Hopelessness, a Public Safety and Health Emergency, Necessitates Hope as a Strategy
*NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / April 15, 2024 /* The Shine Hope Company (TSHC) - The Shine Hope Company and the International Foundation for Research and Education on Hope aim to address the violence crisis by teaching hope science. Hope is a teachable and learnable skill found to have an inverse relationship to violence. Hopelessness, the antithesis of hope, is the only consistent predictor of violent behaviors and can be prevented through hope activation in our communities.
In the wake of the recent tragedy at the Sydney Mall, where six lives were lost to violence, the pressing question of how to address escalating violence in our society is looming. Across the globe, violence has seen a troubling surge, with a 75% increase in violent crimes between 2021 and 2022, and aggravated assaults doubling since 2021. The staggering toll is furthered evidenced by the fact that nearly 71,000 lives were claimed in the United States by violence-related injuries in 2020 alone.
Researchers found hopelessness as the single most consistent predictor of violent behaviors. Defined by emotional despair and motivational helplessness, hopelessness affects individuals across all demographics. A recent report from Harvard revealed that 47% of Americans under 30 experienced hopelessness lasting several days within a two-week period. Moreover, over 40% of adolescents and 57% of teen girls in the United States reported persistent hopelessness.
The ramifications of hopelessness extend far beyond violence, encompassing a spectrum of risky behaviors among youth (i.e., violence, weapon-carrying on school property, self-harm, unprotected sex, bullying, partner violence, and more). Additionally, a history of violent behavior stands as the sole predictor of gun violence.
Amidst this grim reality, Evidence suggests programs targeting hopelessness can reduce violent behaviors, and that's where hope comes in. Researchers have found hopefulness is related to lower levels of violence and the good news is that hope is teachable.
The Shine Hope Company and the International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression Hope offer evidence-informed courses to teach all populations the skills to increase their hope. Using the Five Keys to Shine Hope framework, which is a mnemonic for *S*tress Skills, *H*appiness Habits, *I*nspired Actions, *N*ourishing Networks, and *E*liminating Challenges, the programming aims to ensure all can recognize the signs of hopelessness and proactively move from hopelessness to hope.
Arlington County police used an innovative approach and taught the Hopeful Minds curriculums in after-school programs. Las Vegas recently licensed the Hopeful Cities programming, making the digital programming available to Las Vegas residents. The evidence-based program is scripted, so anywhere children gather the program is available to be used.
Dr. Edward Barksdale, Jr., a pediatric trauma surgeon and the surgeon-in-chief at UH Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital/University Hospital recently spoke to NPR about his experiences operating on the same kids multiple times due to gunshot wounds. He says, "Most people see gun violence as a public safety issue, but I see it as a public health issue driven by hopelessness." He was a speaker at the International Day of Hope event, and noted that "cultivating Hopeful Minds, creating Hopeful Mindsets, and activating Hopeful Cities are all tangible strategies to decrease violence."
In addition to hope being a strategy that can target violence, extensive research underscores that cultivating hope leads to improved school engagement, attendance, graduation rates, mental health, physical health, higher GPAs, enhanced social relationships, and overall well-being. We need new solutions for violence prevention. The time for hope is now.
*About The Shine Hope™ Company:*
The Shine Hope Company empowers individuals by teaching scientifically informed and evidence-based methods to cultivate hope through workplace activations, public health campaigns, educational resources, courses, training, keynotes, and consulting. The Shine Hope Company manages all programming for Shine Hope, Hopeful Minds, Hopeful Cities, and Hopeful Mindsets, and supports the work of iFred to deliver activations to vulnerable populations. Visit www.theshinehopecompany.com to find out more.
*About iFred:*
iFred, the International Foundation for Research and Education on Hope, a 501(c)3 organization established in 2004, works to shine a positive light on mental health and eliminate stigma through prevention, research, and education. iFred is a pioneer in teaching hope as a learnable skill, and activates Hopeful Cities in areas with a poverty rate of 20% or more, and the Hopeful Minds Programs in school districts where at least 20 percent of the children they serve come from families with incomes below the poverty line. iFred also works in all low and middle-income countries. Learn more at www.ifred.org.
*Media Contact:*
For media inquiries, please contact:
Anna Termulo Montances
anna@theshinehopecompany.com
734-355-6716
*SOURCE:* The Shine Hope Company
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