This chapter breaks down an array of cause and effect situations, including some that may not have some cause. We start the chapter with the violent aspects of things. The first delves into the interpersonal violence, and discusses homicide and hate crimes. Historically, political and religious topics were at the forefront violent encounters, but it is certainly not limited to this. We learn about hate crimes, and the act of intimidating or being destructive towards people or a property via offender bias.
What is considered bias stretches throughout the entirety of the chapter, including, gender, political, religious, racial, sexual and ethnic. With that, it’s important to highlight the differences and definitions between prejudice and discrimination. Prejudice is defined as an irrational attitude of hostility directed against an individual, group race or the supposed characteristic of said person. Discrimination, constitutes the actions that deny equal treatment or opportunities to a group of people.
Violence can come about in many situations, including internally, like in familial situations, relationships, both sexual and non-sexual, and collective. We often see familial and relationship based examples in movies, where women are depicted as victims in violent situations; i.e., being raped, beaten, verbally abused, and so on.
Other forms of sexual violence can come in the form of harassment, where some is forced submission from positions of power in the work place, or in other situations where one is being made uncomfortable with verbal or physical acts. This also includes stalking, where a reasonable individual feels fear from the unwanted attention or proximity of another. Let’s all be mindful of our limits, and what we are alright with in any moment. Making sure we say enough is enough, and making our feelings known in every situation.
Collective violence is something we see on the news, or depending where we live, in the streets; including gang violence and terrorism. In these cases, and in many others, we have to make a conscious effort to avoid becoming a victim. For starters, lets not put everything online and trust me I know it’s not easy. Everything is so public and out there, that limiting our exposure may be difficult, but it’s your life and safety on the line. Beyond this, be alert, and be focused- you’ll never know when or where your attacker may be coming from, so those are key components in staying safe.
The most important part of this chapter, were the concepts on rape culture. We’ve seen what it’s been like on campus, in recent years, and I’m sure we all have a friend who has fallen victim to this, and by no stretch of the imagination, is it anything easy to deal with. I, too, have fallen victim to molestation in my younger years, and if I knew then what I know now, maybe things could have been different. I never spoke out, or asked for help; the one person I thought I’d come out to at the time, in a casual conversation defended male socialization, and I’m not sure if it was their internal denial, or their actual view point that made them feel that way.
All in all, we need to make responsible choices, all across the board, drinking and driving, texting and driving, even in the fun activities we enjoy. 818 cyclists have died in traffic collisions and there are at least 40 deaths reported per year, for skiing incidents. Making sure to protect yourself, wear your helmets, and know your limits, and whatever you do, don’t impair yourself with drinking or drug use during any of these activities.
Nonetheless, we all need to be open and mindful of both yourself and those around you. Shifting blame is toxic in every aspect, and we truly need to be the change we want to see in the world. With that, how is everyone else’s health changes going? I haven’t been to the gym this week, as I’ve been deep in my final semester of school. I’m still doing low carb, and I love it. I’ve seen the most results with this diet, and essentially feel a lot better in my day to day, and I see more results than not with this.
Monica's Road To Health 