Acts of violence and their relation to gender and aggression - Essay Example

Aggression is violence. An aggressive person may not necessarily be violent, but that person can become destructive and violent. As a matter of fact "aggression often leads to violence" (Bandow and Hunter, 2007, p. 212). Aggression is a formed of behavior characterized by a verbal or physical attack though appropriate and taken for self protection, but it may also be destructive and violent.Aggression leads to violence in different ways. For example, violent behaviors can be possible responses to perceived aggression.

Moreover, the aggressive behavior assumed by a person who is "motivated to avoid such treatment" (Opotow, 2000, p. 404) might be violent. In addition, the presence of stimuli such as guns in the immediate environment during an aggressive behavior increases the chance that that aggressive behavior turns violent.4. Stalking which includes "following someone when they leave the house, harassing phone calls, purposefully running into the victim in public places, and calling or stopping by the partner's workplace too often" (Huey, Hardesty and Leon, 2007).

The above depicts the full cycle of domestic violence. In the first phase, because of insecurity - that their partners might leave them, the other partner becomes verbally abusive. The verbally abused partner, during this phase, may do anything just to keep the peace including going along with whatever the abuser wants.During the second phase, the abuser's behavior gets more violent. Instead of just being verbally abusive, the abuser is now also into acute battering. However, the abuser still blames the other partner for the abuse and thus, may bring such behavior even outside the home.

The third phase, on the other hand, is when the abuser becomes the 'ideal' partner - calm, loving, kind and caring enough to apologize for the prior behaviors with the promise that the will not happen again. 4. Give a minimum of ten warning signs that someone is being abused. The following are ten warning signs that someone is being abused: 1. Often absence from work or school 2. Low self-esteem 3. Change in personality 4. Numerous injuries 5. Stress-related physical symptoms 6. Fear of conflict 7.

Passive-aggressive behavior 8. Excessive guilt 9. Seem isolated 10. Reluctance to speak or disagree with abuser when they are together with other people 5. How do different genders deal with violence Women cope with family violence by doing any of the following: Leave the relationship Seek help from formal and informal sources Gambling Use alcohol or other drugs such as sleeping pills and sedative Men cope with family violence by doing any of the following: Don't don anything about it Keeping silent Hide from it by spending more time at work, personal space or any place away from home 6.

What should you do if you suspect someone is being abused If you suspect someone you know of being abused, do the following: First, ask that someone if he or she is being abused Then, believe that someone and let that someone know that you do believ