An action plan to raise awareness and encourage the reevaluation of our cultural trend towards violence. We have focused on women for certain portions of the project because they bear the brunt of societal anger and confusion to an incredible degree. This epidemic of hatred and violence towards women reaches across all spheres of culture but our project highlights only a few.

1. Violence in Culture
by Ali H, Yvonne D, Monica G, and Natalie S

2. World
School
Media
Home
Sites of Violence

3. Home
Domestic Violence Includes:
● Physical Violence
● Emotional Violence
● Sexual Abuse

4. Home
Intimate partner violence refers to behavior by an intimate partner or expartner that cause physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical
aggression, sexual coercion, psychological abuse and controlling behaviors.
Sexual violence is any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, to other act
directed against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by person regardless of
their relationship to the victim, in any setting. It includes rape, defines as the
physically forced or otherwise coerced penetration of the vulva or anus with a
penis, other body part, or object.

5. Statistics
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35% of women worldwide have experienced either intimate partner violence or non-partner
sexual violence in their lifetime
On average, 30% of women who have been in a relationship reported that they have
experienced some form of physical or sexual violence by their partner.
Globally, about 20% of women and 5-10% of men report being victims of sexual violence as
children.
As many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners
On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an
intimate partner in the U.S. - more than 12 million women and men over the course of a year
From 1994 to 2010, about 4 in 5 victims of intimate partner violence were female
Nearly 15% of women and 4% of men in the U.S. have been injured as a result of intimate
partner violence
Nearly half of all men and women in the U.S. have experienced psychological aggression by an
intimate partner in their lifetime
Source - World Health Organization & The National Domestic Violence Hotline

6. Consequences
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Violence against women can have fatal results, like homicide or suicide.
Intimate partner violence and sexual violence can lead to unintended pregnancies,
induced abortions, gynaecological problems, and sexually transmitted infections,
including HIV. The 2013 analysis found that women who had been physically or
sexually abused were 1.5 times more likely to have a sexually transmitted infection
and, in some regions, HIV, compared to women who have not experienced partner
violence. They are also twice as likely to have an abortion.
These forms of violence can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder,
sleep difficulties, eating disorders, emotional distress and suicide attempts. The
same study found that women who have experienced intimate partner violence were
almost twice as likely to experience depression and problem drinking. The rate was
even higher for women who had experienced non partner sexual violence.

7. Getting Help
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If in immediate danger, call 911
Visit a hospital emergency room
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline
Research local shelters and support groups

8. Sources (APA Format)
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"Violence Against Women." Women's Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 18 May 2011.
Web. 2 Dec. 2013. http://www.womenshealth.gov/violence-against-women/types-of-violence/domestic-intimatepartner-violence.html
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Violence against women. (n.d.). WHO. Retrieved November 26, 2013, from http://www.who.
int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/
Statistics. (n.d.). The National Domestic Violence Hotline RSS2. Retrieved December 2, 2013, from http://www.thehotline.
org/is-this-abuse/statistics/
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9. Media Violence
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Movies
Television shows/cartoons
Video games
Music
Internet

10. “the rate of gun violence in PG-13 movies jumped from less than one
shooting sequence per hour in films released in 1985 - the first full year of
the PG-13 designation - to almost three per hour in 2012 movies.”
Sex and sexual content is more suppressed in PG-13 films than violence.
The level of violence allowed in PG-13 movies today is on a level that
many parents/ viewers would deem R-rated. But, violence sells in the
movie industry.
Reuters- fox news

11. “The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence,
including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs
display 812 violent acts per hour; children's programming, particularly
cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly.”
Children are bombarded with violence thousands of times a day. That
being said, is it surprising that we are seeing an uprising in the number of
violent acts committed daily?
Seeing violence depicted so often creates a sense of
normalcy.
Eugene V Beresin, M.D

12. Grand Theft Auto (GTA)- Need I say more?
There are a number of studies resulting in the acknowledgement that
violent video games cause higher levels of violence and lowers levels of
self restraint in the adolescents who play them, regardless of sex.
Women are depicted as sex objects.
It is prized in this game to pick up hookers, beat them, and
take their money.
Violence is not only against the women however,
Let's take a look
violent gaming study

13. Youth today are constantly tuned out of the world and tuned into their music.
In a study done with 7th, 9th, and 11th graders on which media they would
bring to a deserted island music won every time. “Over 80 percent of the
total sample nominated music as one of their first three choices.”
Over the past decades, the amount of violence depicted in both music
videos and lyrics has increased significantly. Studies show that listening to
more violent music increases the violent nature of adolescents.
Donald F. Roberts et. al.

14. Internet violence is new and on the rise.
we see more and more acts of cyberbullying each and every day.
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42% of teens with tech access report being cyberbullied over the past
year
81% of teens say bullying online is easier to get away with
● 20% of teens cyberbullied think about suicide; 1 in 10 attempt
it.
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4500 kids commit suicide each year
● Suicide is the #3 killer of teens (Car accidents #1, Homicides
#2)
1-800-273-TALK(8255) National Suicide Prevention Hotline
stats

15. What can be done?
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Reform of the criteria used to decide movie ratings.
More regulation of tv/children shows; children are highly impressionable
beings. Monkey see, Monkey do.
Parental guidance. Parents need to take a stand with their children, know
what they are watching and listening to. These violent features of our
society really do have lasting effects on the adolescent psyche.
The movie, music, and television industry rely on us, the consumer.
Therefore we call the shots. It’s time to take a stand.

16. World
● Femicide
● Human Trafficking/Modern Slavery
● Militarism
● Activism: “16 Days”

17. “Both gender-based violence and violence against
women are terms used to describe human rights
violations committed against women that stem from
gender inequality and the failure of governments and
societies to recognize the human rights of women.”
Amnesty International, USA

18. FEMICIDE
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gender-based violence against women
○ verbal, physical, sexual harassment
& violence
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femicide: the murder of women
because they are women
○ in situations where women have
less power and fewer resources
Types: intimate, “honour” killings, dowryrelated, non-intimate/sexual femicide
Societal factors that perpetuate
femicide: gender inequality, low number
of women in government positions,
lacking government spending in health
and education areas
“Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Women”
World Health Organization

19. ●
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more than 5000 women and girls are victim to honour
killings per year (deeply embedded cultural
discrimination of females)
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Dowry-related femicide is primarily in the area
surrounding and in India. An estimated 7,600 newly
married women were murdered according to India’s
Crime Bureau, but there have be other sources that
claim 25,000 new brides have be maimed or
murdered instead. Burning and acid attacks are
common practices for these crimes.
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World Health Organization
globally, 35% of women murdered were killed by an
intimate partner
Guatemala 2007: more than 700 women and girls
were murdered after torture and sexual abuse
“Understanding and Addressing Violence Against Women”

20. TRAFFICKING & SLAVERY
Amnesty International
● Adults and children are many times
lured in by the promise of work
28.9 million
Violations of human rights
● physical, psychological and sexual
abuse
● deprivation of liberty
● denial of freedom of movement
● torture and ill-treatment
● in some cases even to the right to life
"Trafficking of Women
and Girls"
Walk Free Foundation - Global Slavery
Index
To read the full Global Slavery Index click here

21. MILITARISM
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There is a historic pattern of violence against women during and after wartime, something
embedded into multiple cultures
○ sexual violence, trafficking, and forced prostitution for soldiers increase during war
○ violence against women, specifically sexual violence, is thought to be a “calculated policy to
attack the heart of a society, to demoralize and dishonour the opponent” (p. 18)
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During the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina, The Bosnian War from 1992-1995, between 20,000 and
50,000 women were victims of sexual violence
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During wartime women and children also may be violated and exploited by their “protectors” such as
UN peacekeepers and aid workers
○ The United Nations has attempted to protect these vulnerable women by having gender
training and codes of conduct
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Families and communities are deeply affected and post-conflict violence against women and
children in these spheres is thought to be common as a way to return gender relations to the way
they were pre-war
UNICEF "Women in an Insecure World"

22. 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
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the theme for this year’s campaign is titled “From Peace in
the Home to Peace in the World” and one focus is on the
link between militarism and gender violence
Keep Informed
● http://www.amnesty.org/
● http://www.amnestyusa.org
● https://twitter.com/AmnestyWomenRts
● http://www.now.org/
● http://www.who.int
Take Action
● Join your local chapter of Amnesty International
● Petition and support campaigns local and
worldwide
● donate funds and necessities to shelters
● spread the word
Amnesty International, USA
NOVEMBER 25 - DECEMBER 10

23. 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence. (2013). Amnesty International USA. Retrieved
from http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/violence-againstwomen/16-days
Global Slavery Index 2013. (2013). Walk Free Foundation. Available from http://www.
globalslaveryindex.org/
Trafficking of women and girls. (2007). Amnesty International. Retrieved from http://www.
amnesty.org/en/campaigns/stop-violence-against-women/issues/implementation-existinglaws/trafficking
Vlachovd, M., & Biason, L. (2005). Women in an insecure world [Data file]. Unicef, 1-32.
Switzerland: Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed
Forces. Available from http://www.unicef.org/emerg/files/women_insecure_world.pdf
World Health Organization (n.d). Femicide factsheet [Data file]. Understanding and Addressing
Violence Against Women. Available from http://www.who.
int/reproductivehealth/topics/violence/vaw_series/en/
World - Sources

24. Violence in the School
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elementary schools
high schools
private schools
students are not the only victims

25. Who is at risk for school violence?
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students with a prior history of violence
drug/alcohol use
poor home life
poor grades
poverty
teachers
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/school_violence_fact_sheet-a.pdf

26. Statistics- students
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in 2010, 800,000 incidents were reported where students ages 12-18 were
the victims of bullying or violence
in the 2009-2010 school year, 33 school-related deaths occured. Almost
half were on school property.
In 2011, 20% of students reported being the victims of bullying
In 2011, 33% of students reported being involved in physical fights within
the year
Incidence of bullying has doubled in recent years
http://www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-school-violence

27. Statistics
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16.2% of students report being bullied over the internet
5.4% of students reported having carried a weapon at least one out of the
past 30 days
7.4% of students report being threatened by a weapon at least one of the
past 30 days at school
in 2011, over 700 thousands students were treated in the emergency room
after an act of violence
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/yv-datasheet-a.pdf

28. Bullying
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1 in 3 students will become the victim of bullying during their k-12
education
21% of students bullied state that it consisted of being made fun of
18% reported being the topic of rumors
11% report physical violence
6% being threatened extensively
5% report being excluded by classmates
out of students bullied, 63% report once or twice during the year, 21%
once or twice per month, 10% once or twice a week, and 7% daily
http://goodwin.drexel.edu/cposav/sav_stats.php

29. Statistics- teachers
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Approximately 7% of teachers report being threatened by a student in the
2011 school year
every year, over 250 thousand teachers report being threatened
43% in cities, 31% suburbs, 11% in towns, 15% rural areas
55% in secondary schools, 45% elementary schools
31% male teachers, 69% female teachers
cumulative days lost by teachers missing school due to violence= 927,000
per year
http://www.apa.org/ed/schools/cpse/activities/violence-against.aspx

30. Specific violent incidents
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“October 21, 2013 - Sparks Middle School - Sparks, Nevada. An unidentified student takes his parent's handgun to school and shoots three, injuring two 12-year-old male students and killing Mike Landsberry, a teacher
and Marine veteran. He then kills himself.”
“December 14, 2012 - Sandy Hook Elementary School - Newtown, Connecticut. Adam Lanza, 20, guns down
20 children, ages 6 and 7, and six adults, school staff and faculty, before turning the gun on himself.
Investigating police later find Nancy Lanza, Adam's mother, dead from a gunshot wound. The final count is 28
dead, including the shooter.”
“January 5, 2011 - Millard South High School, Omaha, Nebraska. 17-year-old Robert Butler Jr. opens fire on
principal Curtis Case and vice principal Vicki Kasper. Butler then kills himself about a mile from the school. Vice
principal Kasper later died at the hospital.”
“February 5, 2010 - Discovery Middle School, Madison, Alabama. 14-year-old Todd Brown dies after being shot
in the head in a school hallway. A fellow ninth-grader is the suspected shooter and is taken into custody.”
“September 23, 2009 - John Tyler High School, Tyler, Texas. A 16-year-old student is taken into custody for
stabbing and killing high school teacher Todd R. Henry.”
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/19/us/u-s-school-violence-fast-facts/

31. What can be done?
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school based prevention programs
parent and family prevention programs
mentoring programs
Sites with more information:
○ www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention
○ www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/index.htm
○ www.vetoviolence.org/stryve/home.html
○ www.stopbullying.goc