Meek 11: Assessing for Violence

Question 1

What is TVIC?

Answer 1

Modules about violence

Question 2

Effects of Violence on the Brain

Answer 2

• PTSD (re-experience, NOT flashbacks)
• the amygdala and hippocampus are two brain structures involved in fear and traumatic Stress
• some people have difficulty identifying, expressing, and managing emotions

delayed responses to trauma
- persistent fatigue
- sleep disorders
- nightmares
- dear of recurrence
- anxiety focused on flashbacks
- depression
- avoidance of emotions, sensations, or activities that are associated with the trauma
- impacts how individuals access healthcare and interact with health care professionals: MISTRUST

Question 3

Impact of Violence:

Answer 3

Can result in death
- homicides involving firearms or knives
- boys comprising over 80% of victims AND perpetrators

Leads to Severe Injuries:
- mostly male victims sustaining injuries from physical fighting and assault

Impair brain and nervous system development
- violence at early age can impair brain development and damage nervous system and other body systems

Results in negative Coping and Health Risk Behaviours
- children exposed to violence and other adversities are significantly more likely to cope to cope using unhealthy habits (ex. smoking, alcohol/drugs, high risk sexual behaviours, etc.)
- also have higher rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems

Lead to unintending pregnancies

contributes to a wide range of non-communicable diseases
- as children grow older, their risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, etc. is due to their negative coping and health risk behaviours associated with violence

Impact opportunities and future generations
- children exposed to violence are more likely to drop out of school
- have difficulty finding and keeping a job
- also more likely for later victimization and/or perpetration of interpersonal and self directed violence

Question 4

Different types of and signs of Violence

Answer 4

look at slide 6 of week 11: Assessing for violence

Question 5

violence against children - WHO

Answer 5

“violence against children includes all forms of
violence against people under 18 years old. For infants and younger children, violence mainly involves child maltreatment (ex. physical, sexual and emotional abuse and neglect) at the hands of parents and other authority figures. Boys and girls are at equal risk of physical and emotional abuse and neglect, and girls are greater risk of sexual abuse. As children reach adolescence, peer violence and intimate partner violence, in addition to child maltreatment, become highly prevalent.”

Question 6

Red flags for child abuse

Answer 6

• critical of themself
• sus bruise spots (butt cheeks, arms, lower back, next, stomach, legs, eyes, mouth, ears, back of head)
• can’t articulate anxiety/worry
• smoking
• sexual behavior early on

Question 7

Risk factors for child maltreatment

Answer 7

no one is immune to violence
- parent ( low socio-economic status, maternal age <19, single parent family, non-biological parents, abused as child, substance abuse, lack of social support, unplanned pregnancy or negative parental attitude towards pregnancy)
- family (spousal violence, poor marital relations, poor child-parent relationship, unhappy family life)
- child (behaviour problems, disability)