Drugs Boosting Conflict? A Micro-Level Test of the Linkage Between Substance Use and Violence

Hecker, Tobias; Haer, Roos

doi:10.1080/09546553.2013.796935

Cited by 12 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…With regard to victim-offender populations, this result may be interpreted in accordance with Hecker and Haer (2015), who suggest that drugs may be consumed in order to feel more vigilant, powerful and fearless (Goldstein et al, 1989) when committing violent acts such as murder or rape, rather than to cope with the psychological impact of PTSD symptoms (Bonin, Norton, Asmundson, Dicurzio, & Pidlubney, 2000). However, we found a significant relationship between PTSD and appetitive aggression, and we hypothesize that comorbid PTSD symptoms, such as revenge fantasies (Maercker & Horn, 2013), may evolve into a proactive intrinsic motivation for violence, i.e.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

“…This correlation holds true for South Africa: Between 1999 and 2000, in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, almost 50% of individuals arrested on charges related to family violence, homicide or rape were reported to have been either drunk or under the influence of drugs at the time of the offense (Parry, Plüddemann, et al, 2004). The severity of the committed crimes is positively associated with alcohol or drug consumption preceding the violent act (Chermack and Blow, 2002, Hecker and Haer, 2015, White et al, 2002). Although these data reveal that substance abuse represents a frequent precursor to aggressive behavior (Taylor & Chermack, 1993), the question of whether drug abuse functions as a catalyst (Ching, Daffern, & Thomas, 2012) or in a causal role, remains a controversial issue (Klostermann & Fals-Stewart, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The role of alcohol and drugs in promoting appetitive aggression has yet to be investigated in a systematic manner: A recent study by Hecker and Haer (2015) examines the impact of prior drug abuse on emotional states during the perpetration of violence in combatants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most combatants felt fearless , more powerful , and more aggressive after drug abuse and had a higher propensity to behave in an appetitively aggressive manner.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The interplay between trauma, substance abuse and appetitive aggression and its relation to criminal activity among high-risk males in South Africa

Sommer

Hinsberger

Elbert

et al. 2017

Addictive Behaviors

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BackgroundIn persistently unsafe environments, the cumulative exposure to violence predicts not only the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but also of increased aggression and violent outbursts. Substance use disorders interact with these developments, as drug consumption may blunt symptoms and also reduce the threshold for violent acts. Investigating the interplay between these variables and the possible cumulative effect of drug abuse on the attraction to cruelty is a crucial step in understanding the cycle of violence and developing intervention programs that address this cycle in violence-troubled communities such as low-income urban areas in South Africa.MethodsYoung males at risk (N = 290) were recruited through a reintegration center for offenders in Cape Town. We assessed types of traumatic events experienced, PTSD symptom severity, appetitive aggression, committed offenses and patterns of drug abuse prior to the perpetration of violence.ResultsPath-analyses confirmed a positive relationship between exposure to traumatic events and PTSD symptom severity, appetitive aggression, the number of committed offenses and drug abuse prior to violence. PTSD symptoms were positively associated with the propensity toward aggression. Furthermore, more severe drug abuse was related to higher attraction to violence and more committed offenses.ConclusionsWe conclude that like exposure to violence, drug abuse may play a key role in the attraction to aggression and criminal acts. Measures of violence prevention and psychotherapeutic interventions for trauma-related suffering may not be effective without enduring drug abuse rehabilitation.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The interplay between trauma, substance abuse and appetitive aggression and its relation to criminal activity among high-risk males in South Africa

Sommer

Hinsberger

Elbert

et al. 2017

Addictive Behaviors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This might turn children into fierce fighters who could be even deadlier than adult combatants. Similarly, children are more likely to perpetrate a more diverse set of violent actions, for example, sexual violence, massacres, physical assault or mutilations (Hecker and Haer, 2015). Psychological research also emphasizes that child soldiers show more aggressiveness than adult combatants as they perceive violence as something positive and fascinating (Schauer and Elbert, 2010; Wessels, 2006).…”

Section: Child Soldiers and Rebel Groups’ Fighting Capacities: Theoretical Argumentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of child soldiers on rebel groups’ fighting capacities

Haer

Böhmelt

2015

Conflict Management and Peace Science

Self Cite

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Several rebel groups actively recruit children to serve among their ranks. While this constitutes one of the most egregious violations of children's rights, it remains unclear what impact recruited children have on the fighting capacities of these armed groups. The existing research suggests that, on the one hand, armed groups drafting children might also be militarily effective, since it is cheaper to provide for children, they are more obedient and aggressive than adults, and easily manipulable. On the other hand, children may negatively affect rebel groups' fighting capacities as they are less proficient combatants than adults and often difficult to control. We add to this debate by systematically analyzing the quantitative evidence on the impact of child soldiers on rebel groups' fighting capacities. Based on the analysis of newly compiled data on child recruitment by rebel groups between 1989 and 2010, our analyses show that children may actually increase rebel groups' fighting capacities. That said, rebels' ability to procure arms and the access to resources seem more important determinants of fighting capacity. The authors discuss these findings in light of policy implications and avenues for future research.

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“…Finally, from a political sciences point of view, use of alcohol and drugs can be linked to violence during conflicts. Some studies have shown that after controlling for armed-group-and individual-level variables, drug intake and alcohol consumption boosts the number of violent actions perpetrated during conflicts (10).…”

Section: Links Between Humanitarian Situations and Substance Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Alcohol and substance use in humanitarian and post-conflict situations

Hanna¹

2017

East Mediterr Health J

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Consommation d'alcool et de substances psychoactives dans les situations de crise humanitaire et après un conflitRÉSUMÉ Un grand nombre de problèmes liés à la consommation de substances psychoactives sont prévalents dans différentes situations de crise humanitaire. Les directives du Comité permanent interorganisations (CPI) en matière de santé mentale et de soutien psychosocial en situations d'urgence mettent en évidence l'association de la consommation de substances psychoactives en situation de crise humanitaire et après un conflit avec des problèmes incluant la violence à l'encontre des femmes, le crime organisé et des actes de négligence grave envers les enfants. Si la consommation de substances psychoactives constitue un problème de santé publique dans les situations de crise humanitaire, elle a toujours été un domaine négligé de la santé publique, avec des données très limitées sur la question, que ce soit dans la documentation publiée ou dans la littérature grise. La présente étude offre un aperçu du problème et des outils d'évaluation et d'intervention existants pour s'attaquer à l'utilisation de substances psychoactives dans les situations de conflit et d'après-conflit.ABSTRACT A wide range of substance use problems are prevalent in a variety of humanitarian settings. The Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) guidelines on mental health and psychosocial support during emergencies highlights that during humanitarian and post conflict situations, substance use is associated with problems including gender-based violence, organized crime and the serious neglect of children. Although substance use is a public health issue in humanitarian settings it has always been a neglected area of public health with very limited information available in both published and grey literature on this matter. This review presents an overview of the problem and existing assessment and interventions tools to address substance use in conflict and post-conflict situations.

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Drugs Boosting Conflict? A Micro-Level Test of the Linkage Between Substance Use and Violence

Cited by 12 publications

References 27 publications

The interplay between trauma, substance abuse and appetitive aggression and its relation to criminal activity among high-risk males in South Africa

The interplay between trauma, substance abuse and appetitive aggression and its relation to criminal activity among high-risk males in South Africa

The impact of child soldiers on rebel groups’ fighting capacities

Alcohol and substance use in humanitarian and post-conflict situations

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