Frequency and correlates of intimate partner violence by type: physical, sexual, and psychological battering

Emerging Trends in Intimate Partner Rape and Marital/Spousal Rape During the Biennium 2020 and 2021, Including the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

Intimate partner or marital/spousal rape is a phenomenon with unique characteristics and dynamics. Furthermore, it is an under-explored, under-defined, under-reported, and widely tolerated phenomenon. Gender-based violence and intimate partner violence are the main topics of the present study. The study aimed at exploring the trends in reported intimate partner and marital/spousal rape, within the wider context of reported domestic violence during the years 2020 and 2021 in Greece. Statistical analysis has not indicated positive correlation between the rate of reported domestic violence per year and the rate of reported domestic rape per year, with the former following an upward trend and the latter maintaining an almost steady course. Similarly, the rate of reported victims of intimate partner rape per year remained almost stable within in the 2 years. Importantly however, in 2021, the rate of reported victims of marital rape per year increased remarkably compared to 2020. In 2021, the rates of reported domestic violence per month and reported domestic rape per month indicated remarkable increase over the period May to December 2021. Notwithstanding, the rates mentioned above remained almost stable over the year 2020, showing an upward trend during the summer months. In August 2020 and 2021 the abovementioned rates reached their peak. In both years, the vast majority of victims of domestic rape were females, mostly between 30 and 45 years of age. The present study indicated an increase in rates of reported domestic violence and reported domestic rape per month after the lockdowns, especially after the second long-lasting lockdown that ended in May 2021. This increase, however, might be only apparent. Further research is needed to study the epidemiology of intimate partner and marital rape over a much longer timespan to provide further insight into the dynamics surrounding a public health concern.

Mothers' experiences of emotional abuse from an intimate partner and its associations with children's developmental outcomes at 5 years

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with an increased risk of poorer child development. Existing research has focused on physical abuse with less known about the associations with emotional IPV.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the period prevalence of mother's experiences of emotional IPV during children's preschool years and associations with child mental, physical, social, and cognitive development.

METHODS

Secondary analysis of control group data (n = 194) from an Australian randomised trial (right@home), which recruited pregnant women experiencing social adversity from antenatal clinics in 2013-14. Women reported emotional abuse (Composite Abuse Scale) at child ages 3-5 years. Measures of child development at 5 years included: Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, Social Skills Improvement System, Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, School Entry Alphabetic and Phonological Awareness Readiness Test, NIH executive function subtests, sleep and health. The prevalence of emotional IPV from 3 to 5 years was estimated. Regression models compared developmental outcomes according to emotional IPV exposure, adjusted for child age, child gender, and maternal education. Missing data were accounted for using multiple imputation.

RESULTS

From 3-5 years, emotional IPV was experienced by 57% of women. Emotional IPV exposure was consistently associated with poorer child developmental outcomes. Differences were most apparent for SDQ internalising (mean difference 1.2, 95% CI 0.2 to 2.1) and externalising difficulties (1.2, 95% CI -0.1 to 2.4).

CONCLUSIONS

Emotional IPV was highly prevalent amongst families experiencing social adversity. Developing acceptable and effective identification processes and interventions that prioritise families experiencing co-occurring social adversities should be a public health priority.

The Role of Positivity on Depressive Symptoms in Women Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a complex and pervasive global phenomenon. Despite extensive research on physical and sexual violence, there has been a relative lack of investigation into the detrimental and distinctive consequences of psychological violence against women. This is surprising given the profound impact it has on the psychological well-being of victims, notably in the form of depression, which is commonly observed as an outcome in cases of psychological IPV victimization. The present study analyzes the impact of psychological IPV on depressive symptoms, considering the moderating influence of personal positivity, defined as positive self-perceptions, optimistic life perspectives, and a hopeful view of the future in a sample of 171 Italian women seeking assistance from anti-violence centers in different localities of Italy. The findings show that in line with the hypothesis, the association between psychological violence and depressive symptoms is moderated by the levels of perceived positivity, even when controlling for instances of physical violence. These results and implications for interventions are discussed within the framework of existing literature on positive psychology and psychological well-being in the context of IPV.

'Sometimes, we don't know if we're getting abused': discussions of intimate partner violence and HIV risk among transgender women

Transgender women are among the populations at highest risk for HIV in the USA and have elevated risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). There is an urgent need for integrated HIV-IPV prevention interventions for transgender women. Using qualitative methods, we explored transgender women's lived experiences of IPV and the relationship between IPV and HIV risk. Using thematic analysis, we identified four key concepts that warrant inclusion in the development of models for IPV and HIV interventions: (1) considering the boundaries of IPV; (2) normalising expectations of chronic violence; (3) relationship safety; (4) calls for trans-affirming and empowering services.

Mental health trajectories of women experiencing differing patterns of intimate partner violence across the first 10 years of motherhood

Intimate partner violence is commonly experienced by women and associated with poor mental health outcomes. Evidence regarding the patterns of IPV across time, and the associated long term course of depressive symptoms is lacking. The current study aimed to (a) identify patterns of physical and emotional IPV experienced by women over the 10 years since having their first child, and (b) identify trajectories depressive symptoms across the 10-year period for each pattern of IPV exposure. Data was drawn from the Mothers' and Young People's Study (MYPS), a longitudinal study of 1507 mothers and their first born child. Data was collected during pregnancy and at one, four, and ten years postpartum. Using Latent Class Analysis, four distinct classes of IPV were identified: (1) Minimal IPV, (2) Early IPV exposure, (3) Increasing IPV, and (4) Persistent IPV. Latent growth modelling revealed that all classes characterised by some IPV exposure experienced elevated trajectories of depressive symptoms in comparison to the minimal IPV class. Those experiencing increasing and persistent IPV experienced the most severe course of depressive symptoms.

Selflife: A Life Skills Development Tool to Prevent Sexual Violence among Healthcare Students

BACKGROUND

in France, 14.5% of women and 3.9% of men aged 20-69 years have experienced sexual violence. Of these, 40% will go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder. Sexual violence is therefore a major public health issue. In the present study, we tested a life skills development tool (Selflife) designed to prevent sexual violence in a population of healthcare students.

METHODS

a total of 225 French healthcare students were randomly divided into a control group using case studies (n = 114) and a group using Selflife (n = 111) to discuss the topic of sexual violence. After the session, they completed self-report questionnaires collecting sociodemographic data and probing their feelings about their participation, their life skills, and their verdict on the intervention.

RESULTS

compared with controls, participants in the Selflife group reported gaining more knowledge about sexual violence, a greater sense of improving their life skills, and greater satisfaction with the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

these results suggest that, in addition to providing information about sexual violence, Selflife helped students develop their life skills, thereby empowering them to act when confronted with sexual violence. Its impact on prevalence and on the psychological and psychiatric consequences remains to be assessed.

Exposure to interparental violence and intimate partner violence among women in Papua New Guinea

INTRODUCTION

Evidence suggests that childhood exposure to interparental violence increases the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) experience or perpetration in adolescence or adulthood. However, it is unclear if exposure to interparental violence increases the risk of IPV among women in Papua New Guinea. This study, therefore, seeks to fill this gap in the literature by examining the association between childhood exposure to interparental violence and IPV among women in Papua New Guinea.

METHODS

We used data from the most recent 2016-18 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey. We included 3,512 women in our analyses. Past-year experience of IPV was the outcome variable in this study. Exposure to interparental violence was the key explanatory variable. We used a multilevel binary logistic regression to examine the association between exposure to interparental violence and IPV.

RESULTS

We found a higher probability of experiencing IPV among women exposed to interparental violence [aOR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.86] relative to women who were not exposed. Furthermore, we found that women living in rural areas had a lower likelihood of IPV experience [aOR = O.50, 95% CI = 0.32, 0.80] compared to those in urban settings. Finally, a greater odd of IPV experience was found among women staying in the Highlands Region [aOR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.96] compared to those staying in the Southern Region.

CONCLUSION

Exposure to interparental violence was found to be significantly associated with IPV among women in Papua New Guinea. The findings of this study suggest the need for proven operational strategies to reduce IPV, such as improving anti-IPV laws in Papua New Guinea. We recommend the development and implementation of intercession strategies to reduce the experience and justification of violence among women exposed to interparental violence. In addition, health professionals should implement counseling and health education initiatives to tackle the consequences of IPV on women's well-being.

Physical intimate partner violence and oral health problems during pregnancy

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the association between physical intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy and reports of prenatal oral health problems among a sample of mothers in the United States.

METHODS

Data were obtained from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System from 7 sites (Kentucky, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New York, Puerto Rico, Utah, West Virginia) for 2016 through 2020. The authors used multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship between physical IPV and respondent self-reports of whether they needed to see a dentist for several oral health problems during pregnancy: (1) needing to have a tooth restored; (2) painful, red, or swollen gingivae; (3) toothache; (4) needing to have a tooth extracted; (5) having an injury to the mouth, teeth, or gingivae; or (6) another problem with teeth or gingivae.

RESULTS

Women who experienced physical IPV during pregnancy had elevated rates of oral health problems during pregnancy compared with women who did not experience IPV. The findings detailed associations between physical IPV and oral health problems that may stem from physical violence, including painful, red, or swollen gingivae; toothache; and mouth, teeth, or gingivae injury.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study highlight a connection between physical IPV during pregnancy and oral health problems consistent with orofacial injuries.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

The association between physical IPV and elevated rates of oral health problems and orofacial injuries highlights the critical role of oral health care providers in screening for, detecting, and intervening in IPV among pregnant women.

Association Between Men's Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Self-reported Health Outcomes in New Zealand

Importance

Health implications of intimate partner violence (IPV) against men is relatively underexplored, although substantial evidence has identified associations between IPV and long-term physical health problems for women. Given the gendered differences in IPV exposure patterns, exploration of men's IPV exposure and health outcomes using population-based samples is needed.

Objective

To assess the association between men's lifetime IPV exposure and self-reported health outcomes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2019 New Zealand Family Violence Study, which was conducted across 3 regions of New Zealand. The representative sample included ever-partnered men aged 16 years or older. Data analysis was performed between May and September 2022.

Exposures

Lifetime IPV against men by types (physical [severe or any], sexual, psychological, controlling behaviors, and economic abuse), any IPV (at least 1 type), and number of IPV types experienced.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The 7 health outcomes were poor general health, recent pain or discomfort, recent use of pain medication, frequent use of pain medication, recent health care consultation, any diagnosed physical health condition, and any diagnosed mental health condition.

Results

The sample comprised 1355 ever-partnered men (mean [SD] age, 51.3 [16.9] years), who predominantly identified as heterosexual (96.9%; 95% CI, 95.7%-97.8%). Half of the sample (49.9%) reported experiencing any lifetime IPV, of whom 62.1% reported at least 2 types. Of all sociodemographic subgroups, unemployed men had the greatest prevalence of reporting exposure to any IPV (69.2%) and all IPV types. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, men's exposure to any lifetime IPV was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting 4 of the 7 assessed health outcomes: poor general health (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.78; 95% CI, 1.34-2.38), recent pain or discomfort (AOR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.21-2.25), recent use of pain medication (AOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.00-1.62), and any diagnosed mental health condition (AOR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.11-2.49). Specific IPV types were inconsistently associated with poor health outcomes. Any physical IPV exposure was associated with poor general health (AOR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.33-2.43), recent pain or discomfort (AOR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.64-3.04), and frequent use of pain medication (AOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.08-2.63), which appeared to be associated with exposure to severe physical IPV. Exposure to sexual IPV, controlling behaviors, and economic abuse was not associated with any assessed outcomes after sociodemographic adjustment. Experience of a higher number of IPV types did not show a clear stepwise association with number of health outcomes.

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this study indicate that exposure to IPV can adversely affect men's health but is not consistently a factor in men's poor health at the population level. These findings do not warrant routine inquiry for IPV against men in clinical settings, although appropriate care is needed if IPV against men is identified.

Prior Drug-Related Criminal Charges and Risk for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Authorized Purchasers of Handguns in California

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a considerable public health problem in the US, and evidence suggests that both drugs and firearms contribute to the risk of IPV and its severity. This study uses a retrospective, longitudinal cohort design to explore the association between past arrests, charges incurred in the legal process, and convictions for drug-related crimes, and risk of future arrest for IPV among legal handgun purchasers. The cohort included all legal purchasers of handguns in California in 2001 between the ages of 21 and 49 (n = 79,678), 156 of whom had pre-purchase drug charges and post-purchase IPV charges. We used Cox proportional hazards regression with age at time of handgun purchase, sex, and race/ethnicity, and an array of community characteristics as covariates. Over the study period (2001-2013), in comparison to handgun purchasers who had no charges or convictions prior to their index purchase, risk for future IPV arrest was increased for purchasers whose only prior charges were drug-related (aHR = 3.4 [95% CI: 2.4-4.9]) and purchasers who had both prior drug- and non-drug related charges (aHR = 4.9 [95% CI: 4.1-6.0]). The magnitude of the risk ratio was greater when multiple drug types were involved and when the person had been charged with both the use and sale of drugs. Our findings suggest that, among legal handgun purchasers, prior drug charges are associated with future risk of IPV arrests or convictions. Given the established link between firearm access and IPV severity and fatality, these findings may inform the development and enforcement of policies that reduce firearm access for those at elevated risk of perpetrating intimate partner violence.

Domestic violence against women during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic lockdown in Egypt: a cross-sectional study

Background

While it is necessary to limit the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, efforts including social isolation, restricted travel, and school closures are anticipated to raise the probability of domestic violence (DV). This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, pattern, risk factors, and physical health outcomes of domestic violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a convenient sample. The data collection tool was based on Sect. 11 of the Egyptian Demographic Health Survey, 2014, which is designed to measure domestic violence. We used a Google form-designed questionnaire and distributed the link to social media platforms from May 2020 to June 2020 till the collection of the required sample of 388 completed questionnaires.

Results

The prevalence of every form of DV was 31%. Emotional violence was the most prevalent (43.5%) followed by physical (38.9%) and sexual violence (17.5%). About 10.5% of women reported suffering from all types of violence. The husband was the most common perpetrator of DV. The determinants of ever experiencing any form of DV were low education level of women (OR = 7.3, 95% CI 2.8–18.8), unemployment (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 4–3.5), husband’s use of alcohol or substance (OR = 14.4, 95% CI 4.1–50.2), and insufficient income (OR = 2.01, 95% CI 2–3.2). The most common health consequences of DV were injuries such as cuts, bruises, and aches.

Conclusions

The prevalence of ever experiencing any form of DV was 31% which is considered high. Emotional violence was the most common whereas sexual violence was the least common. Identifying the risk factors of DV would support the development and implementation of preventive and screening programs for early identification and offering social support to the victims. Policies should be adopted for the early detection and protection of women suffering from violent behaviors. Access to adequate prompt support and health-care services is crucial in order to decrease the consequences of violence. It is necessary to implement alcohol or drug abuse interventions, preventive measures, and screening programs in families to reduce DV.

Sexual femicide, non-sexual femicide and rape: Where do the differences lie? A continuum in a pattern of violence against women

Violence against women is a growing health problem, especially when perpetrated in intimate relationships. Despite increasing attention, there is little comparative evidence on the different types of violence involved and there is a paucity of research on sexual femicides. This study examines cases of violence against women in northern Italy, focusing on sexual and non-sexual femicides and comparing them with rape that does not result in femicides. The sample included 500 women who were victims of sexual and non-sexual femicides, and of rape. Results show sexual femicides mostly involved unknown victims or women who were prostitutes. Sexual femicidal offenders used improper weapons to kill their victims, acted in secluded locations, and fled the crime scene; their crime was more likely the result of predatory intentions, with antisociality and sexual deviance being the most significant factors related to this type of femicide. The criminal and violent pattern that characterized sexual femicides in this study shared significant similarities with the pattern of violence involved in rape. Rape victims were in fact mostly unknown, or involved in a brief relationship with their killer. When the victim was known it was more likely that the abuse occurred at home and in front of the woman's children. Rapists were often under the effect of alcohol or drugs. Non-sexual femicides mainly involved known victims, and they were more often committed in the context of domestic disputes. It was not seldom that the long relationship between the victim and perpetrator was likely to be characterized by contentiousness, suggesting that the woman was often victim of an oppressive climate of emotional tension and domination. Morbid jealousy contributed to aggravating the tone of a controlling relationship. Non-sexual femicides bore more similarities to cases of rape within the pattern of intimate partner violence. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention and intervention.

Neighborhood-Level Predictors of Sexual Violence Across Intimate Partner and Non-Intimate Partner Relationships: A Case-Control Study

Ample research explores individual factors associated with sexual violence, yet individual, dyadic, and environmental influences on intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) occurring in the larger context of non-intimate partner violence (NIPSV) remain relatively unexplored. The current study aimed to determine the extent to which county-level indicators in combination with individual and dyadic factors are associated with sexual violence across relationship types. Reported IPSV and NIPSV cases were obtained from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's (TBI) online incident-based reporting system. County-level variables indicative of neighborhood physical disorder, violent crime, income inequality, firearm prevalence, and community alcohol use patterns were retrieved from the online resource County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. Using a nested case-control design, we determined significant sexual violence risk within younger cohorts and across relationship types, finding three significant county-level factors: 1) income inequality, 2) rate of firearm fatalities, and 3) percentage of female residents. Suggested prevention and intervention efforts include targeting younger age groups for IPSV and NIPSV education, developing resources for a range of relational partners, improving legal access and law enforcement training for reporting, and continued examination of the role of firearms.

Intimate Partner Violence and Age at Marriage in Mali: The Moderating Influence of Polygynous Unions

Polygyny and early marriage - both prevalent in Mali - are risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV). Relying on data from the 2018 Malian Demographic and Health Surveys, the study examines the effects of polygyny and age at marriage, while controlling for known risk factors of IPV, on the likelihood of experiencing IPV. Findings reveal that polygyny is associated with IPV. However, polygyny has a moderating influence on the association between age at marriage and the experience of physical abuse and controlling behavior. The complex nature of women's experiences and the need for culturally specific programming are reviewed.

Medications at the Emergency Department After Recent Rape

Rape is associated with myriad negative physical and mental health effects, yet little is known about medical prescribing following rape-related emergency room visits. The goal of this study was to examine factors associated with medications prescribed the same day as a sexual assault medical forensic examination (SAMFE). A total of 939 medical records (93.9% female) of a medical university in the Southeastern United States between July 1, 2014, and May 15, 2019, were paired with Sexual Assault Nurse Exam records. Demographic and assault characteristics were examined as correlates of medications prescribed at the emergency department within the same day of a SAMFE. All individuals were offered medications within the national guidelines. Intimate partner violence (IPV) was negatively associated with antibiotic prescriptions and with emergency contraception prescriptions. Genital injury and male gender of victim were positively associated with antiviral prescriptions. Non-genital injury was positively associated with both over-the-counter and prescription pain medication prescriptions. Report of strangulation was positively associated with accepting over-the-counter but not prescription pain medication. IPV and strangulation were positively associated with psychotropic prescriptions. Although specific medications were offered to individuals during the SAMFE, demographic and assault characteristics were associated with medication acceptability.

Mapping of Intimate Partner Violence: Evidence From a National Population Survey

Evidence on the relative importance of geographical distribution and associated factors with intimate partner violence (IPV) can inform regional and national health programs on women's health. Four thousand seven hundred and twenty married women aged 15-49 years were interviewed in 2016 about IPV and this data was extracted from the Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) in 2020. The sample was selected by a two-staged cluster survey of women. The analysis was conducted using logistic regression that adjusted for clustering and sampling weights. Moreover, weighted proportions of IPV were exported to ArcGIS to conduct autocorrelations to assess the clustering of IPV. Amongst the 4469 married women who were 15 to 49 years of age included in the analysis, 34% (95% CI, 31.4%-36.3%) experienced IPV, 23.5% ( 95% CI, 21.5%-25.7%) experienced physical violence, 10.1% (95% CI, 8.7%- 11.7 %) experienced sexual violence and 24% (95% CI, 21.7%-26.4 %) experienced emotional violence. Partners' controlling behaviour [AOR: 3.94; 95% CI, 3.03- 5.12], partner's alcohol consumption [AOR: 2.59; 95% CI, 1.80- 3.71], partner educational qualifications [AOR: 2.16; 95% CI, 1.26- 3.71], a woman birthing more than five children [AOR: 1.70; 95% CI, 1.12- 2.56] and a history of the woman's father being physically violent towards her mother [AOR: 1.99; 95% CI, 1.52- 2.59] were associated with an increased risk of IPV amongst married women in Ethiopia. Western and Central Oromia, Western Amhara, Gambella and Central Tigray and Hararri were identified as hot spot areas in Ethiopia (p<0.001). In this study, there was a significant geographic clustering of IPV in Ethiopia. Controlling and drinking behaviour and partners' unemployment status were identified as important factors for married women experiencing IPV. Hence, there is a need for a context- driven evidence-based design intervention to reduce the impact of IPV.

Violence Against Women During COVID-19 Pandemic

The objectives of this study were to correlate several factors - including depression, anxiety, stress and self-esteem levels in both men and women - with the occurrence of domestic violence against women (VAW) during quarantine. This cross-sectional study was carried out in April 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic when lockdown procedures were implemented; 86 married couples participated in this study amounting to 172 responses in total. A different questionnaire was set for women and men; the couple filled out their respective questionnaire simultaneously, but privately where one did not see the answers of the other. Inclusion criteria included married couples of all ages that are living together during the lockdown of COVID-19. The results of this study showed that a higher total abuse score was found in 39 females (45.3%; CI: 0.34 - 0.56). Being a Muslim female (Beta =24.80) and females having higher anxiety (Beta=0.97) were significantly associated with higher total abuse scores, whereas higher stress score in female (Beta=-0.61) was significantly associated with lower total abuse scores. In conclusion, this study focuses on VAW as a serious problem while demonstrating its further emergence during quarantine. This study also focused on the effects brought on by lockdown policies, including social and economic factors, and their implications in the increase of VAW during this pandemic.

Visualizing the Knowledge Base and Research Hotspot of Public Health Emergency Management: A Science Mapping Analysis-Based Study

Public health emergency management has been one of the main challenges of social sustainable development since the beginning of the 21st century. Research on public health emergency management is becoming a common focus of scholars. In recent years, the literature associated with public health emergency management has grown rapidly, but few studies have used a bibliometric analysis and visualization approach to conduct deep mining and explore the characteristics of the public health emergency management research field. To better understand the present status and development of public health emergency management research, and to explore the knowledge base and research hotspots, the bibliometric method and science mapping technology were adopted to visually evaluate the knowledge structure and research trends in the field of public health emergency management studies. From 2000 to 2020, a total of 3723 papers related to public health emergency management research were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection as research data. The five main research directions formed are child prevention, mortality from public health events, public health emergency preparedness, public health emergency management, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The current research hotspots and frontiers are climate change, COVID-19 and related coronaviruses. Further research is needed to focus on the COVID-19 and related coronaviruses. This study intends to contribute inclusive support to related academia and industry in the aspects of public health emergency management and public safety research, as well as research hotspots and future research directions.

The Dark Tetrad, Intimate Partner Violence and the Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement

PURPOSE

Research suggests that physical, psychological, and/or sexual focussed Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is related to the dark triad (DT) traits of Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism. This study extends these findings by considering the addition of everyday sadism into the four-dimension dark tetrad (DTET), testing the possibility that moral disengagement (MD) mediates the relationship between these variables. It was also examined whether the DTET provided incremental validity to the more general personality traits Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness (HEXACO) to predict IPV.

METHOD

Males and females (N = 416) from the general population completed five questionnaires in an online survey (HEXACO-60, MMEA, PMDS, CTS2S, SD4).

RESULTS

A principal component factor-analysis found that sexual IPV did not load as an individual factor and distinct form of violence on the CTS2S scale so was excluded from this study. Four hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted, using the demographics, HEXACO and either the DTET traits or an overall DTET variable as predictor variables, and either physical or psychological IPV as the dependent variables. Only psychopathy predicted physical and psychological IPV; MD mediated the relationship between psychopathy and psychological IPV. Although the DTET added incremental validity over HEXACO to predict physical IPV, HEXACO low Agreeableness was the strongest predictor of psychological IPV.

CONCLUSIONS

Those higher in psychopathy may show different offending trajectories for physical and psychological IPV dependent upon the use of MD processes. Despite the DTET adding incremental validity over the HEXACO dimensions, some HEXACO elements better explain the relationship between personality and psychological IPV than the DTET.

The Role of Perpetrator Tactics on Physical and Mental Health Outcomes Associated With Intimate Partner Sexual Violence: A Sex-Specific Analysis

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a concerning, yet understudied form of intimate partner violence. Using data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), the current study builds on prior research to explore variation in tactics used to facilitate IPSV and their relationship with physical and mental health outcomes. Further, this study examines sex differences in both tactics and their associated health outcomes. Results show that all forms of IPSV are related to adverse health outcomes, with physical force being associated with the greatest number physical and mental health consequences. Women are more likely to report a greater number of negative physical health outcomes and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, while male IPSV victims are more likely to report overall worse mental health.

Witnessing Intimate Partner Violence Across Contexts: Mental Health, Delinquency, and Dating Violence Outcomes Among Mexican Heritage Youth

Immigrant Mexican American (MA) youth are at greater risk for violence exposure due to risk factors associated with migration-postmigration processes and as they settle into urban U.S. communities marked by crime and poverty. Less is known about the contexts of this exposure. Specifically, what are the ecological contexts in which youth witness intimate partner violence (IPV), how do these experiences differ by immigration generational status, and what is the impact on youth's externalizing and internalizing behaviors? MA adolescents (N = 279; 15-17 years, M = 16.17, SD = 0.81) from the Southwest United States participated in an online survey. Over half of adolescents had witnessed at least one incidence of IPV in the prior 2 weeks, usually involving their peers. Adolescents who had spent more time in the United States were more likely to witness violence and rated it as more severe than more recently immigrated youth. A cross-sectional path model revealed that witnessing IPV was associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. However, the associations between witnessing IPV and dating violence perpetration and victimization were mediated through acceptance of dating violence norms. Each successive generation may be more likely to witness violence across a range of ecological contexts. Witnessing violence may be central to a host of negative outcomes, including deviancy, poor mental health, and dating violence. However, preventive interventions can help youth to challenge violence norms within intimate partnerships as well as to cope with violence in their homes, peer groups, and communities.

Physical and Emotional Intimate Partner Violence and Women's Health in the First Year After Childbirth: An Australian Pregnancy Cohort Study

Intimate partner violence (IPV) can comprise physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, and is a widespread public health concern. Despite increasing recognition that women experience different types of IPV, the majority of research has focused on physical IPV. The present study aims to examine associations between different types of IPV (physical, emotional, physical, and emotional) and women's mental, physical, and sexual health by analyzing longitudinal data from a prospective pregnancy cohort of 1,507 first-time mothers in Melbourne, Australia. Questionnaires included validated measures of physical and mental health (Short Form Health Survey, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and IPV (Composite Abuse Scale). Emotional IPV alone was the most commonly reported type of IPV (n = 128, 9.5%), followed by both physical and emotional IPV (n = 76, 5.7%), and then physical IPV alone (n = 30, 2.2%). Women reporting emotional IPV or physical and emotional IPV had increased odds of poor health compared with women reporting no IPV. Experience of physical and emotional IPV was most strongly associated with mental health issues, including depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 4.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = [2.9, 7.1]) and self-reported anxiety (adjusted OR 2.9, 95% CI = [1.9, 4.4]). Experience of emotional IPV alone was associated with poor mental health as well as physical factors, including poor general physical health (adjusted OR 1.9, 95% CI = [1.2, 3.1]), and pain during sex (adjusted OR 1.8, 95% CI = [1.2, 2.7]). Increased odds of poor body image were also observed for women reporting emotional IPV alone and physical and emotional IPV. These findings highlight the need for greater awareness of the diversity in women's experiences of IPV among health care providers. This includes understanding the prevalence of emotional IPV among new mothers, and the range of health problems that are more common for women experiencing IPV.

Severity of Victimization and Formal Help Seeking Among Men Who Experienced Intimate Partner Violence in Their Ongoing Relationships

This study examined the severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) experienced by men in their ongoing relationships and their help-seeking behavior with the criminal justice system and other professional agencies. This study also examined the extent to which socio-demographic variables predicted formal help seeking among male victims of IPV. Data were drawn from 2009 and 2014 cycles of the Canadian General Social Survey on Victimization with a nationally representative sample of 52,400 respondents. It is estimated that about 655,400 men in Canada reported having experienced physical and/or sexual victimization due to IPV in married/common-law relationships at the time of the surveys between 2004 and 2014. The latent class analysis generated four types of IPV victimization among men. Among male victims of physical and/or sexual IPV, about 64,000 men experienced the most severe type of IPV characterized by chronic and severe physical and psychological violence with a high probability of injuries and negative emotional effects of IPV. Although most of the male victims of IPV did not seek formal help (e.g., did not contact the police and IPV services), the severity of experienced violence was associated with the increased use of formal services. Some structural factors, such as being unemployed and residing with young children, were found to be substantial barriers to contacting formal agencies for help. Our findings highlight the need for the development of gender-inclusive and gender-sensitive public policy and intervention programs that help all victims of IPV regardless of victim gender.

Structural Context and the Role of Positive Deviance From Community Norms in Shaping Risk for Sexual Intimate Partner Violence in 32 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Community norms provide social scripts and pathways to accruing social capital that can alter a woman's risk of experiencing sexual intimate partner violence (IPV). These norms are in turn influenced by the structural environment in which they exist. Missing from the literature is an understanding of how an individual's departure from community norms-positive deviance-influences the risk of sexual IPV and how this effect may vary across structural environments. Demographic and Health Survey data from 32 low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) were stratified into six structural environments by two fundamental structural factors: level of gender inequality and prevalence of sexual IPV. To examine how transcending community norms shape the odds of reporting sexual IPV across environments, six identical multilevel models were fit including statistical deviation from 13 community norms as key covariates. Positive deviance from community norms is associated with both increased and decreased odds of reporting sexual IPV and the nature of these relationships vary by structural environment. Positive deviance had a greater effect on reporting sexual IPV in highly unequal societies. Positive deviance from fertility preferences and controlling behavior was associated with increased odds of sexual IPV across contexts. The accrual of social capital and differences in female autonomy across environments may be two ways positive deviance alters sexual IPV risk. A better understanding of how the salience of community norms varies by structural environment and how transcending these norms shapes the risk for sexual violence may help highlight pathways for interventions to change restrictive social norms and increase female empowerment without increasing the risk of sexual IPV.

Trauma Exposure and Domestic Violence Offending Severity in a Probation Sample From Post-conflict Northern Ireland

Domestic violence is more common in post-conflict settings such as Northern Ireland. However, the extent to which trauma and related mental health problems are associated with domestic violence perpetration in the region has not yet been quantitatively assessed. The present study examines relationships between multiple traumas, mental health problems, and five indicators of domestic violence perpetration severity (causing injury, use of a weapon, breach of nonmolestation order, sexual violence, and previous police involvement). The unique risk associated with distinct types of trauma (i.e., childhood maltreatment or conflict related) was also investigated. Perpetrators' case file data (n = 405) were analyzed using hierarchical logistic regression. The rates of recorded trauma exposure and mental health difficulties were 72.3% and 63.5%, respectively. The first logistic regression analyses showed that exposure to multiple traumas was associated with increased likelihood of perpetrating injurious and sexual violence, when controlling for the covariates (odds ratios [ORs] = 1.24-1.28). The second logistic regression analyses showed that childhood maltreatment was the only trauma type to confer unique risk, a relationship that was significant only for the outcome of perpetrating injurious violence (OR = 3.06). Substance misuse was also significantly associated with perpetration of injurious violence, use of weapons, and having past police involvement (ORs = 2.49-3.50). The accumulation of traumatic experiences and substance abuse appear to act as risk factors for some indicators of offending severity. Childhood maltreatment appears to confer particularly strong risk. The findings may support a focus on trauma and substance abuse as intervention targets in post-conflict settings.

Pathways Linking Intimate Partner Violence and Postpartum Depression Among Jewish and Arab Women in Israel

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major risk factor for postpartum depression (PPD), with 9% to 28% of PPD cases reporting IPV at some point in their lives. Yet little is known about how these phenomena are associated. We asked, "What direct and indirect pathways link IPV to PPD in women belonging to different ethnic-national groups in Israel?" We recruited a stratified sample of Jewish and Arab women, 18 to 48 years old and 6 months postpartum, during their visits to maternal and child health clinics. We computed path analyses to identify both direct and indirect predictors linking IPV frequency and PPD in a stratified sample of Jewish (n = 807) and Arab (n = 248) women. The overall rate of PPD was estimated at 10.3%, whereas the rate of IPV for the total sample was 36%. We identified a direct link between IPV and PPD. IPV also appeared to have an equivalent, indirect effect on PPD via greater chronic stress and reduced social support. IPV was greater and social support was lower for Arab women, who also reported higher PPD, independent of sociodemographic differences between ethnic groups (i.e., education, occupation). Of note, an unplanned pregnancy appeared to increase the risk of both IPV and PPD. Our findings suggest that complex pathways link IPV to PPD and that indirect effects of IPV are equivalent to its direct effects on postpartum women. These findings contribute to a growing international body of research showing the significant effects of IPV on health and well-being. The factors we identified as directly and indirectly associated with PPD might inform interventions to identify and treat PPD.

REPRINT OF: Physical and Mental Health Effects of Intimate Partner Violence for Men and Women

EDITOR'S NOTE

This article is a reprint of a previously published article. For citation purposes, please use the original publication details: Coker AL, Davis KE, Arias I, et al. Physical and mental health effects of intimate partner violence for men and women. Am J Prev Med. 1985;1(6):1-8.

BACKGROUND

Few population-based studies have assessed the physical and mental health consequences of both psychological and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) among women or men victims. This study estimated IPV prevalence by type (physical, sexual, and psychological) and associated physical and mental health consequences among women and men.

METHODS

The study analyzed data from the National Violence Against Women Survey (NVAWS) of women and men aged 18 to 65. This random-digit-dial telephone survey included questions about violent victimization and health status indicators.

RESULTS

A total of 28.9% of 6790 women and 22.9% of 7122 men had experienced physical, sexual, or psychological IPV during their lifetime. Women were significantly more likely than men to experience physical or sexual IPV (relative risk [RR]=2.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]=2.1, 2.4) and abuse of power and control (RR=1.1, 95% CI=1.0, 1.2), but less likely than men to report verbal abuse alone (RR=0.8, 95% CI=0.7, 0.9). For both men and women, physical IPV victimization was associated with increased risk of current poor health; depressive symptoms; substance use; and developing a chronic disease, chronic mental illness, and injury. In general, abuse of power and control was more strongly associated with these health outcomes than was verbal abuse. When physical and psychological IPV scores were both included in logistic regression models, higher psychological IPV scores were more strongly associated with these health outcomes than were physical IPV scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Both physical and psychological IPV are associated with significant physical and mental health consequences for both male and female victims.

Pre-Pregnancy Intimate Partner Violence and Short Interbirth Interval: The Role of Insurance Status

Short interbirth interval (IBI) has serious adverse health consequences, yet has an estimated prevalence of 35% in the United States. Similarly, intimate partner violence (IPV) around time of pregnancy, experienced by approximately 5% of women, is associated with increased risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. IPV might compromise women's decision-making, contributing to unintended pregnancy and short IBI. This study examines the relationship between pre-pregnancy IPV and short IBI, and whether insurance status moderates this relationship among multiparous women who responded to the 2009-2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System survey (N = 13,675). Pre-pregnancy IPV (yes; no), insurance status (Private insurance; Medicaid/public insurance; no insurance), and short IBI (yes; no) were examined. Insurance status was identified as an effect modifier (p = .03), and maternal age, maternal and paternal education, marital status, and drinking alcohol were identified as potential confounders. Multiple logistic regression analysis stratified by insurance status provided adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Overall, 4.6% of women reported IPV before pregnancy, and 48% had a short IBI. When stratified by insurance status, the odds of short IBI was about 3 times higher among women with no insurance and women on Medicaid/public insurance who reported IPV compared to women who did not report IPV (aOR = 3.36, 95% CI = [1.02, 8.02], and aOR = 2.50, 95% CI = [1.04, 5.92], respectively). There was no observed significant difference in the likelihood of short IBI by experience of IPV among privately insured women. Findings from this study strengthen the evidence that women who experience IPV before pregnancy are significantly more likely to have short IBI compared to women who do not experience pre-pregnancy IPV. Furthermore, the odds of short IBI is highest among women experiencing pre-pregnancy IPV who are uninsured or on Medicaid/public insurance.

Longitudinal imaging history in early identification of intimate partner violence

OBJECTIVES

To describe the imaging findings of intimate partner violence (IPV)-related injury and to evaluate the role of longitudinal imaging review in detecting IPV.

METHODS

Radiology studies were reviewed in chronological order and IPV-related injuries were recorded among 400 victims of any type of abuse (group 1) and 288 of physical abuse (group 2) from January 2013 to June 2018. The likelihood of IPV was assessed as low/moderate/high based on the review of (1) current and prior anatomically related studies only and (2) longitudinal imaging history consisting of all prior studies. The first radiological study date with moderate/high suspicion was compared to the self-reported date by the victim.

RESULTS

A total of 135 victims (33.8%) in group 1 and 144 victims (50%) in group 2 demonstrated IPV-related injuries. Musculoskeletal injury was most common (58.2% and 44.5% in groups 1 and 2, respectively; most commonly lower/upper extremity fractures), followed by neurologic injury (20.9% and 32.9% in groups 1 and 2, respectively; most commonly facial injury). With longitudinal imaging history, radiologists were able to identify IPV in 31% of group 1 and 46.5% of group 2 patients. Amongst these patients, earlier identification by radiologists was provided compared to the self-reported date in 62.3% of group 1 (median, 64 months) and in 52.6% of group 2 (median, 69.3 months).

CONCLUSIONS

Musculoskeletal and neurological injuries were the most common IPV-related injuries. Knowledge of common injuries and longitudinal imaging history may help IPV identification when victims are not forthcoming.

KEY POINTS

• Musculoskeletal injuries were the most common type of IPV-related injury, followed by neurological injuries. • With longitudinal imaging history, radiologists were able to better raise the suspicion of IPV compared to the selective review of anatomically related studies only. • With longitudinal imaging history, radiologists were able to identify IPV earlier than the self-reported date by a median of 64 months in any type of abuse, and a median of 69.3 months in physical abuse.

Intimate Partner Violence, Parenting, and Children's Representations of Caregivers

Children's representational models of self and relationship quality with caregivers in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV) were investigated using family drawings created by children in their first-grade year. The present study examines the mediating role of mothers' and fathers' sensitive parenting behaviors in the relations between IPV and children's representations of relationship quality with mothers and fathers. The sample (N = 947) is drawn from a longitudinal study of rural poverty exploring the ways in which child, family, and contextual factors shape development over time. Results of analyses indicate significant associations between IPV, sensitive parenting, and children's representation of relationship quality with mothers and fathers. There was a significant indirect effect from IPV on children's representation of relationship quality with fathers through paternal parenting behaviors. The findings from this study suggest that exposure to violence may affect how children view their family relationships and that fathers' parenting behavior is a key mediating process. Implications of the findings and directions for future study are proposed.

Validation of the French Women Abuse Screening Tool to routinely identify intimate partner violence

BACKGROUND

Health care professionals strongly underestimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), and a few of them think that they screen and refer victims appropriately for assistance. The aim of this study was to cross-culturally validate a French version of the Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST).

METHODS

A multicenter case-control study was performed in the forensic medicine unit of the University Hospital and two offices of the women's rights association in France. Abused and non-abused women self-completed the WAST and a questionnaire assessing their level of comfort in responding to the WAST during the study and during a hypothetical consultation with a physician in primary care. We analyzed the psychometric properties and screening performance of the WAST.

RESULTS

Respondent acceptability was very good, with response rates exceeding 95%. The WAST had a good internal consistency (Cronbach α coefficient = 0.95). Its screening performance with a cut-off score of 5 was excellent: area under the ROC curve was 0.99, sensitivity 97.7%, specificity 97.1%, positive predictive value 97.2% and negative predictive value 97.7%. The levels of comfort were significantly lower among abused compared with non-abused women. Both groups of women were more comfortable answering the WAST during the study than in a hypothetical consultation.

CONCLUSION

The French version of the WAST was found to be a well-accepted and valid screening tool for routine use in IPV. It may help health care professionals to detect women experiencing abuse early and to refer them more quickly to specific assistance.

Situational Characteristics Uniquely Associated With Children's Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence

Exposure to parental violence can have devastating consequences for children, including significant personal, social, and academic problems. The present study determined the situational factors that are associated with children's exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) incidents. To examine whether these factors were unique to child witnesses' presence at IPV incidents, we also determined the factors that are associated with children's exposure to family violence (FV) and other family member witnesses' exposure to IPV incidents. Participants responded to an online panel survey investigating the role of alcohol and other drugs in family and domestic violence incidents in Australia. Nine hundred fifty-two respondents reported an IPV incident and 299 reported an FV incident; they provided details about their most recent incident. Results showed that child witnesses were more likely to be present during IPV incidents if the incident took place at home (odds ratio [OR] = 3.10), if a similar incident had occurred previously (OR = 1.66), if drugs were involved (OR = 1.60), and if a police report was made (OR = 2.61). There was some overlap with the other witness and violence combinations: The presence of a police report also predicted child witnesses' presence at FV incidents, and a home location also predicted other family member witnesses' presence at IPV incidents. These results enhance our understanding of the situations in which children might witness IPV incidents; future research is needed to determine whether these situational factors can be used to judge risk.

Exposure to interparental violence and justification of intimate partner violence among women in sexual unions in sub-Saharan Africa

Background

Justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) is one of the critical factors that account for the high prevalence of IPV among women. In this study, we examined the association between exposure to interparental violence and IPV justification among women in sexual unions in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Methods

Data for this study were obtained from the most recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 26 countries in SSA conducted between 2010 and 2020. A total of 112,953 women in sexual unions were included in this study. A multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was carried out. The results of the regression analysis were presented using crude odds ratios (cOR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

The prevalence of interparental violence in the countries considered in this study was 23.8%, with the highest (40.8%) and lowest (4.9%) in Burundi and Comoros, respectively. IPV justification was 45.8%, with the highest and lowest prevalence in Mali (80.9%) and South Africa (4.6%) respectively. Women who were exposed to interparental violence were more likely to justify IPV compared to those who were not exposed [aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.47–1.59]. We found higher odds of justification of IPV among women who were exposed to interparental violence compared to those who were not exposed in all the countries, except Burkina Faso, Comoros, Gambia, and Rwanda.

Conclusion

The findings call for several strategies for addressing interparental violence. These may include empowerment services targeting both men and women, formation of stronger social networks to improve women’s self-confidence, and the provision of evidence-based information and resources at the community level. These interventions should pay critical attention to young people exposed to interparental violence. Public health education and messaging should emphasise on the negative health and social implications of interparental violence and IPV.

Psychological Effects of Abuse, Partner Pressure, and Alcohol: The Roles of in-the-Moment Condom Negotiation Efficacy and Condom-Decision Abdication on Women's Intentions to Engage in Condomless Sex

Women's experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) from their male partners can include psychological, physical, and sexual control and abuse. The psychological effects of abuse (PEA) include terror, shame, and loss of power and control in relationships. While women's experiences of IPV are associated with decreased condom use, limited research has examined the impact of PEA on women's condom use. Intoxicated (breath alcohol content [BrAC] = .10%) versus sober women were evaluated to test the hypothesis that PEA would interact with intoxication and scenario-context partner pressure to forgo condom use and be associated with intentions to engage in condomless sex. After beverage administration, community women (N = 405) projected themselves into a computerized scenario depicting a male partner exerting high or low pressure for condomless sex. In-the-moment condom negotiation self-efficacy and condom-decision abdication-letting the man decide on condom use-were assessed. Path analysis examined the direct and indirect effects of PEA, alcohol, and partner pressure conditions on condomless sex intentions. PEA increased condomless sex intentions indirectly through decreased condom negotiation self-efficacy. Intoxication increased condomless sex intentions indirectly through decreased condom negotiation self-efficacy and increased condom-decision abdication. Intoxicated women in the low pressure condition were more likely to abdicate the condom decision than women in the high pressure condition. Women who have experienced greater PEA may benefit from interventions focusing on how condom negotiation self-efficacy, condom-decision abdication, and intoxication influence sexual decision-making.

Intimate Partner Violence: Childhood Witnessing and Subsequent Experiences of College Undergraduates

Previous work links witnessing adult violence in the home during childhood ("witnessing") and adolescent relationship violence, but studies are limited to recent experiences with one or two outcomes, missing the holistic viewpoint describing lifetime experiences across multiple types of violence. We measured associations between witnessing and victimization (being harmed by violence) and perpetration (causing harm by violence) among males and females for the three most common types of adolescent relationship violence (physical, sexual, and emotional), and we assessed whether students experienced multiple outcomes ("polyvictimization/ polyperpetration"). We also compared sex-specific differences to assess for additive effect modification. We used an anonymous, cross-sectional survey with 907 undergraduates attending randomly selected classes at three urban East Coast colleges. Multiple logistic regression and marginal standardization were used to estimate predicted probabilities for each outcome among witnesses and non-witnesses; additive interaction by sex was assessed using quantifiable measures. 214 (24%) students reported witnessing and 403 (44%) students experienced adolescent relationship violence, with 162 (17.9%) and 37 (4.1%) experiencing polyvictimization and polyperpetration, respectively. Witnesses had higher risk than non-witnesses for physical, sexual, and emotional victimization and perpetration. Notably, witnesses also had higher risk for polyvictimization and polyperpetration. Additive effect modification by sex was insignificant at 95% confidence bounds, but distinct patterns emerged for males and females. Except for sexual victimization, female witnesses were more likely than female non-witnesses to experience all forms of victimization, including polyvictimization; they also had higher risk for perpetration, particularly physical perpetration. In contrast, victimization outcomes did not differ for male witnesses, but male witnesses were more likely than male non-witnesses to perpetrate all forms of violence, including polyperpetration.

Domestic violence in time of unrest, a sample from Iraq

Domestic violence is a worldwide problem, and there are over a billion women who have been exposed to violence from their husband or male partner. In Iraq, since the 2003 invasion, domestic violence has risen dramatically. In this study we aim to estimate the prevalence of domestic violence against women (and some associated factors) in Baghdad city. A sample of 735 women was collected from the attendants of the outpatients-Obstetrics/Gynaecology clinics of four randomly chosen health facilities located on either side of Baghdad city. A questionnaire form was developed to enquire about the occurrence of violence, its frequency, source, and reasons. The results showed that 81.2% of the women were exposed to violence (100% verbal/emotional and 39.18% physical), usually by the husband (41.4%) or brother (20.4%), mostly attributed to a stressful life of unrest (41.9%). Older and currently married women are significantly more exposed to domestic violence (p = 0.001 & 0.004, respectively). Consanguinity was associated with less violence (p = 0.0001) as was higher education (p = 0.001), employment (p = 0.044) and women's independence (p = 0.044). A stressful life of unrest was significantly associated with all types of violence (p < 0.001).

Violent Boyhoods, Masculine Honor Ideology, and Political Violence: Survey Findings From Thailand

Throughout history, those who have participated in political violence have predominantly been male young adults. At the same time, we know that most young men will not use violence for political protest. So what distinguishes those who do from those who do not? In this article, we link psychological research on the intergenerational effects of violence in the family to violence in the political arena. We ask to what extent experiences of violence as a child are associated with participation in political violence as an adult. Our overarching argument is that family-of-origin violence may not only have serious negative, intergenerational effects on health and well-being but also on future spirals of violence for the individual. Family-of-origin violence may also lead to an increased risk of using violence for political purposes due to the diffusion of violence norms, whereby violence is seen as a just and appropriate response to conflict. We test this claim using micro-level data from the Survey on Gender, Politics, and Violence in Thailand, conducted in 2012-2013. For our analyses, we zoom in on men from a specific cluster sample of the survey: 200 political activist interviewees-100 Red Shirts and 100 Yellow Shirts. The results support our claim. We find that experiences of family violence as a child increase the risk of participating in political violence as an adult among male political activists in Thailand. Our study suggests one imperative policy implication: Violence prevention measures at the individual level-against corporal punishment of children or violence against women-may have critical implications also for decreasing the risk for and prevalence of political violence and armed conflict in society.

Children Exposed to IPV: Impact of Multiple Father Figures

PURPOSE

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) has been associated with adverse infant developmental outcomes; however, the influence of the number of father-figures (abusive vs non-abusive) has on young infants' risk for neurodevelopmental delays has not been examined.

PROCEDURES

A secondary data analysis was conducted from the Domestic Violence Enhanced Perinatal Home Visits (DOVE) study of abused pregnant women (N = 239) and their infants' neurodevelopment from baseline through 12-months postpartum.

RESULTS

Although all women reported decreased violence from baseline to 12 months postpartum, there was a significant main effect between baseline IPV scores and infant risk for developmental delay at 12 months (β = .19; p < .05) and a significant interaction between baseline IPV scores and multiple partner categories (β = .89; p < .01). Women in the single abusive partner category demonstrated a negative association between baseline IPV and 12-month infant risk scores (β = -.56; p < .01). Whereas women in the mixed and multiple abusive partner groups demonstrated a positive association between IPV and infant risk scores (β = .32; p < .05).

CONCLUSION

This study provides evidence that an infant's neurodevelopment is impacted by exposure to violence in the home. Additional research is needed to examine the full impact, not only the effects of single and/or abusive partners on child development, but also the possible effect of multiple non-abusive partners on development.

Couple Reports on Intimate Partner Violence and their Health Impact: Evidence From a Population-Based Survey in Japan

Recent studies have shown that couples' reports of intimate partner violence (IPV) are not necessarily consistent. This study investigated the associations between patterns of partner victimization and perpetration reports and health and perceived wellbeing. Using household survey data from a probabilistic urban sample of adults aged 25 to 50 years and their partners, we identified 1,467 heterosexual pairs who completed the modified Japanese version of the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 Short Form. We classified responses into four categories: congruent report of no IPV, incongruent respondent victimization report, incongruent partner perpetration report, and congruent report of IPV. We used analysis of covariance to compare physical and mental health (measured by the SF-8 Health Survey Questionnaire) and life satisfaction among the four groups. The results showed that 22.4% of respondents were involved in IPV, and approximately 75% of them had incongruent reports. Compared with congruent reports of no IPV, respondents with an incongruent victimization report and an incongruent partner perpetration report scored significantly lower on physical health (-0.96, p = .03 and -1.16, p = .04, respectively). Those with an incongruent victimization report and congruent report of IPV had lower mental health scores (-2.32, p = .00 and -2.21, p = .00, respectively) and lower life satisfaction (-0.32, p = .00 and -0.21, p = .01, respectively). The results indicated that the respondent's victimization report was associated with worse mental health regardless of their partner's perpetration report, and physical health was worse only in cases with incongruent reports. Cases with a partner perpetration report but no respondent victimization report showed worse physical health but no negative effects on mental health and perceived wellbeing. These results indicate that research and practice regarding IPV should consider both partners' experiences of violence when assessing the impact of health and wellbeing on victims.

Postpartum Depression and Quality of Life: A Path Analysis

Purpose: The aim of this study was to model the relationship between risk factors of postpartum depression and quality of life in Iranian women. Methods: In this study, 306 women were included as a sample. The study tools of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Inventory included items such as socioeconomic characteristics, recent pregnancy history and outcome, and Quality of Life Questionnaire (SF-12). SPSS software was used for data analysis and a significance value of 0.05 was considered. Results: Most participants were homemakers with no instances of abortion, no stillbirth, no history of depression, no preterm delivery, no difficulties during pregnancy, no difficulties during delivery, no unplanned pregnancy, no smoking during pregnancy, had family support during pregnancy and after delivery, type of delivery was cesarean, had a healthy baby and satisfaction with neonatal sex, and never or rarely experienced partner violence. Their mean age, years of education, living arrangements, and breastfeeding of participants respectively were 29.73±5.42, 14.64±1.96, 1.09±0.53, and 5.61±2.98. The prevalence of postpartum depression was 5.6%. According to the path analysis, living arrangements with β=0.73 had the most direct effect and occupation with β=0.69 had the most indirect effect on postpartum depression. Conclusions: According to the path analysis model, postpartum depression is affected by many factors such as age, years of education, occupation, living arrangements, and quality of life.

Childhood Trauma History and Negative Social Experiences in College

While there is literature documenting the association between childhood trauma and later sexual assault or interpersonal violence victimization, less is known about risk of less severe, but still negative, victimization experiences such as sexual harassment, hazing, and bullying in college. The goal of this study was to explore the association between self-reported childhood trauma (both personally experienced and witnessed) and negative social experiences in college-age adults (e.g., sexual harassment, hazing, and bullying), and the role that internalizing difficulties (i.e., depression and stress) plays in this association. A sample of 620 college-aged adults (ages 18-25) was recruited. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to investigate two models concerning direct and indirect childhood trauma experience. The models demonstrated significant positive relations between experiences of childhood trauma (both direct and indirect) and negative social experiences. Internalizing difficulties (i.e., depression and stress) mediated the relation between indirect childhood trauma and negative social experiences, but it did not significantly mediate the relation between direct childhood trauma and negative social experiences. These findings help to inform prevention efforts and have important implications for both school and community based mental health providers.

Parts Unknown: Risk Factors of Intimate Partner Violence in Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Moldova

Extant research has argued that there are variations in predictors of intimate partner violence (IPV) across nations and it is necessary to examine country-specific correlates of IPV. Much remains unknown about factors that affect risk of IPV in transitional countries. Specifically, we explore risk factors for IPV among four former nations of the Soviet Union-Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Moldova-with data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys. Rates of physical abuse were similar within Tajikistan (18.96%) and Moldova (18.38%), while Kyrgyzstan (20.62%) had the highest prevalence and Azerbaijan (9.29%) had the lowest prevalence. In contrast, the prevalence of sexual abuse was very similar across the four countries and was much lower (between 1.00% and 3.50%) than cross-national estimates of physical abuse. Findings suggest that many of the same risk factors of IPV in developing and developed nations influence risk of IPV in transitional nations. Across the four former Soviet nations included in analyses, the experience of controlling behaviors, husband's alcohol use, and witnessing IPV or experiencing abuse during childhood were all significantly associated with risk of physical and sexual abuse later in life. Indeed, the intergenerational transmission of violence may be a cross-national phenomenon. In addition, equality in decision making did not have an effect on risk of physical and sexual violence, except for risk of physical abuse in Moldova. This may be due to the historical context of these nations. Taken together, findings suggest that country context may influence individual risk factors of IPV.

Intimate Partner Violence and Controlling Behavior Among Male Same-Sex Relationships in China: Relationship With Ambivalent Sexism

In this study, we examined intimate partner violence (IPV), cold violence, and controlling behaviors in male same-sex relationships in China, with a focus on the characteristics of IPV and controlling behaviors, and their relationships with ambivalent sexism. IPV was categorized as psychological aggression, physical injury, physical assault, and sexual coercion and was measured using the revised Conflict Tactics Scales (CTS2), an eight-item scale measuring cold violence that was designed specifically for this study. Controlling behaviors were measured using a 34-item scale that was designed for this study, and sexist attitudes toward women and men were assessed using the short forms of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) and the Ambivalence toward Men Inventory (AMI), respectively. Participants (N = 272) reported instances of perpetration of or victimization by IPV and controlling behaviors within the past 6 months and indicated ambivalent sexism (hostile attitude toward men and women and benevolent attitude toward men and women [HM, HS, BM, and BS, respectively]). Almost 47.1% of the participants reported an experience of IPV, and the prevalence of cold violence and controlling behaviors was found to be 65.1% and 80.5%, respectively. Psychological aggression was the most common, followed sequentially by sexual coercion, physical assault, and injury in present study. We found a strong association between perpetration and victimization and that different forms of violence tend to co-occur in both IPV and controlling behaviors. As predicted, ambivalent sexism was positively correlated with IPV and controlling behaviors, specifically HS and HM. The results indicated the high prevalence of IPV and controlling behaviors among male same-sex relationships, and sexism contributing to this high prevalence.

Domestic violence and its relationship with depression, anxiety and quality of life: A hidden dilemma of Pakistani women

Objectives:

To find out the relationship of domestic violence with depression, anxiety and quality of life in married women in hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Methods:

This co-relational study was conducted in Rawalpindi Institute of Health Sciences from January 2019 to December 2019. All the females’ patients who were the victim of domestic violence were the population of the study. Consecutive non-probability sampling technique was used for selection of sampling from the target population. The inclusion criterion for this study was diagnosed case of domestic violence. DASS 21 (The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) and Quality of life (WHO) scales were administered to 116 patients.

Results:

The study’s key results were that domestic abuse has positive relationship with depression, anxiety, and stress. It was also found that domestic abuse has a negative relationship with quality of life of those who have been subjected to domestic violence of this sort.

Conclusion:

It was concluded that domestic violence whether verbal, physical, emotional or sexual has strongly effects the mental health and quality of life of abused women.

Cycles of violence in England and Wales: the contribution of childhood abuse to risk of violence revictimisation in adulthood

BACKGROUND

Interpersonal violence is a leading cause of death and disability globally, has immediate and long-term impacts on individuals' health and wellbeing, and impacts global health care expenditures and national economies. A public health approach to violence prevention is crucial, and addressing risk factors is a key priority. Global research has demonstrated that childhood adversity increases risk of a range of poor outcomes across the lifecourse. This study examined the association between being a victim of child abuse and the risk of physical assault (PA), intimate partner violence (IPV), and sexual violence (SV) victimisation in adulthood.

METHODS

Data from a nationally representative survey of household residents (adults aged 16 to 59 years; n = 21,845) was analysed. Types of child abuse examined included physical, sexual, and psychological abuse and witnessing domestic violence. Logistic regressions examined the independent relationships between child abuse types, experiencing multiple types, and adulthood violence outcomes.

RESULTS

Most individual types of child abuse were significantly associated with each adulthood violence outcome, after controlling for sociodemographics and other abuse types. Compared to individuals who experienced no abuse in childhood, those who experienced one form of abuse were over twice as likely to experience PA in the past year and three times as likely to have experienced IPV and/or SV since age 16 years, whilst individuals who experienced multiple types were three, six, and seven times more likely to experience PA, IPV, and SV, respectively. After controlling for sociodemographics and multi-type childhood victimisation, the type or combination of types which remained significant differed by violence outcome; child psychological and physical abuse were significantly associated with IPV; psychological and sexual abuse with SV; and psychological abuse with PA.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevention of child abuse is an important goal, and evidence from the current study suggests such efforts will have a downstream effect on preventing interpersonal violence across the lifecourse. With adulthood victimisation likely to compound the already detrimental effects of childhood abuse, and given that many associated outcomes also represent adversities for the next generation, breaking the cycle of violence should be a public health priority.

Validation of the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory for Chinese Women

This study aimed to revise and validate a Chinese version of Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (C-PMWI). In the preparation phase, the PMWI was first revised for the possible cultural differences between Chinese and non-Chinese women. Supplementary items on use of electronic devices as a contemporary form of monitoring were added. Forward and back translated items were reviewed by a panel of intimate partner violence (IPV) experts, resulting in the scale-level content validity index of 0.94. Cognitive debriefing was conducted to confirm comprehensibility. The newly revised measure was administered to the sample of 1,198 Chinese women, recruited from community centers and shelters in Hong Kong. Exploratory factor analysis conducted on data from half the sample revealed a two-factor structure similar to the original English version: emotional-verbal and dominance-isolation. This structure was verified by confirmatory factor analysis with the other half of the sample. Known-groups validity was demonstrated by significant differences in scores between women with different relationship histories. Moderate-to-strong correlations of the C-PMWI with other forms of IPV, controlling behaviors, relationship satisfaction, and depression established convergent validity. The C-PMWI showed good internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha >.9 for the entire scale and each subscale. The intraclass correlation across administrations 2 weeks was >.9, demonstrating test-retest reliability. The use of the comprehensive validation procedures in the present study provided evidence for both cultural appropriateness and satisfactory psychometric properties of the C-PMWI. The C-PMWI shows promise as a useful instrument for research and clinical practice with Chinese women.

Partner Abuse Among Treatment-Seeking Individuals with Chronic Pain: Prevalence, Characteristics, and Association with Pain-Related Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed the prevalence of abusive partner relationships among individuals presenting for chronic pain treatment. In addition, this study examined the association between partner abuse histories and pain-relevant outcome variables.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

This study took place at a specialty pain rehabilitation treatment center in the Midwestern United States.

SUBJECTS

Participants in this study (N = 108) included adults (Mage = 45.73 [15.95] years) presenting for chronic pain treatment who consented to participate in a research study on stress, relationships, and chronic pain.

METHODS

Participants completed self-report measures about relationship and abuse histories, physical and mental health, and demographic information. Participants were categorized into the following groups: no intimate partner violence (IPV), past IPV (>12 months ago), or current/recent IPV (≤12 months ago).

RESULTS

Results indicated that over half (56%) of the sample endorsed a history of partner abuse and around one-third (29%) of the sample had experienced abuse within the past year. Psychological/emotional abuse was the most common form of abuse reported. Those with current/recent abuse histories reported greater impairment in pain interference, post-traumatic stress symptoms, mental health functioning, and pain self-efficacy compared with those who had not experienced abuse in the past year.

CONCLUSIONS

Partner abuse appears common among individuals with chronic pain and is associated with pain-relevant outcomes, warranting additional clinical attention and research in this area.