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The current paper describes the author's experience conducting virtual interviews with sexual assault survivors and their informal supports (e.g., family, friend, partner) during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on past and present interviewing experiences with this population, and the recent literature on best practices for virtual interviewing and survivor/trauma-informed research methods. The experience of pivoting from past projects using face-to-face interview methods to doing virtual interviews with this population is presented and critically analyzed. Potential advantages and drawbacks of various methods and adaptations for doing virtual interviews in a dyadic sample of survivors and their informal supports are described to facilitate future research using virtual methods with sexual assault survivors and their informal supporters. Issues related to access (e.g., e.g., age, gender, race, ability, poverty) to interview participation are also noted as in need of more consideration. Finally, the impact on interviewers of doing this work in virtual versus face-to-face contexts is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although violence among youth remains an important, global issue, little research has been conducted regarding how young people themselves define violence and what practices in relation to violence that are evident in their everyday lives. Using an intersectional gender perspective, specifically exploring the intersection of gender, age, and class, this paper therefore aims to explore how young people define violence, as well as to explore what practices in relation to violence that are evident in young people's everyday lives. By using a photovoice methodology, 11 focus groups of young boys and girls (17–19 years old) living in two municipalities in northern Sweden were interviewed and asked to take photographs representing themes that were discussed. Overall, three main themes in the young peoples' stories were identified: Violence as ubiquitous, Easy prey and dangerous predators, and The way forward. The findings demonstrated that violence is pervasive, all-encompassing and normalized in young people's everyday lives, and that this violence is moderated by intersecting power orders of gender, age, and class. Any future theoretical frameworks or prevention strategies should therefore aim to include an intersectional perspective as well as including the voices of the youths themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to examine the association between digital sexual violence (threat to post or nonconsensual posting of sexually explicit media) and suicidal (ideation, planning, and attempt) and non-suicidal self-harm behavior. The data for the current analysis come from an online sample of sexual minority adolescents (aged 14–17) recruited from across the United States (n = 970). Multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine the association between digital sexual violence with suicide (ideation, planning, and attempt) and self-harm. In the sample, 9.1% of participants reported being threatened to have their sexually explicit media posted without their consent, while 6.5% reported their sexually explicit media had been posted without their consent. Threat to post sexually explicit media without consent was associated with higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 1.88), suicide plan (OR = 2.12), suicide attempt (OR = 3.56), and self-harm (OR = 1.96). While nonconsensual posting of sexually explicit media was associated with higher odds of reporting suicidal ideation (OR = 1.82) and suicide attempt (OR = 2.20). All models controlled for age, assigned sex at birth, sexual identity, and race and ethnicity. These findings underscore important considerations and future research directions. Given the associations between digital sexual violence and suicide risk among sexual minority adolescents, suicide prevention efforts with adolescents must be responsive to the needs of sexual minority adolescents and the changing landscape of sexual violence in digital spaces. Future research should examine the trajectories of digital sexual violence among adolescents and comparative analyses by demographic subgroups to better understand changes in these processes over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the post-incarceration reintegration experiences of military veterans convicted of sex offenses and identify potential interventions to ease reintegration for this population. Participants were a convenience sample of 14 veterans who were on sex offender (SO) registries and 21 community stakeholders involved in supporting persons during re-entry. Subjects were identified purposively and through snowball sampling, in Massachusetts. We employed semi-structured qualitative interviews of participants, followed by analysis including process mapping to identify barrier and facilitation points. We used both a grounded thematic approach and a priori codes, guided by the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations. We found re-entry barriers include older age, stigma, lack of social support, inadequate information about sexual offense levels, limited housing options and access to mental health treatment to reduce sexual impulses, and re-entry information tailored to SOs. Re-entry facilitators include access to SO treatment, knowledge about services, self-efficacy, ability to self-advocate, and social support. Interventions to aid successful re-entry include pre-release counseling and classes tailored to SO needs, reentry planning including housing resources, sexual deviance treatment, and referral to legal counseling to assist with altering assigned SO level. Specific needs and resources unique to veterans should be integrated into reentry plans. Convicted SOs often lack information and assistance to prepare for life after release, putting them at increased risk of homelessness, emotional difficulties, and financial hardship. Failure to recognize the unique needs of this population, and to leverage resources, creates a public health risk as it increases the likelihood that SOs will recidivate. Veterans who are SOs have unique resources available to them through the Veterans Administration such as SO treatment and peer-support specialists. Nevertheless there are additional steps that could be beneficial, such as timely provision of information, creating more opportunities for treatment, and providing more housing options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite having adverse physical and mental health outcomes, harsh disciplinary methods are commonly practiced all over the world. This study aims to measure the harsh disciplinary actions taken by parents and their association with child functioning in children, aged 7 to 14 years in Punjab, Pakistan. This study is based on secondary data obtained from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF's) Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, conducted in the Punjab province from 2017 to 2018. Parents/caregivers of 19,721 children were included in the analysis. Questionnaire-based interviews were conducted, and the data collection form included sociodemographic information, questions on different "Methods of Child Discipline" and the "Child functioning module." The data was analyzed using STATA 15.0. Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to calculate the adjusted odds ratio and 95% CI exploring the association between harsh disciplinary methods and child functioning. More than 50% of children were exposed to severe physical, psychological, and emotional disciplinary methods. Exposure to severe physical aggression was associated with increased difficulty in learning (2.60 [1.27, 5.31]), remembering (2.83 [1.47, 5.44]), controlling behavior (1.63 [1.21, 2.18]), anxiety (1.98 [1.25, 3.13]), depression (2.57 [1.57, 4.22]) and making friends (1.94 [1.01, 3.79]). Whereas moderate physical aggression and psychological aggression were associated with (1.48 [1.19, 1.84]) and 1.5 times (1.20, 1.84) increase in difficulty in controlling behavior, respectively. Nonviolent actions were associated with protective odds for self-care (0.33 [0.17, 0.65]), communication (0.51 [0.27, 0.96]), learning (0.56 [0.33, 0.95]), remembering (0.62 [0.39, 0.90]), concentration (0.50 [0.31, 0.80]), anxiety (0.60 [0.46, 0.79]) and depression (0.67 [0.49, 0.92]). Severe disciplinary methods are detrimental to the child's personal care, mental, social, emotional, and psychological well-being, whereas nonviolent actions are associated with positive child functioning. In a third-world country such as Pakistan, this topic is widely undiscovered and understudied, thus emphasizing the need for awareness and education of parents and healthcare providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the prevalence and impact of economic abuse by an intimate partner in the population? Does experience of economic abuse compound the effects of other intimate partner violence (IPV) types on women's mental health and financial wellbeing? This study used a population-based and representative sample of 1,431 ever-partnered New Zealand women to explore associations between their experience of economic abuse and a range of mental health and financial outcomes. Logistic regression was conducted, and Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs) were reported. Overall, 15% of ever-partnered women experienced any economic abuse, with the most prevalent act "refused to give money for household expenses," reported by 8.8% of the sample. Women who experienced economic abuse presented increased risk for poor mental health (AORs ranging from 2.59 for poor mental health to 4.89 for having a diagnosed health mental health condition) and financial insecurity outcomes (AORs ranging from 3.09 for receiving government benefits to 4.72 for experiencing food insecurity) compared with women who experienced no IPV or women who had experienced any IPV (physical, sexual, psychological or controlling behavior) excluding economic abuse. Findings suggest that economic abuse may compound effects of IPV and highlight the importance of acknowledging and addressing economically abusive behaviors and their long-term detrimental impact on women's mental health and financial security. Implementing wider forms of safety planning that address issues of economic independence and security, and social support are needed to augment plans that focus on physical safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health problem, associated with considerable consequences for the victims. Among the risk factors associated with the perpetration of male IPV, attachment insecurities (avoidance, anxiety) and affect dysregulation (AD) have received strong empirical support. A few studies showed that hostility toward women (HTW) is a correlate of IPV perpetration, but none have explored hostility toward men (HTM). This study's aim was to test direct and indirect associations between romantic attachment insecurities and IPV perpetration (psychological, physical, and sexual coercion) through AD in men seeking help, and to examine the moderator role of HTW and HTM in theses links. A sample of 1,845 men aged between 18 and 88 years and from a diverse population (e.g., cultural background, education, and sexual orientation) were recruited through 18 community organizations providing IPV services in a Canadian province. As part of the systematic assessment protocol of each organization, participants answered a series of online questionnaires. Results from a path analysis model showed indirect associations between attachment insecurities (avoidance and anxiety) and IPV perpetration (psychological, physical, and sexual coercion) through AD. Beyond these links, attachment avoidance was also directly associated with psychological violence, attachment anxiety with sexual coercion, and HTM with sexual coercion. The results revealed two moderation effects: higher HTW amplified the link between AD and physical IPV, whereas higher HTM amplified the link between AD and sexual coercion. Results highlight the relevance of assessing attachment, AD, and gender hostility in IPV programs. They also highlight the relevance of targeting HTM as a risk marker for IPV perpetration in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner abuse (IPA) is a public health crisis that disproportionately impacts indigenous women. We know little about rates and correlates of IPA victimization (IPAV) and abuse directed at one's partner (ADP) among indigenous women caregivers (people who take care of children). The purpose of the current study was to address this critical gap in the literature. Participants were 44 indigenous women caregivers in the United States in a current relationship who completed a survey. Most women reported IPAV and ADP experiences in the past 6 months, and IPAV and ADP abuse directed at partner were positively associated. Further, IPAV was positively associated with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), participants' engagement in harsh parenting, and depressive symptoms. IPAV was negatively associated with age, income, indigenous cultural identity, and social support. ADP was positively associated with ACEs, harsh parenting, and depressive symptoms. ADP was negatively associated with age and income. ADP was not associated with indigenous cultural identity and social support. These data suggest the urgency with which efforts are needed to prevent and respond to IPA among indigenous women caregivers, especially those who are younger and of lower income, and that culturally grounded initiatives that seek to build social support may be especially impactful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on intimate partner violence (IPV) rates typically find higher rates for same-sex couples than opposite-sex couples. Regardless of sexual orientation, the risk for IPV perpetration is concentrated among young adults. Given that the HIV/AIDS epidemic significantly lowered the life expectancy of sexual minority men and that recent social movements have encouraged more youths to "come out," population age differences may contribute to the observed differences in IPV rates between same- and opposite-sex couples. The present study applies direct age standardization and decomposition techniques to data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and the American Community Survey to examine this possibility across 2,584 same-sex male, 4,029 same-sex female, and 284,614 opposite-sex physical IPV incidents. The results of the direct standardization procedures indicate physical IPV rates for same-sex male and same-sex female households would be 11.8% and 27.3% lower, respectively, if they had the same population age structure as opposite-sex households. The results of the decompositions indicate that differences in population age structure contribute 48% and 44% of the elevation in IPV rates in same-sex male and same-sex female households, respectively, compared to opposite-sex households. These findings demonstrate the promise of demographic methods to explain differences in offending rates between groups. These results suggest the need for prevention and intervention strategies aimed at youths. Future studies should be conducted with data on sexual orientation and gender identity to better elucidate the contribution of population age structure among various sexual and gender minority groups. Research comparing trends among sexual minority populations to the heterosexual population in particular should account for age where possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)--including child maltreatment, witnessing violence, and household dysfunction--have been robustly associated with poor health in later life. There is also increasing evidence that those who experience childhood adversity are more likely subsequently to be victims or perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). Most evidence, however, is cross-sectional and concentrated in high-income settings, and cannot be generalized to more diverse contexts. In contrast, this study assessed longitudinal relations between ACEs and IPV in a low-income country. We interviewed 1,878 adolescents in rural Malawi between 2017 and 2018 (aged 10-16) and again in 2021 (aged 13-20). Adolescents completed the Adverse Childhood Experience--International Questionnaire. Past-year physical, sexual, and emotional IPV victimization and perpetration were measured using the WHO's Violence Against Women Instrument. We estimated multivariate regression models between cumulative adversity (0-13 adversities) at baseline and IPV at follow-up among respondents who reported any romantic or sexual partnerships. The cumulative ACEs score was associated with emotional IPV victimization for boys (OR = 1.12 per ACE) and sexual IPV victimization for girls (OR = 1.18). The ACEs score demonstrated a significant association with perpetration for girls only (OR = 1.33 for emotional IPV). By using longitudinal data, we more rigorously demonstrated the critical role of childhood adversity in shaping later IPV behavior. There are ongoing efforts toward primary prevention of childhood adversity. Given the burden that adolescents already carry (six ACEs on average in our sample), we also need secondary interventions that can help interrupt the pathway from adversity to IPV. This calls for increased collaboration between those working to address violence against children and violence against women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) women are among the many victims killed by intimate partner homicide (IPH) each year, though the differences between different SGM groups (and how these groups compare to non-SGM IPH) have not been well established. The objective of this article was to identify practicable, correlated risk factors of IPH of SGM women that may have utility in prevention of future IPH among these populations in the U.S. Homicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System spanning 2003 to 2017 were used to identify a profile of IPH specific to SGM women compared to women who were neither sexual nor gender minorities. Situational and individual characteristics significantly differentiated sexual minority (SM) women from non-SGM women victims of IPH, including substance abuse history (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 4.80 [2.42, 9.51]), having themselves used a weapon during the incident (AOR = 3.63 [1.44, 9.16]), and the type of weapon(s) used, such as firearms (AOR = 0.61 [0.40, 0.91]), with notably different differentiating characteristics for gender minority (GM) women (vs. non-SGM women) such as the likelihood that thevictim was known to have experienced interpersonal violence victimization in the previous month (AOR = 0.50 [0.07, 3.67]). Lesbian and bisexual women homicide victims were far more likely to have been killed via IPH than non-SGM women (AOR for Black SM women = 7.84 [3.65, 16.88], AOR for White SM women = 2.30 [1.03, 5.17]). There was no corresponding difference for GM women victims, whose likelihood of being killed by an intimate partner was similar to that of non-SGM women. Based on these findings, actionable public health recommendations--centered around evidence that neither "all women" nor "all LGBTQ people" are appropriate intimate partner violence prevention umbrellas--are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live streaming of child sexual abuse (CSA) involves the procurement and viewing of sexual abuse of children across the internet in real time, in exchange for money. These offenses leave little tangible evidence of the offense beyond a financial transaction, and metadata relating to the live-streaming session. This research analyzed the demographic, criminal history, and financial transaction characteristics of 209 individuals who live streamed child sexual abuse. A machine learning clustering technique was implemented to consider whether there were sub-groups present among these offenders, and in particular the prevalence of contact sexual offending among any detected sub-groups. Findings revealed that offenders tend to engage in live streaming around the same age, before making regular transactions with facilitators at brief intervals, with the majority of offenders featuring limited criminal history. This analysis identified a notable sub-group of live-streaming offenders that also engaged in contact sexual offending. This is the first study to empirically demonstrate an intersection between live streaming of CSA, and contact sexual offenses against children and adults. This research highlighted the importance of financial transactions data in detecting, and disrupting this crime type. Further, the identification of an intersection between live-streaming CSA offenders, and contact sexual offenders suggests that these individuals may pose a risk to both local and international communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2019 Kenya Violence Against Children Survey highlighted the increased prevalence of sexual violence experienced by girls; 62.6% of girls who have experienced childhood sexual violence reported multiple incidents before age 18. Studies have shown that transactional sex (TS) relationships are a source of sexual violence, particularly age-disparate TS. TS is defined as sex that is a nonmarital, noncommercial relationship driven by the assumption that sex is exchanged for material support or other benefits. TS is common among adolescents and young women in sub-Saharan Africa, with the prevalence varying from as low as 5% to as high as 80%. This qualitative study explored the factors influencing age-disparate TS relationships in two rural districts, Mutomo and Ikutha Wards of Kitui South Sub County, Kenya. Four focus group discussions were conducted with primary (12–14 years of age) and secondary schoolgirls (15–18 years of age). The study results identified several main themes, which were grouped into two major themes: influencing factors and consequences. Influencing factors include material/basic needs, school-related influences, parental influence, peer pressure, and perpetrator access, while consequences include health and social consequences. Our study found that girls' sense of agency, social pressure, and economic vulnerability impacted their decision to engage in age-disparate TS. These relationships' power dynamics and exploitative nature increase girls' risk of experiencing gender-based sexual violence and adverse health and social outcomes. Our study suggests that explicitly addressing individual risk behaviors will not effectively reduce the incidence of TS relationships. Interventions should be focused on understanding the social-cultural beliefs of TS and shifting the narrative that has continued to fuel a patriarchal society in which women and girls have limited decision-making power in relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teen dating violence (TDV) refers to a wide range of partner-directed harmful behaviors among adolescents. Since it was first documented in the 1980s, there is a growing interest in TDV due to its potentially devastating mid- and long-term consequences. Aiming at the early detection of TDV onset with prevention purposes, research has focused on the detection of typologies of perpetrators and/or victims as well as on identifying risk and protective factors for its occurrence. Research with Spanish adolescents, however, is very limited. To fill this gap, we recruited a total of 2,319 adolescents from different regions in Spain, out of which, 1,079 reported having had a romantic partner during the last year. These filled out measures of TDV (perpetration and victimization), school aggression, hostile and benevolent sexism, empathy, assertiveness, psychological inflexibility (general measures), and psychological inflexibility with prejudice thoughts. A cluster analysis revealed that adolescents could be divided into two clusters as a function of their TDV profile: Cluster 1, including close to 76% of the sample (boys and girls), presented low TDV perpetration and victimization; Cluster 2, including 24% of the sample (boys and girls), presented higher TDV perpetration and victimization. Regression analyses revealed that, as compared to those in Cluster 1, adolescents in Cluster 2 were more likely to be older boys who scored high in benevolent sexism, overt and relational school aggression, and personal distress, and low in behavior regulation skills, perspective taking, and practical personal ability. We discuss the implications of these findings for the design of evidence-based TDV prevention campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer-to-peer aggression and bullying is a social phenomenon and is related to social structures in the school. In-group membership as well as construction of the other and differentiation from other potential groups is an important predictor of one's social identity. Social Dominance Orientation is an important addition to social identity theory as it examines both issues of social dominance and social egalitarianism and is related to out-group denigration. In this study, we examined whether social dominance theory (both the dominance and egalitarian forms) will add to the prediction of physical and relational aggression among adolescents. Using a bias-corrected 3-step approach, we used Latent Profile Analyses to examine the responses of 1617 Israeli adolescents on measures of social dominance and egalitarian orientation, salience of their social groups and moral disengagement. Based on the analysis, we identified four classes of respondents, which can be broken down into two distinct categories: high social dominance and moral disengagement and high social egalitarianism. We compared male and female adolescent respondents and group salience. We then compared the four latent profiles on the two distal variables of physical and relational peer-to-peer aggression. Findings have theoretical and applied relevance to further investigating issues of group dynamics and construction of the other as potential predictive factors in understanding peer-to-peer aggression and bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic violence, broadly defined, includes violence among children, parents, siblings, intimate partners, and other relatives. Help-seeking behaviors for domestic violence, especially among sexual minority (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and others who are not heterosexual) victims, is not well understood. Using the National Crime Victimization Survey, the current study fills a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between sexual orientation and four types of formal help-seeking among victims of violence perpetrated by a relative or an intimate partner: reporting to the police, seeking psychological care, contacting a victim services agency, and seeking medical assistance. This study additionally examined whether individual and incident level variables are related to formal domestic violence help-seeking among sexual minority victims. Results indicate that sexual orientation was significantly related to seeking psychological care and help from a victim services agency, and the relationship between individual and incident level characteristics varies by type of help-seeking among victims of domestic violence. These results suggest that sexual minority victims' decisions to access services is likely influenced by the availability of services and victims' perceptions of how they would be treated within the various systems. Future research should continue to examine the help-seeking process among sexual minority victims of domestic violence in order to develop appropriate policy responses and provide services needed by this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to assess the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and to examine the sex-stratified associations between IPV and suicidal ideation in South Korea. This study used nationally representative longitudinal survey data from 2011 to 2020 of the Korean Welfare Panel Study of 9732 married adults at baseline. Participants were annually asked about IPV experiences of verbal abuse, physical threat, or physical assault over the past year in 2011–2019. Suicidal ideation in the past year was assessed in the following year 2012–2020 of IPV experiences. Using multilevel logistic regression models, we examined the associations between IPV and suicidal ideation among married adults. The prevalence of verbal abuse, physical threat, and physical assault was respectively 19.8%, 3.0%, and 1.4% in females (n = 5056); and 18.8%, 2.7%, and 1.0% in males (n = 4676). After adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., lifetime suicidal ideation and random effects of individuals and households) in the same year when participants had IPV experiences, all types of IPV experiences were statistically associated with suicidal ideation in the following year among both females and males, except for physical threat among males. We found a statistically significant association between physical threat and suicidal ideation among females (adjusted odds ratio: 2.22, 95% confidence interval: 1.62, 3.04), whereas no association was observed among males. Our findings suggest that public health interventions related to suicidal behaviors that can be attributable to experiencing IPV are necessary among both females and males in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As behaviors, alternative sexual (alt-sex) (i.e., kink, bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadism, and masochism, consensual non-monogamy, swinging, leather, and fetish practices) practitioners often emphasize that consent and boundaries are key elements of alt-sex activities. Despite these emphases, individuals experience consent violations and sexual assault both prior to engaging and during their involvement in alt-sex activities. Purpose: This study examines alt-sex practitioners' sexual assault and nonconsensual experiences in order to highlight potential means of intervention and prevention, as well as inform clinical and legal professionals. Methods: In collaboration with the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, this study uses an international survey of adults in alt-sex communities (N = 2996) to examine sexual assault and nonconsensual experiences both within and outside of alt-sex contexts. Results: We found a lower rate of consent violations in the alt-sex community (26%) compared to sexual assault as an adult outside of alt-sex contexts (34%) and sexual assault as a minor (40%). We found significant differences by groups in sexual assault as a minor (gender, sexual orientation, age, and live in the US or not), sexual assault outside of alt-sex contexts (gender, sexual orientation, and age), nonconsensual experiences in alt-sex contexts (gender, sexual orientation, age, and race), receiving nonconsensual touch in alt-sex contexts (gender, sexual orientation, and age), giving nonconsensual touch in alt-sex contexts (sexual orientation, age, living in the US or not, and race), and being falsely accused of nonconsensual touching in alt-sex contexts (gender, age, and living in the US or not). Within the most recent consent violation, the most common behaviors were non-kink related, except for lack of aftercare. Nearly 40% of participants reported the reasons for their most recent consent violation in alt-sex contexts were being selfish or caught up in the moment. Implications: Focused interventions are needed to address how different populations are experiencing assault and violations in alt-sex contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) Asian Americans in the U.S. have multiple stigmatized identities, yet their experiences of violence and discrimination are not well understood. We utilized the 2015 United States Trans Survey, the largest survey to date with U.S. TGD people, to study the experiences of TGD Asian Americans. Our study included 699 TGD Asian Americans who experienced violence and discrimination in the form of unequal treatment, verbal harassment, and physical attack. We assessed how experiences differed by sociodemographic characteristics, including birthplace, income, age, education, disability, gender identity, and region. We also explored how family support was associated with experiences of violence in the sample. Bivariate analyses and multivariable regressions were used to understand how sociodemographic variables and family support are linked to experiences of violence and discrimination. Results indicated that income, age, disability, gender identity, and family support are significantly associated with violence and discrimination. As TGD Asian Americans currently experience high levels of violence and discrimination due to transphobia and a rapidly rising anti-Asian bias stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, efforts to better understand factors that may increase vulnerability and identify how family support can mitigate those experiences are imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) is difficult to assess, and rates vary widely across studies due to methodological and sample differences. In Spain, prevalence data from representative samples are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of different CSA experiences in a sample that was representative of the Spanish population in terms of gender, age, and region. The sample comprised 1,071 (539 male and 532 female) Spanish adults (M age = 45.37; SD = 14.84). Participants completed an anonymous online survey about different types of CSA and were asked whether they had disclosed the experience at the time. Prevalence was analyzed as a function of gender and generation. Results indicated prevalence rates ranging from 2.8% to 18.5%, depending on the type of experience. The most common experience suffered during childhood was being shown pornographic material, while that with the lowest prevalence was being forced to perform a sexual act involving penetration. Prevalence was higher in females than males for eight of the ten experiences considered. Young adults from Generation Z were the most likely to report having suffered three of the CSA experiences, two of them related to technology. Only 27.5% of respondents said that they had told someone about the abuse at the time, mainly their mother (more common among females) or a friend/peer (more frequent among males). The results suggest that CSA is prevalent in Spain, with considerable rates for several types of abusive experience, especially among females and the youngest generation. The implications of the results are discussed. The findings may inform social policy and the development of effective prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article tries to identify people's degree of acceptance of parental corporal punishment (CP) of children and the nature of the association of different variables, particularly the value variables with such acceptance. For this purpose, the study uses data from the World Values Survey 6 (2010-2014), which is a large survey of attitudes based on representative samples from 60 different countries (around 1,200 respondents from each). This study tested five hypotheses and two subhypotheses on individuals' acceptance of parental CP: effects of emancipative values (aspiration to autonomy and freedom), nonmasculine values, religiousness, people's dissatisfaction with life in general, and more specifically, dissatisfaction with financial and health conditions and national bans on CP. The findings show that the higher level presence of emancipative values and nonmasculine values are associated with lower support for CP. The study also finds that a number of sociodemographic variables affect the endorsement of CP; on the one hand, people with higher age and lower social classes (subjective) tend to express less support for CP, whereas on the other, people with no partners (divorced/separated/widowed/single) and men tend to express higher support for the use of parental CP. The identification of these associations can help us to develop more effective policies to address the problem of CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of digital technology and devices has fundamentally transformed people's social life in recent decades, particularly in interpersonal relationships. Two popular social phenomena elucidate how social connections and interactions have dramatically evolved due to technological advancement. Sexting has surfaced as a popular way of getting attention or flirting among young populations over the past decade. Online dating also has emerged as a viable avenue for people to seek interpersonal romantic and/or sexual relationships. Based on survey data collected from two Chinese universities and one U.S. university, this study links sexting and online dating by comparatively assessing the prevalence of sexting victimization and factors influencing such victimization among young online daters. Bivariate and multiple analyses reveal that American college students are more inclined than their Chinese counterparts to be victims of receiving sexts. Chinese students with higher degrees of rape myth acceptance are more likely to experience sexting victimization, but such an association does not exist among U.S. students. Internet-related activities were only weakly connected to sexting victimization among college students. LGBT young adults, regardless of their country affiliation, are at a higher risk for sexting misconduct. Female and younger American students were more likely to experience sexting victimization, whereas Chinese students in a romantic relationship were more inclined to experience sexting victimization. If possible, future research should employ a random sampling strategy to draw a larger number of college students from different types of universities in different regions. Future studies should include other theoretically relevant variables, such as self-control and opportunity variables, into the sexting victimization research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topic of school bullying has become an important issue over the world. Being in disadvantaged situations of fathers' absence, prior research suggested that left-behind children (LBC) with absent fathers in China are more vulnerable to get involved in school bullying (bullying or being bullied). In addition, fathers' absence brings much pressure to single stay-at-home mothers, leading to more maternal psychologically controlling parenting. Following a three-wave longitudinal design, this study aimed to examine the developmental relationship between maternal psychological control and father-absent LBC's bullying/victimization as well as its mechanism. A total of 348 father-absent LBC aged 7-11 years in China completed a battery of questionnaires at three-time points. The results indicated that there are reciprocal effects between maternal psychological control and father-absent LBC's bullying/victimization. Specifically, maternal psychological control at T1 predicted father-absent LBC's victimization at T2; children's victimization at T2 predicted maternal psychological control at T3; maternal psychological control predicted later children's bullying perpetration stably from T1 to T2 and from T2 to T3; children's bullying at T2 predicted maternal psychological control at T3. Two vicious circles happened in the above relationships. Current findings highlight the stronger effects of mothers' negative parenting on children's school bullying, which bring inspiration for future family education and school intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical education is a space in which adolescents may become the victims or perpetrators of bullying. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between being a victim or perpetrator of physical, verbal, or social bullying in physical education, and peer support, gender, weight status, and age. The sample consisted of 2, 848 adolescents (1, 512 girls and 1, 336 boys) aged 14-16 from Poland. The participants' body mass index was determined based on their measured height and weight. The Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children questionnaire was used to assess whether the participants were victims or perpetrators of bullying. Peer support during physical education was assessed using the modified Teacher and Classmate Support Scale. The analysis of logistic regressions revealed that low peer support increased the probability of being the victim of physical, verbal, and social bullying (odds ratio [OR], 1.58-2.91) and becoming a perpetrator of bullying (OR, 1.14-1.37) in physical education. Additionally, being overweight increased the likelihood of being a verbal victim (OR, 1.39) and being obese raised the probability of becoming social victim (OR, 1.60). Boys more often experienced (OR, 1.12-2.06) and caused bullying (OR, 1.25-1.89) than girls. Moreover, victims were mainly younger (14-year-old) students (OR, 1.16-1.21), while perpetrators were more often older (15- and 16-year-old) adolescents (OR, 1.12-1.20). This research indicated that peer support can play a key role in preventing bullying in physical education. Physical education teachers should pay special attention to unpopular and rejected students because they most often become the victims and perpetrators of bullying. Creating a climate that fosters the development of high peer support might protect adolescents from becoming a victim--and a perpetrator--of bullying in physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dating violence is a public health problem affecting people worldwide. This study evaluated the occurrence of different types of adolescent dating violence using a mixed analysis of each data source. The present study addresses the following research questions: does the occurrence of the types of violence analyzed in the quantitative phase match with the narratives obtained in the qualitative phase? and does the additional information obtained in the qualitative phase improve the understanding of the analyzed phenomenon? In the quantitative phase, 410 participants (aged 13 to 19 years) answered a questionnaire based on the Modified Conflict Tactics Scale, while in the qualitative phase, 26 participated in two focus groups. Data were collected from May to June 2019. Written informed consent was obtained from the parents or legal guardians of those who had agreed to participate. The present research was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. The results were divided on: prevalence of dating violence based on age groups and gender, management and resolution of dating conflicts, victimization and perpetration of intimate partner violence, factors favoring intimate partner violence and acceptance of abuse. The results were analyzed via triangulation and indicated thatadolescents were involved in the perpetration and victimization of psychological as well as mild and severe physical violence. An analysis of the contributing factors revealed a strong tendency toward the acceptance of the traditional gender model. Challenging these models is crucial to deconstruct hierarchical models, develop conflict resolution skills, and promptly identify abusive behaviors that affect emotional development. The combination of different methodological approaches improved the understanding of the phenomenon studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research indicates that specialized sexual assault (SA) services are effective in terms of promoting postassault recovery and improving legal outcomes, little is known about how to best support survivors facing co-occurring difficulties and inequalities (e.g., preexisting mental health issues, substance abuse, poverty). This deficiency in knowledge was also expressed by service providers at Danish SA centers (SACs), who described this using the term "vulnerable survivors." Therefore, the present study aims to address this knowledge gap by exploring (a) how service providers understand vulnerability in the context of SA and (b) how service provision is currently approached for these survivors. Interviews were conducted with 18 service providers representing five professional groups (psychologists, social workers, forensic doctors, nurses, police) and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. A total of eight themes emerged from the analysis, including service providers' descriptions of what characterizes vulnerability in survivors and broader perspectives on service provision for these survivors. Survivors considered least likely to attain desired supports were also those perceived to be most vulnerable with regards to risk and experiences surrounding sexual victimization (e.g., individuals with preexisting mental health issues). Service providers also believed that a large proportion of those served experience ongoing vulnerabilities that are difficult to manage within existing support models. The results thus suggest that survivors' needs cannot be met if vulnerabilities are overlooked or ignored. At the same time, the concept of vulnerability warrants caution since vulnerabilities are often placed within individual survivors, but the formal support system also appears vulnerable in its ability to meet the diverse needs and priorities of those served. The implications for SA services across the globe are discussed, including a need for more individually tailored and trauma-informed responses to SA that simultaneously address co-occurring difficulties and inequalities in survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While considerable attention has been given to the health consequences of child marriage in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), limited studies exist on its impact on intimate partner violence (IPV) in the region. We address this gap by examining the link between child marriage and IPV. We tested our study hypothesis using demographic and health survey data of 28,206 young women aged 20-24 years from 16 SSA countries with recent surveys (2015-2019). Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the effect of child marriage on IPV. Child marriage prevalence ranged from 13.5% in Rwanda, in East Africa, to 77% in Chad, in Central Africa, while IPV ranged from 17.5% in Mozambique in Southern Africa to 42% in Uganda, in East Africa. Past year experience of IPV was higher among young women who married or begun cohabiting before the age of 18 (36.9%) than those who did at age 18 or more (32.5%). This result was consistent for all forms of violence: physical violence (22.7% vs 19.7%), emotional violence (25.3% vs 21.9%), and sexual violence (12% vs 10.4%). After controlling for covariates, we found that young women in SSA who married before 18 years were more likely to experience IPV than those who married as adults (AOR: 1.20; 95% CI [1.12, 1.29]). Significant heterogeneity was observed in the country-level results, with a higher likelihood of IPV found in 14 of the 16 countries and lower in Angola and Chad. Child marriage is associated with a higher likelihood of IPV in most SSA countries, suggesting that ending child marriage will result in a substantial reduction in IPV. There is a need to institute policies to support and protect women who marry as children from abusive relationships in SSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most consistent predictors of fear of crime is gender, whereby women are more fearful of crime than men, despite their lower rates of victimization. An often-cited explanation for this apparent paradox is the "shadow" of sexual assault, which has received overwhelming support in studies among college students. However, this work has been largely quantitative and rarely comparative in nature. Using in-depth qualitative interviews with 70 undergraduates attending a suburban and an urban university, the focus of the current study was to understand if and how gender shapes students' fear of crime and perceptions of risk on campus, as well as whether the influence of gender varies across contexts. Consistent with the shadow hypothesis, this study found that students attending university in the relatively affluent suburban setting were most concerned about the sexual assault and rape of their female peers, especially by non-student outsiders. Yet in the less advantaged urban context, the shadow was missing from students' remarks. Instead, participants believed they were most likely to be robbed and generally knew someone who had been a victim of the crime, had they not been robbed themselves. The findings from this study have theoretical implications for the role of context in the shadow of sexual assault hypothesis, as well as methodological implications for how scholars examine gender and students' fear of crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colombia endured 70 years of internal conflict, but despite a peace agreement, violence continues to be significant in the post-conflict era. Violence degrades the health and well-being of affected populations and it engenders psychological distress. Little is known about the impact of violence on the mental health of sexual and gender minority populations in Colombia. This study aimed to examine the frequency and sources of violence among cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women and their association with depressive symptoms and substance use. We administered a survey to 942 MSM and 58 transgender women recruited using respondent-driven sampling. We estimated the relationship between mental health indicators and experiences of violence using stepwise logistic and linear regressions, controlling for income, education, age, race, and mistreatment for being effeminate when younger. Respondent-driven sampling adjusted prevalence of any type of violence was 60.9% for the total sample, 59.8% for MSM, and 75.1% for transgender women. Experiences of violence were significantly related to depressive symptoms, binge drinking and drug use for the MSM sample. Violence perpetrated by family members or acquaintances was associated with greater depressive symptoms, and violence perpetrated by partners and strangers was associated with increased binge drinking and drug use. These results provide significant evidence of the negative association of experiences of violence and the mental health of sexual and gender minority people, a vulnerable population in Colombia. This study addresses issues of diversity regarding sexual orientation and gender identity in a Latin American middle-income country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research consistently documents the deleterious sequelae of interpersonal trauma, including domestic and sexual violence (DSV). More recently, however, researchers and practitioners have focused on positive outcomes, such as post-traumatic growth (PTG), in survivors of DSV. Although research has begun to document the prevalence and correlates of PTG, no study to our knowledge has explored PTG in a sample of women with histories of addiction and victimization residing in a trauma-informed sober living home (SLH). The purpose of the current study was to examine this gap in the literature. Participants were 59 women (89.8% White; 86.4% heterosexual; mean age = 41.6) who completed a survey while residing in a SLH. Most women reported moderate to high levels of PTG. At the bivariate level PTG was related to less depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and financial worries, and greater active coping, and sense of community. PTG was also related to the absence of past 6-month physical intimate partner violence. In regression analyses, PTG was related to less depression and greater sense of community. These data offer insights into modifiable factors such as fostering a sense of community while also promoting mental health treatment that could be the focus of interventions to increase PTG in women with histories of addiction and victimization residing in SLHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic abuse is a pernicious societal issue that has both short- and long-term consequences for those who are victimized. Research points to motherhood being linked to women's victimization, with pregnancy being a particular point of risk. Across UK jurisdictions, new legislation aims to extend the criminalization of domestic abuse to include coercive control. Less clear is the relationship between mothers' victimization of different "types" of abuse and other factors such as age, socioeconomic status, and level of education. The article makes an original contribution to knowledge by addressing these limitations of the existing literature. Using nationally representative data from a Scottish longitudinal survey (N = 3,633) into children's development this article investigates the social stratification of mothers' exposure to different types of abuse, including coercive control, physical abuse, and threats. Overall, 14% of mothers report experiencing any type of domestic abuse since the birth of the study child (age 6), of which 7% experienced physical abuse. Compared to mothers in the highest income households, mothers in the lowest income quintile were far more likely to experience any form of abuse (Logistic Regression, OR = 3.55), more likely to have experienced more types of abuse and to have experienced these more often (OR = 5.54). Age had a protective effect, with mothers aged 20 or younger at most risk of abuse (OR = 2.60 compared to mothers aged 40+). Interaction effects between age and income suggested that an intersectional lens may help explain the cumulative layers of difficulty which young mothers on low incomes may find themselves in when it comes to abusive partners. The pattern of social stratification remained the same when comparing different types of abuse. Mothers of boys were more likely to experience abuse, and to experience more types of abuse, more often. We reflect on how these findings could inform existing policy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommendations to routinely question patients about violence victimization have been around for many years; nonetheless, many patients suffering in the aftermath of violence go unnoticed in health care. The main aim of this study was to explore characteristics associated with being asked about experiences of violence in health care and thereby making visible victims that go unnoticed. In this study, we used cross-sectional survey data from 754 men (response rate 35%) and 749 women (response rate 38%) collected at random from the Swedish population, age 25–85. Questions were asked about experiences of emotional, physical, and sexual violence from both family, partner, and other perpetrators. Only 13.1% of those reporting some form of victimization reported ever being asked about experiences of violence in health care. Low subjective social status was associated with being asked questions (adj OR 2.23) but not with victimization, possibly indicating prejudice believes among providers concerning who can be a victim of violence. Other factors associated with increased odds of being asked questions were: being a woman (adj OR 2.09), young age (24–44 years, adj OR 6.90), having been treated for depression (adj OR 2.45) or depression and anxiety (adj OR 2.19) as well as reporting physical violence (adj OR 2.74) or polyvictimization (adj OR 2.85). The main finding of the study was that only few victims had been asked questions. For example, among those reporting ≥4 visits to a primary care physician during the past 12 months, 43% reported some form of victimization but only 6% had been asked questions. Our findings underline the importance of continuing to improve the health care response offered to victims of violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have shown that men's attitudes towards intimate partner violence (IPV) remain a strong predictor of its actual perpetration. Very few trend studies available have also reported that IPV-acceptance is gradually declining globally. However, almost none of these trend studies have included men in their samples, nor have investigated factors associated with changes in men's attitudes towards IPV. To supplement this sparse knowledge, the current study employed three waves of the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS): 2003 (n =4,901), 2008 (n = 4,481), and 2014 (n = 4,333) data, and reports trends and patterns in men's attitudes towards wife-beating at national, regional, and rural-urban residences of Ghana. Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to further examine the key socioeconomic and cultural factors significantly associated with men's acceptance of IPV at 95% confidence interval. The results show that men's acceptance of wife-beating declined largely at the national level by 60.8% between 2003 and 2014: from 31.7% in 2003 to 12.4% in 2014. However, when disaggregated by region, data revealed a slight increase in men's IPV-acceptance in two regions between 2008 and 2014—the Western and Upper East regions, by 2.1% and 3.8%, respectively. Having less than secondary education, being in a polygynous union, and residence in certain regions, was significantly associated with justification of wife-beating. Whereas having access to media was not consistently significant in influencing men's attitudes against wife-beating, especially in the rural areas. The decreasing significance of education, household wealth, and religion in the 2014 wave (especially in urban areas) seem to suggest that recent decline in men's acceptance of wife-beating may not have been driven by a single isolated factor, but by complex interactions of several exogenous factors including those not captured in the current data. Study implications and need for further studies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine if psychological intimate partner violence (pIPV) is predicted by parental psychological control (PPC) via insecure attachment. Our results analyzing longitudinal data from the Child Development Project show that PPC perceived at age 16 predicts insecure attachment at age 18, which then predicts pIPV at age 24. Moreover, the paths with attachment anxiety are consistently significant while ones with attachment avoidance are not. Further, all the paths are significant regardless of the gender of the adolescents and parents, which indicates that PPC is detrimental regardless of the gender of the adolescents or parents. Lastly, PPC perceived at age 16 does not directly predict pIPV at age 24, which suggests that social learning theory of aggression (Bandura, 1978) may not explain the association from PPC to pIPV. Our results suggest that research and practice would benefit by considering PPC as an antecedent of pIPV via insecure attachment from adolescence to emerging adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how and why physical intimate partner violence (IPV) persists in high-risk communities has proven difficult. As IPV is both sensitive and illegal, people may be inclined to misreport their views and experiences. By embedding a list randomization experiment (LRE), which increases respondent privacy, in a survey of 809 adult Arsi Oromo men and women in rural south-central Ethiopia, we test the reliability of direct questioning survey methods (e.g., used in the Demographic and Health Surveys) for measuring attitudes that underpin the acceptability of IPV. Participants were randomly assigned versions of the survey in which they were asked either directly or indirectly about the acceptability of wife-beating. By comparing responses across these surveys, we identify the extent to which views are being misreported using direct questioning methods, as well as identifying the "true" predictors of continued support for wife-beating. Indirect questioning reveals that almost one third of the sample believe that wife-beating is acceptable. Adults (particularly men) who are less educated (<3 years schooling) or living in households where women do not participate in economic decision making are among those most likely to identify wife-beating as justifiable (>50% endorsement). These individuals, however, are also more inclined to hide their approval when asked directly by an interviewer. That we find high but underreported support for wife-beating among some members of the community demonstrates a clear need to encourage a more open dialogue, to prevent violence toward women remaining undetected and thus unchanged. This finding also raises questions about the accuracy of traditional direct questioning for capturing information on IPV attitudes and norms. Of relevance to policy, we find that wife-beating is entirely absent only among adults with higher levels of education, living in households where decision making is shared between couples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with intellectual disabilities appear to be more vulnerable to victimization. However, few studies have assessed victimization in these groups and those that do exist are highly heterogeneous and tend to focus only on specific forms of violence. This study attempts to shed light on the phenomenon of victimization among adults with intellectual disabilities by assessing victimization and poly-victimization throughout their life course. The sample consisted of 260 adults (154 men and 106 women) with an intellectual disability diagnosis, recruited from the Catalan Federation for People with Intellectual Disabilities (DINCAT) in Spain. They ranged in age from 20 to 71 years (M = 41.69, SD = 12.05). Victimization experiences were assessed by means of an adaptation of the retrospective version of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ). The results showed that 96.9% of the participants had suffered some kind of victimization throughout their lives. With respect to the types of victimization, the most frequent were common victimization (87.7%), witnessing and indirect victimization (67.3%), victimization by caregivers (59.2%), sexual victimization (35%), and electronic victimization (23.5%). Women and early adults tended to experience higher rates of victimization. The poly-victimized group experienced 13 or more incidents of victimization throughout their lives. This study highlights the elevated rates of lifetime victimization among people with intellectual disabilities. It adds to previous evidence that special protection programs are required to address this issue and emphasizes the need for prevention and intervention measures in this particularly vulnerable group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little investigation on the independent effects of left-behind experience (LBE) on self-esteem and aggressive behavior in Chinese young adult populations, or the interaction effects of LBE and self-esteem on aggressive behavior. Thus, a school-based health survey was conducted in Anhui province in China in 2017. A total of 4,154 college students completed standard questionnaires which contain details of left-behind–related characters, self-esteem, aggressive behavior, and sociodemographic profile. Of included students, 55.3% were those with LBE (LBEs). Compared to students without left-behind experiences (NLBEs), LBEs had significantly increased scores of aggressive behavior and decreased score of self-esteem. The increased aggression in LBEs was highly related to longer left-behind duration, younger age of left-behind for the first time, and decreased self-esteem. On the other side, the aggressive behavior was demonstrated negatively correlated with self-esteem in both LBEs and NLBEs. There was an interaction effect of left-behind duration and self-esteem on physical aggression and of frequency of contacting with parents and self-esteem on verbal aggression. Besides, the interaction of primary caregiver and self-esteem on hostility and aggression toward self were also observed, respectively. Our results indicated LBEs and low self-esteem are associated with increased risk of aggressive behavior in Chinese young adults. The increased aggressive behavior in LBEs were highly related to longer left-behind duration, younger age of left-behind for the first time and decreased self-esteem. In those LBEs with some certain left-behind–related characters, aggressive behavior decreased more prominently with the increase of self-esteem. Strategies to improve self-esteem, particularly among young adults who have certain characters of LBE, should be a significant component of prevention and interventions of aggressive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the concept of privacy is as old as human history, it has attracted attention as a social need in recent years. An important issue regarding child protection is privacy. This research was carried out to determine the awareness and knowledge of children's parents on awareness of child privacy right. A total of 107 students' parents, registered in preschool, consisted of the sample of the study. This research was descriptive research. To determine the relationships between categorical variables, chi-square analysis was used as the statistical methods of the research. Total of 29% of parents stated that they always asked permission from their children to enter their room, 80.4% never took off their children's clothes nearby someone else, 83.2% never preferred clothes older than their children's age, 69.2% never showed affection for child's private parts, 54.2% they never loved their children by battering him/her (biting, squeezing, etc.). It was found that parents with boys preferred more clothes older than their age for their children compared to parents with girls, and the rate of waiting in the toilet with their children decreased as the age of their children increased. It was determined that as the education level of the mothers of the children increased, they entered the children's room with permission. It was observed that as the education level of fathers increased, they preferred clothes older than their age significantly less for their children and working mothers did not wait in the toilet with their children. Parents' awareness of privacy can contribute to their awareness of abuse. Overall, this study provided evidence that parents' awareness of privacy may have universal characteristics as well as aspects specific to sociocultural context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study intended to examine rape myth acceptance (RMA) among police officers and its relationship with sociodemographic data, length of service, specific training in the field, and professional experience with victims of rape. To this end, we applied the Sexual Violence Beliefs Scale (ECVS) and controlled for sociodemographic data, as well as professional experience and specific training in the field, through a self-report questionnaire. The sample was composed of 400 police officers from a city in the north of Portugal, aged between 29 and 54 years, and most were men (94.3%). We found that tolerance to overall sexual violence exhibits positive correlations with age and length of service, as well as negative correlations with education levels. Differences were also found regarding gender, with men exhibiting greater tolerance/acceptance of overall sexual violence. It was also found that officers who exhibit higher tolerance/acceptance for sexual violence, overall, are those who do not consider it relevant to receive specific training in the field of sexual violence to perform their duties, who report not having any professional experience with cases of sexual violence and also do not consider it necessary to have specific abilities for these types of cases. Implications for decision-making in legal proceedings are discussed, stressing the need for specific specialization in intervention with victims of sexual assault, with a strong practical component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past studies that have analyzed fear of victimization using samples composed of men and women have most frequently controlled for the effect of gender. This study not only controls for the effect of gender, but also examines how the predictors of fear of victimization may vary across gender. To do so, separate regression models for men and women were estimated and the corresponding z tests were calculated for the purpose of analyzing whether the differences between genders were significant. The results showed that women scored higher on the general fear of crime victimization scale, as well as for fear of becoming victims of each of the specific crimes under study. Religiosity had an equally significant effect on men and women's fear of victimization. Also, younger participants were more likely to fear being victims in the cases of both men and women, although this effect was even more pronounced among women. In addition, respondents' fear of victimization differed across gender based on sexual orientation. Finally, the results showed a few variables (political orientation and sexual victimization) that were only significant in the case of women, but not of men. The findings of this study confirm that fear of victimization and its predictors vary between women and men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research consistently shows that individuals who experience a sexual assault are at an increased risk to experience a subsequent sexual assault, a phenomenon known as sexual revictimization. However, little research has used a longitudinal methodology to examine rates and correlates of peer-to-peer sexual revictimization in middle and high school youth. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature. Participants were 1,706 youth in Grades 7 to 10 (51.3% female) who completed surveys at the beginning and end of an academic year, approximately 6 months apart. Results showed that the vast majority (n = 1561, 90.4%) of youth reported no sexual victimization at either time point, 125 youth (7.2%) reported sexual victimization at one time point, and 40 youth (2.3%) reported sexual victimization at two time points. Among victims (n = 165), about one quarter (n = 40, 24.2%) were victimized at both time points. Binge drinking, depression, and suicidal thoughts were all higher among multiple and singular victims compared with nonvictims and among multiple victims compared with singular victims. Girls and sexual minorities were more likely to be multiple and singular victims compared with nonvictims and multiple victims compared with singular victims. Older youth were more likely to be multiple and singular victims compared with nonvictims. These data underscore the need for programming that concurrently focuses on mental health and sexual assault risk reduction, especially among high-risk youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a common yet hidden form of violence against women. It encompasses a range of behaviors, including rape and sexual assault, and also more subtle behaviors such as the use of coercion and blackmail to obtain sex. It is typically described as an aspect of intimate partner violence, yet, although it often co-occurs with physical or psychological abuse, the contextual factors and nuances of sexual violence perpetrated by an intimate partner are likely to be very different. IPSV also differs greatly from sexual assault perpetrated by a stranger or other known person. Despite this, ecological theories and models developed to help understand and prevent violence against women have neglected or excluded IPSV. This is problematic given the serious mental and physical health problems consistently associated with it. In response, this article aims to explore the ecological factors that may be associated with IPSV at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. It draws on both inductive and deductive thematic analysis of N = 38 in-depth, unstructured interviews with women victim/survivors. Individual-level factors included sexual inexperience and past trauma (for victims), and fragile masculinity and a sense of entitlement to sex (for perpetrators). Relationship-level factors included a large age gap in the relationship and co-occurring psychological abuse. Community-level factors were identified as failure to talk about sex, isolation, and lack of support, while societal-level factors included the idea that sex is a woman's duty in a relationship, and that "real rape" is perpetrated by strangers. These factors are incorporated into a proposed ecological model that is unique to IPSV, furthering our understanding of this complex problem and its areas of overlap and difference with intimate partner violence and sexual violence. With refinement and testing through large-scale quantitative studies, this model may be critical in guiding future prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peer victimization is a serious issue among school-aged children. Chinese left-behind children tend to experience peer victimization and associated nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behavior. However, the possible improvement of subjective socioeconomic status (SES) based on increased family income may serve to buffer the relationship between peer victimization and NSSI, and this buffering effect may differ by level of social support. Thus, the current study aimed to examine the moderating effect of subjective SES on the relationship between peer victimization and NSSI by the level of social support among Chinese left-behind children. A total of 431 left-behind children and 447 non-left-behind children (comparison group) completed self-report scales measuring peer victimization, NSSI, subjective SES, and social support. Results showed that peer victimization was positively related to NSSI among left-behind children, but not among non-left-behind children. Moreover, for left-behind children with low levels of social support, high subjective SES intensified the association between peer victimization and NSSI; peer victimization was positively associated with NSSI among left-behind children who reported high subjective SES, but not among those with low subjective SES. However, high levels of social support seemed to protect the left-behind children with high subjective SES who experienced peer victimization from NSSI. For non-left-behind children with both parents present, high subjective SES played a protective role in the association between peer victimization and NSSI, regardless of the levels of social support they enjoyed. These findings contribute to an understanding of subjective SES as a moderating mechanism in the association between peer victimization and NSSI among left-behind children. Social support proved central to the protective role of subjective SES. Intervention programs to enhance social support can help to strengthen the protective effect of subjective SES on NSSI among left-behind children who experience peer victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even after enactment of the Protection of Women From Domestic Violence Act 2005, over the last 10 years, the rate of decline of prevalence of spousal violence against women has remained low in India. This study attempts to explain the experience of spousal violence using a social–ecological framework. We analyzed the National Family Health Survey 2015 to 2016 (NFHS-4) data of 66,013 ever-married women aged 15 to 49 years. Participants in the domestic violence module of the NFHS-4 reported their experience of violence committed by their husband within the 12 months preceding the survey. Multilevel logistic regression analyses were done to determine the association between spousal violence and different explanatory variables of various levels of social ecology including variables on women's empowerment. About one fourth of ever-married women reported experiencing any form of violence during the last year. The experience of spousal violence was significantly associated with social ecology at multiple levels. At the individual level, the odds of experiencing physical violence were higher among younger women, who married at a younger age, had an age gap of 3 to 4 years with her husband, and had more children. Women in vulnerable groups, with poor economic status, and members of marginalized communities had higher odds of experiencing spousal violence. Women had high odds of experiencing spousal violence if living in a social ecology with unfavorable social norms, higher rates of domestic crimes, and a higher prevalence of underage marriage. The association of spousal violence with women's empowerment remained inconclusive. The results argue for manipulating contextual factors to empower women to challenge gender-related equations and investing in education for gender sensitization at the higher level social ecologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]