The world today has become a seething cauldron of violence. About 1.6 million worldwide are said to lose their lives to violence. One wonders if there is a definite increase in violence today or whether it has become increasingly noticeable because of the media. Violence is glorified on TV and in films. Only two kinds of stories seem to fascinate people – Violence and Love. Even the minds of young children are influenced by the many games they play online, that violence is a way of life. Violence in the media impacts children in a big way, making them believe that fisticuffs are the best way to settle disputes.

There are different types of violence – physical, psychological, sexual, and socioeconomic.

Today, physical violence is rampant in many parts of the world. The Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, the continuing strife in Manipur are some examples of physical violence, leading to death and destruction, with many innocent lives lost in the crossfire.

Verbal and psychological violence is usually seen in the domestic realm. Verbal abuse can be demoralizing. It ruins the self-esteem of the abused person, usually the woman. As there is no external trauma, the woman can show nothing of violence to the outside world. Wife-beating or domestic violence is prevalent in societies high or low, rich or poor, educated or uneducated. In some cultures, wife-beating is considered to be a husband’s prerogative. In a UNICEF global report of 2-12, 57% of boys and 53% of girls said wife beating was okay. Ethiopia is supposed to be a country where the most domestic violence is seen. Afghanistan is very low on the Global Peace Index. Acid violence are revenge attacks on women by rejected lovers. The victims carry the disfigurement for life. Women have been doused with kerosene and set on fire by husbands who doubt the fidelity of their wives. But there have been instances when women join with their paramours to murder their husbands.

Live-in relationships are not always safe. There have been several gruesome reports of females being killed, chopped into bits and disposed of in different ways.

Rape is sexual violence against women and children. Gory details of gang rapes on women and children are heard of from time to time. Unfortunately, rape is under-reported and has a very low conviction rate, because of police insensitivity. Dr Harish Shetty a psychiatrist says there are three reasons that enable a person to commit rape- anonymity, impulsiveness and power.

Honour killing or Love Jihad occurs with alarming frequency in India. Ordinary citizens are powerless when faced with the wrath of families or religious bigots. They may be beaten or excommunicated or even murdered. State agencies or the police turn a blind eye to such incidents.

Hundreds of children and young adults are driven by violent syndicates into forced labour or prostitution. Even young girls are not spared by sadistic and socially powerful dons. Criminalization of Politics and the use of violence to achieve one’s end has a strong bearing on the minds of children who learn from their elders and follow their examples in adulthood.

Psychiatrists talk of “Frustration Aggression.” Violence becomes an immediate reaction to frustration if gratification of needs such as hunger, sex, love, esteem are not met. This has been blamed on inadequate parenting which in turn causes poor development of the super ego. Superego is the source of moral and behavioral strictures, which keeps the id and the ego properly balanced and under control. A person with an underdeveloped superego looks for immediate gratification. When this is not possible, frustration leads to violence. Thomas de Quincey said, “If once a man indulges himself in murder, very soon he comes to think little of robbing, and from robbing he next comes to drinking, and from that to incivility.”

Most violent people have a choleric disposition. Eruption into violence is always a possibility with them. This behavior, if not properly controlled by parents during childhood, can make them hostile towards people. They learn that people are afraid of them and so use this as a weapon to get what they want.

Violence has health and social consequences. A violent person will surely develop hypertension, which in turn will have associated complications. Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders, mental illness, or even suicidal tendencies may be the outcome of a chronically violent personality.

As fish caught in a cruel net or birds caught in a snare, so is the unhappy man trapped by his own violence. He must discipline his emotions if he does not want to lose credibility or alienate others, and miss great opportunities for a peaceful life.

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