Abstract
Experiencing violence - verbal, physical, sexual - particularly during childhood, has short-, medium- and long-term effects on the psychological make-up of individuals, as well as on their risk of psychiatric disorders and deteriorating physical health. But more broadly, abuse and neglect within families, but also systemic violence - armed conflict, poverty, discrimination - have consequences in terms of the mental health of individuals and populations as a whole. How common are different forms of violence? What are their determinants, and how can they be prevented? What are their consequences in terms of mental health and addictions? The lecture will be followed by a seminar focusing specifically on issues relating to sexual violence - its prevalence, the factors associated with it, the wider context in which it occurs, and ways of curbing it and limiting the psychological impacts that may be associated with it.
