Michaela Carbaat & Tessa Cortez

RESOLVING CONFLICTS AND PREVENTING VIOLENCE

• Referred to disagreements, struggles, or fights.

• Conflicts between people/groups are interpersonal conflicts

• Escalate: become more serious

• Emotions can get out of control

• Revenge and make the situation unsafe

• Misunderstandings• Power struggles• Personal loyalties• Jealousy and envy• Property disputes• Conflicting attitudes and

values• Lack of respect

Understanding Common Causes

CAUSES OF CONFLICTLESSON 1

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICTS

• Can bring out positive results

• Help improve communication & problem solving skills

• Improve social health

• Strengthens relationships

• Stress, headaches and lost sleep

• Harm emotional & social health

• Can cause loss of jobs

• Can lead to serious injury and/or death

• Easier to prevent than to resolve

• Adjusting your own behavior

• Try to relax

• Don’t be bothered as much by others

• Don’t be bothered by words as much

• Avoid people that bother you in general

Results of Confl icts Preventing Confl icts

UNDERSTANDING CONFLICTS

• Two choices: walk away or respond

• Think before you act• Manage anger• Practice conflict

resolution• Conflict resolution:

cooperation and problem solving

• Can often resolve minor conflicts

• Unwise to compromise when it can have harmful

consequences Or can go against you &

your values

Responding Compromise

RESOLVING CONFLICTSLESSON 2

RESPONDING TO CONFLICT

• If not resolved it can get much worse

• Can result in violence• Violence doesn’t solve

conflicts• A good strategy is

negotiation Use of communication &

compromise to settle disagreements

• Involves talking, listening, and conmsideration

• Mutual respect is key

Eff ective The Negotiation Process

EFFECTIVE NEGOTIATION

1. Take time to calm down & think the situation over

2. Let each party explain where they’re coming from (use good communication skills)

3. Clarification if necessary

4. Brainstorm solutions

5. Discuss advantages & disadvantages of the solution

6. Agree on a solution

7. Follow up and see if the solution works for each party

THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS CONTINUED

• Careful planning• Choose the time and

place carefully• Check your facts• Plan what you will say

• Staying calm is highly important

• Attack the problem not each other

• Avoid blaming and name-calling

• Keep an open mind• Listen attentively• Be willing to take

responsibility and apologize

Preparing for Negotiation

Tips for Successful Negotiation

THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS

• Consider mediation if a resolution cannot be reached

• Mediation: bringing in a neutral 3rd party to help resolve the situation

• Mediation is “being in the middle”• Can help reduce the level of

confrontation• Help w/ long debating conflicts & threats

to everyday life• Can be formal or informal

THE MEDIATION PROCESS

• Formal mediation involves help of a mediator• Informal is as simple as asking a teacher• Effective mediation depends on: Neutrality Confidentiality Well-defined ground rules• Each party can present their side of the

situation/argument• Mediator summarizes points made & leads discussion• Mediator doesn’t make judgements or give solutions• Mediator can help the parties see the good and bad

points of the ideas

THE MEDIATION PROCESS

• A process where trained students help others peacefully resolve problems

• Typically involves: Making introductions Establishing ground rules Hearing each side Exploring solutions Wrapping it up

PEER MEDIATION

• Result from interpersonal conflicts that get escalated out of control

• Can also be random• Uncontrolled

anger/frustration• A need to control others• Hatred/prejudice against a

certain group• Revenge

• Children & teens more likely to be involved in violence

• Teens more committed to school & have negative attitudes toward crime are less likely

Causes

UNDERSTANDING VIOLENCELESSON 3

CAUSES OF VIOLENCE

• Alcohol plays a role in many violent crimes

• Lowers self control = less likely to restrain violent impulses

• Damage peoples judgement

• Teens can engage in violent crimes to get money for drugs

• People who use them are more likely to fight, carry weapons and unsafe sexual activity

• Some violent lifestyles put them at risk for problems like substance abuse

• Low self-esteem• Insecure teens may use

violence to prove themselves

• Use violence as revenge• Teens w/ low self-esteem

may join gangs• Stress depression and

strong emotions can cause teens to become violent

Alcohol and Drug UseMental and Emotional

Problems

CAUSES OF VIOLENCE

• 1 in 5 high school students reported having carried a weapon within the past 30 days

• 5% claim they have carried a gun

• Weapon access increases violence

• Strategies for weapon protection:

Don’t carry a weapon If someone you know is carrying

a weapon tell a trusted adult If parents own a gun at home

encourage them to equip it with a trigger lock, store it unloaded, and put it locked away

• More than 60% of all tv shows and almost 90% of top-rated video games contain violence

• Scenes containing violence fail to show the consequences

• Young people who view violent scenes may interpret it to be normal/positive

• Teens act more aggressive after watching violent television

Availability of Weapons Violence in the Media

CAUSES OF VIOLENCE

• Involved in: Drug dealing Robbery Violent attacks on rival gangs• Teens who join either want

protection from violence or want to fit in

• Teens in gangs are more likely to commit serious/violent crimes

• More likely to become victims• Being in a gang reduces chances of

graduating & getting a steady job

• Teen gang members can end up as career criminals

• To avoid gang influence: Be aware of gang activity• It will able you to not dress a

certain way and get suspected as a member

Seek out positive alternatives to gang membership

Be prepared to use refusal skills

Gang Violence

CAUSES OF VIOLENCE

• In almost half of all violent crimes the victims know their attackers

• Assault: an unlawful physical attack or threat of attack

• Range from minor threats to attacks resulting life-threatening injuries

• Each year > 4 million assaults occur in the U.S

• More than 1 million result in injuries

Types Assaults and Homicides

TYPES OF VIOLENCE

• May take form of random violence: violence committed for no specific reason

• Homicide: the willful killing of one human being by another

• Avoid risk factors by avoiding: drugs, alcohol, weapons and gangs

ASSAULTS & HOMICIDES CONTINUED

• Sexual harassment may lead to sexual violence• Sexual violence: any form of unwelcomed sexual contact

directed at an individual• Sexual assault: any intentional sexual attack against

another person• Rape: any form of sexual intercourse that takes place

against a person’s will• Rape is a crime least likely to be reported• Most victims are female & most rapists are male• More than half rape victims are under 18• Rape & sexual assault are crimes as to where victims

most likely know their attackers

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

• Be aware of surroundings• Don’t go places w/

someone you don’t know/trust

• Attend parties w/ friends• Avoid alcohol & drugs• Trust your instincts

• In some cases surviving means resisting the attacker or to submit

• Try to stall• Distract the attacker or

scream to attract attention• Report crime right away• Don’t bathe or brush teeth

until examined

Avoiding Sexual ViolenceResponding to Sexual

Attacks

SEXUAL VIOLENCE

• Seek medical help for injuries• If appropriate, get tested for pregnancies or STD’s• Survivors need time to heal both physically and

emotionally• Counseling can help survivors recover from their

experience

RESPONDING TO SEXUAL ATTACKS CONTINUED

• Any crime motivated by hatred of or prejudice against a specific group.

• People are targeted due to: race, religion, culture, sexual orientation etc.

• Hate crime forms: harassment, vandalism, arson and assault & homicide

• Best way to stop them is to change the attitudes behind them

HATE CRIMES

• Abuse is the physical, mental, emotional, or sexual mistreatment of 1 person by another

• Abusive relationship if::acts jealous or possessive, threatens other, controls others behavior etc

• Physical: pattern of intentionally causing bodily harm or injury to another

• Emotional: attacking another person’s emotional development & sense of worth

• Verbal: use of words to mistreat or injure another person

• Sexual: sexual contact that is forced upon a person against their will

• Stalking: repeatedly harassing, following,& threatening an individual

Abuse in relationships Forma of abuse

PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING ABUSE LESSON 4

• Know your limits with regard to sexual activity

• Know warning signs in an abusive relationship

• Date rape:1 person in a relationship forces the other person to take part in sexual intercourse

• Acquaintance rape: the attacker is someone the victim knows casually or is a friend

Protecting Yourself from Abuse

Date Rape & Acquaintance Rape

PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING ABUSE

• Drinking lowers inhibitions & impairs judgement

• Females & males are more likely to be sexually attacked when drinking

• Rapists tend to use drugs to subdue their victims

• Stay sober & aware of what’s going on around you

• Be clear of sexual limits w/ partners

• ALWAYS get own beverages at parties & NEVER leave it uncovered/unattended

• Have a way to get home

Alcohol, Date, and Date Rape

Avoiding Date Rape

PREVENTING & OVERCOMING ABUSE

• Seek professional help• Talk about experience in

a safe supportive environment

• Seek support from parents, guardians, trusted adults, teachers coaches, etc

• Counseling• Trained therapist

• Counseling• Abuse is a learned

behavior• Many abusers were once

victims

Help for Survivors Help for Abusers

PREVENTING AND OVERCOMING ABUSE