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Violence can be:

- self-directed violence;
- collective violence;
- interpersonal violence;

Interpersonal violence can be:

- Family and intimate partner violence – that is,
violence largely between family members and
intimate partners, usually, though not exclusively,
taking place in the home.
- Community violence – violence between
individuals who are unrelated, and who may
or may not know each other, generally taking
place outside the home.

Violent acts can be:

- physical;
- sexual;
- psychological;
- involving deprivation or neglect.

Each year, over 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence. Violence is among the leading causes of death for people aged 15-44 years worldwide.

For every person who dies as a result of violence, many more are injured and suffer from a range of sexual, physical, mental health and reproductive problems.

Moreover, violence places a massive burden on national economies, costing countries billions each year in health care, law enforcement and lost productivity.

WHO works with partners to prevent violence through scientifically credible strategies that are conceived and implemented in relation to causes at the levels of the individual, family, community and society.

Violence against children is a major risk factor for psychiatric disorders and suicide, and has lifelong sequelae including anxiety disorders, depression, smoking, alcohol and drug abuse, aggression and violence towards others, risky sexual behaviours and post traumatic stress disorders.

So, preventing violence against children contributes is a way to prevent a much broader range of noncommunicable diseases.

Preventing violence: a guide to implementing the recommendations of the World report on violence and health was published with the support of the Government of Belgium, and thanks to input from violence prevention practitioners worldwide.

This document focuses the first six recommendations, that are:

• Increasing the capacity for collecting data on violence.
• Researching violence – its causes, consequences and prevention.
• Promoting the primary prevention of violence.
• Promoting gender and social equality and equity to prevent violence.
• Strengthening care and support services for victims.
• Bringing it all together – developing a national action plan of action.