Characteristics and Impacts of Sexual Violence and Stalking Victimization by the Same Perpetrator Using a Nationally Representative Sample

Authors examine prevalence of sexual violence and stalking victimization by the same perpetrator, reporting perpetrator types, intimate partner context and impacts for this combination of victimization. Data are from the 2010-2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, a nationally representative adult telephone survey. Analyses examined the characteristics of the victimization, presence of other intimate partner violence by the same perpetrator, and victim impacts (e.g., injury). An estimated 8.1% (9.8 million) of women and 1.6% (1.9 million) of men in the United States were stalked and sexually victimized by the same perpetrator, most often an intimate partner. Over 90% of female and male victims experienced sexual violence, stalking, psychological aggression, and physical violence by the same intimate partner perpetrator. Impacts of both intimate partner and non-intimate partner perpetrated victimization were most commonly fearfulness, concern for safety, and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Sexual violence combined with stalking is common in the context of intimate partner violence. Early prevention efforts (i.e., in youth) addressing the context of intimate partner violence may be helpful in reducing these forms of violence and their impacts.

Violence As a Direct Cause of and Indirect Contributor to Maternal Death

Background: Death during pregnancy and postpartum in the United States is an issue of urgent and growing concern. Mortality from obstetric-related causes is on the rise, and pregnancy-associated homicide remains a leading cause of death. It is unknown how the context in which women live contributes to their risk of obstetric or violent death during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This study aimed to quantify incidence of mortality from obstetric-related causes and violent death during pregnancy and up to 1-year postpartum, and to identify associations between state-level violent crime rates and incidence of pregnancy-related mortality and pregnancy-associated homicide. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective, ecologic analysis of all pregnancy-associated homicides in 17 states participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System from 2011 to 2015. Pregnancy-related mortality was identified by International Classification of Diseases-10 code for underlying cause of death in death records issued in the same states and years, data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics. We characterized decedents of both violent and nonviolent maternal death (n = 174 and 1,617, respectively). Five-year mortality ratios (deaths per 100,000 live births) were estimated for both pregnancy-related mortality and pregnancy-associated homicide in every state. Poisson regression models estimated associations between violent crime and maternal death, adjusting for area-level socioeconomic conditions. Results: Both pregnancy-related mortality and pregnancy-associated homicide ratios were higher in states with higher rates of violent crime (relative risk [RR] = 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01-1.12; RR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.01-1.34, respectively). Conclusion: Broad population-wide violence prevention efforts may help reduce incidence of maternal mortality from both obstetric and violent causes.

Expanding perspectives: A social inequities lens on intimate partner violence, reproductive justice, and infant mental health

Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses a threat to the attainment of reproductive justice. Women who experience IPV are limited in their ability to parent their children in a secure and nurturing environment, which can have negative effects on the mother and child immediately and long-term, potentially distressing reproductive well-being across generations. Societal inequities faced by women, particularly women of color, within education, economic, and legal systems are associated with risk factors for IPV. This article will use national- and state-level data with case examples and the lens of reproductive justice to consider the impact of and potential solutions to historical and institutional inequities related to IPV.