According to the definition, violence is the deliberate use of physical strength or power, actual or in the form of a threat directed against themselves, against another person, group of persons or community, the result (or there is a high degree of probability of this) bodily harm, death, psychological injury, developmental deviations or various kinds of damage.
According to the official position of WHO, the causes of violence are partly due to biological or other personal factors, a person’s predisposition to aggression, however, most often, such factors interact with family, cultural and other external factors and thus create a situation in which violence arises.
Family is a fairly closed system that occur in it in negative moments (quarrels, conflicts, punishments) most often, hidden from others and are inaccessible to the public and law enforcement agencies.
Types of violence in the family: physical; Psychological, sexual and economic.
Psychological violence is the most common type of violence in the family, it includes humiliation, insult, control, isolation, restriction of the circle of communication of the victim, “brainwashing”, interrogation, blackmail, and threats of causing violence.
Physical violence is a direct or indirect effect on the victim in order to cause physical harm: causing injuries, serious bodily injuries, beatings, kicks, flipping, shocks, slaps in the face, and more. One of the forms of domestic violence in the family is bodily punishment.
Sexual violence is any forced sexual action or the use of another person’s sexuality.
Economic violence - attempts to deprive one adult member of a family of another opportunity to dispose of the family budget, have funds and the right to dispose of them at their discretion, economic pressure on minor children, etc.
Lack of concern is neglect of the main needs of a person (in food, clothing, medical care, supervision and more).
In the family, women and children become the most frequent victims of violence.
According to official statistics: every third woman in the country suffers from physical violence in the family, while only a third of them turn for help.
Children, in turn, can become both involuntary witnesses and direct victims of violence. It must be understood that periodic quarrels in the family is an ordinary phenomenon and completely avoid this option of clarifying the relationship. The danger is given by situations when aggression crosses the boundaries and is brutal constant in nature. This can not only cause physical harm to the health of the child, but also negatively affect his mental state, including the cause of pathological changes in character, and subsequently go into a “bad habit” to find out any conflict with the help of verbal and even physical aggression.
Health organizations carry out measures to prevent and combat violence in the family in several areas:
- primary prevention of violence;
- the provision of specialized psychiatric
- (psychotherapeutic, psychological) assistance to victims of violence;
- Secondary prevention of violence - the transfer of information to the competent authorities to take the necessary measures.
On the information stands and sites of healthcare organizations, information about the medical consequences of violence, the possibilities of state healthcare organizations, structural divisions in which you can get the necessary psychiatric (psychotherapeutic) assistance, the possibility of obtaining emergency psychological assistance by calling the phone number of regional services of emergency psychological assistance are posted.
As part of the work on the prevention of violence in the family, medical workers carry out work on the prevention of maladaptive conditions in children and adolescents, the use of psychoactive substances, children's injuries and the prevention of offenses among minors, including by placing thematic materials in the media and participation in various programs on television and press conferences
Medical workers, together with interested prevention services, participate in the implementation of measures for the early detection of minors with addictive forms of behavior or in crisis situations.
Patients affected by domestic violence are provided with a comprehensive examination and the provision of qualified medical, psychological and social assistance.
Depending on the situation, such assistance can be provided in outpatient, stationary or in the conditions of psychiatric departments of daytime stay. What is especially important, at present, psychotherapeutic and psychological assistance is available in clinics and general somatic hospitals of the republic.
In the RSPC of mental health, specialized medical diagnostic and socio-recovery assistance to children with mental and behavioral disorders (diseases), including children affected by violence.
In accordance with the legislation (Decree of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated December 18, 2014 No. 1192), information about persons applying for medical care in connection with violence (physical injuries, psychological injuries) is transferred to the relevant territorial internal affairs bodies for taking the necessary measures.
According to departmental statistical reporting in the form “Information on the number of injuries, accidents and poisoning registered for the first time in the life of the medical organization” in the Republic of Belarus, the following number of cases of injuries and cruel circulation was registered:
- g. - 649 cases;
- g. - 400 cases;
- G. - 765 cases;
- G. - 409 cases.
Practical advice on the prevention of domestic violence.
How not to become a victim of domestic violence? What to do if you are faced with him? There are few advice, but they are very important.
Do not be silent! Call the hot lines, contact
State bodies!
Pay attention to the “markers” of violence already at the first stage of acquaintance with young people: does a man forbid you to see friends, whether communication with his parents limits.
Take a closer look at each other in advance. Psychologists say: aggression and violence are more common in families where both partners are explosive, not patience, do not know how to wait and analyze.
Do not be indifferent if you know that one of the acquaintances is subjected to domestic violence, or see it.
Raise the children in respect for each other.
Pay attention to violence against children. It is no less important than in relation to women, and can have more serious consequences.
Remember that psychological assistance is needed both by victims of violence and aggressors.
In all areas of the Republic and Minsk, the emergency psychological assistance service by the phone "Phone of trust" has been created and operates. Help is provided by highly qualified specialists in the field of psychology and psychotherapy for free and anonymously.
Emergency Psychological Assistance Service "Television":
G. Minsk:
- for adults - 8-017 - 2904444
- for children - 8 - 017 - 2630303
Brest region - 8 - 0162 - 255727
Vitebsk region - 8 - 0212 - 616060
Gomel region - 8 - 0232 - 315161
Grodno region- 8-0152-170
Minsk region - 8 - 017 - 2020401
Mogilev region - 8 - 0222 - 473161
The provision of distance psychological assistance to children and adolescents is carried out as part of a confidence phone-emergency psychological assistance for children and adolescents 8 017 263-03-03 (anonymously, around the clock), a children's telephone line 8 801 100 1611 (anonymously, around the clock, free of charge). On both lines there are qualified child psychologists who provide
psychological assistance to a child or a teenager who fell into a crisis, as well as advise persons interested in
life and development of the child.
The helpline of the Ministry of Internal Affairs works (on weekdays from 9-00 to 18-00)
8 017 2187222.
A nationwide hotline for the victims of domestic violence: 8-801-100-8-801.
