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Karakasi MV, Nikolaidis I, Fotou E, Sapounas A, Patounas A, Sakka S, Ntentopoulos C, Pavlidis P, Voultsos P. Emerging Trends in Intimate Partner Rape and Marital/Spousal Rape During the Biennium 2020 and 2021, Including the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2025; 40:370-396. [PMID: 38769870 DOI: 10.1177/08862605241247552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria-Valeria Karakasi
- University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Greece
- Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | - Eleni Fotou
- Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - Anestis Sapounas
- Public Order Branch, General Policing Division, Domestic Violence Department, Hellenic Police Headquarters, Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolos Patounas
- Public Order Branch, General Policing Division, Domestic Violence Department, Hellenic Police Headquarters, Athens, Greece
| | - Sofia Sakka
- Public Order Branch, General Policing Division, Domestic Violence Department, Hellenic Police Headquarters, Athens, Greece
| | - Charalampos Ntentopoulos
- Public Order Branch, General Policing Division, Domestic Violence Department, Hellenic Police Headquarters, Athens, Greece
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Bolarinwa OA, Odimegwu C, Ajayi KV, Oni TO, Sah RK, Akinyemi A. Barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive health services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Health Serv Res 2024; 24:1554. [PMID: 39639274 PMCID: PMC11622569 DOI: 10.1186/s12913-024-12028-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 11/28/2024] [Indexed: 12/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ensuring uninterrupted access and utilisation of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services remains crucial for preventing adverse SRH outcomes. However, the unprecedented emergence of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) significantly disrupted most of these services in Africa. Thus, we systematically reviewed and examined barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. METHODS We systematically searched five databases for relevant articles published between January 2020 to December 2022, and the articles were screened following the JBI and PRISMA guidelines. Meta-synthesis of barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic were reported, while a meta-analysis of the pooled prevalence of barriers to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was analysed using R. RESULTS The pooled prevalence of barriers to accessing and utilising SRH services during the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa was 26%. Seven themes were developed for the identified barriers (disruption of healthcare services, fear and misinformation, limited availability of resources, place & region of residence, healthcare staff attitude/manpower, limited access to transportation, and stigma and discrimination), whilst six themes were developed for the identified facilitators (support for vulnerable populations, socio-demographic characteristics, community outreach programs, policy adaptations, telemedicine and digital health, and change in choice of sexual and reproductive commodities). CONCLUSION This study found that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted SRH service access and utilisation in Africa. We recommend that future research consider a longitudinal examination of the pandemic on African SRH services. TRIAL REGISTRATION PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022373335.
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Affiliation(s)
- Obasanjo Afolabi Bolarinwa
- Department of Public Health, York St John University, London, United Kingdom.
- Demography and Population Studies Programme, Schools of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
| | - Clifford Odimegwu
- Demography and Population Studies Programme, Schools of Public Health and Social Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Kobi V Ajayi
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University College Station, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Tosin Olajide Oni
- Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
| | - Rajeeb Kumar Sah
- School of Human and Health Sciences, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield, HD1 3DH, United Kingdom
| | - Akanni Akinyemi
- Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria
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Mutua MM, Wachira B, Chege N, Simiyu S, Masika M. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the utilization of emergency medical services in Nairobi, Kenya. Afr J Emerg Med 2024; 14:273-276. [PMID: 39554720 PMCID: PMC11566325 DOI: 10.1016/j.afjem.2024.10.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 08/27/2024] [Accepted: 10/18/2024] [Indexed: 11/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Emergency medical services (EMS) are vital for providing immediate medical or trauma care to patients and stabilizing them for transportation to hospitals. Following the confirmation of the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Kenya on March 13th, 2020, the government announced several measures to curb its spread, including movement restrictions and the use of ambulance services for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 patients. This study aimed to determine the utilization of EMS in Kenya the year before and one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This retrospective study collected data on all calls received from two dispatch centers in Nairobi City County from March 2019 to February 2021, encompassing the period both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collected was analyzed based on the number of calls, sex, call timing and call type. Results The two dispatch centers received 3,477 calls during the study period. The total number of calls made during the first year of the pandemic was 1,376, compared to 2,014 the year before, a decrease of 31.7%. The proportion of trauma-related calls increased from 15% (293/2014) to 22% (303/1376) while the proportion of nighttime calls increased from 20% (410/2014) to 35% (479/1376) during the pandemic. Conclusion EMS utilization decreased during the pandemic, and trauma calls increased. While most calls were made during the day, there was a notable increase in calls made during night shifts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurine Mumo Mutua
- Graduate School of Health, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Benjamin Wachira
- Accident and Emergency Department, Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Nancy Chege
- Human Quality Assessment Services, Ngara Road, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Sammy Simiyu
- Nairobi City County, City Hall Way, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Moses Masika
- Department of Medical Microbiology, The University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
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Aikebaier S. COVID-19, new challenges to human safety: a global review. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1371238. [PMID: 38550317 PMCID: PMC10972861 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1371238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
In the context of sustainable human development, human safety has gradually shifted from traditional state and political conflict to social conflict and horizontal inequality, and the pandemic has exacerbated this variation risk. This narrative review includes literature from 40 countries on five continents since 2020, explored and tidy up the impacts of pandemics on human safety based on three perspectives: personal safety, family safety and social safety, refined the macroscopic concept of human safety. The comprehensibility of the global review conclusions is enhanced by combining it with Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Finally, some novel and comparative results are included to broaden the understanding of the impact of the pandemic, and help policymaker better understand human safety changes from a new perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saierdaer Aikebaier
- Department of Public Administration, School of Public Affairs, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
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Reed RE, Omollo M, Odero I, Awuonda E, Ochere P, Ondeng’e K, Kang JL, Altamirano J, Barsosio HC, Sarnquist C. Qualitative perspectives on COVID-19, interpersonal violence, and interventions to improve well-being from adolescent girls and young women in Kisumu, Kenya. FRONTIERS IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH 2023; 5:1236588. [PMID: 38107484 PMCID: PMC10722500 DOI: 10.3389/frph.2023.1236588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) face a high burden of gender-based violence (GBV) worldwide. The COVID-19 pandemic and associated policies led to global increases in GBV, decreased access to resources, and disruptions of pathways to care. We aimed to understand the effects of COVID-19 on AGYW affected by GBV in Kisumu, Kenya, as well as to identify possible interventions to mitigate those effects. Methods Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with AGYW aged 15-25 with a history of exposure to GBV. AGYW were split into age-matched groups; aged 15-19 for younger groups and 19-25 for older groups. Discussions focused on how COVID-19 affected experiences of GBV, access to care services, economic and social outcomes, and opportunities for interventions to mitigate negative impacts of COVID-19 and violence. Results Five FGDs with 46 AGYW were completed in June-September 2021. AGYW described increases in all types of GBV, particularly sexual abuse and intimate partner violence. Early marriage and subsistence transactional sex also increased. AGYW described violence as both a cause and effect of poor economic, social and health consequences related to the pandemic. Notably, AGYW emphasized stress, lack of mental health support and increased substance use as risk factors for violence, and discussed the deleterious mental health effects of violence-particularly in the wake of disruption of mental health services. COVID-19 disrupted referrals to violence-related services, and reduced access to both medical services and psychosocial services. AGYW believed that interventions focused on improving mental health as well as economic empowerment would be the most feasible and acceptable in mitigating the negative effects of COVID-19 and related exacerbations in violence. Discussion AGYW reported increases in almost all forms of GBV during the pandemic, with related exacerbation in mental health. Concurrently, AGYW endorsed decreased access to care services. As there is no evidence that violence and mental health challenges will quickly resolve, there is an urgent need to identify and implement interventions to mitigate these negative effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruby E. Reed
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - Mevis Omollo
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Isdorah Odero
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Eucabeth Awuonda
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Peter Ochere
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Ken Ondeng’e
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Jennifer L. Kang
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | | | - Hellen C. Barsosio
- Center for Global Health Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kisumu, Kenya
| | - Clea Sarnquist
- School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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Cassell CH, Raghunathan PL, Henao O, Pappas-DeLuca KA, Rémy WL, Dokubo EK, Merrill RD, Marston BJ. Global Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:S4-S7. [PMID: 36502408 DOI: 10.3201/eid2813.221733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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