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This study investigates factors related to the decision to (a) arrest or (b) mediate in domestic violence (DV) situations—nonmutually exclusive but highly differing decisions chosen a priori as being outcomes of interest. The sample included three types of professionals handling domestic violence cases in China: (a) Women's Federation (WF), (b) police, and (c) judicial personnel. The participants (n = 817) responded to a vignette describing a DV incident. Logistic regression revealed that legal, organizational, and attitudinal factors were associated with decision-making and varied by group. The findings suggest training and detailed instructions on handling DV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence against youth is a global issue impacting millions each year. Increasingly, research has focused on studying those impacted by multiple forms of violence, or polyvictims. Evidence strongly suggests that polyvictimized youth tend to have worse physical and mental health outcomes than those who have experienced single forms of violence. Moreover, minoritized youth (i.e., racial and/or sexual minority youth, youth with disabilities) are more likely to experience polyvictimization, making this a social justice and equity concern. To date, there is no universal consensus on what exactly constitutes polyvictimization. This systematic review aims to examine the ways in which polyvictimization is being studied to inform both research and practice. As such, relevant databases were searched to amass the extant literature related to youth polyvictimization internationally. Empirical studies published since 2006 that focused on youth (under age 18) polyvictimization were included. After the review process, 264 studies met eligibility criteria, however 55 studies employed person-centered/finite mixture analyses and were removed for a separate review, resulting in 209 featured in the current systematic review. Results demonstrate that researchers are defining and operationalizing polyvictimization in different ways: (a) using individual victimization event counts; (b) employing domain-based counts; and (c) taking a "highest-victimized" percentage of their sample. The most used measurement tool was the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, though other validated tools and researcher-constructed questions were frequently utilized. Research on polyvictimization is burgeoning worldwide; however, this research is being conducted in disparate ways, making it difficult to compare findings and further advance the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a statewide survey, this exploratory, cross-sectional study examined 78 domestic violence (DV) service organizations' service delivery practices and perceived challenges to serving Latinx survivors in the context of rurality. Findings showed that DV organizations in rural areas perceived more challenges to delivering culturally appropriate services for Latinx survivors compared to those in other geographic settings even after accounting for client characteristics, service provision characteristics, and community resources. The study finding offers critical insights to ensure and enhance the provision of linguistically and culturally accessible services for rural Latinx survivors of intimate partner violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there has been increased attention to campus sexual and relationship violence (SRV) because of Title IX and the #MeToo movement, much of that attention has focused on victimization of cisgender heterosexual women. This scoping review uncovers information from empirical studies on what is known about LGBTQ+ (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and nonbinary) students' experiences of campus SRV. Using rigorous scoping review methods (i.e., searches of 15 databases, searches of expert websites, hand searching, reference harvesting, and forward citation chaining), we identified 60 documents published since 2000 that contained findings from empirical studies related to LGBTQ+ students and SRV on U.S. college and university campuses. Through content analysis, we summarized findings around five key themes: (1) extent and types of victimization, (2) negative outcomes, (3) knowledge of and attitudes about SRV, (4) perspectives on SRV services and prevention education programs, and (5) recommendations from study authors based on their findings. Implications for research, practice, and policy based on these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner problems (IPP)—which include divorce, breakups, arguments, jealousy, conflict, discord, and violence—have been robust precipitating factors associated with an increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Although research on suicide related to IPP is growing, efforts to explore the circumstances surrounding suicidality among female victims struggling with IPP remain insufficient. To address this gap, this exploratory study sought to understand the circumstances surrounding female IPP-related suicide in the United States. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS, 2003–2019) which includes 43 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Of the final analytical sample of 58,545 female suicide cases in the United States, we delineated IPP-included suicide cases (13,496, 23.1%) and non-IPP-included suicide cases (45,049, 76.9%). Two-sided Pearson chi-square tests and standardized difference (SD) tests identified significant differences in the surrounding circumstances between IPP-included suicide and non-IPP-included suicide. IPP-included female suicide was more common among younger women, those involved in an intimate relationship, and women who were pregnant or postpartum (p <.001; SD >.10). IPP-included suicide victims were more likely to have experienced depression, substance abuse, and previous interpersonal trauma than non-IPP-included suicide victims (p <.001; SD >.10). Compared to non-IPP-included suicide, IPP-included suicide was more likely to occur at the victim's house or apartment during evening and nighttime by firearm or hanging (p <.001; SD >.10). Our findings also showed that IPP-included suicide victims had previous suicidal thoughts and were more likely to have disclosed their suicidal ideation with others before committing suicide than non-IPP-included suicide victims (p <.001; SD >.10). Findings identified unique circumstances and characteristics possibly associated with IPP-included female suicide. Our understanding of suicide may be enhanced by exploring the causal pathway behind these relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service providers are increasingly asked to identify individuals who are experiencing trafficking and to connect them with resources and support. Nonetheless, identification is complicated by the reality that those who are experiencing trafficking may rarely self-identify, and providers may fail to identify individuals who are experiencing trafficking due to lack of guidance on how to screen for trafficking capably and sensitively. With the aim of guiding practice, we undertook a scoping review to search for and synthesize trafficking screening tools and response protocols. Following the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), we located 22 screening tools contained in 26 sources. We included any documents that described or tested human trafficking screening tools, screening or identification protocols, response protocols, or guidelines that were published in any year. All documents were abstracted using a standardized form. Key findings showed that most tools were developed by practice-based and non-governmental organizations located in the U.S. and were administered in the U.S. Few screening tools have been rigorously evaluated. The common types of screening questions and prompts included (a) work conditions; (b) living conditions; (c) physical health; (d) travel, immigration, and movement; (e) appearance and presentation; (f) mental health, trauma, and substance abuse; (g) associations and possessions; and (h) arrests and prior involvement with law enforcement. We were not able to locate specific response protocols that provided step-by-step guidance. Nonetheless, the review revealed available practice-based and research-based evidence to help inform guidance concerning how screening and identification of human trafficking may be administered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

LGBTQ+ (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer) people are often left out of campus sexual and relationship violence (SRV) prevention efforts despite experiencing higher rates of SRV. To inform LGBTQ+-affirming prevention efforts, we use a practice-to-research approach to aggregate wisdom from 32 LGBTQ+ professionals working to address campus SRV among LGBTQ+ college students garnered through semi-structured interviews. Participants shared four approaches to including or excluding LGBTQ+ students in campus SRV prevention programs as well as recommendations to cultivate more LGBTQ+-affirming campus SRV prevention efforts. We summarize recommendations for possible action steps at individual, relationship, community, and policy levels of the social ecological model for LGBTQ+-affirming campus SRV prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health and human service providers who aid traumatized individuals frequently experience vicarious trauma (VT). Although VT plays a critical role in service providers' mental health and well-being, as well as in the quality of their service provision, little information is available concerning the development and implementation of VT interventions for service providers. To advance the development of evidence in this area, we undertook a scoping review in which we reviewed existing interventions intended to address VT among service providers working with traumatized clients. Searches of electronic databases were conducted to identify studies published in peer-reviewed journals, with no date restrictions. Over 1,315 citations were reviewed, and a total of 27 studies were included in the final review. The findings show that VT interventions in the literature can be divided broadly into four categories: psychoeducation, mindfulness intervention, art and recreational programs, and alternative medicine therapy. The VT interventions reviewed generally showed promise in their key outcomes, including reductions in secondary trauma stress, compassion fatigue, burnout, and other mental health outcomes. However, the current body of research is lacking both in rigor and in specificity regarding the definition of VT. Furthermore, existing VT interventions are generally self-care based and tend to focus on general stress management rather than addressing the specific effects of VT. Therefore, we call for an increase in efforts to tailor VT interventions to different service settings and participant characteristics, as well as greater attention to developing primary VT interventions at the organizational level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increased call for research on promising prevention programs already embedded in communities ("homegrown interventions"). Unfortunately, there is limited guidance to help researchers prepare these types of interventions for rigorous evaluation. To address this need, this article presents our team's process for revising a promising community-based sexual violence prevention intervention for rigorous research. Our extensive and iterative process of reviewing and revising the intervention was guided by evaluability assessment (EA) approaches, implementation science, and a close collaboration with our community partners. Our EA process allowed us to specify the intervention's core components and develop a "research ready" standardized curriculum with implementation fidelity assessments. We offer four lessons learned from our process: (1) even with existing materials and an extensive history of community-based delivery, community-developed programs are not necessarily research-ready; (2) close collaboration and a trusting relationship between researchers and community partners throughout the revision process ensures the integrity of core program components are maintained and implementation in diverse community settings is feasible; (3) observations of program implementation are a crucial part of the revision process; and (4) it is important to budget adequate time and resources for such revisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories play an important role in guiding intimate partner homicide (IPH) prevention research and practice. This study is the first systematic review of theories employed to explain why someone might kill their intimate partner. This review used rigorous methods to locate and synthesize literature that described explanatory theories of IPH perpetration. Using set search terms, we systematically searched 15 databases and repositories for theory-focused documents (i.e., theory papers or analyses) published in English from 2003 to 2018. Eighteen documents met these inclusion criteria and identified 22 individual theories that seek to explain why people might kill their intimate partners. These theories fell within four broader theoretical perspectives: feminist, evolutionary, sociological/criminological, and combined. Key tenets and focal populations of these 22 theories were identified and organized into a compendium of explanatory theories of IPH perpetration. Potential strengths and limitations of each of the four perspectives were described. Review findings underscored the likely importance of addressing gender as well as risk and protective factors at all levels of the social ecological model in efforts to understand IPH perpetration. The review findings highlighted the need for both integrated theories and a broader conceptual organizing framework to guide work aimed at IPH perpetration prevention to leverage the strengths of disparate theoretical perspectives. With the goal of informing future research, a preliminary iteration of such a framework is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization contributes to homelessness and housing insecurity for survivors and their children. Despite growing interest in expanding strategies for addressing the housing needs of survivors, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding survivors' preferences and recommendations. To begin to address knowledge gaps, this article reports findings from a qualitative study examining the housing needs of IPV survivors and survivors' preferences and recommendations for addressing their housing needs. In-depth interviews with 19 adult IPV survivors in a southeastern community determined three key themes: (a) IPV housing needs and challenges, (b) domestic violence shelter strengths and concerns, and (c) recommendations for addressing survivors' housing needs. The findings highlight the need for flexibility and variability in housing services as opposed to a one-size-fits-all strategy, and stress the importance of centering the voices of survivors as the field explores new housing directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topic: This scoping review investigated research regarding the magnitude of minor sex trafficking (domestic minor sex trafficking and/or commercial sexual exploitation of children) in the United States, summarizing estimates, methodologies, and strengths and weaknesses of the studies. Method: Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, peer-reviewed articles and the gray literature were accessed via databases searches, reference harvesting, and expert advice. Articles were included if they provided a count or prevalence proportion estimate of trafficked or at-risk minors across or within a region of the United States. Six empirical studies, published from 1999 to 2017, were included in the review. Results: Included studies produced count estimates (n = 3) or prevalence proportion estimates (n = 3) for youth at risk of minor sex trafficking (n = 2) or reporting victimization (n = 5). Studies examined sex trafficking risk and victimization in different geographical areas, including across the United States (n = 2), in New York City (n = 1), and in Ohio (n = 1). Further, several studies focused on particular populations, such as street and shelter youths (n = 1) and adjudicated males (n = 1). Sampling methodologies of reviewed estimates included traditional random sampling (n = 1), nationally representative sampling (n = 2), convenience sampling (n = 1), respondent-driven sampling (n = 1), purposive sampling (n = 1), and use of census data (n = 2). Conclusion: Little research has estimated the prevalence of minor sex trafficking in the United States. The existing studies examine different areas and populations and use different categories to estimate the problem. The estimates reviewed here should be cited cautiously. Future research is needed on this important topic, including methodologies to produce more representative estimates of this hard-to-reach population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used longitudinal data to examine the transactional associations between mothers' spanking and mother–child relationship quality with children's externalizing behaviors in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). Data came from a sample of 1,152 low-income mothers with children age 10–14 years. Results showed that past-year IPV triggered transactional associations by increasing children's externalizing behaviors which, in turn, increased spanking and subsequently more externalizing behaviors. Transactional associations were also found for relationship quality. All outcomes used were mothers-reported except relationship quality. Implications for practice include the importance of the mother–child dyad and their reciprocal processes in assessment and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

So far, no Chinese- or English-language journal investigations have been carried out on the entirety of research published on intimate partner violence (IPV) in China. Accordingly, the main purpose of this study was to analyze the contents of the totality of published IPV research articles indexed in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Specifically, the study aimed to investigate the input and output factors relating to published articles concerned with IPV, including their authors and contents. The CNKI was selected for investigation and analysis because it is the largest and most consulted academic online library in China. The analysis was conducted on 3,595 peer-reviewed journal articles on IPV over a 37-year period covering 1982–2018. The findings revealed that only 68 (1.89%) of the articles were empirically and quantitatively based. Findings among these 68 articles show that total contribution of IPV research has increased significantly over time in China, with increasing growth in the past two decades especially. Results also present summaries concerned with the reviewed studies' inputs (i.e., researchers' organizational affiliations, funding sources, and geographic settings), outputs (i.e., authors, journals, classifications, pages, topics, key words, definitions, theoretical approaches, samples, and methods), and outcomes (i.e., citations, downloads, prevalence rates, and correlates of violence). To sum, this is the first exploratory study of the unique and diverse body of IPV research in the Chinese-language and scientific literature. Overall, the study's results both help to inform future IPV research in China and foster and inform communications concerning IPV research globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among violence prevention educators and researchers, there is growing interest in sexual, dating, and intimate partner violence (SV/DV/IPV) prevention programs for males because of evidence showing that boys and men are more likely than girls and women to perpetrate SV as well as more severe forms of DV/IPV. To date, comprehensive guidance on the content, structure, delivery, and effectiveness of such programs is limited. We reviewed randomized controlled studies that evaluated SV/DV/IPV perpetration prevention programs for boys and men. Searches yielded 5,249 potential documents for review of which 10 met inclusion criteria—representing 9 unique studies of 7 distinct programs. Two reviewers independently reviewed and abstracted data from these studies regarding program setting and target audience; type of violence addressed; number and length of program sessions; program duration, topics, activities, and delivery mode; and implementer details. Study characteristics were also examined (sample size, participant characteristics, recruitment, randomization, comparison/control condition, data collection protocols, attrition, measures of violence perpetration, and perpetration findings). The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess study design quality. Results show considerable heterogeneity among program content and delivery strategies, study designs, and outcome measurement. Study sample size ranged widely, and most used cluster-randomized designs, recruited undergraduate college students, and evaluated a multisession program delivered via group sessions. Only one program reduced men's self-reported SV perpetration. Accordingly, critical gaps exist around "what works" for SV/DV/IPV perpetration prevention programs for boys and men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors are much more likely to experience housing insecurity or homelessness than those who have not experienced IPV. However, little comprehensive research has evaluated the effectiveness of interventions used to address IPV survivors' housing insecurity. To address this knowledge gap, our team conducted a systematic review guided by three questions: (a) What are current interventions for addressing IPV survivors' housing needs? (b) What are the methodological strengths and limitations of the research evaluating those interventions? (c) How effective are the identified interventions? We identified potentially relevant peer-reviewed and gray literature using variations of predetermined search terms and four search methods. Twelve articles met inclusion criteria. Accordingly, this study showed that there is an overall dearth of research concerning interventions that address IPV survivors' housing insecurity and needs. Shelter is the most commonly assessed and available housing intervention for IPV survivors, but only limited empirical evaluation is available of shelter effectiveness. In addition, findings indicate both traditional shelter services and innovative interventions (e.g., rapid rehousing, flexible funding) would benefit from rigorous evaluation including examining survivor and situation characteristics contributing to housing strategy effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At least one in seven homicides around the world is perpetrated by intimate partners. The danger of intimate partner homicide (IPH) associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) has led to the development of numerous IPV reassault and IPH risk assessment tools. Using 18 electronic databases and research repositories, we conducted a systematic review of IPH or IPV reassault risk assessment instruments. After review, 43 studies reported in 42 articles met inclusion criteria. We systematically extracted, analyzed, and synthesized data on tools studied, sample details, data collection location, study design, analysis methods, validity, reliability, and feasibility of use. Findings indicate that researchers in eight countries have tested 18 distinct IPH or IPV reassault risk assessment tools. The tools are designed for various professionals including law enforcement, first responders, and social workers. Twenty-six studies focused on assessing the risk of male perpetrators, although eight included female perpetrators. Eighteen studies tested tools with people in mixed-sex relationships, though many studies did not explicitly report the gender of both the perpetrators and victims/survivors. The majority of studies were administered or coded by researchers rather than administered in real-world settings. Reliable and valid instruments that accurately and feasibly assess the risk of IPH and IPV reassault in community settings are necessary for improving public safety and reducing violent deaths. Although researchers have developed several instruments assessing different risk factors, systematic research on the feasibility of using these instruments in practice settings is lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: As compared with the general population, women with serious mental illness experience higher rates of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, and are at a greater risk of future victimization, post-traumatic stress disorder, exacerbated symptoms of mental illness, and other negative health outcomes. Despite substantial research, the field lacks clear, consistent guidance for intervention development. To this end, this review aims to move the field beyond its focus on prevalence by providing a comprehensive and concise summary that compares and assesses the findings, quality, and scope of 10 systematic reviews (reviewing 168 studies) pertaining to prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence and/or sexual assault among women with serious mental illness. Findings: The systematic reviews in this study indicate wide variation exists in the prevalence rates of intimate partner violence among women with serious mental illness. Differences are attributable to inconsistent definitions of key concepts across studies, differences in inclusion and exclusion criteria, type of disability, and type of violent victimization. Fewer than half of the studies focus on risk factors for violent victimization among women with serious mental illness, which contributes to the lack of viable interventions for this population. Application: The implications discussed in this study address best practices for screening and assessment, opportunities for intervention modification, standardization of definitions of core concepts, and the importance of examining the service challenges from the perspective of clients and service providers. The study offers an organizing framework to advance the field's focus on risk and protective factors toward developing effective interventions and treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization is widespread among women with children and has negative consequences for both women's and children's well-being. Despite mixed evidence regarding the effect of IPV on women's parenting ability and behaviors, there is an increasing focus on mothering in the context of IPV, particularly among the child welfare and child protection systems. To help respond to this increasing focus, several interventions have been developed that specifically target parenting among IPV-affected women. Given the growing numbers of these interventions, a comprehensive review is needed to help elucidate the approaches that are most effective in meeting the needs of IPV-affected women and children. Therefore, we conducted an in-depth systematic review of the literature to examine the approaches and effects of interventions designed to address aspects of parenting among IPV-affected women. We identified 26 articles concerned with 19 distinct interventions for review. We found substantial heterogeneity in intervention delivery, format, length, and focus. We noted several limitations of the existing studies in terms of study sample, measures, design, and implementation. Given the heterogeneity of the existing interventions and the limitations of the current research base, it is not yet clear which interventions or intervention components are most effective in addressing the unique needs of women parenting in the context of IPV. Further research is needed to address these limitations, and professionals working with IPV-affected families should be aware that current services may not meet women's and children's needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A growing subpopulation of intimate partner violence (IPV) victims comprises mothers who have been mandated to services by either the court system or child protective services (CPS). Two human service agencies in the United States developed a 13-week novel intervention to address these women. All participants were assigned to the intervention, which featured group psychoeducation sessions, social events, and childcare. Method: This quasi-experimental study gathered preliminary evidence regarding whether the intervention promoted participants' (N = 70) parenting practices. Specifically, growth curve analyses using hierarchical linear modeling examined outcomes at completion (3 months) and follow-up (6 months). Results: Participants reported statistically significant improvements on key parenting practices at both postintervention time points. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary support for engaging court- and CPS-involved female IPV survivors in specialized, group-based interventions such as that investigated herein. Future research should investigate similar programs using larger samples and more robust designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One goal of university campus sexual assault (CSA) policies is to help prevent CSA. Federal guidance in the 2014 White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault Checklist for Campus Sexual Misconduct Policies suggests 10 elements for inclusion in CSA policies (e.g., Policy Introduction, Grievance/Adjudication), and outlines policy topics to be included within each element (Policy Introduction includes two topics: statement of prohibition against sex discrimination including sexual misconduct and statement of commitment to address sexual misconduct). However, no research has examined whether CSA policies impact CSA prevalence. To begin addressing this gap, we studied 24 universities participating in the 2015 Association of American Universities Campus Climate Survey on Sexual Assault and Sexual Misconduct. We linked 2014-2015 data from these universities’ CSA policies and their CSA prevalence findings from the 2015 Association of American Universities (AAU) survey. To test whether the comprehensiveness of schools’ CSA policies was related to schools’ CSA prevalence, we examined the degree to which the CSA policies included recommended policy content from the aforementioned Checklist. Policies were characterized as more comprehensive if they included greater numbers of Checklist topics. We then correlated the number of topics within the policies with school-level CSA prevalence. We also explored whether there was lower CSA prevalence among schools with policies containing particular topics. Results suggested that greater comprehensiveness of schools’ entire CSA policies was negatively correlated with CSA prevalence; however, these findings did not approach statistical significance. The number of negative correlations observed between schools’ CSA policy elements and CSA prevalence among undergraduate women was greater than expected by chance alone, suggesting a possible connection between comprehensive CSA policies and CSA prevalence. Schools with policies that included a topic on their sexual assault response team had the lowest CSA prevalence for both women and men, and schools that included topics describing grievance/adjudication procedures had lower CSA prevalence. This study provides a novel examination of CSA and could inform needed research related to the impact of CSA policies on CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trafficking in persons (TIP) is a human rights violation with serious public health consequences. Unfortunately, assessing TIP and its health sequelae rigorously and reliably is challenging due to TIP’s clandestine nature, variation in definitions of TIP, and the need to use research methods that ensure studies are ethical and feasible. To help guide practice, policy, and research to assess TIP and health, we undertook a systematic literature review of 70 peer-reviewed, published articles to (a) identify TIP and health research methods being used, (b) determine what we can learn about TIP and health from these varied methodologies, and (c) determine the gaps that exist in health-focused TIP research. Results revealed that there are various quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods being used to investigate TIP and health. Furthermore, findings show that the limitations of current methodologies affect what is known about TIP and health. In particular, varying definitions, participant recruitment strategies, ethical standards, and outcome measures all affect what is known about TIP and health. Moreover, findings demonstrate an urgent need for representative and nonpurposive recruitment strategies in future investigations of TIP and health as well as research on risk and protective factors related to TIP and health, intervention effectiveness, long-term health outcomes, and research on trafficked people beyond women trafficked for sex. We offer recommendations for research, policy, and practice based on review results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health and human service providers have expressed growing interest in the benefits of yoga to help individuals cope with the effects of trauma, including anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite the growing popularity and strong appeal of yoga, providers must be mindful of the evidence regarding the efficacy of yoga in treating trauma effects as well as trauma-related mental health symptoms and illnesses. Therefore, our research team sought to answer two questions: (a) What is the evidence regarding yoga as a treatment for trauma effects, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD and (b) what are the clinical and service recommendations for using yoga with trauma-exposed individuals? Our initial scans identified a substantial body of research, including reviews. Rather than replicate earlier efforts, we undertook a systematic meta-review of 13 literature reviews, one of which included a meta-analysis. We determined the 13 reviews examined 185 distinct studies. Findings show that the evidence regarding yoga as an intervention for the effects of trauma as well as the mental health symptoms and illnesses often associated with trauma is encouraging but preliminary. Overall, the body of research is lacking in rigor as well as specificity regarding trauma. Review results also only allow for the recommendation of yoga as an ancillary treatment. Further, the reviews had considerable differences in their methods and limitations. Nonetheless, the results yielded findings concerning how clinicians and service providers can use yoga in their own practices, which is an important step for building an evidence base in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research note presents findings from a qualitative study exploring female, system-involved intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors’ perspectives on substance use disclosure in the context of research studies. The study sample includes 22 women who completed a court- and/or child protective services (CPS)–mandated IPV parenting program. Analyses revealed three key areas of participants’ perspectives on substance use assessment and disclosure: (a) administration setting/format and measurement clarity, (b) administrator characteristics, and (c) repercussions due to breach of confidentiality. Findings from the current study offer insights into barriers for survivors reporting their substance use and suggestions for researchers seeking to assess substance use among this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using survey data, we investigate perspectives of 80 program directors of domestic violence and/or sexual assault agencies regarding whether gathering specific information at intake is helpful in determining survivors’ needs for five service areas: legal advocacy, medical advocacy, support group, counseling, and shelter. We explore whether directors’ opinions of information-type usefulness differ by type of service agency (single- or dual-focus). Findings show directors perceive the information most helpful to early service provision includes survivors’ goals, experiences of violence and trauma, and health status. MANOVA results show no significant differences among directors from single- or dual-focus agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapidly growing numbers of female survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) who are the primary caregivers for their children are being mandated to services by child protective services (CPS) and/or the court system. Research is needed to better understand the experiences of these children; however, such research is hindered by the dearth of empirical evidence to guide researchers in how best to recruit and collect data about and from IPV-exposed children whose families are mandated to services. From a qualitative study with 21 CPS- and/or court-involved mothers, this article reports findings about participants’ perspectives regarding research with their IPV-exposed children. Our analyses determined three key findings: (a) mothers’ reasons or motivations for allowing their children to participate in research, (b) mothers’ reasons for refusing consent for their children to participate, and (c) strategies for increasing research participation among this population. Based on these findings, we offer recommendations for enhancing research participation among IPV-exposed children from CPS- and/or court-involved families mandated to services, including specific recruitment and data collection strategies. These recommendations and strategies also hold value for research with other vulnerable families and children struggling with violence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, female victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) are charged with IPV perpetration and mandated by courts or child protective services to receive domestic violence services. A critical need exists for evidence-based interventions targeting the needs of this unique population, but such research is scarce. To address this gap, we evaluate a novel intervention developed by two community-based agencies and delivered to 70 female IPV victims who are primary caregivers for children and mandated to services. Using a quasi-experimental design, IPV perpetration and victimization data are collected at three time points: baseline, program completion, and 3-month follow-up. Analyses use binary logistic regression to control for clustering and to incorporate time-varying covariates. Results show statistically significant reductions in both IPV victimization and perpetration at program completion. This study also provides evidence for the feasibility of recruiting and retaining this vulnerable group of IPV victims in research studies conducted in community-based settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research shows that co-occurring partner violence and substance abuse are problems for many women. However, less is known about women’s varied experiences with partner violence and substance abuse. This exploratory, qualitative study investigates these two issues among a sample of 15 women in substance abuse treatment who experienced partner violence. Overall, findings show participants’ experience of violence–substance connections varied in important ways; complicating factors exacerbate both problems; and domestic violence services and substance abuse treatments should account for these variations and complications. We discuss directions for providers, researchers, and policymakers concerned with partner violence or substance abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization are more likely to struggle with substance abuse problems than are women who do not experience IPV. Given the connection between IPV victimization and substance abuse, recommended practices urge collaboration between domestic violence service agencies and substance abuse treatment agencies to provide comprehensive services for women with these co-occurring problems. However, domestic violence and substance abuse services have unique histories of development that have led to distinct ways of service delivery. To promote successful collaborations, service providers and researchers are developing strategies to foster relationships across the two service sectors. The authors conducted a review of this emerging body of knowledge with the aim of assembling recommendations for strategies to foster collaboration between domestic violence and substance abuse services. The authors identified 15 documents for review inclusion and our analysis established 5 categories of documents. Findings yield key collaboration strategies and recommended service models. In addition, the review determined the existence of considerable challenges to promoting collaborative relationships between domestic violence and substance abuse treatment service sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Children, youth, and adults of both genders are sex trafficked into and throughout the United States every day. Regrettably, little attention has been given to how human service providers might identify the sex-trafficking victims they are likely to encounter. To address this knowledge gap, the authors review 20 documents with the aim of detecting and synthesizing service identification recommendations in the scientific literature, government reports, and documents produced by organizations working with sex-trafficking victims. The review shows consensus regarding identification recommendations, including (a) trafficking indicators, (b) victim interaction strategies, (c) immediate response strategies, and (d) child-specific information. The review also shows consensus regarding screening questions that are important for service providers to use in identifying sex-trafficking victims. These questions relate to the victims’ safety, employment, living environment, and travel and immigration status in addition to specific questions used with children and youth. The review results offer human service providers a preliminary set of screening strategies and questions that can be used to identify sex-trafficking victims in the context of human services. Building on the review findings, the authors offer policy and research recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

International sex trafficking into the United States appears to be a serious and growing problem, although the evidence regarding prevalence, risk, and consequences is incomplete. Nonetheless, human service providers are increasingly being asked to offer services to sex trafficking survivors. Consequently, providers need information to guide services and program development in this emerging practice area. To address this knowledge need, we systematically reviewed and synthesized 20 documents addressing the needs of and services for international survivors of sex trafficking into the United States. The main finding from the review shows the importance of a continuum of aftercare services to address survivors’ changing needs as they move from initial freedom to recovery and independence. Based on our synthesis of the reviewed literature, we present a service delivery framework to guide providers’ development of services for survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article examines literature reviews of research articles and dissertations focused on the effectiveness of college- or university-based sexual violence prevention programs. Literature reviews were eligible for inclusion in this article if they examined empirical published peer-reviewed research articles or dissertation research that reported original data; focused on examining the effectiveness of programs that were developed to reduce sexual violence that occurred in college or university settings; offered recommendations for developing and implementing effective college- or university-based sexual assault prevention programs; and reviewed studies that occurred in the United States. Eight review articles met the inclusion criteria. The results suggest that the effectiveness of college- or university-based sexual violence prevention programs varies depending on the type of audience, facilitator, format, and program content. Recommendations from existing reviews of empirical research concerning these program characteristics should be considered by college or university administrators when designing and implementing their own programs on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Community-based domestic violence and sexual assault service providers need sound knowledge regarding services that work well to improve the lives of survivors. This exploratory, qualitative research aimed to help provide such knowledge by investigating domestic violence and sexual assault agency executive directors’ ( n = 14) opinions regarding what services are most helpful for survivors. In-depth interviews with directors provided findings about (a) critical services for survivors; (b) essential service delivery practices; (c) ideal services that are challenging to deliver because of funding and other barriers; and (d) areas of service delivery practice uncertainty due to a lack of best practices. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Violence researchers have called for the use of person-oriented methods to understand differences that have been found in biopsychosocial consequences among those who experience intimate partner violence (IPV). To address this issue, we apply a person-oriented statistical method, latent profile analysis (LPA), to test for meaningful subgroups of a sample of 448 battered women based on participants' appraisals of their vulnerability relative to their violent partner, depressive symptoms, physical injuries, overall physical health functioning, and their positive and negative social relationships with friends and family. The LPA established five significantly distinct subgroups. Using MANOVA, we examined these subgroups and their respective IPV exposure, both concomitant and separate incidents within the past year. Those with the most intensive violence exposure show the greatest level of challenge and impairment. However, the groups with comparable levels of IPV exposure manifest distinctly different configurations of biopsychosocial profiles, indicating a need for adaptive interventions commensurate with these profiles. We discuss the implications these findings have for developing adaptive interventions for battered women, as well as the potential utility of person-oriented tools for violence researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More than 20 years ago, concerns were raised about whether domestic violence and sexual assault agencies need for stable funding would conflict with the values that initiated these respective movements. Since then, the movements have evolved considerably. Therefore, it is timely to investigate the challenges domestic violence and sexual assault agencies face today. This exploratory study used focus groups and interviews to identify the challenges facing North Carolina domestic violence and sexual assault movements from the perspectives of agency directors and funding staff. Using an open-coding approach, seven challenges were identified including funding, sustainability, community norms, tension between grassroots versus professional service providers, lack of attention to sexual assault, the need for welcoming services for all survivors, and the need for comprehensive services to help survivors with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance abuse problems. The findings also pointed to recommendations for ways to address these challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author comments on the proposed development of measures of abuse experienced by women with disabilities and the risk characteristics of their perpetrators by researcher Mary Ann Curry and her colleagues. She notes the inherent challenges and complexities of the measurement of violence against women being highlighted by the work of the researchers. Also stressed is the need for valid, reliable and feasible measures that determines the multidimensional nature of victimization. She commends the researchers for their efforts in creating such measures.

Sexual violence against women is a significant problem with serious consequences for women's well-being, including an increased risk of subsequent sexual violence (or revictimization). Although there is substantial and mounting research about sexual revictimization, significant knowledge gaps remain. The factors and processes that drive revictimization are still largely unknown, and thus, little evidence exists to inform revictimization prevention interventions. Given the increased research attention to revictimization, this is an appropriate juncture to take stock of what is known about revictimization and to prioritize next steps for research. This article develops an agenda for further research by identifying three priority areas for investigation, including prospective research, revictimization resilience, and contextualizing revictimization. Next, the article overviews cutting-edge statistical methods that offer innovative ways to investigate these priority areas including growth, multilevel, and person-centered models. Recommendations for revictimization measurement and sampling are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structured needs assessment instruments aid in-service planning in the juvenile justice system. This article uses latent class analysis to classify juvenile offenders into categories or types based on need profiles using a sample of 542 youthful offenders. The study identified five profiles based on scores from a structured needs assessment instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variability of experience and outcomes among violence-exposed people pose considerable challenges toward developing effective prevention and treatment protocols. To address these needs, the authors present an approach to research and a class of methodologies referred to as person oriented. Person-oriented tools support assessment of meaningful patterns among people that distinguish one group from another, subgroups for whom different interventions are indicated. The authors review the conceptual base of person-oriented methods, outline their distinction from more familiar variable-oriented methods, present descriptions of selected methods as well as empirical applications of person-oriented methods germane to violence exposure, and conclude with discussion of implications for future research and translation between research and practice. The authors focus on violence against women as a population, drawing on stress and coping theory as a theoretical framework. However, person-oriented methods hold utility for investigating diversity among violence-exposed people's experiences and needs across populations and theoretical foundations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial research demonstrates the existence of the sexual revictimization phenomenon; however, the problem of sexual revictimization is largely unattended and unexamined in the social work literature. Because of the pervasiveness of sexually violent victimization, social workers are frequently working with victim-survivors among their clients in child welfare, domestic violence, and sexual assault as well as physical health, mental health, and substance abuse settings. Social workers lacking a thorough knowledge about sexual revictimization and the strategies to prevent its occurrence may be missing important intervention opportunities. This paper helps to increase social workers' awareness of the revictimization phenomenon and builds on the literature and research to provide recommendations for social work practice and research for revictimization prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rape resistance trainings need to prepare women to recognize and resist sexual assault across a range of experiences and contexts. To help address this need, this research used an investigation of 415 college women who completed a survey about their situational responding to an experience of acquaintance sexual assault. A previously established person-centered analysis model of tour distinct risk and protective factor profiles was used to investigate the variability in women's responding. The profiling factors included women's prior victimization, alcohol consumption, relationship expectancies of the assailant, and assertive precautionary habits. Multivariate ANOVA was used to test for differences among the four profile groups on their cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responding. Results showed that the profile groups significantly differed in their assault responses. The findings highlight the utility of holistic, multivariate analyses for understanding women's sexual assault responses and help inform tailored resistance and empowerment trainings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This literature review examines intimate partner violence in relation to pregnancy-associated femicide and suicide. Empirical publications were eligible for review if they included information on intimate partner violence and examined females who were pregnant/postpartum and who were victims of femicide/attempted femicide and/or suicide/attempted suicide. Nine publications met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Results suggest that intimate partners perpetrate one- to two-thirds of the pregnancy-associated femicides in the United States and that pregnant women make up 5% of urban intimate partner femicides. Intimate partner abuse during pregnancy appears to be a risk factor for severe intimate partner violence, including attempted/completed femicide. So little information exists concerning intimate partner violence in pregnancy-associated suicides that it is impossible to draw conclusions regarding this topic; however, a hospital-based study suggests that intimate partner violence may be a risk factor for attempting suicide while pregnant. More research is needed concerning intimate partner pregnancy-associated femicide and suicide so that evidenced-based preventive/therapeutic interventions may be developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an investigation of 202 college women who completed a survey about coping with sexual aggression from a known male assailant, the authors examined assailant behaviors, along with women's victimization history, alcohol use, positive relationship expectancies, and sexual assertiveness, to clarify how these factors shape women's responses to acquaintance sexual aggression. Multivariate regression analyses showed that these factors and assailant actions accounted uniquely and cumulatively for women's responding. Rape avoidance and resistance training programs can benefit by using a two-pronged approach: by targeting factors that impede and promote women's assertion and by helping women anticipate and respond to assailant actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge regarding intimate partner violence has evolved from a some what fragmentary and incomplete understanding of the topic to a more cohesive, multifaceted body of research. Despite these accomplishments, there are still many critical knowledge gaps about this important problem. In this age of fiscal restraint, using existing information to address research questions is extremely appealing. This article describes some currently available survey data sets that contain information regarding women's experiences of intimate partner violence and health, identifies a number of the strengths and limitations of these data sets, and makes recommendations concerning the types of survey data that should be gathered in the future to help move the field forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]