Aubel Amanda J, Wintemute Garen J, Kravitz-Wirtz Nicole
Violence Prevention Research Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 2315 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA; California Firearm Violence Research Center at UC Davis, 2315 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
Violence Prevention Research Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, 2315 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA; California Firearm Violence Research Center at UC Davis, 2315 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
Prev Med. 2023 Feb;167:107421. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2023.107421. Epub 2023 Jan 11.
Most research on exposure to violence focuses on direct victimization, offending, or witnessed violence, yet many people also experience concerns about potential violence in their environments and social networks. Using a state-representative survey of California adults (n = 2870) administered in July 2020, we estimate the prevalence of anticipatory concerns about violence within respondents' social networks and describe characteristics of the persons at perceived risk of violence, reasons for respondents' concerns, and actions undertaken by respondents to reduce that risk. Approximately 1 in 5 respondents knew at least one person, usually a friend or extended family member, whom they perceived to be at risk of other- or self-directed violence. Among respondents living with the person at perceived risk, about one-quarter reported household firearm ownership. Alcohol and substance misuse and a history of violence were among respondents' top reasons for concern; serious mental illness and firearm access also contributed to concerns. About one-quarter of respondents with such concerns said harm was likely or very likely to occur in the next year. Most respondents reported having taken action to reduce the risk of violence, including providing resources and asking family or friends to help; few acted to reduce access to lethal means. The most common reasons for inaction were the perception that a dangerous situation was unlikely and that it was a personal matter. Our findings can help inform a broader understanding of exposure to violence and interventions that leverage the knowledge of those close to persons at risk to prevent violence.
大多数关于接触暴力的研究都集中在直接受害、犯罪或目睹暴力上，然而许多人也会对其所处环境和社交网络中的潜在暴力感到担忧。我们利用2020年7月对加利福尼亚州成年人进行的一项具有州代表性的调查（n = 2870），估计了受访者社交网络中对暴力的预期担忧的患病率，并描述了被认为有暴力风险的人的特征、受访者担忧的原因以及受访者为降低该风险所采取的行动。大约五分之一的受访者认识至少一个他们认为有他人或自我导向暴力风险的人，通常是朋友或大家庭成员。在与被认为有风险的人一起生活的受访者中，约四分之一报告家中拥有枪支。酗酒和药物滥用以及暴力史是受访者最主要的担忧原因；严重精神疾病和枪支获取也引发了担忧。约四分之一有此类担忧的受访者表示，伤害在明年很可能或极有可能发生。大多数受访者报告已采取行动降低暴力风险，包括提供资源以及请求家人或朋友提供帮助；很少有人采取行动减少致命手段的获取。不采取行动的最常见原因是认为危险情况不太可能发生以及这是个人问题。我们的研究结果有助于更全面地理解接触暴力的情况以及利用接近有风险人员的人的知识来预防暴力的干预措施。
