Violence

Analysis and Comment (25)

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In an analysis of seven sites in NSW, the highest crime rates correlated with the highest levels of lead in the air. Flickr/Frank de Kleine

Childhood lead exposure linked to crime in adulthood

By Mark Taylor; Bruce Lanphear, Simon Fraser University; Damian Gore; Miriam Forbes, and Sammy Zahran, Colorado State University

Australians who were exposed to high levels of lead as children may be at greater risk of committing violent and impulsive crimes two decades later, our yet-to-be-published research suggests. The origins…
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In the wake of the Sandy Hook shootings, we need to more concerned than ever about the effects of violent videogames. JBLivin/Flickr

Violent videogames should worry us (but shouldn’t be banned)

By Andy Ruddock, Monash University

The Connecticut town of Southington last week introduced a videogames return program, offering a $25 gift card to parents who wanted to rid their households of violent titles. The program comes in the…
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Does the media need to rethink their reporting on violence against women? AAP/Melissa Iaria

Reporting on violence against women not up to par

By Violeta Politoff, University of Melbourne

A journalist and friend once said to me, “everyone thinks they’ve been badly represented by the media". This struck me, as for the past three years Melbourne Law School Professor Jenny Morgan and I have…
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Syrian rebels are using violence, but it may not be in their best interest. EPA/Cem Ozdel

What hope is there for violent resistance in Syria?

By Luke Glanville, Griffith University

What should we hope for when we look at the ongoing crisis in Syria? I don’t really know anymore. The most interesting book that I have read this year is Why Civil Resistance Works: The Strategic Logic…
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A Syrian woman in Turkey prays for those left behind. EPA/Tolga Bozoglu

Rape in Syria: a weapon of war or instrument of terror?

By Sara Meger, University of Melbourne

In Syria, rape is being used by armed groups as a means to an end. In this context, reports have emerged detailing the use of sexual violence by Syrian armed forces and paramilitaries loyal to Assad…
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Online stalking gets far too much attention, but it’s worth making some changes to prevent it happening to you. Flickr/Ed Yourdon

Stop the trolls: how to prevent cyber stalking happening to you

By Rosemary Purcell, University of Melbourne

Recent cases of online abuse against Charlotte Dawson and NRL player Robbie Farah have attracted considerable media attention and triggered public debate about how to respond to this issue. But how big…
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James Holmes was a crazed loner, but the people in the cinema at Aurora have stronger stories about blockbuster movies. EPA/RJ Sangosti/ Pool

The Aurora shootings: blockbuster movies can bring out our best

By Andy Ruddock, Monash University

The immediate information emerging in the aftermath of James Holmes’ murder rampage in Aurora, Colorado, makes a good case for the idea that media violence begets the real thing. A closer look, however…
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Friends of the teenager who has been accused of killing Thomas Kelly leave court last week. AAP/Paul Miller

Blame it on the booze: mass drinking drives Sydney’s violence

By Stephen Tomsen, University of Western Sydney

The recent unprovoked killing of a young reveller named Thomas Kelly by a male stranger in Sydney’s Kings Cross has set off extensive community and political debate about the violence that is associated…
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Emerging evidence suggests early parental supply of alcohol is associated with increased risks. AdamCohn

How to set teens up for a healthy relationship with alcohol

By Steve Allsop, Curtin University

Young Australians are exposed to a range of risks from alcohol, both from drinking themselves and other people’s use. According to the most recent National Drug Strategy Household Survey: A third of…
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The supposed link between videogames and violence is riddled with holes. Rudy Lara

Bite the bullet: videogames don’t make deadly shooters

By Brendan Keogh, RMIT University

Is there an explicit link between playing violent videogames and becoming a deadly killer? If we are to take seriously a new study published in the journal Communication Research, there seems to be. Cue…
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The boundary between the military and everyday life is being eroded by videogames. gelle.dk

Anders Breivik, videogames and the militarisation of society

By John Martino, Victoria University

The ongoing trial of Norwegian right-wing extremist Anders Breivik has generated a great deal of media coverage, public debate and analysis. Much of this has focused on claims made by Breivik that he…
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No independent studies have examined the safety of Tasers on diverse populations.

Why the taser-related death toll is rising

By Jude McCulloch, Monash University

The death of 21-year-old Brazilian national, Roberto Laudisio Cruti, on a Sydney street after being tasered by police has ignited questions about the safety and police use of these weapons. Tasers, the…
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Cast – Elizabeth Banks (L-R), Liam Hemsworth, Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson – and director Gary Ross at the premiere of The Hunger Games in Germany. EPA/BRITTA PEDERSEN

Serious themes for young adults sets The Hunger Games apart

By Sue Page, University of South Australia

The film adaptation of the first of Suzanne Collins' trilogy, The Hunger Games, will premiere nationally tomorrow. The books and film are set in a post-apocalyptic America, where teenagers are forced to…
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An anti-Gaddafi fighter holds human remains from a mass grave. Despite this, overall violence among humans has been dropping. AAP/Mohamed Messara

The world has never been as safe and peaceful as it is now

By John Armstrong, University of Melbourne

Hard though it may be to believe, there has been a long-term, very significant decline in all kinds of violence around the world. In his most recent book, The Better Angels of Our Nature, Harvard evolutionary…
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Soccer fans in NSW in 2005 after a disturbance between supporters of rival teams. AAP

A-League fans: don’t label them football hooligans

By NAJ Taylor, La Trobe University

The late Johnny Warren deftly described some Australians' attitude to football as being a game for “sheilas, wogs, and poofters”. Whilst public interest has increased markedly following successive World…
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Young people who feel excluded from mainstream politics often join extreme groups to ‘belong’. AFP/Wojtek Radwanski

Youth violence and group identity: understanding radical protest

By Jeffrey Murer, University of St Andrews

Many young people in Europe think violent protest can be a legitimate response to the political system they feel no connection to. They believe government pays very little attention to them and have very…
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Some groups in Karachi have demanded the army takes to the streets to restore law and order. EPA/Rehan Khan

Karachi violence putting NATO troops in Afghanistan at risk

By Claude Rakisits, Deakin University

There is a threat to Nato forces in Afghanistan which the world is ignoring. Violent gangs have been killing indiscriminately in Karachi, the Pakistani city vital to the supply chain which sustains ISAF…
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West Coast Eagles player Patrick McGinnity has been suspended after making comments about another player’s mother. AAP

The mother of all headaches: culture change in the AFL

By Kathryn Hegarty, RMIT University

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou constantly reminds us that women love Aussie Rules and that the AFL returns that respect and allegiance. The key expression of this regard, the AFL’s Respect and Responsibility…

Research and News (1)

Research Briefs (9)

Why monkeys are fascinated with violence

University of Lincoln

Monkeys who observe fights tend to exploit the losers for grooming favours. This may provide an evolutionary context for…

Six signs your child may become a bully

Iowa State University

Researchers in the US have identified six risk factors that help predict the likelihood of a child bullying others. These…

Violent videogames change self-perception

Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

New research has found evidence that playing violent video games leads players to see themselves, and their opponents, as…

Participants (117)