveness or lack of self-control.
Alcohol or other drug use.
Gang involvement
Playing violent video games or watching a lot of violence in the media.

14. Environment That Contribute to Violence
Limited resources or opportunities to improve one’s circumstances.
Messages from family, peers, community, and media.
Social or peer norms that model a general acceptance of violence.
Choices or actions of others.
Lack of a personal support system.
Misinformation, rumors, gossip.
Lack of positive role models.
Large groups of people experiencing strong emotions (“mob” mentality).
Access to guns and other weapons.

15. Relate Factors to School Violence
Lack of coping or communication skills.
Intolerance of differences (appearance, abilities, sexual orientation).
Large numbers of diverse teens gathered in one place.
Social and academic stressors.
Reluctance to seek adult help or report potentially violent situations.
Spillover of community problems.
Use of alcohol or other drugs on school grounds or at school sponsored events.
Presence of weapons.
Gang Activity

16. Explore Influences Alcohol/Drugs Weapons Gangs
Those who own guns are trained and use them for hunting or sports
Take proper precautions
Keep them locked up when not used
Gangs
May be a way to fit in or only available option
Initiations
Disagreements
Drugs
Loyalties

17. Violence Prevention Strategies
Attitudes:
Strong emotions
Lack of respect for differences
Need for personal power or control
View that violence can solve problems or settle differences
Bias, prejudice, or hate towards another person or group

18. Violence Prevention Strategies (cont.)
Behaviors
Poor skills or impulsiveness
Alcohol or other drug use
Gang involvement
Playing violent video games or watching a lot of violence in the media

19. On a sheet of paper answer the following question:
Close
On a sheet of paper answer the following question:
Can young people truly make a difference in preventing violence problems? Why or why not?