V is for Victim. Who Suffers and How?

There's no uniform for victims, however the most common victims of youth violence are:

Peers, including girlfriends, boyfriends and other young people.
Family members, including siblings and parents/gardians.
Girls and women.
People of differing cultural or racial backgrounds.
Aboriginal people.
People with disabilities or illnesses.
Persons of differing sexual orientations, such as gays, lesbians, bisexuals or transexuals.

The Effects of Violence

Violence can have many harmful and long-lasting effects on victims. Some of the consequences of violence include:

Broken bones and bruises.
Cuts and scars.
Internal injuries.
Eating disorders.
Smoking.
Drug use.
Unsafe behaviours like unprotected sex.
Unwanted pregnancy.
Sexually transmitted infections.
Headaches.
Fear.
Anxiety.
Depression.
Suicide.
Homicide.

Remember, violence can negatively affect your self esteem and how you feel inside, which can affect:

Personal relationships.
School work.
Ability to do your job.

The cycle of violence

Normally, violence occurs in a cycle. The cycle consists of three parts: the tension building phase; the violent incident and; then being sorry, showing kindness and love (sometimes referred to as the honeymoon or "hearts and flowers" stage). This cycle is then repeated.

From the victim's point of view, the cycle of violence feels like this:

"Things seem to be okay, let's hope it stays like this."
"The "okay" times are disappearing and tension is building in the relationship."
"Something bad is going to happen, I just don't know when."
"Why does this keep happening, the fights keep getting worse."
"Things seem to be okay again, let's hope it stays okay this time."

Unfortunately, this cycle often repeats itself, with the abuse becoming worse over time.

Stand Up. Reach Out. Step in. Stop the Violence.