[Detection and coping of violence in care]

Violence is an intrinsic phenomenon which deeply disturbs each human being. Violence can be either considered as a threat or as a source of energy. In fact violence is always driven by a vital force which interplays in any human relationship. Violence is a gradual process which is closely linked to the individual's personality, life history, pathology and reaction in confrontation to a precise situation within a determined context. Care givers have to be aware of the early symptoms of violence, identify its main causes to better cope with the patient's aggression and try to avoid catastrophic outcomes.