What can we do to encourage resilience and reduce the risk of acts of violence? Extensive research carried out by the University of Minnesota found that children exposed to multiple risk factors were more likely to suffer psychological and developmental problems. Five types of risk were taken into account over a period of 15 years: child maltreatment, inter-parental violence, family disruption, low socioeconomic status and high parental stress (Appleyard et al., 2005). According to this study, one risk factor on its own, even severe, has little impact on a child's capacity for resilience and does not greatly affect development. Children thus exposed tend to summon up the strength to overcome a temporary crisis. When confronted with several risk factors, however, even at moderate intensity, they find it much harder to cope because of the cumulative effect of such problems and the generalised disorderliness of their environment.