violence against children WORLD REPORT ON - CRIN

Firearms, alcohol, and the prevention of homicides in CaliThe use of evidence-based strategies to reduce situational risk factors is illustratedby the Colombian city of Cali. Between 1985 and 1992, homicide rates in the cityincreased five-fold to reach levels of 100 per 100,000 people. In response, the cityestablished the Development, Security and Peace Programme (DESEPAZ) in 1992 toimplement strategies to prevent violence and improve security among residents.332Violence against children in the communityAn important step was to create a joint-agency surveillance system to identify patternsand determinants of homicide in the city. Among other important source of information,the surveillance data showed that males aged 15–19 years had a homicide rateof 250 per 100,000, that 79% of all homicides were committed using firearms, thatblood alcohol concentrations in 23% of cases far exceeded the legal limit for drivers,and that homicides were clustered in specific areas of the city, particularly the mostimpoverished areas. Homicides were more common during weekends, especially thosecoinciding with bi-weekly pay days.This information informed the development of DESEPAZ prevention policies and programmes,which had the full support of the municipal Government. Among other initiatives,the mayor restricted the hours during which alcoholic beverages could be sold,and prohibited the carrying of guns in public during high-risk weekends, holidays andelection days. Although resource constraints permitted only intermittent application ofthe full-range of interventions, evaluation showed clear signs of success. Homicide ratesfell by 14% when the ban on carrying guns in public was strictly enforced. Between 1994and 1997, the homicide rates in Cali declined by 30%, from 124 to 86 per 100,000.Furthermore, public opinion in Cali shifted strongly from a passive attitude towardsdealing with violence to a vociferous demand for more prevention activities. 266Reducing exposure to violencein the mediaPrevention of violence against childrenthrough the media will require cooperationat the individual and community levels, butalso the development of national strategies.Many contributors to the Study suggested theuse of education campaigns for children andparents to inform them about the issues surroundingviolence in and through the massmedia, and particularly about Internet risksand safe Internet behaviour. Other strategiesspecifically aimed at the Internet include creationof ‘watchdog’ organisations which monitoroffensive websites, and both regulation andself-regulation of the Internet industry. Betterlaw enforcement measures are also called for,including criminal prosecution of people who