Interpersonal violence is a major contributor to premature mortality, disability, and psychological trauma worldwide. This chapter approaches violence through an epidemiological and structural lens, examining how violence emerges from intersecting risk factors across the individual, relational, community, and societal levels.

We explore child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, youth violence, sexual violence, and elder abuse. Patterns of risk - including poverty, alcohol misuse, gender inequality, exposure to violence in childhood, and social exclusion - are examined alongside protective factors and resilience pathways.

The chapter emphasises that violence is preventable. Public health strategies move upstream: strengthening families, addressing harmful norms, regulating alcohol access, improving urban design, and embedding violence prevention within policy and community systems.

Violence is reframed not as moral failure, but as preventable harm embedded in social ecology.

Key Takeaways

* Interpersonal violence is a significant cause of death, injury, and long-term mental health consequences.

* Violence operates across ecological levels: individual, relationship, community, and societal.

* Risk factors include childhood adversity, alcohol misuse, gender inequality, and social deprivation.

* Intimate partner violence and child maltreatment have profound intergenerational effects.

* Effective prevention requires multi-sectoral approaches, including legislation, community engagement, education, and structural reform.

* Violence prevention is a core public health function.

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