Understanding and Preventing Violence: Summary of 2016 Research and Surveillance Activities

Abstract

The Division of Violence Prevention (DVP) within CDC’s Injury Center works to prevent violence and the injuries and deaths caused by violence, so people can live life to the fullest. As the only federal agency that focuses on stopping violence before it starts, DVP monitors and tracks violence trends, conducts research to identify factors that increase or decrease the risk for violence, develops and rigorously evaluates innovative prevention approaches, and supports the widespread use of evidence-based prevention strategies. This critical work helps us prevent violence across the lifespan, including child abuse and neglect, youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and suicidal behavior.This resource describes DVP’s 2016 research activities in violence prevention and highlights some results from previously funded research and ongoing surveillance activities. This work fills critical knowledge gaps and strengthens our ability to prevent different forms of violence and its consequences. DVP’s research portfolio aligns with its five-year strategic vision for a cross-cutting approach to understanding the overlapping causes of violence and factors that protect people and communities from experiencing violence in all its forms (see text box at right). The studies described in this report align with the research priorities and guiding questions of CDC’s Injury Center. (Author Text)