According to the World Health Organization, violence is defined as: The intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment, or deprivation. The definition used by the World Health Organization associates intentionality with the committing of the act itself, irrespective of the outcome it produces. Acts of violence include but are not limited to sexual assault, child abuse, non-fatal self-harm, intimate partner violence, homicide, suicide, bullying, and school violence.

HEALTH formally prioritized violence in Healthy Rhode Islanders 2000 when it was introduced as a leading health indicator. Early SRI violence prevention efforts included the Violence Against Women Surveillance System, the Teen Dating Violence Prevention Program, and the creation of A Suicide Prevention Framework For Rhode Islanders Aged 15 – 24 Years.

Currently, SRI directs several statewide violence prevention initiatives. Please click on the links below to learn more about SRI’s latest efforts.

STOP It: Youth Violence prevention planning initiative

VSIP: Violence Surveillance Integration Program

Suicide Prevention: suicide prevention planning initiatives

RPE: Rape Prevention Education program