tag:theconversation.com,2011:/us/topics/assaults-15693/articlesAssaults – The Conversation2022-10-31T19:02:23Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1914972022-10-31T19:02:23Z2022-10-31T19:02:23ZThis Melbourne Cup, alcohol and sport collide. We need to watch out for domestic violence<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490762/original/file-20221020-25-1bq09z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=2%2C0%2C1914%2C1279&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-squeezing-a-woman-s-shoulder-4379914/">Karolina Grabowska/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Not everyone looks forward to the Melbourne Cup. Domestic violence and emergency services ready themselves for a <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/%7E/media/resourcecentre/publicationsandresources/alcohol%20misuse/drinkingcultures-sportingevents/fullreport_drinkingcultures-sportingevents_vichealth-turningpoint.ashx">potential increase</a> in calls, call-outs and admissions.</p>
<p>But as our recent <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hsc.14028">review shows</a>, the Melbourne Cup isn’t the only major sporting event around the world linked to a rise in domestic violence. </p>
<p>Not everyone agrees on why this is happening. We show alcohol is just one factor.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/is-the-melbourne-cup-still-the-race-that-stops-the-nation-or-are-we-saying-nuptothecup-170801">Is the Melbourne Cup still the race that stops the nation – or are we saying #nuptothecup?</a>
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<h2>What’s going on?</h2>
<p>Police-recorded assaults and emergency department presentations for assault <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/%7E/media/resourcecentre/publicationsandresources/alcohol%20misuse/drinkingcultures-sportingevents/fullreport_drinkingcultures-sportingevents_vichealth-turningpoint.ashx">increase</a> on or around the major sporting events in Victoria – the AFL grand final, Melbourne Cup and Formula 1.</p>
<p>In particular, domestic violence assaults <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/%7E/media/resourcecentre/publicationsandresources/alcohol%20misuse/drinkingcultures-sportingevents/fullreport_drinkingcultures-sportingevents_vichealth-turningpoint.ashx">rise significantly</a> on the day of the Melbourne Cup.</p>
<p>In New South Wales, police data across six years shows domestic violence assaults increased <a href="http://fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/The-association-between-State-of-Origin-and-assaults-in-two-Australian-states-noEM.pdf">by more than 40%</a> following State of Origin rugby league games compared with non-State of Origin nights.</p>
<p>Our review also shows domestic violence <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hsc.14028">increases</a> on days of, and around, major sporting events around the world. This includes major National Football League games in the United States and Canada, and soccer matches in Scotland.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/whether-teams-win-or-lose-sporting-events-lead-to-spikes-in-violence-against-women-and-children-99686">Whether teams win or lose, sporting events lead to spikes in violence against women and children</a>
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<h2>Why is this happening?</h2>
<p>Not everyone agrees on why domestic violence is linked with major sporting events. We know perpetrators are more likely to use violence or become more violent <a href="https://web.archive.org.au/awa/20090129005223mp_/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/93593/20090129-1148/Stakeholder+paper_2.pdf">during public holidays</a> in Australia. Both the AFL grand final and the Melbourne Cup receive a dedicated public holiday in Victoria on or around the event.</p>
<p>Alcohol is certainly a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/add.15485">risk factor</a> for increased frequency and severity of domestic violence. The use of alcohol during major sports events and over holidays is <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/%7E/media/resourcecentre/publicationsandresources/alcohol%20misuse/drinkingcultures-sportingevents/fullreport_drinkingcultures-sportingevents_vichealth-turningpoint.ashx">well documented</a>.</p>
<p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.anrows.org.au/publication/the-relationship-between-gambling-and-intimate-partner-violence-against-women/">gambling</a> and stress over income loss is <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epub/10.1177/1524838014561269">also linked to </a> the increased use and escalation of domestic violence. These too can occur around the time of events, such as the Melbourne Cup.</p>
<p>But focusing on alcohol and gambling alone runs the risk of such violence <a href="https://media-cdn.ourwatch.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2021/11/18101814/Change-the-story-Our-Watch-AA.pdf">being excused</a>. This focus can send the message that men cannot be held entirely responsible for their behaviour.</p>
<h2>A sport’s culture</h2>
<p>A sport’s culture can also be a <a href="https://xyonline.net/sites/xyonline.net/files/Flood%20Dyson%2C%20Sport%20and%20violence%20against%20women%2007.pdf">contributing factor</a> to domestic violence. Sport, violence, and what it means to be a man have long been recognised as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29338922/">connected</a>. For instance, coaches <a href="https://cgscholar.com/bookstore/works/boys-will-be-boys-assessing-attitudes-of-athletic-officials-on-sexism-and-violence-against-women">promote aggression</a> for performance.</p>
<p>There’s also an <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hsc.14028">emotive connection</a> to sport. Sport fans display “irrational passions”, maintain “blind optimism”, have “highly charged” memories and passion that mimic “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1016/j.smr.2009.07.002">addiction</a>”.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/toughen-up-snowflake-sports-coaches-can-be-emotionally-abusive-heres-how-to-recognise-it-110267">Toughen up snowflake! Sports coaches can be emotionally abusive – here's how to recognise it</a>
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<p>However, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/hsc.14028">our review</a> also showed that not all sports or their events are associated with domestic violence. Each sits within a culture that differs from sport to sport and country to country. </p>
<p>Some studies we reviewed showed that contact sports, such as <a href="https://academic.oup.com/qje/article/126/1/103/1903433?login=true">American football</a>, were associated with increases in domestic violence. Meanwhile, other contact sports, for instance, rugby union in the United Kingdom, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620306766?via%3Dihub">were not</a>. </p>
<p>Soccer is a non-contact sport but was linked to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0022427813494843">increased rates</a> of domestic violence in the UK. Traditional rivalry between opposing soccer teams had a <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obes.12105">significant impact</a> on domestic violence rates.</p>
<p>Perhaps emotionally charged games may best indicate whether an increased rate in domestic violence is likely. Examples include finals, or when a team is close to winning or losing a league. Frustrating or controversial outcomes, such as poor play or refereeing decisions, may also predict a rise in domestic violence.</p>
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<img alt="Soccer fan raising fist while watching soccer match" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/490823/original/file-20221020-18-n71vxl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Frustrating or controversial outcomes, such as poor play or refereeing decisions, may also predict a rise in domestic violence.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-in-red-and-blue-top-raising-left-hand-54308/">Pixabay</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
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<p>An unexpected loss, for example, is connected with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/qje/qjr001">increased domestic violence</a> rates, more so if that game is also considered important, for example during finals or potentially exiting a World Cup. </p>
<p>However, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953620306766?via%3Dihub">a UK study</a> found that alcohol-related domestic violence significantly increased only when England won, not when they lost or drew. So losing is not necessarily the key factor.</p>
<p>Drinking motives may come into play here, with different supporters drinking (more) <a href="https://theconversation.com/there-are-four-types-of-drinker-which-one-are-you-89377">to celebrate or to cope</a>.</p>
<p>When taken together, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.15485?af=R">we can conclude</a> it’s the culture of a particular sport in a particular country, exaggerated by keen rivalry, how emotionally charged a game might be, and when the game is played, that can predict a rise in domestic violence. That’s in addition to increased gambling or alcohol use linked to these events.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-sport-can-tackle-violence-against-women-and-girls-107886">How sport can tackle violence against women and girls</a>
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<h2>What can we do about it?</h2>
<p>Policies to address domestic violence associated with sport need to be tailored to the places where an event is taking place and how a country’s, or even state’s, culture influences sporting fans’ behaviour. </p>
<p>We need to think about:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>when major sporting events are scheduled (ideally away from public holidays)</p></li>
<li><p>limiting alcohol availability and increased prices, particularly during major events</p></li>
<li><p>joint planning across police, health and specialist domestic violence services ahead of major sporting events</p></li>
<li><p>developing social marketing campaigns for fans to coincide with
with sporting events, such as the AFL grand final’s #liftyourgame. Such campaigns need to be free of alcohol and gambling sponsorship.</p></li>
</ul>
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<p>Initiatives need to be developed with support from policy makers, state, and national sports organisations, as well as specialist domestic violence and emergency services. </p>
<p>They need to be effectively tailored to the sport, its fans, and the cultural context being targeted. They need to happen now and be evaluated.</p>
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<p><em>If this article raises issues for you or someone you know, contact: <a href="https://1800respect.org.au">1800 RESPECT</a> (1800 737 732), <a href="https://www.safesteps.org.au">Safe Steps</a> (1800 015 188), <a href="https://ntv.org.au">Men’s Referral Service</a> (1300 766 491) or <a href="https://mensline.org.au">Mensline</a> (1300 78 99 78). In an emergency, call 000.</em></p>
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<p><em>William Douglas, policy and projects officer at <a href="https://ntv.org.au">No to Violence</a> co-authored this article and is a partner in the research mentioned in it.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/191497/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kirsty Forsdike currently receives funding from the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions of the Victorian Government to research the prevention of violence against women through sport and has previously received funding from the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation to explore violence against women in sport. She also receives funding from the Victorian State Government Crime Prevention Innovation Fund and has previously received funding from the Department of Social Services, Department of Premier and Cabinet, Respect Victoria and Department of Social Services.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Anne-Marie Laslett receives funding from the
Australian Research Council and
*veski
*The Victorian Near-miss Award Pilot is being administered by veski for the Victorian Health and Medical Research Workforce Project on behalf of the Victorian Government and the Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes. Funding for the Pilot has been provided by the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions. The Victorian Near-miss Awards are provided to eligible individuals who narrowly missed out on the 2021 NHMRC Investigator Grant funding in the Emerging Leaders 2 stream.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Associate Professor Leesa Hooker currently receives funding from a Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions Crime Prevention grant. She does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no other relevant affiliations beyond her academic appointment.</span></em></p>For years, we’ve taken major sporting events, a public holiday, added alcohol and gambling, then watched domestic violence rates rise. It’s time we did something different.Kirsty Forsdike, Senior Lecturer, La Trobe Business School and Senior Researcher in Centre for Sport & Social Impact, La Trobe UniversityAnne-Marie Laslett, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Alcohol Policy Research, La Trobe UniversityLeesa Hooker, Research Director, Rural Judith Lumley Centre, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/987342018-07-10T09:48:17Z2018-07-10T09:48:17ZOver 1,500 assaults on paramedics a year – but new law won’t stop the violence<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226315/original/file-20180705-122280-1d97z01.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/emergency-medical-service-paramedic-pulling-stretcher-459995515?src=kADLs2HrHPvZ0hMyNY0TGA-1-52">Shutterstock/JaromirChalabala</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Paramedics face violence on a daily basis so a new law which will bring in <a href="https://services.parliament.uk/bills/2017-19/assaultsonemergencyworkersoffences.html">tougher sentences</a> for those who attack emergency workers when they are on duty is most welcome. It is hoped it will act as a deterrent because offenders currently escape what many would see as meaningful justice (attackers are charged with common assault resulting in a maximum sentence of six months). The new law will double this with an option for a longer sentence, dependant on the seriousness of the case. But will this toughening up of sentencing powers actually have any impact on the front line? </p>
<p>The damage to those affected by this violence can be long lasting and have widespread implications for their physical and mental health. Violence against emergency workers should not be seen as an “occupational hazard”. More needs to be done to highlight this increasing and dangerous issue affecting today’s paramedic workforce.</p>
<p>In 2014/2015, 44 out of every 1,000 ambulance workers <a href="https://www.nwas.nhs.uk/media/865201/reported-physical-assaults-2014-15.pdf">suffered a form of assault</a>. That is a total of 1,861 assaults for that year. And these are just the assaults that were reported – many go unreported. </p>
<h2>An international issue</h2>
<p>Paramedics deliver care at the front line of the NHS. The unpredictable nature of the emergency means that they are constantly at risk of harm. Without doubt, this is a national and, indeed, international issue. For example, a recent study reviewed the impact of violence against paramedics across 13 countries, concluding that <a href="https://www.cqu.edu.au/cquninews/stories/research-category/2017/violence-against-paramedics-is-an-international-problem">65% of those responding had been assaulted</a>. </p>
<p>It is sometimes assumed that violence and aggression are always associated with alcohol. And yes, alcohol can play a part. But this is not always the case. Only recently paramedics have been <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-43260532">verbally and physically abused</a> as result of the way a crew had parked the ambulance while dealing with an emergency. </p>
<p>In Australia ambulance staff are taking a stand and <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-21/assaulting-paramedics-to-be-category-one-offence-in-victoria/9784448">are demanding action</a>. Crews there have even taken to writing slogans on their ambulances. </p>
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<p>Paramedics and ambulance services in the UK are also beginning to take a more direct approach with the involvement of the <a href="https://www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk/about_us">College of Paramedics</a>, which is calling for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INGRicpSJg0&feature=youtu.be">more deescalation training</a> and is representing the interests of UK crews.</p>
<p>A paramedic’s main focus is to care for the patients they are sent to. They are there to help. But it is all too easy for families, friends, bystanders – and even the patients – to feel they need to vent frustrations against the ambulance crew. </p>
<p>Ambulance crews understand that in an emergency situation the public are not used to the situation they find themselves in. This anxiety and stress has to be managed by the crews at the scene. </p>
<p>The new law may have an impact, but in the presence of a stressful and challenging emergency situation – which may or may not involve alcohol and drugs – will the public consider the implications of a new law and their subsequent actions? I suspect that the bill will not be considered at all. It seems the threshold for violence has been reduced in the UK. It has become almost a default reaction by some against NHS staff with an increase in violent attacks <a href="https://www.hsj.co.uk/workforce/violence-against-nhs-staff-read-the-full-report/7022168.article">between 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 of 9.7%</a>.</p>
<p>A paramedic that has been assaulted will gain support from their employer and rightly so. They will have stress management policies and counselling services at their disposal, and will be supported through any subsequent prosecution process. But the effects can be devastating – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, mental health issues, lack of confidence to go back to work and fear of it happening again are all common.</p>
<h2>Raising awareness</h2>
<p>Paramedics do have training in “deescalation” and ambulance trusts do take the issue seriously. The North West Ambulance NHS Trust assured staff that any acts of violence or aggression against them by the public <a href="http://www.nwas.nhs.uk/getting-involved/promoting-healthier-safer-lives/stop-abuse-campaign/#.WzSgEOSWxMs">will be taken further</a>. </p>
<p>But paramedics don’t have any other protection. They do not ware stab proof vests, they do not carry any form of defence or deterrent and nor should they have to.</p>
<p>It must be time to use the opportunity of this bill and approach the issue before any crime has been committed. The public must be educated. A national campaign focusing on protecting emergency care workers and indeed any worker within the NHS is much needed. Violence against people doing their job is unacceptable. And the cost to individuals, the NHS and the public is too great.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/98734/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>John Ambrose does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>With attacks on paramedics on the rise, the public needs to be educated about the consequences of such senseless crimes.John Ambrose, Paramedic Programme Manager , Liverpool John Moores UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/992322018-07-05T08:31:40Z2018-07-05T08:31:40ZThe real life dangers of learning self-defence from viral videos – martial arts experts<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226023/original/file-20180703-116152-8oj3wi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=20%2C62%2C4579%2C3389&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/young-female-trainer-training-kick-on-1121607773?src=QEfyqw97pbbcZ6rF9uaNcQ-1-21">Shutterstock.</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Every day, women live with the risk of being physically attacked. It’s not one of those dangers that is regularly <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227763756_The_Social_Amplification_of_Risk_A_Conceptual_Framework">blown out of proportion</a> – such as <a href="https://www.economist.com/gulliver/2015/01/29/a-crash-course-in-probability">being in an aeroplane crash</a> or getting <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/shark-attacks/odds/compare-risk/death/">bitten by a shark</a>. Attacks on women are common. The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights <a href="http://fra.europa.eu/en/publication/2014/violence-against-women-eu-wide-survey-main-results-report">surveyed</a> 42,000 women and concluded that 31% of women have experienced one or more acts of physical violence since the age of 15. </p>
<p>But there is also a long tradition of women learning how to fight back against assault. In Edwardian Britain, suffragettes trained in <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34425615">the Japanese martial art, jiu-jitsu</a>, to defend themselves during rallies and protests. And during WWII, the growing number of physical attacks against women performing new roles led to the first of many self-defence manuals: <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Hands_Off.html?id=ar0gGQAACAAJ&redir_esc=y">Hands Off!: Self-Defence for Women</a>.</p>
<p>Self-defence has recently moved to social media. Videos from sites such as Buzzfeed have gone viral. One video: <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/skycowans/11-self-defense-tips-that-will-make-you-feel-safer-walking?utm_term=.boyZewYoOw#.ulzreKgWXK">11 Self Defense Tips That Will Make You Feel Safer Walking Alone</a> – has had more than 19m hits <a href="https://www.facebook.com/buzzfeedfyi/videos/617166092000399/?hc_ref=ARTGQs46SOMNoWU-1KY-JftHO5oAZT5AkbGahBB7Za-4qSl0CsaMLcUNxGvttAUoi4Q">on Facebook alone</a>. But while such displays often come with laudable intentions and good advice, they could actually put women in danger. </p>
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<p>Let’s take the Buzzfeed video, as an example. The instructor and “assailant” is Nelson Nio, founder of martial arts-derived street self-defence system for women – <a href="https://shieldselfdefense.com">SHIELD</a>. The video offers some sound tips – it encourages women to be aware of their surroundings, use their voice or scream as a weapon and run in a zig-zag manner whenever possible.</p>
<p>The emergency self-defence techniques are correctly executed. The “victim” – an athletic young woman – overcomes bear hugs, hair and arm grabs and chokes from behind. She is most likely a SHIELD practitioner who makes the moves look simple, effective and readily applied regardless of size and strength.</p>
<p>But videos like this can imply that it’s possible to learn self-defence online, or that attacks will actually play out as the video depicts. Viewers may also feel more confident after watching such videos and shift their response to attack from “flight” to “fight”. The Buzzfeed piece concludes that if you must defend yourself, “let your adrenaline take over and become the aggressor”. </p>
<h2>The physicality of fighting</h2>
<p>But unless the viewer is prepared to invest plenty of time and training this is probably not the best advice. Simple techniques are difficult to apply under real-life pressure, where there are limited chances to slip, strike or run. And attackers often behave in unpredictable ways. </p>
<p>Even in self-defence classes, demonstrations tend to be given with compliant partners – as is clearly the case in the Buzzfeed video. You can see that the assailant pauses briefly following the attacks and uses singular rather than multiple attacking movements. He pauses and feigns pain when being “struck”, fails to free himself from the restraint techniques and remains silent throughout.</p>
<p>But real assaults are not perfectly choreographed – and attackers won’t be following the script. There is evidence to suggest that determined people can often absorb powerful strikes, even to sensitive areas, and may continue attacks regardless of injury or pain – especially if they have consumed drugs, alcohol or <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/238047747_It_hurts_so_it_is_real_Sensing_the_seduction_of_mixed_martial_arts">are experienced fighters themselves</a>. Even strikes to the face or groin might not halt an attack, unless they <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249722460_Producing_Pain_Techniques_and_Technologies_in_No-Holds-Barred_Fighting">inflict considerable pain and damage</a>. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=801&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=801&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=801&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1006&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1006&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/226024/original/file-20180703-116126-g48ve3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1006&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Don’t get close.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/sporty-young-girl-doing-selfdefence-moves-1070594726?src=auUKhYH4kaKp2Wfxj5gdaQ-1-65">Shutterstock.</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Striking ineffectually carries a big risk, because it leaves you within range of the attacker – and because striking an aggressor turns the confrontation into a fight. Attacks are usually fast and committed, and attackers do not normally freeze when executing a move. A grab from behind can transition to a takedown, while a hair grasp might be accompanied with strikes, kicks or shoves.</p>
<p>When people are put into locks, they generally resist, struggle, shift their weight to gain leverage, kick out or use a free hand. In a bear hug, when kicked in the groin, attackers will just as likely tighten their grip and drop to the floor with the victim underneath. A heavier attacker will be better able to resist locks and absorb strikes, too. Mass matters – this is why combat sports have weight categories.</p>
<h2>Making techniques work</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl-phillips/boards-dont-hit-back-and-_b_5577150.html">Bruce Lee said</a>, “boards don’t hit back”. Training objects, such as compliant training partners and demonstration videos, lack the <a href="http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110810105219735">kinaesthetic feedback</a> (the awareness if the movement of parts of the body by the sensory organs) required to develop skills to cope with real-world situations. Those looking to defend themselves must be able to adapt techniques depending on the circumstances of the attack. They should also be able to transition between techniques and automatically perform powerful and accurate counterattacks. </p>
<p>All this takes lots of time, practice and variation with partners of different sizes, reaches, strengths, personalities and motivations. Progressive scenarios should be used to simulate reality. <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/274472610_Rebuilding_the_body_through_violence_and_control">Combat systems use such methods</a> to prepare people for potential scenarios through months or even years of regular, intense and interactive physical training, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233719531_Timing_in_Karate_and_the_Body_in_Its_Own_Right">with knowledgeable and competent others</a>, some of whom should possess experiences of violence. </p>
<p>Training involves <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/249686473_Habitus_Body_Techniques_and_Body_Callusing_An_Ethnography_of_Mixed_Martial_Arts">conditioning the body</a> and multiple senses including <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Seeking-the-Senses-in-Physical-Culture-Sensuous-scholarship-in-action/Sparkes/p/book/9781138100589">sound smell, taste, and touch</a>. This progressive practice eventually modifies one’s mind and body, <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306045165_The_Social_Logic_of_Boxing_in_Black_Chicago_Toward_a_Sociology_of_Pugilism">developing contextually specific intelligence and creativity</a>. </p>
<p>There’s scientific evidence to show that sustained training has the power to improve <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/11220203_Reaction_time_and_anticipatory_skills_of_Karate_athletes">combat reaction times</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/martial-arts-can-improve-your-attention-span-and-alertness-long-term-new-study-91798">attention and alertness</a> and <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283868723_Comparing_the_effectiveness_of_karate_and_fitness_training_on_cognitive_functioning_in_older_adults-A_randomized_controlled_trial">cognitive function in older adults</a>. </p>
<p>Even then, the ultimate aim of self-defence is to minimise violence and avoid confrontation. Spending so much of one’s life perfecting this goal is indeed the <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Way-Warrior-Paradox-Martial-Arts/dp/158567513X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1530194464&sr=8-1&keywords=Way-Warrior-Paradox-Martial-Arts">paradox of the martial arts</a> – to <a href="http://lfhv.org">love fighting but hate violence</a>.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99232/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Real life attackers won’t follow a carefully choreographed fight sequence – that’s why training is essential.David H K Brown, Reader in the Sociology of Sport and Physical Culture, Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityGeorge Jennings, Lecturer in Sport Sociology/Physical Culture, Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/850562017-10-03T10:08:12Z2017-10-03T10:08:12ZHow dangerous people get their weapons in America<p>The <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/02/us/las-vegas-shooting.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=span-ab-top-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news">recent mass shooting</a> in Las Vegas that left dozens of people dead and hundreds injured raises two important questions: How do dangerous people get their guns? And what should the police and courts be doing to make those transactions more difficult? </p>
<p>The fact is that, even leaving aside the assault in Las Vegas and terrorist attacks <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/04/us/weapons-in-san-bernardino-shootings-were-legally-obtained.html">like the one in San Bernardino</a>, California, in 2015, gun violence is becoming almost routine in many American neighborhoods. The <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/25/politics/fbi-crime-report-2016-homicide-rate/index.html">U.S. homicide rate increased</a> more than 20 percent from 2014 to 2016, while last year’s 3.4 percent rise in the violent crime rate was the largest single-year gain in 25 years. </p>
<p>The guns carried and misused by youths, gang members and active criminals are <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00917435/79">more likely than not</a> obtained by transactions that violate federal or state law. And, as I’ve learned from my decades of researching the topic, it is rare for the people who provide these guns to the eventual shooters to <a href="http://www.phlmetropolis.com/2010/03/the-gun-wars-targeting-straw-buyers.php">face any legal consequences</a>. </p>
<p>How can this illicit market be policed more effectively? </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188414/original/file-20171002-12122-49b98s.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Police officers stand at the scene of a shooting near the Mandalay Bay resort and casino on the Las Vegas Strip.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/John Locher</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Undocumented and unregulated transactions</h2>
<p>The vast majority of gun owners say they obtained their weapons in transactions that are documented and for the most part legal.</p>
<p>When asked where and how they acquired their most recent firearm, about 64 percent of a cross-section of American gun owners <a href="http://annals.org/aim/article/2595892/firearm-acquisition-without-background-checks-results-national-survey">reported</a> buying it from a gun store, where the clerk would have conducted a background check and documented the transfer in a permanent record required by federal law. Another 14 percent were transferred in some other way but still involved a background check. The remaining 22 percent said they got their guns without a background check.</p>
<p>The same is not true for criminals, however, most of whom obtain their guns illegally. </p>
<p>A transaction can be illegal for several reasons, but of particular interest are transactions that involve disqualified individuals – those banned from purchase or possession due to criminal record, age, adjudicated mental illness, illegal alien status or some other reason. Convicted felons, teenagers and other people who are legally barred from possession would ordinarily be blocked from purchasing a gun from a gun store because they would fail the background check or lack the permit or license required by some states. </p>
<p>Anyone providing the gun in such transactions would be culpable if he or she had reason to know that the buyer was disqualified, was acting as a straw purchaser or if had violated state regulations pertaining to such private transactions. </p>
<p>The importance of the informal (undocumented) market in supplying criminals is suggested by the results of inmate surveys and data gleaned from guns confiscated by the police. A <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00917435/79">national survey</a> of inmates of state prisons found that just 10 percent of youthful (age 18-40) male respondents who admitted to having a gun at the time of their arrest had obtained it from a gun store. The other 90 percent obtained them through a variety of off-the-book means: for example, as gifts or sharing arrangements with fellow gang members. </p>
<p>Similarly, an ongoing study of how Chicago gang members get their guns has found that only a trivial percentage <a href="http://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc/vol104/iss4/">obtained</a> them by direct purchase from a store. To the extent that gun dealers are implicated in supplying dangerous people, it is more so by accommodating straw purchasers and traffickers than in selling directly to customers they know to be disqualified. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/188434/original/file-20171002-12122-1n1z7nu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A makeshift memorial in Chicago lies at the site where a baby girl, her mother and her father – a known gang member – were shot in 2013. Most Chicago gang members appear to get their guns secondhand.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AP Photo/M. Spencer Green</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The supply chain of guns to crime</h2>
<p>While criminals typically do not buy their guns at a store, all but a tiny fraction of those in circulation in the United States are first sold at retail by a gun dealer – including the guns that <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-gun-debate-9780199338986?cc=us&lang=en&">eventually end up</a> in the hands of criminals. </p>
<p>That first retail sale was most likely legal, in that the clerk followed federal and state requirements for documentation, a background check and record-keeping. While there are scofflaw dealers who sometimes make under-the-counter deals, that is by no means the norm. </p>
<p>If a gun ends up in criminal use, it is usually after several more transactions. The <a href="http://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/jclc/vol104/iss4/">average age</a> of guns taken from Chicago gangs is over 11 years. </p>
<p>The gun at that point has been diverted from legal commerce. In this respect, the supply chain for guns is similar to that for other products that have a large legal market but are subject to diversion.</p>
<p>In the case of guns, diversion from licit possession and exchange can occur in a variety of ways: theft, purchase at a gun show by an interstate trafficker, private sales where no questions are asked, straw purchases by girlfriends and so forth. </p>
<p>What appears to be true is that there are few big operators in this domain. The <a href="http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-0297.2007.02098.x">typical trafficker</a> or underground broker is not making a living that way but rather just making a few dollars on the side. The supply chain for guns used in crime bears little relationship to the supply chain for heroin or cocaine and is much more akin to that for cigarettes and beer that are diverted to underage teenagers. </p>
<p>There have been few attempts to estimate the scope or scale of the underground market, in part because it is not at all clear what types of transactions should be included. But for the sake of having some order-of-magnitude estimate, suppose we just focus on the number of transactions each year that supply the guns actually used in robbery or assault. </p>
<p>There are about 500,000 violent crimes <a href="http://www.nij.gov/topics/crime/gun-violence/pages/welcome.aspx">committed with a gun</a> each year. If the average number of times that an offender commits a robbery or assault with a particular gun is twice, then (assuming patterns of criminal gun use remain constant) the total number of transactions of concern is 250,000 per year. </p>
<p>Actually, no one knows the average number of times a specific gun is used by an offender who uses it at least once. If it is more than twice, then there are even fewer relevant transactions. </p>
<p>That <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/nics_firearm_checks_-_month_year.pdf/view">compares</a> with total sales volume by licensed dealers, which is upwards of 20 million per year. </p>
<h2>All in the family</h2>
<p>So how do gang members, violent criminals, underage youths and other dangerous people get their guns?</p>
<p>A consistent answer emerges from the inmate surveys and from ethnographic studies. Whether guns that end up being used in crime are purchased, swapped, borrowed, shared or stolen, the <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00917435/79">most likely source</a> is someone known to the offender, an acquaintance or family member. </p>
<p>For example, Syed Rizwan Farook – one of the shooters in San Bernardino – relied on a friend to get several of the rifles and pistols he used because Farook doubted that he could pass a background check. That a friend and neighbor was the source is quite typical, despite the unique circumstances otherwise. </p>
<p>Also important are “street” sources, such as gang members and drug dealers, which may also entail a prior relationship. Thus, social networks play an important role in facilitating transactions, and an individual (such as a gang member) who tends to hang out with people who have guns will find it relatively easy to obtain one. </p>
<p>Effective policing of the underground gun market could help to separate guns from everyday violent crime. Currently it is rare for those who provide guns to offenders to face any legal consequences, and changing that situation will require additional resources to penetrate the social networks of gun offenders. </p>
<p>Needless to say, that effort is not cheap or easy and requires that both the police and the courts have the necessary authority and give this sort of gun enforcement high priority. </p>
<p><em>This is an updated version of an article originally published on Jan. 15, 2016.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/85056/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Philip J. Cook receives funding from private and public organizations to conduct research on gun violence. He is a contributor to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
</span></em></p>While mass shooting tragedies in Las Vegas and elsewhere make headlines, the reality is gun violence is becoming almost routine in many American neighborhoods. Where do the guns come from?Philip Cook, Professor of Public Policy Studies, Duke UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/821152017-08-13T23:15:33Z2017-08-13T23:15:33ZAcid attacks are on the rise and toxic masculinity is the cause<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/181443/original/file-20170808-27875-1r11p0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Lucia Annibali, victim of an acid attack in Italy, walks in Rome earlier this year. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A spate of acid attacks has earned London the dubious recent distinction of being called “the acid capital of Britain.” There have been more than 100 acid attacks reported in 2017 alone, with at least one a day in the city, and <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/london-acid-attack-capital-uk-10795265">there are suggestions</a> the true figure is much higher. </p>
<p>There’s a common misconception that acid attacks take place only in developing countries. They are, in fact, a worldwide phenomenon. Acid attacks have been reported in the U.K., Canada, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/29/acid-attacks-italy-gessica-notaro">Italy (27 registered assaults in 2016)</a> and other industrialized countries. Approximately 1,500 acid attacks are recorded worldwide annually. Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Cambodia and Uganda are countries with the highest reported incidence.</p>
<p>More than two-thirds of recent victims in the U.K. are men. But globally, 80 per cent of acid attack victims <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-23631395">are women and girls.</a> Acid violence is categorized as a form of gender-based violence because gendered roles and hierarchies within families and society not only motivate perpetrators to commit the crime, but also provide them with a sense of impunity. </p>
<h2>Attackers aim to disfigure victims</h2>
<p>Perpetrators usually intend to disfigure rather than kill their victims. The patriarchal reasoning that a woman’s appearance is her only asset often drives acid violence. Even in the U.K., where most victims are men, a gang member admits quite easily in a YouTube documentary produced by VICE that although he has attacked both men and women with acid, he would <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/acid-attacker-victims-deserve-it-knife-weapon-gangs-police-documentary-a7846241.html">“prefer to use acid on a girl nine out of 10 times” because “they love their beauty.”</a></p>
<p>Acid attacks are often specifically used to ruin a woman’s future romantic prospects, her career, financial security and social status. This perverse logic for acid attacks appears to hold water everywhere in the world. In 2008, <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4696598/Acid-attack-victim-Katie-Piper-describes-life-sentence.html">Katie Piper’s ex-boyfriend</a> hired an attacker in London to specifically throw sulphuric acid on her face to make her unattractive to other men and destroy her modelling career.</p>
<p>Perpetrators of acid violence are almost always men, and toxic masculinity —the desire to permanently victimize someone while demonstrating his own power and brutality —is almost always the underlying cause regardless of whether the victim is a woman, man or transgendered person. </p>
<h2>Boys, men, need strong education programs</h2>
<p>None of the policies and interventions aimed at responding to acid violence have engaged meaningfully with this fact. Proactive prevention strategies must involve sensitizing men and boys to the effects of gender-based violence, including acid attacks, and incorporating them into prevention activities. </p>
<p>Such approaches should be prioritized – or at least simultaneously implemented – as reactive strategies such as policing acid sellers and purchasers, and seeking longer jail sentences for perpetrators, which countries like Great Britain, Italy, Bangladesh and India are currently pursuing.</p>
<p>Perpetrators use acid because it is easy to purchase, easier to use than knives or guns, and because it has devastating consequences upon victims. Perpetrators also use other corrosive substances to disfigure their victims. This is true for recent attacks in the U.K. and in Montreal in 2012, when <a href="http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/as-attacker-released-tanya-st-arnauld-says-acid-assault-still-haunts-her-1.2645331">Tanya St-Arnauld’s</a> ex-boyfriend used a household cleaning liquid to attack her.</p>
<p>This means that in countries where acid is not widely available or expensive, perpetrators will find destructive alternatives (kerosene, for example) that have the same disfiguring effect. Keeping purchase records of such common products will be difficult, if not impossible.</p>
<p>Governments and acid violence prevention NGOs have advocated for social, medical and legal reforms that have assisted in improving health, education and training, human rights, laws and psychosocial services for acid attack survivors. But to date, none of them have developed programs that authentically acknowledge or address the root cause of acid violence. </p>
<p>In some countries, state responsibilities have been supplemented or even replaced by NGOs, even though the latter cannot replace the former’s role in protecting citizens. Stronger state involvement is critical not just in service provision to survivors but also in prevention.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/82115/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>This research was made possible by a research grant from SSHRC (Insight Grant # 435 2014 1847) awarded to Professor Bipasha Baruah. The authors acknowledge that there is no conflict of interest.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Aisha Siddika does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Acid attacks, mostly against women, are increasing globally, and toxic masculinity is to blame. It’s time for social, medical and legal reform to stop the scourge.Dr. Bipasha Baruah, Professor & Canada Research Chair in Global Women's Issues , Western UniversityAisha Siddika, Alumni, Western UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/755462017-06-06T03:20:28Z2017-06-06T03:20:28ZExplainer: what is traumatic brain injury?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/172358/original/file-20170606-16856-gqwp6g.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">People with traumatic brain injuries, say after a car accident or an assault, can have behavioural problems long after their physical injuries have healed.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/success?src=syyx_gDuQnNZId7IeIgaYg-1-3">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Adam was fortunate to survive a major car accident three years ago. He was in hospital for several months but had no ongoing physical injuries. He looked like he made a full recovery. But he was argumentative, childish, vulgar and his family said he “was not the same person”. Adam had a severe traumatic brain injury. </p>
<h2>What is traumatic brain injury?</h2>
<p>A <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003999310006507">traumatic brain injury</a> is when the brain is damaged by an external mechanical force, like the type you may have in a car accident, if you fall, play sport or if you are assaulted.</p>
<p>These injuries are usually in the news when <a href="https://www.thechronicle.com.au/news/toowoomba-man-liam-cullen-is-suing-queensland-rugb/2960018/">sports players</a> have a <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-20/nrl-players-brains-more-damaged-than-non-players:-study/8369226">concussion</a>; or in relation to drug and alcohol fuelled assaults where a blow to the head results in a damaging, <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/killer-punch-fall-caused-thomas-brain-damage-20120715-224q9.html">sometimes fatal</a>, <a href="http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/newcastle-surfer-suffers-fractured-skull-in-coward-punch-attack/news-story/3576f0a5b3d1c8751ec78347fc210a4f">fall to the ground</a> (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucker_punch">the coward’s punch or king hit</a>).</p>
<p>Mostly, it’s young adults, particularly men, who are affected. But many elderly people may get a traumatic brain injury when they fall.</p>
<p>Australia has a growing population of survivors of traumatic brain injury. This is due to the young age of most victims and decreased death rates <a href="https://www.psychology.org.au/publications/inpsych/2012/april/ponsford">due to better treatment</a>. Traumatic brain injury is expected to be a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18162698">major cause of disability by 2020</a>.</p>
<h2>How does it affect people?</h2>
<p>Few traumatic brain injuries are the same and the outcomes of two similar injuries can be different in different people. Injuries can affect the way people think, feel, behave and relate to everyday situations.</p>
<p>People with moderate to severe injuries can have problems communicating, paying attention, processing thoughts quickly, learning, remembering, planning, problem-solving, meeting goals, and thinking abstractly or flexibly.</p>
<p>Damage to the part of the brain called the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Catherine_Gow2/publication/232210406_Frontal_Dysfunction_After_Traumatic_Brain_Injury/links/57ea9c6908aed3a3e08aaeb6.pdf">frontal lobes</a> affects people’s ability to regulate their thoughts, emotions and behaviour. It can cause people to be impulsive, irritable, aggressive, have reduced drive, be apathetic, to have excessive emotions or a flattened mood. </p>
<p>Difficulties understanding the emotions and intentions of others (known as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_cognition">social cognition</a>) may cause reduced empathy and socially inappropriate behaviour. Reduced self-awareness can also result in lack of insight into their abilities and the changes others perceive.</p>
<p>Traumatic brain injury can change an individual’s personality to the point where they “may no longer be the same person” that they were before. Given that many of these difficulties can occur without physical problems, they fall under the umbrella of an “<a href="http://www.changedlivesnewjourneys.com/hidden-disability-after-brain-injury/">invisible disability</a>”.</p>
<h2>How does traumatic brain injury affect the brain?</h2>
<p>Injuries can be due to the immediate effect of the impact (known as primary injuries) or ones that follow these (secondary complications).</p>
<p>Primary injuries include: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_laceration">lacerations</a>, when the brain tissue is cut or torn; <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_contusion">contusions</a>, when the brain is bruised; rupturing of blood vessels; and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffuse_axonal_injury">axonal injury</a>, where neurons are stretched and torn.</p>
<p>These can occur where the object hits the head (a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focal_and_diffuse_brain_injury">focal injury</a>) or throughout the brain (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focal_and_diffuse_brain_injury">diffuse injury</a>). Parts of the brain known as the frontal and temporal lobes are most susceptible to both of these types of injuries. This is because of their large size and as they are close to the hard and uneven surfaces of the skull that can cause damage.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=386&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/168349/original/file-20170508-20725-56q10b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=485&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, shown here, are particularly susceptible to injury.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/download/confirm/102046603?src=Fe-S7aDefYB73SjZdXDbug-1-0&size=huge_jpg">from www.shutterstock.com</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Secondary complications include brain <a href="http://www.webmd.com/brain/brain-lesions-causes-symptomstreatments#1">lesions</a> (damaged brain tissue); <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edema">brain swelling</a>, increased <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intracranial_pressure">intracranial pressure</a> (pressure inside the skull), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_herniation">herniation</a> (movement of brain tissue), <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ischemia">tissue death</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoxia_(medical)">hypoxia</a> (oxygen deprivation) and infection. </p>
<p>How long someone loses consciousness initially and how long they’re confused for (known as post-traumatic amnesia) are used to <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/326643-overview">classify</a> traumatic brain injury as mild, moderate or severe. Most (<a href="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/abs/10.1089/089771501750357609">about 80%</a>) hospitalisations are for mild injuries.</p>
<h2>How is it managed?</h2>
<p>People with a traumatic brain injury can be treated while staying in hospital (as an in-patient) or after they’re discharged into the community (as an out-patient).</p>
<p>In-patient rehabilitation focuses on immediate medical and functional issues, with a range of health professionals involved, like physiotherapists, speech pathologists, neuropsychologists (psychologists who specialise in assessing, diagnosing and treating disorders of the brain) and occupational therapists. Typically, a personalised rehabilitation plan is drawn up to help the patient to move back into the community. </p>
<p>Out-patient rehabilitation focuses more on the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20134333">context of daily living</a>. Here, there is a shift to helping patients establish life roles and successfully complete everyday tasks, like making meals, showering and travelling. </p>
<h2>What are the challenges ahead?</h2>
<p>Recovery from a traumatic brain injury varies from person to person. Some people can easily resume their lives while others can struggle <a href="http://journals.lww.com/jnnonline/Abstract/2005/02000/The_Meaning_of_Living_with_Traumatic_Brain_Injury.7.aspx">adjusting</a> to their limitations, new lifestyle and new self. Some can have trouble living independently, fulfilling life goals and finding a meaningful place in society. </p>
<p>Behavioural and emotional difficulties are significant barriers to <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/026921559601000215">long-term recovery</a>. These challenges may not become obvious until the person is in the community, discharged from rehabilitation services and completely dependent on their carers and/or <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3109/02699052.2015.1005134">families</a>. </p>
<p>Behavioural and personality issues also make traumatic brain injury difficult <a href="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/neu.2013.2997">to manage</a>, placing burden on carers and result in difficulties finding and keeping a job.</p>
<p>Family members and friends can pull away, leading to further <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1315633/">social isolation</a> and loneliness, making survivors more susceptible to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10533556">mental health problems</a> and institutionalisation. Sadly, these problems <a href="http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00031/full">worsen</a> as years pass, despite improvements made during early recovery.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>If you or someone you know is a survivor of traumatic brain injury, contact <a href="http://www.braininjuryaustralia.org.au/">Brain Injury Australia</a>, <a href="http://synapse.org.au/">Synapse</a> or the <a href="http://moving-ahead.com.au/">Centre for Research Excellence in Brain Recovery</a> for more information and support.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/75546/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Survivors of traumatic brain injuries might have behavioural issues or have problems holding down a job for years after a blow to the head or a bad fall.Travis Wearne, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UNSW SydneyEmily Trimmer, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/726492017-02-13T07:18:52Z2017-02-13T07:18:52ZFactCheck Q&A: is violent crime getting worse in Victoria and do people feel less safe than ever?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156272/original/image-20170209-8649-1ohnrm6.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg speaking on Q&A.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">ABC</span></span></figcaption></figure><p><strong>The Conversation fact-checks claims made on Q&A, broadcast Mondays on the ABC at 9:35pm. Thank you to everyone who sent us quotes for checking via <a href="http://www.twitter.com/conversationEDU">Twitter</a> using hashtags #FactCheck and #QandA, on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/conversationEDU">Facebook</a> or by <a href="mailto:checkit@theconversation.edu.au">email</a>.</strong></p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Excerpt from Q&A, February 6, 2017. Watch from 1:46.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<blockquote>
<p>I don’t think Victorians have ever felt as unsafe as they do now. I think people are worried about home invasions, carjackings. The numbers tell the story. Burglaries are up 21% year on year in Victoria. Assaults are up 11%. Murders are up 9%. – <strong>Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg, <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/txt/s4563427.htm">speaking on Q&A</a>, February 6, 2017.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Following a question on ABC TV’s Q&A program, Josh Frydenberg – who holds the inner Melbourne seat of Kooyong – said he thought people in his home state feel more unsafe than ever and that burglaries, assaults and murders were up year-on-year in that state.</p>
<p>Is that right?</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"828576665177509889"}"></div></p>
<h2>Checking the source</h2>
<p>When asked for sources to support his statement, a spokesman for the minister referred The Conversation to the following table from Victoria’s <a href="https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/crime-statistics/latest-crime-data/recorded-offences-1">Crime Statistics Agency</a>, which processes, analyses and publishes the state’s crime statistics independently of Victoria Police. These figures cover crimes recorded by police:</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156319/original/image-20170210-8651-1fdzdwi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This table outlines the offence categories that had statistically significant movements from October 2014 to September 2016. All other offence categories remained stable during this period. It also covers only crimes recorded by police, not all crime.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/crime-statistics/latest-crime-data/recorded-offences-1">Victoria's Crime Statistics Agency</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Frydenberg’s spokesman added:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>It would appear that in trying to remember the stats he mixed up robberies (21.5%) with burglaries (13.7%).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The minister’s office has provided a good source for his figures, and readily acknowledged some numbers were mixed up. </p>
<p>So what are the real numbers are on burglaries, assaults and murders? And was Frydenberg’s overall point – that crime is getting worse – correct? Is his view on how safe Victorians feel supported by the evidence?</p>
<h2>Two key sources for crime stats</h2>
<p>There are two main sources against which Frydenberg’s crime stats can be checked.</p>
<p>The first is the <a href="https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/crime-statistics/latest-crime-data/recorded-offences-1">Crime Statistics Agency in Victoria</a> (Frydenberg’s source). These figures reflect crimes recorded by police.</p>
<p>But evidence shows that <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4530.02015-16?OpenDocument">not all Australians</a> who are victims of a crime report it to police, which means those figures are not showing the full picture. It depends on the crime; the reporting rate for break-ins is about 77%, and it’s about 93% for motor vehicle theft. But the reporting rate for robbery is about 52%, physical assault is at about 55% and it’s as low as 30% for sexual assault).</p>
<p>To get a better sense of true crime rates, a second, more reliable, measure of crime in the community is the <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4530.0Main+Features12015-16?OpenDocument">crime victimisation survey</a> conducted each year by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Since 2008, these surveys ask a <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4530.0Explanatory%20Notes12015-16?OpenDocument">large sample</a> of the population whether they have experienced certain personal and household crimes in the last 12 months.</p>
<h2>What do the stats on crimes recorded by police show?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/crime-statistics/latest-crime-data/recorded-offences-1">Crime Statistics Agency data</a> that the minister’s office cited show that between September 2015 and September 2016:</p>
<ul>
<li>Burglary/break and enter offences were up 13.7% (not 21%, as Frydenberg said on Q&A; if he had said robberies, 21% would have been correct).</li>
<li>Assault and related offences were up 12.6% (slightly more than the 11% Frydenberg said on the show)</li>
<li><a href="https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2017/01/d0/0535f6a9f/Offences%20data%20table%20-%20year%20ending%2030%20September%202016.xlsx">The number of murders</a> went from 56 to 61, an increase of 8.9% (matching Frydenberg’s figure of 9%)</li>
<li>The overall offence rate increased by 9.4%.</li>
</ul>
<p>Over the past five years, the offence rate per 100,000 people in Victoria has has an average annual increase of 5.4%.</p>
<p>So even though Frydenberg got some figures wrong, his broader point – that crime is getting worse in Victoria – is well supported by this data set. And he did quote the Crime Statistics Agency’s figure for murder correctly on Q&A.</p>
<p>But it’s possible these figures reflect the fact that people are increasingly likely to report crimes to the police.</p>
<h2>What does the Crime Victimisation Survey show?</h2>
<p>But what’s a better way to get a sense of whether Victorians are more or less likely to be a victim of crime than before? That was the point Q&A viewer Paula Maud made in her <a href="https://twitter.com/paula_maud/status/828576665177509889">tweet</a> requesting a FactCheck – and it’s a good point. </p>
<p>That’s where looking at the ABS crime victimisation survey figure can help us get a more accurate picture.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by+Subject/1367.0%7E2012%7EMain+Features%7ECrime+Victimisation%7E5.21">crime victimisation rate</a> gives us an indication of the total number of victims of a crime in each state and territory, or Australia-wide, expressed as a percentage of that population. </p>
<p>For example, if Victoria had a robbery victimisation rate of 0.3% in 2015-16, it means that three Victorians aged 15 and above in every 1000 (<a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4530.0Explanatory%20Notes12015-16?OpenDocument">excluding</a> members of the defence forces and overseas residents in Australia) reported that they were victims of robbery in that 12 month period.</p>
<p>The charts below show how the victimisation rate has changed for various crime categories between 2008 and 2016.</p>
<p>The ABS’ <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4530.0Main+Features12015-16?OpenDocument">crime victimisation survey</a> calls burglaries “break-ins” (meaning unlawful entry of a dwelling with intent to steal something). It covers robberies (meaning a theft in combination with a threatened or actual assault) as well.</p>
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<p>The Crime Victimisation Survey doesn’t report on murder, but data from the <a href="http://www.aic.gov.au/about_aic/research_programs/nmp/0001.html">National Homicide Monitoring Program</a> shows that the murder rate in Victoria, as in Australia generally, has declined by about a third since 1990. And the latest ABS <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/4510.0%7E2014%7EMain%20Features%7EHomicide%20and%20Related%20Offences%7E9">Victims of Homicide</a> data (which goes up to 2015) show the murder rate for Victoria has declined:</p>
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<h2>Is crime in Victoria rising in the longer term?</h2>
<p>Between 2008 and 2016, most crime rates in Victoria decreased, the crime victimisation surveys show. (Sexual assault and domestic violence rates have gone up, which may reflect changing social attitudes and definitions around these crimes).</p>
<p>This general fall in the level of crime started <a href="http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/facts/2014/facts_and_figures_2014.pd">in the early 2000s</a> and is apparent in all Australian states except Western Australia, the crime victimisation survey shows. It’s also apparent in the United States, the United Kingdom and most European countries. </p>
<p>There have been a variety of explanations proposed for the “<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/publication/what-caused-crime-decline">great crime decline</a>”, none of them entirely satisfactory. But what is undeniable is that the level of crime in developed countries is now significantly lower than it was at the end of the 20th century.</p>
<h2>Have Victorians’ ever felt as unsafe as they do now?</h2>
<p>As <a href="https://theconversation.com/election-factcheck-is-crime-getting-worse-in-australia-60119">noted</a> in previous crime stats FactCheck:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Public perceptions of crime and justice are commonly out of kilter with the facts. <a href="http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/cjb182.pdf">Surveys</a> conducted by the New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research show that most people think crime is increasing when it is not.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That said, the <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/programs-and-projects/vichealth-indicators-survey-2015">2015 VicHealth Indicators survey</a> showed that the proportion of Victorians who reported feeling safe when walking alone after dark was 55.1%. That was down from 2011 when 59.3% said they felt safe, but not significantly different to the level when the same question was asked in 2007. </p>
<p>The 2017 <a href="http://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2017/justice">Report on Government Services</a> on justice reported a steady fall in the proportion of Victorians who said they felt safe walking in their neighbourhood after dark. Interestingly, over the five-year period shown in the chart below, that change in feeling less safe walking down the street in Victoria wasn’t reported by people in most other states or territories.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=347&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/156318/original/image-20170210-8634-1ume9ny.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Perceptions of safety in public places during the night.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="http://www.pc.gov.au/research/ongoing/report-on-government-services/2017/justice/rogs-2017-volumec.pdf">Report on Government Services, Volume C: Justice</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <a href="http://ipsos.com.au/ipsos-public-affairs/the-issues-monitor/">IPSOS Issues Monitor survey</a> for December 2016 showed that crime was the most highly ranked issue for Victorians, with 41% selecting it as one of the three most important issues facing their state, up from 28% for most of 2014 and 2015. However, the current level of concern about crime in Victoria is about the same as it was in 2010.</p>
<p>Broadly speaking, it does appear that Victorians’ concerns about crime have increased in recent years.</p>
<h2>Verdict</h2>
<p>Josh Frydenberg accurately quoted one set of official statistics on murder on Q&A, and was close to the mark (actually slightly underquoting) the figures on assault and related offences. However, as his office readily acknowledged, he got it wrong on the increase in burglaries. </p>
<p>Is his broader point that crime is worsening in Victoria correct? According to figures based on police records, yes. But we also know that many crimes never get reported to police, which means we’re better off looking at another, more reliable data set – the ABS’ annual crime victimisation survey.</p>
<p>That survey shows that between 2015 and 2016, the victimisation rate for break-in and physical assault rose, and stayed the same for robbery. Over the longer term, (between 2008 and 2016) most crime rates in Victoria decreased and this general fall is apparent in all Australian states except Western Australia.</p>
<p>A number of different sources show that Victorians are feeling more concerned about crime and safety in recent years. We don’t have enough comparable data to say if Victorians have ever felt as unsafe as they do now. <strong>– Stuart Ross</strong></p>
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<h2>Review</h2>
<p>This analysis is thorough and the author has relied on a variety of data sets to reach evidence-based conclusions.</p>
<p>One issue worth noting is the difference between public perceptions of crime versus the reality of crime that is occurring. The media focus on crime is one culprit in shaping our perceptions of reality. It is also worthy to note that when politicians speak of crime issues relevant to the public, they are often referencing recent events rather than the long term trend. <strong>– Terry Goldsworthy</strong></p>
<p><em>CORRECTION: The title of the murder victimisation rate chart changed on February 18 to replace “Murder victimisation rate (%)” with “Murder victimisation rate (per 100,000)”. The Conversation apologises for the error and thanks reader Cameron Lewis for spotting it.</em></p>
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<p><div class="callout"> Have you ever seen a “fact” worth checking? The Conversation’s FactCheck asks academic experts to test claims and see how true they are. We then ask a second academic to review an anonymous copy of the article. You can request a check at checkit@theconversation.edu.au. Please include the statement you would like us to check, the date it was made, and a link if possible.</div></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/72649/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stuart Ross has done consulting work for the Victorian Department of Justice in the past. He has previously received funding from the ARC.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Terry Goldsworthy does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Energy and Environment Minister Josh Frydenberg said he thought that Victorians have never felt more unsafe, and that burglaries, assaults and murders are rising year-on-year. Is he right?Stuart Ross, Director and Senior Researcher, Melbourne Criminological Research and Evaluation, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/389012015-03-27T00:04:48Z2015-03-27T00:04:48ZWhy boxing and cage fighting should be banned – but won’t be<p>The death of Queensland professional boxer Braydon Smith last week has re-ignited the debate over boxing as a sport in this country. The 23-year-old collapsed 90 minutes after completing a featherweight bout in Toowoomba on March 14 and did not regain consciousness before his <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-16/toowoomba-boxer-braydon-smith-dies-after-10-round-fight/6323574">life-support was turned off</a> last Monday. The Australian Medical Association used the case to renew its <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-03-17/ama-wants-boxing-to-be-banned-after-death-of-braydon-smith/6325956">call to ban boxing</a>.</p>
<p>Boxing Queensland president Ann Tindall <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4199204.htm">responded</a> by saying that the sport is no more dangerous than other contact sports. Braydon’s death was a “tragic accident”. </p>
<p>Boxing is dangerous. Boxers face a considerable risk of brain injury every time they step into the ring.</p>
<p>The evidence is not disputed. Highly influential for the supporters of an outright ban was the World Medical Association’s 1983 <a href="http://www.wma.net/en/30publications/10policies/b6/">statement</a> at its World Medical Assembly calling for such a ban. An <a href="http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=376630">article</a> six years later in the Journal of the American Medical Association, entitled Why physicians should oppose boxing: an interdisciplinary history perspective, was equally damning.</p>
<p>Boxing authorities responded by mandating shorter bouts and prescribing strict weight divisions. Protective headgear is now required for all organised non-professional competitions. </p>
<p>An allied phenomenon has reared its head in the Australian sporting landscape. For the last decade, American pay TV has been screening the Ultimate Fighting Championship (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_Fighting_Championship">UFC</a>). Drawing worldwide television audiences, this form of virtually unrestrained human combat is drawing great interest in Australia.</p>
<p>The Australian Fighting Championship <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/cage-fighting-violence-remains-in-the-ring-after-melbournes-first-bout-20150315-144frj.html">was held in Melbourne</a> last weekend after the new state Labor government lifted the ban on “cage” fighting or mixed martial arts (MMA) events. Western Australia is now <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/wa-news/wa-now-only-australian-state-in-which-ufc-cagefighting-is-banned-20141203-11z2ey.html">the only state</a> in Australia to ban cage fighting.</p>
<p>Australian legislators have been reluctant to ban MMA entirely, probably because they don’t wish to be seen as evoking a “nanny” state.</p>
<h2>Consent does not alter the consequence</h2>
<p>Opponents of bans point to other sports that have a high risk of fatalities, such as horse racing, skydiving, motor sport and surfing. The problem for such advocates is that boxing and cage fighting share a unique characteristic: participants set out to “stop” their opponent, a euphemism for the infliction of harm that renders opponents unable to continue fighting. Knocking them unconscious is the ultimate “stop”.</p>
<p>A person arriving on Earth from another planet would find it difficult to reconcile different outcomes from the same scenario: two people throwing punches at each other with great force. In a boxing ring or cage, hundreds of onlookers cheer them on. </p>
<p>The same two people the following week outside a nightclub attacking each other with the same degree of force would be arrested by police, would spend the night in a lock-up and would be penalised with a fine in the magistrates court the following morning.</p>
<p>We explain the legal difference thus: the former involves the consent of both of the participants, and the latter probably does not (even if both protagonists had agreed to “step outside”). But the distinction would be lost on an alien observer.</p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.aic.gov.au/crime_community/crimeprevention/ncv.html">National Committee on Violence</a> in 1990 weighed into this debate when considering the means by which Australians could reduce the levels of violence in our society. The authors of the report stopped short of recommending an outright ban on boxing, although a minority report recommended a review by the appropriate medical and sporting bodies regarding the control of boxing and its ultimate elimination as a sport. </p>
<h2>Is it civilised to celebrate aggression?</h2>
<p>Given its history, its Olympic and Commonwealth Games status, that it involves consenting adults, and the allure it has for millions of fans, there will be no change to the legal status of boxing in the foreseeable future.</p>
<p>Medical specialists and the mild-mannered among us might have hoped that the sport would have declined in popularity by now, either because of the number of deaths and brain injuries it causes, or through its reputation (especially in the US) for corruption. However, it appears to be as popular as ever. The tragic death of young Braydon Smith might, once again, challenge some participants to reconsider their pastime, but it won’t be the state that says that they have to stop it altogether.</p>
<p>Cage fighting elevates these concerns to another level entirely. The gladiatorial battles that drew the masses in the first century to the Roman Colosseum were a reflection of the cruel society of the day. One might question, watching the UFC channel and any other cage-fighting event, how much more civilised we have become in the intervening two millennia. Prime Minister Tony Abbott, himself a well-known pugilist in his Oxford days, in 2010 <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2992270.htm">called for</a> a “kinder, gentler polity”. </p>
<p>We should heed Abbott’s words, not only because of the dangers such fighting poses for its participants, but for the way in which it tends to de-sensitise us to the deliberate infliction of harm and to normalise aggressive behaviour in the minds of us all, especially our youth. </p>
<p>While criminologists may stop short of linking organised violence to the <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4530.0">more than 400,000 assaults</a> reported each year in Australia, cage fighting has no place in contemporary society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/38901/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rick Sarre does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The death of a 23-year-old boxer and the lifting of cage-fighting bans in every state but Western Australia raise the question of why we allow violence that would be criminal outside a ring or cage.Rick Sarre, Professor of Law, University of South AustraliaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.