Overcoming Violence

Violence is preventable

Violence and trauma happen all around us—in our homes, in our communities, to whole populations. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept it—because it’s possible to prevent. It’s possible to heal. We’re dissecting the whys and hows behind violence to stop it before it starts, repair its damage, and build resilience.

We’re starting at the source, understanding the root causes that trigger violence and the lasting harm caused by violence and prejudice in all forms. We’re bringing scientific rigor to the quest for effective policies. And we’re taking data-driven approaches to determine what solutions actually work. We’re also digging into the emotional, physical and genetic drivers of resilience so we can all heal better.

We’re advancing the science of safer, stronger, and more just communities.

Spotlight

FXB Center for Health & Human Rights
The François-Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights at Harvard University envisions a world that fulfills the health and human rights of all peoples and protects them from injustices imposed by discrimination, poverty, conflict, and disaster.
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Recent Stories

Getting to know … Patience Saaka, MPH ’22

Patience Saaka is a physician from Ghana with a passion for promoting equity in health care and ending gender-based violence.

The costs of gun violence

Gun violence survivors and their families face increased risk of mental health disorders and substance abuse disorders, according to a new study.

Negotiating humanitarian access on the front lines in Ukraine

Claude Bruderlein, adjunct lecturer on global health at Harvard Chan School and senior researcher at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, describes the challenges of humanitarian negotiations in regions affected by conflict.

Calling out a double standard in treatment of refugees from Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has unleashed “new, overt, and cruel manifestations of racism” in Europe, according to three experts from Harvard Chan School.

Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has prompted a massive humanitarian crisis, with mounting military and civilian casualties and more than two million people on the move to escape the violence. In this Big 3 Q&A, Michael VanRooyen, director of…

Karestan Koenen
Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology

"We are gathering data from victims as soon as possible after the violent event and following people over time to understand the whole picture of what happens after a trauma. One of the goals is early diagnosis and prevention—because if we identify people early, intensive psychotherapy can prevent full-blown disease."
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Satchit Balsari
Research Fellow in the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights

"It’s mind-boggling to think about the possibilities, over the next four or five decades, with cloud computing and mobile devices."
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Andrea Roberts
Research Scientist in the Department of Environmental Health

"I would love to see a common understanding—across the political spectrum—that childhood is a highly vulnerable period over which society has a huge influence."
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