Interesting Facts

According to Professor Brad Bushman, a psychologist of Ohio State University, the old adage, "Sex Sells", may no longer be true. In a recent study researchers found that people pay so much attention to the graphic material their minds are distracted from what is actually being promoted. (Prof Bushman said, 'Our findings have tremendous applied significance, especially for advertisers. Sex and violence do not sell, and in fact they may even backfire by impairing memory, attitudes and buying intentions for advertised products.' The study found viewers were less likely to remember ads when they were shown around films and TV programmes with explicit sexual or violent content and more likely to remember them during more family friendly material. Violence had an even more negative effect, and brands advertised during programmes or films in this genre were remembered less often, evaluated less favourably and less likely to be bought than products plugged alongsi...

Here's a scary statistic: According to crime figures, there has been a 60% rise in the number of children in the UK being investigated by police for violent crimes against their parents. (The number of suspects aged 17 or under in the Metropolitan Police area rose to 1,437 in 2014 from 895 in 2012. The youngest was just seven. I'm not sure what you can do if your own child attacks you. There's even a helpline, Parentline Plus, for parents who face this kind of abuse. Scary!)

Clare's Law is aimed at protecting women (and men) from violent abuse by their partners. (The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme means that police can disclose previous convictions for violence, even if a person has not requested it. It is called Clare's Law after Clare Wood, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend.  It was revealed after his trial that he had a horrific history of violence against women. Miss Woods’ father Michael Brown campaigned for a change in the law.) !Note - According to The Wright Stuff, 400 people investigated a partner during the pilot scheme.

It is estimated there are 35 "outlaw" motorcycle groups in Australia. (Together they have  3,500 "patched members" (official members). Since the 1980s there have been about 100 biker killings across the country and 1,000 shootings.   Because of the escalating violence, it is  illegal to wear certain biker "patches" or insignia in Kings Cross, Sydney. The reason for the escalating violence?  Drugs.  So, if you supply, grow, trade in, take or make money from narcotics, you are part of the problem,)

Honduras has the world's highest murder rate. (The National Commission for Human Rights has calculated that there is a violent death every 74 minutes in this small nation of about eight million people, and in 2011 they recorded the highest murder rate in the world, with 86 people killed for every 100,000 inhabitants. In  Mexico the rate is 18, in the UK it is just over 1. What fuels the violence in Honduras, and in Mexico? Illegal drugs. So, if you take / deal / transport or make money from this stuff, you are part of the problem.)

According to child expert Professor Richard Tremblay, three and four-year-olds are more violent than most adults. (He added that children have to learn to regulate their use of violence in the early years, and whether or not they manage to do so depends on a range of environmental and genetic factors.  Those who do not are more likely to become aggressive adults. No wonder kids terrify me!)

According to studies carried out by psychologist Bruce Bartholow playing violent computer games desensitizes people faced with violence in real life. (He said, “As far as I'm aware, this is the first study to show that exposure to violent games has effects on the brain that predict aggressive behavior. People who play a lot of violent video games didn't see them as much different from neutral. They become desensitized.” It's a bit of a no brainer really, but I wonder if Raving Rabbids is desensitizing me to hitting people over the head.)