interpersonal violence

The term interpersonal violence describes any form of violence committed in the context of human relationships:

• harm to people  - physical / - psychological
• harm to property

Interpersonal violence takes always place in a continuum. There may be a considerable overlap between the different forms described in the literature, e.g. threats, workplace violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, bullying and stalking. In reality these forms are often indistinguisable from one another.

The most salient consequences after threats and/or exposure to violent outbursts are psychotraumatic in thier nature.

The term "trauma" is derived from the Greek and means wound.

Two different forms of traumatic reactions exist. One is addressed as type 1 and it is seen after a single event such a particular workplace incident, a traffic incident, exposure to a natural / environmental / industrial catastrophy and alike. Type 2 trauma is seen after a chain of events which are interconnected to each other, e.g. exposure to stalking, ongoing workplace violence and domestic violence. The trauma exposure causes an overwhelming situation for the individual which goes beyond the capacity to cope with the experience.

 

 

 

For all forms of traumatic reactions specific trauma focussed therapeutic techniques are available.

 

Dr. med Werner Tschan
PO Box 475 | CH-4012 Basel | Phone +41 61 331 61 13 | Email info@threat-management.ch