Mental Health Promotion

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION 1
Mental Health Promotion
Name of Author
Institution of Affiliation
Date of Submission
Mental Health Promotion

MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION 2
Introduction
Violence remains one of the global health issues that is affecting more than 2 million
people every year (Widom & Wilson, 2015). It is defined as an act of physical force whose
intention is to cause harm or damage (Widom & Wilson, 2015). The damage caused by violence
may be psychological, physical, or both. There are different types of experience that are
experienced in Australia (Widom & Wilson, 2015). They include family violence, domestic
violence, and sexual violence. The three are a major national health issue that can have lifelong
effects on both the victim and the perpetrators (Cadilhac et al., 2015). In Australia, Mental health
illnesses are regarded as the largest contributor to the burden, which is largely as a result of
domestic violence (Widom & Wilson, 2015).
This paper discusses various types of violence, the link between violence, trauma, and
mental health. Besides, it critically assesses some of mental health promotion approaches in the
prevention of intimate partnership violence as well as discussion on the role of a nurse in these
mental health programs.
Part A
Violence remains a global issue that results in deaths of more than 1.8 million people
every year (Talbott, 2012). It remains one of the leading causes of death in the world. It refers to
as an act of physical force whose intention is to cause harm or damage (Widom & Wilson,
2015). The damage caused by violence may be psychological, physical, or both. It has a number
of negative impacts on those who experience or witness it (Talbott, 2012). As a result of
collective or interpersonal violence, many people Australian citizens have lost their lives
whereas these who have survived have experienced non- fatal injuries (Talbott, 2012). In other
words, violence is like an enemy or terrorism that is slowly taking our friends away. As per

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(Talbott, 2012), around 7000 cases of death caused by violence is reported in Australia every
year.
There are different types of experience that are experienced in Australia. They include
family violence, domestic violence, and sexual violence. The three are a major national health
issue that can have lifelong effects on both the victim and the perpetrators. They both occur
across all the ages, but they predominantly affect females and children (Storer, Casey &
Herrenkohl, 2016). Family violence can be described as the abuse that is experienced between
family members. It may be as a result of conflict between partners, siblings or mentor and the
child. It commonly happens where perpetrators exercise their power and control over another
person (Wathen & MacMillan, 2013).
The other common type of violence is domestic violence which also can be referred to as
intimate partnership violence and a subordinate of family violence. It is a form of violence that is
dependent on behaviors that isolate, intimate, frighten, coerce, threaten, or injure someone.
Besides, domestic violence can be in the form of physical, psychological, emotional, or sexual
abuse. It is influenced by an act of an individual to either gain or control power over others,
usually through fear (Jackson & Deye, 2015).The third common type of violence that is
experienced is sexual violence. It refers to a form of violence that is associated with sexual
behaviors against the victim’s will.
It is estimated that about 2.3 million Australians have been involved in sexual abuse. The
abuse may be as a result of conflict between their current partners, former partners or from
strangers. Besides, many have experienced sexual abuse from their violent employers or manager
(Wong & Mellor, 2014). Sexual violence can be as a result of perpetrators in a domestic
relationship with former partners or strangers. Sexual violence also involves child sexual abuse

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when a mature person uses his or her authority to involve a child in sexual activity (Jackson &
Deye, 2015).
Violence can also be grouped into psychological, physical abuse, abuse or sexual abuse
(Michau et al., 2015). Physical violence may include slaps, hits, choking punches, etc. Sexual
abuse can involve rape, sexual harassment, forcing someone to watch pornography, human
trafficking, etc. Psychological abuse may include humiliation intimation, and coercive control
may include restricting access to information, monitoring one’s movement among other activities
(Sherwood & Zomorodi, 2014). However, the national health data indicates that 2005-2016, the
rate of domestic or intimate partner abuse against women was comparatively stable (Michau et
al., 2015).
According to (Shorey et al., 2012), ladies are at a higher risk of domestic, family, and
sexual abuse, whereas men are highly likely to be submitted to violence from unknown persons.
One in every six Australian females. Additionally, the studies also show that in every 16 men, 1
man is at a risk of enduring either physical or sexual mistreat. Domestic, family and sexual abuse
happen repeatedly, and it is estimated that about 50 percent of Australian women have
experienced violence with their current or former partners (Wong & Mellor, 2014).
According to a statistic carried out between 2014-2015, in every eight ladies, two men
were admitted because they had been subjected to sexual abuse by their wives (Trevillion, et al.,
2012). Moreover, statistics from the year 2013 to 2014 showed that in every week one female
was killed due to mistreat from their current or former spouse, whereas in every month one male
was killed under the same circumstance (Trevillion, et al., 2012). Furthermore, about 23 percent
and 16 percent of men experienced emotional violence from their partners. Eighteen percent of
Australian females and 4.7 percent of males have been subjects to sexual mistreat (Dillon et al.,