We live
in a small community and we pride ourselves as a closely knit, safe,
family-oriented and culturally respectful people. Yet, when you really think
about it and examine how our community is doing, we have to admit that we are
not quite the community we used to be, or want to be, for we have a big problem
of violence and it is increasing.
We have
different categories of violence, from interpersonal violence, such as family
or domestic violence, to community violence, between individuals who are not
related and who may or may not know each other that generally takes place
outside the home. Interpersonal violence includes child abuse, intimate partner
violence and abuse of the elderly. Community violence includes random acts of
violence, rape, sexual assault and violence in institutional settings such as
in school, the workplace, etc.
Our
once upon a time, closely knit, fairly stable family and safe community is now
gradually disintegrating, with increasing crime rates, parental separation
rates and high rates of child maltreatment. Trauma caused by these social ills
has a serious impact on our young people, and many suffer multiple traumas over
the years.
Why is
this so, and how can we stop the violence and family disintegration that cause
so much pain and turmoil to our young people?
We know
that violence and family disintegration cannot be attributed to single or
simple factors. The causes are complex.
Faith, hope and trust
As I
ponder on this, however, the word that keeps coming to mind is faith -- faith
in God and faith in one self. Is violence and family disintegration due to lack
of faith or is the lack of faith the contributing factor?
The
word "faith" often is used as a synonym for hope, trust or belief.
Faith,
hope, trust and belief are acquired through personal choices and experiences.
Having faith in oneself is essential in decision making, for it guides the
judgment of the individual. Having faith helps an individual be respectful to
others, for he or she in return expects to be treated the way he or she treats
others. Faith is what gives the person hope during desperate and trying times.
Without
faith, an individual becomes distrustful, disrespectful, and loses his or her
sense of value, belief and hope. Without faith, life becomes meaningless and
empty, which leads to a search for something to fill the void. That something
often comes in the form of alcohol and substance misuse, and engagement in
high-risk and violent behaviors.
Life
then becomes full of negativity, which also gets projected onto others,
instigating a cycle of out-of-control violence.
Young
people can learn to have faith from nurturing adults who treat them with
reverence. Young people learn to have faith in themselves when they are not
being abused and traumatized. By having faith in themselves, the young person
has the ability to develop a positive character, self-confidence and
self-trust. These are important characteristics that would help the person
manage many of life's challenges without resorting to violence.
Annie F.B. Unpingco, LCSW, is administrator of I Famagu'on-ta at
the Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center.
