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The share of boys and men among detected victims of human trafficking is increasing globally, yet there is limited evidence on the specific experiences of these populations. The knowledge gap on mental health outcomes and support needs is particularly salient, which is problematic given the importance of psychological and emotional stabilisation in promoting recovery and avoiding re-victimisation. This systematic review reports on mental health outcomes identified in boys and young men who have experienced human trafficking. By describing the implications for services, the review seeks to identify challenges and opportunities in accessing and delivering mental health care and support to this population in post-trafficking settings. The review includes 31 papers published in English after 2000 and identified through database and grey literature searches. Despite significant limitations, such as a lack of gender-disaggregated results and imbalanced sample composition, which limit the possibility of extracting male-specific findings, the review highlights several mental health symptoms commonly described in the literature (e.g., depression, anxiety, PTSD, lack of self-esteem, lack of self-control). Regarding mental health care support, the review further identifies challenges specific to boys and young men (e.g., poor identification as trafficking victims) and challenges that disproportionately impact this population (e.g., confidentiality concerns; reluctance to seek help; trust issues). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The goal of this research is to establish the pathways through which romantic jealousy leads to intimate partner violence. Background: Physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence is widespread, with one in four women reporting it globally. Romantic jealousy is a known risk factor for intimate partner violence, yet little is known about the pathways that link it to intimate partner violence, especially in Africa. Method: We used a qualitative design, interviewing 18 adult women in Northern Tanzania to understand their experiences and reflections of intimate partner violence. To grasp the mechanisms through which jealousy can trigger intimate partner violence, our analysis utilizes the concept of hegemonic masculinity. Results: Intimate partner violence and romantic jealousy emerged as major issues in women's lives in this study. We established six pathways linking these variables: women confronting their partners because of infidelity, partners' anger because women confronted their mistress, women refusing to have sex or talk with their partners because they were jealous, male partners failing to control or regulate their emotions and becoming violent, and men feeling that their masculinity is threatened. Conclusion: In this study, intimate partner violence against women was largely men's reaction to their interpretation of perceived triggers of romantic jealousy and emotions as a threat to their masculinity and dominance. Implications: Interventions aiming to prevent intimate partner violence need to address the pathways linking the violence to romantic jealousy and include this connection in their programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romantic jealousy is a prominent trigger for intimate partner violence. Yet, there are few studies on this relationship in sub-Saharan Africa and none captures men's perspectives. To expand the existing knowledge on romantic jealousy and its relation to intimate partner violence, our study analyzed 30 in-depth interviews with male participants. Triggers of romantic jealousy included suspicion or confirmed infidelity, reduced attention from their partners, and challenges to male supremacy. Men reported that intimate partner violence was a frequently used response to triggers of romantic jealousy. Social norms and inequitable gender norms were key underlying factors to all those triggers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male romantic jealousy is a commonly cited driver of intimate partner violence against women. An in-depth, contextualised understanding of the pathways and mechanisms from jealousy to intimate partner violence is, however, needed to inform programmes and interventions. We triangulated data from 48 interviews, eight focus groups and 1216 survey findings from low-income married women and men in northern Ecuador. Male jealousy was associated with controlling behaviours (aOR: 14.47, 95% CI: 9.47, 22.12) and sexual intimate partner violence (aOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.12, 5.12). Controlling behaviours were associated with physical and sexual intimate partner violence (aOR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.84). Qualitatively we found that most respondents framed jealousy within a discourse of love, and three triggers of male jealousy leading to intimate partner violence were identified: (1) community gossip, which acted as a mechanism of community control over women's movements and sexuality; (2) women joining the labour force, which was quantitatively associated with intimate partner violence and partially mediated by jealousy; and (3) women's refusal to have sex, which could lead husbands to coerce sex through accusations of infidelity. Gender-transformative interventions at the individual, couple and community level providing models of alternative masculinities and femininities may offer promise in reducing intimate partner violence in Ecuador. Importantly, future economic empowerment interventions should address jealousy to mitigate potential intimate partner violence backlash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores adolescent girls' and young women's (AGYW) aspirations, factors that influence aspirations, and how their aspirations inform their sexual decision-making and behaviour. This study employed a qualitative design involving six participatory focus group discussions and 17 in-depth interviews with AGYW in – and out-of-school. Fieldwork was undertaken in rural and urban Tanzania. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVIVO software. Aspirations of AGYW's were categorised as short and long-term. Short-term aspirations were associated with the social status derived from obtaining trendy items such as nice clothing, or smart phones. Long-term aspirations included completing secondary education, having a professional job, being respected, getting married and having children. Aspirations were influenced by aspects of the social context, such as peers and structural factors that dictated what was acceptable for respectable AGYW. AGYW lacked the independent capabilities to meet long-term aspirations such as completing education. In pursuit of their short – and long-term aspirations, AGYW engaged in higher risk sexual behaviours such as transactional sex, age-disparate sex and condomless sex. AGYW's aspirations were important in determining their sexual decision making. Interventions should capitalise on AGYW's aspirations when addressing their SRH risks by finding innovative ways of engaging them based on their circumstances and aspirations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young women in Uganda are at risk of negative sexual and reproductive health outcomes, in part because of sex with older men. Theoretically grounded in the concept of liminality, this paper examines perceived markers of adolescent girls' suitability for sexual activity. In 2014, we conducted 19 focus group discussions and 44 in-depth interviews in two communities in Uganda. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured tool, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Interviews examined markers of transition between childhood, adolescence and adulthood and how these were seen as relating to girls' perceived readiness for sex. Analysis was thematic. Pre-liminal status was most often accorded to childhood. Sex with a child was strongly condemned. Physical changes during puberty and children's increasing responsibility, autonomy and awakening sexuality reflected a liminal stage during which girls and young women were not necessarily seen as children and were increasingly described as suitable for sex. Being over 18, leaving home, and occupying 'adult' spaces reflected post-liminal status and perceived appropriateness for sexual activity including for girls under the age of 18. Interventions that seek to prevent early sexual debut and sexual activity with older men have the potential to reduce sexual and reproductive health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men's role in transactional sex is relatively unexplored, limiting initiatives to prevent exploitative transactional sex and its negative health implications for girls and women. We addressed this literature gap by conducting eight focus group discussions and twenty in-depth-interviews with boys and men aged 14 − 49 years in 2015 in Tanzania. We employed a novel combination of theoretical perspectives – gender and masculinities, and social norms – to understand how transactional sex participation contributes to perpetuating gendered hierarchies, and how reference groups influence men's behaviour. Findings signal two gender norms that men display within transactional sex: the expectation of men's provision in sexual relationships, and the expectation that men should exhibit heightened sexuality and sexual prowess. Adherence to these expectations in transactional sex relationships varied between older and younger men and created hierarchies among men and between men and women and girls. We found that approval of transactional sex was contested. Although young men were likely to object to transactional sex, they occupied a structurally weaker position than older men. Findings suggest that interventions should employ gender synchronised and gender transformative approaches and should prioritise the promotion of alternative positive norms over preventing the exchange of gifts or money in relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) is a significant problem. Little is known about the association between IPV and health for MSM. We aimed to estimate the association between experience and perpetration of IPV, and various health conditions and sexual risk behaviours among MSM. Methods and Findings: We searched 13 electronic databases up to 23 October 2013 to identify research studies reporting the odds of health conditions or sexual risk behaviours for MSM experiencing or perpetrating IPV. Nineteen studies with 13,797 participants were included in the review. Random effects meta-analyses were performed to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs). Exposure to IPV as a victim was associated with increased odds of substance use (OR = 1.88, 95% C[I.sub.OR] 1.59-2.22, [I.sup.2] = 46.9%, 95% C[I.sup.2.sub.I] 0%-78%), being HIV positive (OR = 1.46, 95% C[I.sub.OR] 1.26-1.69, [I.sup.2] = 0.0%, 95% C[I.sup.2.sub.I] 0%-62%), reporting depressive symptoms (OR = 1.52, 95% C[I.sub.OR] 1.24-1.86, [I.sup.2] = 9.9%, 95% C[I.sup.2.sub.I] 0%-91%), and engagement in unprotected anal sex (OR = 1.72, 95% C[I.sub.OR] 1.44-2.05, [I.sup.2] = 0.0%, 95% C[I.sup.2.sub.I] 0%-68%). Perpetration of IPV was associated with increased odds of substance use (OR = 1.99, 95% C[I.sub.OR] 1.33-2.99, [I.sup.2] = 73.1%). These results should be interpreted with caution because of methodological weaknesses such as the lack of validated tools to measure IPV in this population and the diversity of recall periods and key outcomes in the identified studies. Conclusions: MSM who are victims of IPV are more likely to engage in substance use, suffer from depressive symptoms, be HIV positive, and engage in unprotected anal sex. MSM who perpetrate IPV are more likely to engage in substance use. Our results highlight the need for research into effective interventions to prevent IPV in MSM, as well as the importance of providing health care professionals with training in how to address issues of IPV among MSM and the need to raise awareness of local and national support services. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary., Introduction Violence by an intimate partner affects nearly one in three women globally, ranging from 16.3% in East Asia to 65.6% in central sub-Saharan Africa [1-3]. The associated adverse health [...]