The Link Between Trauma and Violence
Sometimes it’s hard to understand why an individual may act violently and aggressively. Whether it be verbal, physical, emotional or even sexual violent behaviour, violence as a phenomenon can be hard to understand.
The research provides us a rich understanding of the aetiology of violence and proposes that there is a link between trauma, substance misuse and abuse and violent behaviour.
Understanding violent behaviour
What Is `The definition of violence
First, it’s important to understand what is meant by violence and violent behaviour. Violence is an act perpetrated against another person that inflicts harm either physically, sexually, mentally or emotionally.
An overarching definition from the World Health organisation defines it as the intentional use of physical power or force, threatened or actual, against oneself (such as suicide), others or a group\community that results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation (Rutherford et al, 2007).
Thus, it is an act where an individual or group uses power and\or force to inflict ill upon another.
Types of violent behaviour
There are various types of violent behaviour as outlined below:
- Physical violence: This encompasses physical acts of force such as on the lessor side of the scale, hitting, shouting and screaming, to assault and on the severe end, murder. These acts can sometimes be impulsive in nature resulting from intense rage or premeditated and planned. The latter is as a result of more antisocial, psychopathic personalities.
- Sexual violence: Sometimes the perpetrator has a history of being sexually abused themselves. They may be wanting to gain control and power over these experiences and act out their rage in another violent act. Sexual abuse can leave us feeling helpless, powerless, and violated. Sexual perpetrators may struggle to cope with these emotions and behave in a way that enables them to feel more powerful and in control.
- Emotional and psychological violence: This type of violence involves insults, humiliation and degradation and can have lasting effects.
Violent behaviour is certainly a difficult concept for us to understand and you might be wondering why? Why would somebody willingly impose themselves on others inflicting harm? One of the aetiologies of violent behaviour outlined in the literature is trauma.
The trauma-violence link: what does research say?
Literature suggests a link exists between trauma and violence
Research has shown that more than 50% of incarcerated males have reported experiencing childhood physical abuse and trauma (Wolf & Shi, 2012). Childhood trauma is also associated with an increase in psychological disorders (depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder) as well as substance abuse disorders (drugs and alcohol) and antisocial behaviours. (Wolf & Shi, 2012), which are either directly or indirectly linked to violent behaviour.
Individuals that have been exposed to multiple traumatic, violent acts, and neglect may feel internally compelled to enact these violent acts on others as a way to cope, process their feelings and gain their power back either consciously or subconsciously. They may feel insecure, powerless and helpless and enforcing their will and power on another, may be the only way that they know how to cope with these troubling and overwhelming feelings. Feeling powerful can help the individual feel less shame and not like a victim.
Emotional dysregulation by individuals that have experienced trauma is also very common. It refers to the difficulty regulating and containing emotional responses. These individuals may struggle to regulate overwhelming feelings of fear, anger and frustration and physical violence and outbursts may result.
Violence, trauma and substance misuse
How do these phenomena interact to cause violent behaviour?
Individuals that have experienced trauma may try to self-medicate with substances such as illicit drugs and alcohol. This is often seen as a coping skill for them, to help them regulate overwhelming emotions, albeit unhelpful. However, substances, especially alcohol can reduce our inhibitions and lower our impulse control. Thus, individuals are more likely to act on irritable and angry emotions by acting out when under the influence of alcohol.
Furthermore, the misreading of signals by both the offender and the victim, a reduction in inhibitions and the lack of consideration of consequences, the decrease in frontal lobe functioning as well as the effect of alcohol on the neurochemical systems that mediate aggressive behaviour (Boles & Miotto, 2003) all plays a role in the perpetuation of the violent behaviour.
We also know that stimulants such as cocaine, methamphetamine and amphetamine are linked to violent behaviour (Lawler et al, 2020). As they are stimulants these substances can increase irritability, excitability as well as paranoia and possible psychotic symptoms resulting in violent behaviour. Withdrawal from these substances can also increase irritability and aggressive and violent behaviour especially if the individuals’ inhibitions are reduced.
Breaking the cycle of trauma
Prevention and Intervention
Support and early intervention for individuals that have experienced trauma is key. Not only will this assist in curbing any violent behaviours, but it will also improve functioning and reduce the risk of that individual developing a mental health condition later in life (depression, anxiety, PTSD etc.). Intervening at a substance abuse level is also vitally important in order to reduce the likelihood of violent behaviour.
Early intervention can take the form of individual approaches through psychotherapy and skills development as well as community-based approaches such as attending programmes and rehabilitation aimed at reducing violent behaviour at a community level.
Interventions can include:
- Individual psychotherapy, with a trauma-informed model, to assist with processing and re-processing the underlying trauma as well as learning alternative means of coping with these overwhelming feelings.
- Individual psychotherapy in the form of dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) to learn the necessary skills to cope with emotional dysregulation and outbursts.
- Rehabilitation and psychotherapy for the substance misuse may be necessary.
- Often an individual that has behaved in a violent manner may have an undiagnosed mental health disorder. Proper assessment, evaluation and diagnosis and treatment, in the form of psychotherapy and possibly medication, is vital in an individual’s treatment.
- Support is vitally important for these individuals. Feeling isolated and unsupported could drive their feelings of rage and anger and further exacerbate the violent behaviour.
- A risk assessment of the individual’s predisposing and precipitating factors in order to identify areas of risk that require intervention.
Violence has a lasting effect on the individual, the community and the perpetrator. These effects are psychological, mental, physical (in terms of long-term injuries), health as well as financial. It is indeed a phenomenon that requires treatment, intervention and support.
Dr Pauline Baleta provides individual psychotherapy for both perpetrators and victims of violence.
References
Boles, S.M., & Miotto, K. (2003). Substance abuse and violence: A review of the literature. Aggression and violent behaviour, 8(2), 155-174.
Lawler, S., Barrett, E.L., Stapinski, L.A., Bright, D.A. & Teesson, M. (2020). Themes in sentencing young adults charged with serious violent crime involving alcohol and other drugs. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 53(3), 411-432.
Rutherford A, Zwi AB, Grove NJ, Butchart A. Violence: a glossary. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2007 Aug;61(8):676-80. doi: 10.1136/jech.2005.043711. PMID: 17630364; PMCID: PMC2652990.
Wolff N, Shi J. Childhood and adult trauma experiences of incarcerated persons and their relationship to adult behavioural health problems and treatment. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2012 May;9(5):1908-26. doi: 10.3390/ijerph9051908. Epub 2012 May 18. PMID: 22754481; PMCID: PMC3386595.
