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One of four possible vignettes manipulated by (a) level of rape myth contained within them (low vs. high) and (b) type of rape (stranger vs. acquaintance) was presented to participants followed by scales measuring victim blame, perpetrator blame, belief in a just world, sex-role egalitarian beliefs, and male rape myth acceptance. Victim blaming was predicted by male rape myth acceptance. Perpetrator blaming was predicted by male rape myth acceptance and sex-role egalitarianism. Differences were found in victim and perpetrator blaming in terms of stranger and acquaintance rape and also in relation to manipulating the level of rape myths. Findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature on rape victim and perpetrator blaming. (Contains 5 tables.)

It is well established that personality pathology has been associated with the onset and continued perpetration of intimate partner violence, yet if and how this relates to the cessation of such behaviours remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether personality pathology differentiated 37 intimate partner violent men who had suspended the use of violence against their intimates ('desisters'), 50 persisters, and 49 non-violent controls using the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III subscales. Cluster A and Cluster B disorders at a diagnostic level were more often reported in men who had used violence against intimates compared to men in the control group. The rates and percentages of clinically meaningful traits and disorders were lower for the desisters than the persisters, with the desisters more like the controls than the persisters. The findings suggest that the initial stage of the desistance process may be related to personality pathology., Author(s): Kate Walker[sup.1] , Erica Bowen[sup.1] , Sarah Brown[sup.1] , Emma Sleath[sup.2] Author Affiliations: (1) Faculty Research Centre in Psychology, Behaviour and Achievement, Coventry University, Priory Street, CV1 5FB, Coventry, [...]

Integrated Offender Management was introduced by the Home Office and Ministry of Justice in 2009. Since its introduction, it has been piloted, developed and implemented across probation and policing areas within England and Wales. The scheme aims to reduce reoffending through the targeting of specific cohorts of offenders within local areas. Understanding its overall effectiveness would therefore be paramount in supporting its ongoing development. This article presents a systematic review of the research regarding the effectiveness of Integrated Offender Management. There were 15 articles reviewed in this regard, using a search criterion and assessment of the research aims. The findings revealed key areas which impact upon effectiveness: partnerships; locality and offender cohorts; finance; and workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was the first in the United Kingdom to examine the prevalence and nature of nonconsensual sharing of sexually explicit messages, pictures, and videos and to examine whether this varies according to gender and by role (i.e., perpetrator, victim, or as dual role of perpetrator/victim). In a sample of 391 young adults (aged 18-25 years), questionnaire data on subjective norms, consensual and nonconsensual sharing, and their motivations for these behaviors were collected. Perpetration of and victimization through nonconsensual sharing was experienced by a substantial number of individuals. There was an association between reporting perpetration of nonconsensual sharing and experiencing victimization. An association was also found between reporting being pressured (i.e., coerced) to send sexually explicit material and experiencing victimization of nonconsensual sharing, which suggests that these behaviors may form part of a continuum of violence and abuse, potentially within intimate relationships. No association was found between gender and (a) perpetration or (b) victimization. However, from a gendered perspective, females perceived there was greater social pressure to post messages, pictures, and videos, compared with males. Motivations for nonconsensual sharing were commonly explained as for fun/a joke, and generally not thought of as problematic, although some victims perceived motivations to be more negative and/or related to revenge/causing distress. Given that this research examined nonconsensual sharing across messages, pictures, and videos for both victimization and perpetration and found it was both perpetrated and experienced by females and males, this does not support the common perception that this is a male perpetrated behavior against women. This has implications for education, policy, intervention, and prevention, with approaches needing to be inclusive of both males and females when addressing perpetration and victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and typologies of controlling behaviors within a general population sample. Participants (N = 427) completed the Revised Controlling Behaviors Scale and the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale. Prevalence of perpetration and victimization of controlling behaviors was relatively high, although the frequency and severity of the behaviors was mainly low level. Five clusters were established based on the use of five types of controlling behaviors: economic, threatening, intimidating, emotional, and isolating. Significant differences were found between the perpetration clusters and (a) minor physical assault, (b) severe physical assault, (c) minor psychological aggression, and (d) severe psychological aggression. Furthermore, significant differences were found between the victimization clusters and (a) physical assault, (b) minor psychological aggression, and (c) severe psychological aggression. It is clear that controlling behaviors are a feature within general population relationships, and further research is required to understand when such behaviors become problematic, and what needs to be done to prevent this from happening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Integrated Offender Management (IOM) framework was introduced in England and Wales in 2009. The aims of the research outlined in this paper were to examine the impact of the introduction of an IOM approach in one large police force region and the perceptions of it by offenders and staff. There were two parts to the study. The first involved the use of a within-participant approach to establish whether IOM supervision reduced the level of arrests and risk of reoffending in a sample of offenders. The second involved interviewing offenders and staff involved in IOM regarding their perceptions of it with a focus on effectiveness. The findings showed that the level of arrests (medium effect) and the risk of reoffending (large effect) reduced in the 18 months following the introduction of IOM in comparison to the 18 months prior to the introduction of IOM. Six superordinate themes were identified from staff and offender interviews that highlighted the core elements of IOM, the effectiveness of IOM in reducing offending, how reoffending is reduced, communication, the offender manager role, and the challenges of IOM. The findings offer tentative support for the effectiveness of IOM provision in this geographic region in reducing offending and in identifying factors that staff and offenders believe contribute to the effectiveness of this approach and can improve future IOM provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the interaction between structure and agency for individuals in the first or early phase of primary desistance (1 year offending free) from intimate partner violence (IPV). Narrative accounts of perpetrators, survivors, and IPV program facilitators were analyzed using Thematic Analysis. Changes in the self and the contexts, structures, and conditions were necessary to promote desistance. Perpetrators made behavioral and cognitive changes taking on different identities (agentic role) by removing external stressors and instability within the confines of a supportive environment (structural role). Findings provide a theoretical framework of desistance from IPV that integrates social processes and subjective change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, more attention is being paid to controlling behaviors within a continuum of intimate partner violence and abuse. However, it is unclear whether current scales are sufficiently valid to measure such behaviors. The current study assessed the factor structure and reliability of the revised Controlling Behaviors Scale (CBS-R) and the revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2). Data were gathered from a U.K. general population sample (N = 405). Confirmatory factor analyses were carried out on the CTS2 and the CBS-R, for both perpetration and victimization items, using the weighted least squares estimation with mean adjustment method. Multiple factor models were confirmed in the analysis of the CBS-R and CTS2 for perpetration and victimization items. Reliabilities for the factors were satisfactory across both scales. This is the first validation of the factor structure of the CBS-R and the findings suggests that this a valid and reliable scale for measuring controlling behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from persistence to desistance in male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) is an understudied phenomenon. This article examines the factors that initiate and facilitate primary desistance from IPV. The narratives of 22 male perpetrators of IPV (13 desisters and 9 persisters), 7 female survivors, and 9 programme (IPV interventions) facilitators, in England, were analysed using thematic analysis. In their accounts, the participants described how the change from persister to desister did not happen as a result of discrete unique incidents but instead occurred through a number of catalysts or stimuli of change. These triggers were experienced gradually and accumulated over time in number and in type. In particular, Negative consequences of violence and Negative emotional responses needed to accumulate so that the Point of resolve: Autonomous decision to change was finally realised. This process facilitated and initiated the path of change and thus primary desistance from IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explores the lived experience of recovery from drug addiction of a sample of five participants involved with a community‑based drug rehabilitation centre from Dublin inner‑city. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) has been employed to gain the participants perspectives on what was successful regarding their recovery from drug addiction. Transcripts were analysed using IPA method and analysis revealed a number of themes. The main themes are: the context and the background of addiction, recovery as a process of gradual development of awareness and knowledge around requirements to obtain and maintain abstinence, the link between addiction and forensic history, the turning point as a very negative or a string of very negative experiences, triggers for relapse as negative external and internal factors, drug treatment as a continuum of care, recovery as learning how to talk, communicate and trust people again, recovery as group work and support, recovery as total abstinence and therapeutic alliance as a necessary ingredient of a successful recovery. These findings imply that recovery is a complex, multi‑episodic process which requires multiple interventions appropriate for each particular stage of recovery. Individual, familial and community factors need to be addressed if a successful recovery is desired. Group work and therapeutic alliance are of crucial importance. Implications for practice and limitations of the present study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a general belief that stranger stalkers present the greatest threat to the personal safety of victims, despite national victimisation surveys and applied research demonstrating that ex-partner stalkers are generally more persistent and violent. The just-world hypothesis offers a possible explanation for this apparent contradiction. The current research used nine hypothetical scenarios, administered to 328 university students, to investigate the assumptions that underlie attributions of responsibility in cases of stalking. It explores whether these assumptions are consistent with the proposed mechanisms of the just-world hypothesis, and whether they vary according to the nature of the perpetrator–victim relationship and conduct severity. Thematic analysis revealed that the victim was perceived to be more responsible for the situation when the perpetrator was portrayed as an ex-partner rather than a stranger or acquaintance. Furthermore, victims were perceived to be more responsible when the perpetrator's behaviour was persistent and threatening. These findings are discussed in the context of the just-world hypothesis and related to the proposed mechanisms by which a person can reinterpret a situation so that the perceived injustice disappears. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of prior relationship and severity of behavior on perceptions of stalking and responsibility with a combined sample of 1,080 members of the community from Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Participants were presented with 1 of 12 versions of a hypothetical stalking scenario and responded to scale items regarding the behavior of a male perpetrator toward a female target. Prior relationship and severity of behavior influenced perceptions of stalking and responsibility, and the pattern of findings was consistent across the three countries. The perpetrator’s behavior was perceived to constitute stalking, and necessitate police intervention and a criminal conviction to the greatest extent when the perpetrator and target were portrayed as strangers. In addition, the target was perceived to be the least responsible and the perpetrator was perceived to be the most responsible when they were portrayed as strangers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals experiencing domestic abuse (DA) struggle to disclose victimization, but as frequent users of mental health services, this is a pivotal setting for identification and addressing DA. This systematic review of 20 studies investigates DA identification, screening, and responses within mental health settings. Three databases were searched using these inclusion criteria: adults aged 18 and older accessing mental health services, samples comprising mental health professionals (or combination). No geographical restrictions were applied. All studies were peer-reviewed and published in English between January 2000 and December 2023. Studies had to incorporate screening for DA between (ex-)partners and/or response to disclosure within mental health settings. The findings revealed considerable variation in DA screening methods from direct screening tools to retrospective analyses of patient files. Professionals report barriers in identifying DA, including uncertainty about their role, time constraints, and the importance of building trust with service users. Nonetheless, many highlight the importance of routinely asking about DA. A small number of interventions have been effective in enhancing professionals' readiness to address DA, but it remains unclear what format of training is most effective. Service users report feelings of shame and fear of not being believed when disclosing DA, but are aided by therapeutic engagement and enhanced professional awareness. There is a lack of diverse inclusion in the research. In summary, there is considerable scope to develop good practice to support mental health professionals' ability to identify and respond to DA across assessment tool and training, but also in understanding what facilitates service users to disclose., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: One million people in England and Wales experience sexual violence and abuse each year, with nearly half experiencing serious sexual offences; around 30,000 survivors access sexual assault referral centres., Objectives: This research was commissioned by National Institute for Health and Care Research to evaluate access, interventions and care pathways for survivors, especially those provided through sexual assault referral centres., Design, Setting, Participants: The sexual assault referral centres care pathway was investigated through six sub-studies. There were two Cochrane Reviews (4274 participants). Seventy-two providers and 5 survivors were interviewed at eight sites; the children and young people study involved 12 participants from two sexual assault referral centres. A cohort study involving three-wave data collection over 1 year (21 sites; 2602 service users screened, 337 recruited) used a multilevel modelling framework to explore risk factors for burden of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms at baseline and change at 1 year. We analysed costs and outcomes and conducted a narrative analysis (41 survivors). We worked closely with survivors and prioritised the safety/welfare of participants and researchers., Results: Cochrane Reviews identified large effects from psychosocial interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Sexual assault referral centres delivered a high-quality frontline service for survivors but groups experiencing domestic abuse and some ethnic and cultural minorities were under-represented. The qualitative research emphasised inter-agency collaboration for survivor benefit. The cohort study identified a risk 'triad' of adverse childhood experiences, poor mental health and economic deprivation, which was associated with baseline trauma burden. There were important improvements in trauma symptoms a year later. These improvements were unrelated to different sexual assault referral centre models. Costs and other outcomes were also similar across models. Harmful policing and justice practices/procedures were identified by 25% of participants. In this context, trauma-competent interviewing techniques, regular/timely updates and conveying case decisions with care signalled good practice., Limitations: The cohort study lacked a comparison group, reducing confidence in the finding that access to sexual assault referral centres explained the reduction observed in post-traumatic stress disorder., Conclusions and Future Work: Barriers to access call for concerted efforts to implement trauma-informed universal health services. The risk 'triad' underscores the value of holistic approaches to care at sexual assault referral centres and timely follow-on care. Poor mental health was the main barrier to service access beyond sexual assault referral centres. The persistence of trauma symptoms a year after accessing sexual assault referral centres signals urgent need for tackling counselling wait-lists, expanding support options and commitment to lifelong care. Multidisciplinary evaluation of sexual assault referral centres for better health provides a foundation for advancing trauma-informed practices in the context of sexual violence and abuse., Study Registration: This study is registered as ISRCTN30846825 https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN30846825., Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research programme (NIHR award ref: 16/117/04) and is published in full in Health and Social Care Delivery Research ; Vol. 12, No. 35. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.