ABSTRACT
The terms aggression and violence are often used synonymously. This is not strictly correct, since we can behave aggressively without necessarily being violent. Aggression is perhaps best regarded as denoting assertive behaviour, which may express itself physically or verbally. Aggression can be further divided into manifest aggression (physical aggression, verbal aggression) and latent aggression (aggressive fantasies, moods etc.). The following three further distinctions can be made: (1) aggression as evidenced in loss of control (as is some forms of crime and some psychiatric disorders); (2) planned aggression (sometimes known as instrumental aggression) or as goal seeking; (3) structural or institutionalized aggression (as a means of imposing control and/or sanctions). Violence is frequently regarded as destructive aggression - that is, aggression harnessed for harmful purposes. Archer and Browne describe it as "the exercise of physical force so as to injure or damage persons or property; otherwise to treat or use persons or property in a way that causes bodily injury and forcibly interferes with personal freedom" (Archer and Browne 1989: 3) (see also Blackburn 1993: Chapter 9; Hollin 1992: 147 et seq.).
