Ch 14 Personal Safety and Injury Prevention

Hate Crimes and Terrorism

- *Hate crime*: Fueled by bias against another person's or group's race or ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability. - *Terrorism*: Premeditated, politically motivated violence against noncombatant individuals, usually as a means of influence. -- Example: September 11, 2001, attacks.

Intimate Partner Violence

- *Intimate partner violence (IPV)*: An abusive situation in which one member of a couple or intimate relationship may verbally, emotionally, sexually, or physically abuse the other. - *Domestic (family) violence*: An abusive situation in which family members may verbally, emotionally, sexually, or physically abuse others. - One in four women is the victim of IPV. - One in five women has been raped. - The cycle of violence can be difficult to escape: -- Tension building. -- Acute battering. -- Remorse. - Victims stay in abusive relationships for a variety of reasons; breaking out of an abusive relationship can be very difficult. - Many people lack an understanding of how and why IPV occurs.

Personal Safety and Injury

- *Personal safety*: The practice of making decisions and taking actions that reduce your risk of injury and death. - *Unintentional injury (accident)*: Bodily damage that is not deliberately caused. - *Intentional injury*: Physical harm that is purposefully inflicted through violence.

Other Traffic Injuries and Safety Tips for Pedestrians and Cyclists

- *Traumatic brain injury (TBI)*: An injury that disrupts normal functioning of the brain, caused by a jolt or blow to the brain or a penetrating head wound. - Accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists: 4,200 killed in 2015. - Follow the rules of the road. - Stay visible. - Keep your eyes on the road. - Wear a helmet every time you ride. - Don't drink and ride.

Overview of Intentional Injuries and Violence

- *Violence* is the use of physical force—threatened or actual—with the intent of causing harm. - In 2015, more than 1.2 million violent crimes were committed in the United States, about 3,300 per day. - Of these attacks: -- 62% were aggravated assaults intended to cause serious injury, often involving a weapon. -- 29% were robberies. -- 7% were forcible rapes. -- 1% were murders.

Fire Injuries

- 85% of all fire deaths occur in the home. - 2,600 fire-related deaths occurred in 2015 - U.S. Fire Administration recommends: -- If the door is hot, do not open it. Open a window and scream for help. -- If the door isn't hot, leave the room and head for your planned exit. -- Get down and stay low.

Stalking and Cyberstalking

- A pattern of harassment directed at a specific person that is intended to cause intimidation and fear, often through repeated, unwanted contact. - Common stalking behaviors: -- Making unwanted phone calls. -- Sending unwanted letters, emails, or text messages. -- Following or spying. -- Showing up where there victim will be, or waiting for the victim, with no legitimate reason. -- Leaving unwanted items or presents. -- Posting information or spreading rumors about the victim.

To Avoid Becoming an Assailant

- Accept that "No" means "No." - Someone who is intoxicated cannot legally consent to sex. - Drinking and drugs make it difficult for you to communicate clearly and set limits about sex. - Remember what being together offers: a chance to get to know someone, not an automatic ticket to sex. - Your date has the right to set limits and refuse any level of sexual activity.

Work-Related Injuries

- Almost 3 million workers in the United States were injured on the job in 2015 and about 4,700 died. - *Repetitive strain injury (RSI)*: An injury that damages joints, nerves, and connective tissue and is caused by repeated motions that put strain on one part of the body. -- *Example*: Carpal tunnel syndrome is a repetitive stress injury of the hand or wrist, often linked to computer keyboard use or other types of repetitive motion. - Back injuries

Sexual Violence

- Defined as any form of nonconsensual sexual activity. - Risk factors for sexual violence: -- Hostility toward women. -- Shared tolerance of sexual violence. -- Low self-control. -- Substance abuse. -- "No" isn't always heard as "No."

Drowning and Other Water Injuries

- Drowning causes 10 deaths per day. - Consumption of alcohol is a factor in 60% of those deaths. - Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths among young people aged 10-19. - CDC recommends: -- Take swimming lessons! -- Swim with a companion. -- Never drink alcohol when you are swimming or boating. -- Never dive or jump into an unknown body of water. -- Obey posted signs warning of unsafe swimming conditions. -- Know the signs of a rip current. -- Always wear a personal flotation device (life jacket).

School and Campus Violence and Tips for Campus Safety

- Example of school violence: Columbine High School, Colorado. -- 19 homicides of school-aged children occurred during 2009-2010. - Example of campus violence: Virginia Tech (2007), 32 killed. - *Hazing*: Initiation rituals to enter a fraternity, sorority, or other group that can be humiliating, hazardous, or physically or emotionally abusive, regardless of the person's willingness to participate. - Program numbers for campus safety services into your cell phone. - Keep your room locked and don't loan out your keys. - Don't prop open access doors or let strangers in. - Know where smoke detectors are and make sure they are working; know emergency exits and a fire escape plan. - Drink in moderation, if at all. - Don't make online purchases from a shared computer. - Don't travel alone after dark. - Give friends or family your schedule. - Keep valuables hidden. - Know your surroundings and trust your instincts

Choking and Suffocation

- Lack of oxygen can result in permanent brain damage within 6 minutes. - If choking: -- Try back blows. -- If choking continues, try abdominal thrusts. -- Call 911, then continue abdominal thrusts and back blows

Assault and Murder

- More than 750,000 aggravated assaults are committed each year. - *Aggravated assault*: An attack intended to cause serious physical harm, often involving a weapon. - *Murder*: The act of intentionally and unjustifiably killing another person. -- 14,612 murders occurred in the United States in 2015. - *Homicide*: The killing of one human being by another.

Motor Vehicle Accidents and How Can You Reduce Your Risk for Motor Vehicle Accidents

- No other single cause of death claims more young lives than car crashes. - Factors that increase the risk for motor vehicle accidents: -- *Distracted driving* (23 times higher accident risk when texting). -- *Impaired driving* (alcohol is involved in one-third of all highway fatalities). -- *Skipping seat belts* (15% of people don't consistently use them). -- *Speeding* and other forms of aggressive driving. - Don't get behind the wheel if you've been drinking or using drugs. - Drive only if you have had adequate sleep. - Allow enough time for your trip. - Ensure your vehicle is in good working order.

Rape

- Nonconsensual oral, anal, or vaginal penetration by body parts or objects; using force, threats of bodily harm, or taking advantage of circumstances that make a person incapable of consenting to sex. - *Date (acquaintance) rape*: Coerced, forceful, or threatening sexual activity in which the victim knows the attacker. - *Statutory rape*: Any sexual activity with a person younger than the legally defined "age of consent," regardless of whether any coercion or force was involved. - *Date rape drugs*: Used to assist in a sexual assault; often given to the victim without his or her knowledge or consent.

Reducing the Risk of Date Rape

- Practice safety when dating someone you don't know well—stay in public; arrange for your own transportation. - Watch out for coercive behavior. - Trust your instincts. - Stay sober, and don't accept drinks. - Be assertive and direct with your words and actions. - Don't be afraid to use "No!" or "Stop!"

If You Are Raped or Sexually Assaulted

- Remember that you are not to blame. - Every situation is different, so use your best judgment regarding resisting. - After an assault, go to a place where you feel safe and call someone you trust. - Write down as many facts about the attack as you remember. - Try not to change your clothes or clean up. - Go to the hospital to be treated and tested. - Make a decision about reporting the attack -Campus advocacy: SAVE, SAFER, Campus-Men-of Strength-Club.

Addressing Violence Within Relationships

- Risk factors for those with a potential for violence: -- Low self-esteem. -- Low academic achievement. -- A history of aggressive or delinquent behavior. -- A history of having been abused as a child. -- Alcohol or other substance abuse. -- Anger and hostility. -- Depression and social isolation. -- Belief in strict gender roles. -- Desire for power and control.

Factors That Lead to Violence

- Sex - Age - Guns - Poverty - Interpersonal relationships - Drugs and alcohol - Childhood environment - Violence in the media - Personal and cultural beliefs - Stress

Effects of Sexual Violence

- Sexual violence has both immediate and long-term consequences on psychological and social health: -- Depression and increased risk of suicide. -- Substance abuse. -- Sleep disorders. -- Sexual dysfunction. -- Post-traumatic stress disorder. -- Decreased capacity to form intimate bonds with partners.

Sexual Harassment

- Unwelcome sexual advances that explicitly or implicitly affect academic or employment situations, unreasonably interfere with work or school performance, or create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or school environment. - In 2013, 11,364 cases of sexual harassment were filed in the United States. - Can occur in a variety of circumstances. - The harasser's conduct must be unwelcome. -- The victim and harasser may be a woman or a man; the two parties do not have to be of the opposite sex. -- The harasser can be the victim's supervisor, teacher, agent of the employer, co-worker, fellow student, or nonemployee or nonstudent. -- The victim does not have to be the person harassed, but can be anyone affected by the offensive conduct. -- Harassment may occur even if the victim suffers no economic injury or stays on the job or at school.

Factors That Lead to Unintentional Injuries

Substance abuse Sex Age Environmental factors Divided attention