Violence

Three Forms of Violence

Physical violence is the material manifestation of harmful aggression with the intent to injure others. Examples include beating, burning, bombing, torturing, raping, or shooting. Violent occurrences characterized as social problems include wars, homicides, suicides, school shootings, production and sale of weapons, capital punishment, terrorism, sexual assault, and domestic violence such as child abuse and wife beating. Under the umbrella of physical violence, three nuanced typologies exist: self-directed, interpersonal, and collective violence. Self-directed violence includes self-mutilation and suicide. Interpersonal violence is violence manifested between individuals or communities, whether known to one another or not. Collective violence is the instrumental use of force by people who self-identify as members of a particular group who oppose another group. In such a case, they engage in violence to achieve political, economic, or social objectives. Examples include armed conflicts between states, genocides, and terrorism.

Structural violence refers to economic and political structures that constrain human capabilities. This type of violence is often called the violence of hunger, poverty, or humiliation. While not directly imposing manifestations of physical force, structural violence involves policies and institutions that indirectly cause harm and constrain opportunities for individuals or groups. An example of structural violence is a World Bank/International Monetary Fund policy called “structural adjustment,” which did not directly mandate physical force against people but did impose regulations on governments. These policies constrained access to lifesaving social services for millions of civilians living in developing countries.

Symbolic violence is the imposition of perceptions and groupings of thought upon a marginalized social agent who accepts this social order as just, thereby perpetuating the dominant structures. An example of symbolic violence is gender inequity. Specifically, symbolic violence is at play when a woman sees it as her role to take on an unequal share of burdensome work. Yet in her actions, she is also upholding an economy that men dominate.

Violence as a Social Problem

As a social problem, violence is pervasive globally. More than 1.6 million people die every year from violence. In addition, the wake of violence causes injury to millions more and has numerous health, social, and economic consequences. The harmful effects of violence on health include physical symptoms such as bruises and serious brain injuries, psychological consequences such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, and behavioral consequences such as alcohol and drug abuse. Social consequences of violence include strained relationships and social isolation, which can impact school performance and employment opportunities. Violence also places a sizeable burden on economies through exorbitant health care and legal costs as well as lost productivity.

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