The term violence prevention means many things. It can refer to preventing people from becoming victims of violence. It can refer to preventing people from becoming perpetrators of violence. Both of these forms of prevention can take place before the first incident ever occurs (primary prevention) or they can take place later, to prevent violence from occurring again and to mitigate the immediate and long-term effects of violence (secondary and tertiary prevention).
The goal of Prevent Violence NC is to prevent first-time perpetration of violence. The selected strategies are centered on ensuring people do not become violent, by fostering individual, family, community, and societal supports and positive norms - what we call Key Strengths.
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Primary prevention is prevention of first-time perpetration or victimization. The strategies featured on Prevent Violence NC are designed to prevent first-time perpetration. Strategies to prevent first-time victimization include things like recognizing and avoiding risk. Though these strategies may be considered part of a broader approach to violence prevention, we choose not to highlight them for several reasons, including:
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