Search

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]

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]

Suicidal behaviors, which include intentions, attempts, and completions to end one's life, are significantly associated with intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Although preventive efforts in the face of violence survivors' suicidality are growing, such endeavors are still inconsistent and insufficient. Additionally, to date there has been no attempt to identify and synthesize existing intervention programs and services to prevent IPV survivors' suicidality. To help advance practice and fill evidence gaps, this study aims to review interventions for IPV survivors focusing on suicide prevention. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, peer-reviewed articles and the gray literature were accessed via databases searches and reference harvesting. The results of this comprehensive literature review found three intervention programs in six documents. The findings were generally mixed although a culturally informed, empowerment-focused psychoeducational group intervention showed promise in reducing IPV survivors' suicidality. Additional intervention development and research are needed to establish evidence for efficacious interventions to address IPV survivors' suicidality. Despite the limited number of intervention programs, this review is the first attempt to synthesize existing interventions to prevent IPV survivors' suicidality. Accordingly, this effort contributes by providing a starting point for further development of existing programs, as well as for the development of new and promising interventions. Likewise, the review provides recommendations to help encourage researchers to increase their attention toward conducting intervention studies concerning suicide prevention and response for IPV survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-located models to address intimate partner violence and sexual violence, such as Family Justice Centers (FJC) and Multi-Agency Model Centers (MAMC), have emerged as promising practices to meet the needs of survivors. Although implementation of FJCs and MAMCs is widespread and supported by a recent increase in funding, little is known about the effectiveness of these models. This systematic review synthesizes and critically analyzes the peer-reviewed and grey literature focused on evaluating FJCs and MAMCs in the United States. A systematic search of terms pertaining to intimate partner violence, sexual violence, and co-located models was conducted using 11 computerized article databases and 15 center and organization websites. Thirteen studies were included in the final sample, most of which were government or agency-initiated reports. Over half of the studies were process evaluations and four were outcome evaluations. Of the outcome evaluations, none included a comparison group and two used a longitudinal design. Overall, the studies largely focused on organizational outcomes as opposed to survivor outcomes. Despite the lack of information pertaining to survivor outcomes, study findings indicated a high degree of provider and survivor satisfaction with co-located models. Although the research on co-located models – such as FJCs and MAMCs – is growing, evidence about the models' impact on survivor outcomes related to safety and well-being is inconclusive. Using methodologically rigorous approaches to evaluation design and data analysis, future research should focus on exploring the relationship between coordination, collaboration, and survivor outcomes. [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]

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]

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant stressor associated with numerous negative consequences. Many IPV researchers have sought to understand survivors' experiences and to identify malleable factors that can enhance survivor well-being by focusing on survivors' coping efforts. To develop a better understanding of how coping has been conceptualized and measured in the context of U.S.-based research with heterosexual female IPV survivors, we conducted a systematic review of 48 research articles examining IPV and coping among this population. Additionally, the review assesses the state of this literature in terms of methodological strengths and limitations as well as what is known about these survivors' coping efforts. Review findings suggest that coping is a complex construct that has been conceptualized and measured in diverse ways. Findings also demonstrate that heterosexual, female survivors engage in various coping strategies and help-seeking behaviors, and some effort has been made to examine: (a) the relationship between coping and mental health, (b) the relationship between coping and other constructs (e.g., decision to leave an abusive partner, revictimization), and (c) differences in coping across diverse groups of survivors. Recommendations for future research are offered in light of review findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]