Community is TheAnti-ViolenceWeapon
Psychiatrist Promotes Block-by-Block Approachby Lesley R. Chinn
According to the AmericanPsychological Association,about 71 percent of youth saythey are interested in learningabout the warning signs of violence.One in twelve highschoolstudents is threatened orinjured with a weapon each year.With all of the statistics, modelsfor intervention, medicationsand diagnoses, getting back tobasics is a start. If we want tosolve this problem, we need torebuild our villages by startingblock clubs and going to theseschools to start strong parentteacherassociations, saidDr. Carl Bell, president/CEO ofthe Community Mental HealthCouncil.
Although people dont necessarilydevelop long-term psychiatricdisorders such as PostTraumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD) after a traumatic event,it can still traumatize the personas well as families and communities.However, for victims,constantly stressing over a traumaticevent, increases a personschances of developing a seriousdisorder by as much as 30 percentsaid Bell. Bell added peopleneed to start building blockby-block in order to protect theyouth from violence since thewhole community is affected.You dont put the burden on thechild to fix the problem. Its thecommunity, family, and schoolsresponsibility, not the childsresponsibility. Were supposed tobe protecting the children, hesaid.
On December 17, a group ofparents who have lost children togun violence, will be joined byyouth city-wide along with anumber of prominent leadersincluding Rev. Father MichaelPfleger; Mayor Richard M.Daley; Min. Louis Farrakhan andChicago Public Schools CEOArne Duncan. At that time, thecommunity will come together tohold an anti-violence rallydowntown at the State of IllinoisBuilding, 100 W. Randolph atNoon. Organizers, calling for anend to violence, plan to urgelegislators to pass common sensegun laws and equal school fundingreform measures.
Community involvement is acure for the issue, said Bell.When children are given a senseof safety, all of those horriblethings that happen dont stick,he added.For more information abouthow to participate and to beginorganizing your block againstviolence, call Saint SabinaChurch at (773) 483-4300.
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