The proposed unit covers six substantive areas: (1) violence (domestic violence, assault, and incidence and causes); (2) battering (cycle of violence, fighting versus battering, and intervention and prevention); (3) child abuse types and prevention; (4) suicide (indicators, incidence, action plan, and prevention and support); (5) rape (types, myths, and prevention and support); and (6) homicide (incidence, coping mechanisms, and prevention). The unit also encompasses communication with attention paid to stress management, anger, self-concept and self-esteem, and conflict resolution. Each of these topics is discussed, and statistics on the incidence of violence are provided. The following potential ways of reducing violent acts are recommended: educational and information measures including public awareness campaigns, new educational pathways to enhance life skills, stress reduction programs, and public education for high-risk groups; service measures that emphasize hotlines for people under acute stress, stress management for adolescents, support systems and counseling to assist with stressful life events, and training of health professionals; and legislative efforts including limits on the availability of handguns, strengthened mandatory abuse reporting laws, and youth employment opportunities. 16 references