• What is violence?
• Types of violence
• Modalities of violence
• Causes of violence
• Consequences of violence
• How to prevent violence?

We explain what violence is, its causes, consequences, types and the ways in which it manifests itself. Also, how to prevent it.

Many forms of violence are naturalized in everyday life.

What is violence?

Violence is the intentional use of force or abuse of can to dominate someone or impose something. It can manifest itself through behaviors that involve:

• Physical force, to hurt, harm, or kill someone
• Verbal and gestural actions, to lower or disqualify someone's idea or position
• Inaction and silence, to despise someone.

Although the concept of violence is clear, the way in which it can be manifested varies according to each culture. Also, as the humanity evolves, it is necessary to re-analyze the different modalities in which violence manifests itself from the ethics, the moral or the right.

This makes it possible to make visible aspects of daily life that result in acts of violence and abuse, but that are not usually recognized as such because they are part of the traditions of a particular culture (for example, the slavery was common and legal for hundreds of years until its abolition beginning in the 19th century, first in Europe and then in the American continent).

Types of violence

Some types of violence are:

• Physical violence. It is the most obvious form of violence or abuse, which can cause physical harm and risk of life, although it does not always leave visible traces (for example, if your hair is pulled or food thrown in your face, that is an act of physical violence). It manifests itself in various ways such as corporal punishment, forced stay in confined places, immobilization, etc.
• Psychological violence It is one of the most difficult forms of violence to detect, which can cause psychological or emotional damage. It manifests when one or more persons verbally and intentionally assault another person. Sometimes the aggression is not direct and obvious, but begins as something subtle and continues throughout the weather until a strong psychological aggression results.
• Sexual violence It is one of the forms of violence where the majority of the victims are women and the aggressors are men. It ranges from unwanted comments and innuendo to the actions of the sexual act. It manifests itself with aggressive acts through the use of physical, mental or moral force that reduce the victim to inferior conditions to carry out sexual conduct against their will.
• Economic and patrimonial violence. It is one of the forms of violence that affects the property of the victim herself and, sustained over time, leads to other types of violence such as physical or sexual violence. It manifests itself with the transformation, theft, destruction or restriction of objects, documents, goods and values ​​of the victim, preventing him from working or carrying out activities independently in order to control and threaten his integrity.
• Symbolic violence. It is one of the most disguised forms of violence that affects a large number of persons simultaneously. It manifests itself indirectly in the society, via strategies what they impose stereotypes and mental structures, which are reinforced by repetition and end up being naturalized. For example, the socially adopted parameter of slimness and almost unreal perfect body leads to severe psychological and physical disturbances among the majority of women. population that cannot achieve that appearance.

Modalities of violence

All members of the family suffer the consequences of domestic violence.

The types of violence can manifest themselves in different ways:

• Domestic or family. It refers to when a person tries to control and exercise power over their partner with whom they have a romantic relationship, or over the rest of the relationship. family. Different types of abuse can occur such as physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial.
• Institutional. It refers to any improper use of power or force, by public or private officials who are subject to the order of the government (belonging to the security forces, armed forces, prison services and health workers), who can violate the human rights. It can occur in a context of restriction of autonomy and of the Liberty, use of body force, use of weapons, etc.
• Labor. It refers to any action taken in the field of work that shows abuse of power by the employer, hierarchical personnel or whoever has control influence of any kind. It can occur directly or indirectly, affecting the dignity and physical integrity of the employee through threats, intimidation, mistreatment, disparagement, insults, unequal pay, harassment and sexual harassment, among others.
• Against reproductive freedom. It refers to actions that violate the right of women to access the information to decide freely and responsibly if she wants to have children or not, the number of pregnancies or intervals between each birth.It can occur when the partner prevents the use of condoms or other methods, a relevant institution does not provide advice or contraceptive methods or when a method is imposed instead of informing about the different alternatives for the woman to choose, among others.
• Obstetric It refers to mistreatment or lack of humane treatment before, during or after childbirth. There is also violence in cases of post-abortion care where it is not acted on quickly, with adequate care, or in a confidential manner. In all circumstances the representatives of the Health They must treat the woman with respect, maintain the confidentiality of her situation under professional secrecy, take care of her health and consult her to decide the steps and treatments to follow, otherwise, it is considered a violent action.
• Media. It refers to any publication or dissemination that, directly or indirectly, promotes the exploitation of women or their image, insults, defames, discriminates, dishonors, humiliates or attempts against the dignity. It can occur through stereotyped patterns, messages, values, icons or signs that transmit and reproduce domination, inequality and discrimination in societies, naturalizing the subordination of women.

Causes of violence

Violence of any kind can occur for various reasons, the main ones being:

• The alcoholism.
• Drug addiction.

Consequences of violence

The consequences of violence have an impact on health, both physical and psychological, and are complex to assess since they range from an increase in risk of worsening health and the possibility of ending the life of the victim.

Some physical consequences are:

• Serious injuries
• Homicide.
• Injuries during pregnancy.
• Unwanted pregnancies (aggravated if it occurs at an early age).
• Vulnerability to diseases.

Some psychological consequences are:

• Mental health problems
• Low self-esteem.
• Fear, stress, anxiety and psychic shock.
• Isolation.
• Sleep disorders.
• Eating Disorders.

How to prevent violence?

Aggression and violence are different concepts, although they are often used as synonyms. Aggression is a biological trait of the human being, natural for its animal essence and that it uses as a survival method.

Violence is the product of cultural evolution, where the individual is molded from the learning and from violent habits. It is not a disease. Therefore, to reverse or solve it, a cultural and educational change is necessary.

Another way that societies can prevent violence is by reducing certain risk factors, for example, alcoholism, drug addiction, firearms, economic and gender inequality. gender.

This prevention can be carried out, for example, with actions by the Condition (social and economic policies, health and containment), with an education that applies school prevention programs that guarantee the I respect and the equality, among others.