Physical Abuse

Prevention

Prevent violence in your home.

• Learn nonviolent ways to resolve conflicts. Arguing is fine, even healthy, as long as it does not turn violent. For more information on anger control, see the topic Anger, Hostility, and Violent Behavior.

Keep yourself safe from violence.

• Be alert to warning signs, such as threats or drunkenness, so that you can avoid a dangerous situation. If you cannot predict when violence may occur, have an exit plan for use in an emergency.
• Prevent violence with firearms and other weapons. Do not provide your children or teenagers with unsupervised access to guns or other dangerous weapons.
  • Do not keep loaded firearms in your home.
  • If you must keep firearms in your home, unload them and lock them up. Lock ammunition in a separate place.
  • Do not keep firearms in a home where there is someone who has a drug or alcohol problem, is prone to violent behavior, or has threatened suicide.
  • Make sure that no one in your home will have access to firearms or other weapons unless they know how to use them safely.
• If you are no longer living with a violent person, contact the police to obtain a restraining order if your abuser continues to pursue you and act violently toward you.
• Teach your children that violence is not a solution. Settle arguments without yelling or hitting. Do not use physical discipline, such as spanking, pinching, ear pulling, jabbing, shoving, choking, or strangling. If you need help controlling your children, consider taking a course in parenting skills.
• Limit your child's exposure to TV, movies, and video games to no more than 1 to 2 hours per day.
  • Participate in healthy alternatives, such as sports, interactive play, and reading, with your child.
  • Watch television with your children to discuss or limit violent content.
  • Use a "V-chip" to filter broadcast programming.
  • Do not glamorize weapon carrying or use firearms in play.
• Learn how to recognize signs of violent behavior in your teenager.

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Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS	Last Updated: January 18, 2008
Medical Review:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Brigid McCaw, MD, MS, MPH, FACP - Family Violence Prevention
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