Violence is a serious public health issue in Massachusetts and in the US. On average, every week in 2007 in Massachusetts, three to four people died by homicide, more than 45 spent time in the hospital, and more than 485 visited an emergency department because of an injury from an assault. Although statistics from hospital data and death certificates are startling, they do not fully account for the problem. Sexual assaults, intimate partner violence, and child and elder abuse may be reported only sporadically. Injuries from assaults may be treated in a physician's office or health center and many assaults go unreported to medical personnel and police, even when a physical injury occurs.

In this chapter

Bullying, Harassment, and Violence in School Settings - Community Violence - Rape and Sexual Violence - Intimate Partner Violence: Dating and Domestic Violence - Child Maltreatment and Witnessing Family Violence

List of figures and tables

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This information is provided by the Department of Public Health.