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Gender-based violence (GBV) rates are high in Zimbabwe. Looking toward a partnership to prevent GBV in the Victoria Falls region, which lacks GBV prevention initiatives, the current study's aim was to learn about stakeholders' perceptions of GBV causes and their ideas for GBV prevention, and to gauge potential community reactions to GBV prevention. Focus group participants emphasized lack of women's empowerment, alcohol, violence normalization, and tourism as GBV causes, and ideas for prevention included school-based curricular, social marketing campaigns, involving men in prevention, and home visiting programs. Consistent with community-based models, participants emphasized involving all community stakeholders in prevention.

This study examined strengths (i.e., empowerment, purpose) and challenges (i.e., depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology, financial and housing worries) experienced by women (N = 44) with histories of addiction and victimization newly admitted to a sober living home (SLH). Women had moderate to high levels of both strengths and challenges. In general, strengths and challenges were inversely related (e.g., higher purpose was related to lower depression), and challenges were positively related (e.g., higher financial worries were related to higher posttraumatic stress symptoms). The findings remind us that women entering SLHs have myriad needs and that comprehensive services drawing upon women's resilience are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study prospectively examined the association between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety and whether social support moderated this association among college students. 1,539 students from 11 universities in the United States completed two online surveys, one prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and one during the pandemic. Hierarchical linear regressions assessed the impact of COVID-19 fears and social support on anxiety, after accounting for pre-pandemic anxiety and demographics. Results supported that adding fear of COVID-19 to the regression model resulted in a significant increase in variance explained over demographics and pre-pandemic anxiety. Social support did not moderate the association between fear of COVID-19 and anxiety. These data underscore the mental health impact of COVID-19 on students and the urgency with which campus-wide initiatives are needed to support students during this unprecedented time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to examine the correlates of perceptions of trauma-informed practices at a sober living home (SLH) among women with histories of addiction and victimization. Fifty-two women currently seeking or who had recently sought services at the SLH competed in a survey. Higher rates of financial worries and housing instability predicted lower perceptions that the SLH was trauma-informed in several domains. Being white compared to nonwhite increased perceptions that the SLH was culturally responsive and inclusive. Mental health symptoms and recent victimization were unrelated to perceptions of the extent to which the SLH was trauma informed. Efforts to enhance trauma-informed practices may be especially important for women higher in financial worries and housing instability as well as women who are racially/ethnically diverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite alarming rates of sexual assault on college campuses, little research has examined risk factors for sexual victimization among LGBTQ+ college students. This exploratory study aims to examine adolescent sexual assault, internalized homonegativity, and problematic alcohol use as mediators linking several types of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs; i.e., childhood sexual abuse, parental abuse, and household disorder) to collegiate sexual assault. Utilizing data from 241 LGBTQ+ college students, path analysis findings demonstrated that these proposed mediators increased risk for sexual assault and that various types of ACEs exerted differential impacts on sexual re-victimization, internalized homonegativity, and problematic alcohol use. Practice-based implications are offered, including the need for affirming programming that includes problem drinking prevention components and considers the role of ACEs and internalized homonegativity in increasing risk for sexual assault during college as well as the need for LGBTQ+ resource centers on campus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to explore the reactions of Native American adolescents to participating in survey research on sexual and dating violence. Participants were 149 Native American adolescents who completed a survey in school. Survey items included sexual assault, dating violence, sexual harassment, and demographic questions. At the end of the survey, participants were asked if they were upset by the survey. Results showed that almost a quarter of youth were upset by the survey (24.2%), victims were more likely than non-victims to be upset by the survey, perpetrators were more likely than non-perpetrators to be upset by the survey, and sexual minorities were more likely than non-sexual minorities to be upset by the survey. Sex and age did not emerge as significantly associated with being upset. Participants were asked to describe why they were upset, and a content analysis revealed four categories of responses (i.e., feeling awkward or weird, topic of the survey, reminders, and "other"). Overall, although the research was well tolerated by most of the participants, researchers should consider adding information about what might increase feelings of upset in parental consent and youth assent forms, such as being reminded of a past upsetting experience and/or feeling awkward or weird because of some of the questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-session (12-hour) empowerment self-defense classroom delivered curriculum (i.e., IMpower) among American Indian girls. Girls (N = 74) in one middle school and two high schools on an Indian Reservation in the Great Plains region of the United States received the intervention and completed a pre-test and a post-test six months following the final program session. The surveys administered assessed hypothesized intermediary (i.e., efficacy to resist a sexual assault, self-defense knowledge), primary (i.e., sexual violence victimization), and secondary (i.e., physical dating violence, sexual harassment) outcomes. Native American girls (N = 181) in five middle schools and three high schools in a nearby city where there was no sexual assault prevention occurring completed surveys assessing sexual violence, physical dating violence, and sexual harassment victimization approximately six months apart, thus serving as a comparison to girls in the treatment condition on primary and secondary outcomes. Girls exposed to the IMpower program reported significant increases over time in efficacy to resist a sexual assault and knowledge of effective resistance strategies. Furthermore, propensity score analyses suggested that girls who received the IMpower program reported significantly fewer types of sexual assault and sexual harassment at follow-up compared to girls in the control condition. However, no effect was found for physical dating violence. These data suggest that empowerment self-defense is a promising approach in preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment among American Indian girls. [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]

Sexual violence (SV) is a pernicious issue that disproportionally impacts girls and women. Although few initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in leading to reductions in SV, global health organizations have identified empowerment-based programs as a promising approach to SV prevention. The purpose of this article is to discuss the Girls Leadership Academy (GLA), a program of the Nebraska's Women's Center for Advancement, which is a "homegrown," theoretically grounded, practice-based SV prevention program for adolescent girls. More specifically, we discuss previous research relevant to the GLA; the theoretical underpinnings of the GLA; and the history, context, and content of the GLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We documented the scope and correlates of past 6-month victimization among middle and high school girls on an Indian Reservation. Participants were 102 Native American girls in Grades 6-12. Rates of all forms of past 6-month victimization were higher for high school girls compared with middle school girls. In regression analyses, binge drinking related to higher rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment. Furthermore, connection to culture related to lower rates of sexual harassment, and efficacy to resist a sexual assault was related to lower rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research documents high rates of interpersonal violence (e.g., bullying, dating violence, sexual assault) among middle and high school youth, during which time dating and sexual relationships are emerging. Most research to date focuses on one type of violence at a time or examines the co-occurrence of violence within an age group. This study examined interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration (IVVP) within the context of middle and high school with data from 738 middle school students and 1,311 high school students. Results show distinct classes, or groups, of IVVP among middle and high school students. Three classes emerged for the middle school sample and included a normative class (66.8%; n = 493), a victim of bullying class (28.1%; n = 207), and a mixed/poly-victim class (5.2%; n = 38). Five classes emerged for the high school sample and included a normative class (66.7%; n = 975), a victim of bullying class (18.1%; n = 237), a homophobic bully–victim class (11.0%; n = 144), a poly-victim class (3.1%; n = 40), and a sexual assault perpetrator class (1.1%; n = 15). Demographic and adjustment indicators differentiated many of the classes in each age group. The findings illustrate that there are distinct differences between middle and high school student's exposure to and perpetration of violence. Middle school students may be best served by programs that address victimization experiences while high school may be a developmental moment to introduce sexual assault prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine reactions to participating in trauma and addiction research among women in a sober living home. Participants were 59 women who completed a comprehensive survey battery while living in the sober living home. The survey assessed women's victimization and addiction history along with current psychological and behavioral health symptoms and resilience characteristics. At the end of the survey, women were asked about their reactions to participating in the survey. Results suggested that whereas 40.7% (n = 24) of women reported being upset immediately after completing the survey, 96.6% (n = 56) of women reported that they personally benefited from being in the research study. Women who reported being upset, compared with those who were not upset, had higher levels of depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and housing and financial instability and lower levels of empowerment, posttraumatic growth, and sense of purpose. We also asked women to tell us, in their own words, their reasons for being upset (e.g., questions about victimization experiences, loss of children), as well as their reasons for benefiting (e.g., catharsis/venting, learning something new about oneself, the chance to meet the researcher who had nice qualities). In general, the research was well tolerated by most of the participants, and almost all women, including those who were initially upset, reported personal benefits. These data shed light on the factors associated with positive and negative emotional reactions to research participation, which could be important information to include in consent forms in future research with this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stalking victimization may have a significant impact on adolescents' well-being, above and beyond the effects of other types of interpersonal violence victimization. This article explored the association of stalking victimization (unwanted harassing or threats) with adolescents' depressed mood and perception of mattering to other people. Adolescents (age M = 15.8 at baseline, 50.3% girls, 88.9% non-Hispanic White, 85.9% heterosexual) took surveys at two time points and reported on stalking victimization, depressed mood, and perception of mattering. Results indicate that, even when controlling for previous depressed mood and mattering, the odds of depressed mood and mattering among stalking victims was, respectively, 3.31 times higher and 0.49 times lower than the odds of depressed mood and mattering in non-victims. When controlling for other victimization experiences (i.e., dating violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment), the odds of depressed mood among stalking victims was 2.31 times higher than the odds of depressed mood among non-victims, but stalking victims were not less likely to report mattering. Although more research is needed, these results suggest that assessment and intervention efforts should target depressed mood in stalking victims in addition to underscoring the need for primary prevention of stalking in adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has identified interpersonal violence (a broad term that includes stalking, harassment, sexual assault, and physical dating violence) as a major problem among adolescents. Research suggests that there are different patterns, or classes, of interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration, but little of this work has focused on adolescents. In the current study, we conducted latent class analysis using a sample of 2,921 adolescent girls and boys in high school from northern New England to assess varying patterns of interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration over the past 2 months, specifically stalking, harassment, sexual assault, and dating violence. Four classes of violence victimization and perpetration were identified: (a) No Victimization or Perpetration class (n = 1,898, 65.0%), (b) Low Victimization and Perpetration class (n = 343, 11.7%), (c) Harassment Victimization Only class (n = 560, 19.2%), and (d) High Victimization and Low Perpetration class (n = 120, 4.1%). Several differences in classes emerged as a function of demographic and behavioral health variables. For example, the High Victimization and Low Perpetration class had the highest proportion of girls and youth with sexual minority status. Furthermore, youth in the High Victimization and Low Perpetration class also had a significantly higher proportion of class members endorsing depressed mood and engagement in binge drinking than the youth in other classes. These findings demonstrate the heterogeneity in patterns of interpersonal violence, which future research should seek to better understand in terms of etiology, outcomes, and best practices for prevention and intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined college women's (N = 354) perceptions of Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom and how these perceptions are related to dating violence (DV) attitudes and behaviors. Although most DV attitudes and behaviors did not relate to frequency of viewing these shows, DV victimization was related to more frequent viewing of Jersey Shore. Moreover, DV perpetration and victimization was related to perceptions that the Jersey Shore was a fun show to watch, and accepting attitudes toward DV was inversely related to perceptions that Jersey Shore was offensive. Content analysis of open-ended responses regarding young women's opinions about the shows' portrayal of DV showed that most participants believed that Jersey Shore and 16 and Pregnant/Teen Mom depicted DV, although there was variability in how accurate these portrayals were perceived to be. Similarly, young women had varying opinions about how acceptable it was to portray DV on television as well as the extent to which MTV was doing enough to ensure that the individuals on the show received help for their experiences. Findings suggest the importance of helping viewers understand how the media influences their own beliefs and behaviors in dating and sexual relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physically abused youth are vulnerable to experiencing difficulties across multiple domains of school functioning. Most of the literature examining the relationship between child physical abuse (CPA) and adult violence has focused narrowly on academic outcomes rather than taking a broader view that explores the processes undergirding school engagement and connections. The present study adopted Connell's model of school engagement, connectedness and outcomes within a social bond framework to examine (a) the link between CPA and school social bonds, (b) the link between CPA and adult violence persistence, and (c) the mediational (parallel, serial) effects of school bonds (engagement, connection, and achievement) on violence perpetration in adulthood. Consistent with previous research, results indicated that children who experience physical abuse have poorer academic performance, which, in turn, is related to future violent trajectories. We further found that the relationship between CPA and violence persistence is mediated by a process of bonding to school that begins with being actively engaged in school activities and ends with higher levels of academic achievement. In particular, some of the "school achievement" effect found in previous research operates through behavioral and emotional manifestations and may be partly explained through physically abused children's lessened ability to be engaged with and connected to school activities. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications stemming from our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little prior research has explored how prosecutors perceive and utilize biological and injury evidences in sexual assault cases. In this qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with assistant district attorneys (ADAs) working in an urban district attorney's office in the northeastern United States. ADAs were asked to describe how biological and injury evidences could be probative and their strategies for using this evidence. The interviews suggest that prosecutors perceive the probative value of biological and injury evidences on a continuum, varying based on case characteristics. Prosecutors felt that undergoing a forensic medical examination in itself supported victims' credibility. Biological evidence bolstered victims' credibility if it matched the victim's account better than the defendant's. They perceived DNA evidence as helpful when it identified unknown suspects, confirmed identification of suspects by other means, or rebutted defendants' denial of sexual contact. DNA evidence was also helpful when victims were incapacitated, too traumatized to recall or talk about the assault, or too young to identify assailants, and when police used the information in interrogating suspects. The biggest limitation to biological evidence prosecutors cited was overcoming the consent defense. The ADAs reported they used DNA evidence even when it was not particularly probative, because it confirms the correct person is being prosecuted, it communicates the victim's and prosecution's seriousness, and it meets jury expectations in trials. Prosecutors found injury evidence useful because it corroborated victims' accounts and helped refute defendant claims of consensual sex. The findings may assist in educating others about biological and injury evidences in these cases, and could inspire professionals and advocates to work to develop and support a broad range of investigative methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of women with histories of victimization and addiction who were recently admitted to a sober living home (SLH). From the 17 interviews conducted, five themes (i.e., experiences of violence, challenges leaving an abusive relationship, chaos, using substances to cope, and social support) and one constitutive pattern (i.e., sowing the seeds of recovery) emerged from the data. These results highlight the importance of social support in promoting recovery and that social support may foster positive relationships with safe and trustworthy individuals as well as empower and support others with similar experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]