Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) adversely affects female reproductive health in various ways. Similarly, it plays a critical role in women’s unintended pregnancy. This study examines the relationship between IPV and unintended pregnancy in Eastern Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. This study uses data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in six Eastern African SSA countries. The original sample size was restricted to ever married (or cohabitating) women of reproductive age who completed the survey’s Domestic Violence Module and had a pregnancy in the previous 5 years. Svyset proportion was used to estimate the prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the study outcomes and multiple logistic regression was used to compare outcomes of last pregnancy by exposure to lifetime IPV committed by the most recent partner. The prevalence of unintended pregnancy in Eastern SSA was 38% [36.4, 40.34] among married women with high disparity among countries. This prevalence was 45% [42.05, 48.15] and 55% [50.0, 59.87] among women who had experienced any form of IPV and sexual violence, respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, women with a history of sexual violence had a higher risk of unintended pregnancy [AOR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.39, 2.33] and increased odds of unintended pregnancy for women who had more than five living children [AOR: 4.93, 95% CI: 3.40, 7.15], women who lived in rural residences [AOR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.90], and women who reported they had financial barriers for health care [AOR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.13, 1.64]. Our findings suggest that IPV, particularly sexual violence, is a key player for higher risk of unintended pregnancy in Eastern SSA countries. This study highlights the need for developing programs and implementation of policies that integrate sexual reproductive health and IPV to reduce unintended pregnancy among married and single women.

Larger households, involving more children, are theorized as potential risk factors for child maltreatment—resource dilution theory. But qualitative evidence shows that in collective societies, like Ghana, more adult family members may act against neglect, through protective informal social control, which helps to reduce the frequency of neglect. Family members intervention in neglect situations will be more consistent and sustained due to the sanctioned collective responsibility to care for children in the community. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that having more adult family members in the household, who have the will and agency to intervene, will predict less chronic neglect. A three-stage probability proportional to size cluster sample of Ghana was collected from 1,100 primary caregiving mothers. One mother was interviewed in each household, and responses were limited to one focal child. When sample was restricted to those with chronic neglect (neglect > 1), 596 mothers remained in the data. The children have experienced 11 times neglect in the past year, and lived in households with average size of 6 members. Chronic neglect was measured using the Conflict Tactics Scale. Dose–response protective informal social control by family members was measured using the newly developed context-based scale for measuring protective informal social control of child neglect (ISC_CM2). Results from the random effects regressions models showed a negative relationship between dose–response protective informal social control and chronic neglect, and the interaction with household size was negative and significant. Ghanaian families should be sensitized to take advantage of the communal living practices, extended family systems and compound housing structures, as traditional mechanisms to promote collectivity and interventions in observed acts of neglect to protect children. The evidence contradicts the resource dilution theory’s conceptualization of large household as risks factors of neglect.

In the last 10 years, following widespread outcry among legal scholars and activists, 48 states passed legislation explicitly criminalizing the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images (NCDII) or what is colloquially known as “revenge porn.” This increased authority granted to criminal justice agencies, coupled with greater media attention to NCDII incidents, may have influenced patterns of victimization and perpetration. Using a survey recently distributed to a sample of young adults (N = 713), we find that NCDII perpetration is strongly related to previous victimization, risky online behaviors, and receipt of unsolicited images. Perceptions of police efficacy in addressing NCDII issues is the strongest predictor of attitudes toward both reporting victimization and the belief that perpetrators will experience some punitive consequence. We also conducted an experiment using vignettes with gender varying victim-offender dyads to explore how gender bias influences attitudes toward punishment for NCDII perpetrators as well as perceptions of “revenge porn” in incidents involving same-sex and mixed-sex couples; we find that respondents are less likely to attribute “revenge porn” or to suggest punitive responses when the perpetrator is female regardless of the gender of the victim. Importantly, we find initial evidence of a new typology of NCDII perpetrator that counters existing research on victim–perpetrator gender dyads: women who nonconsensually disseminate unsolicited intimate images sent by men. Collectively, our findings challenge the efficacy of existing criminal statutes, identify new challenges in effectively legislating against NCDII, and contribute to the body of work on gender-based violence, perceptions of police efficacy, and punitive attitudes.

This study aims to estimate and compare Roman Catholic Church-related child sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence and characteristics to CSA in other social spheres in France since 1950. Using a cross-sectional representative web-based survey of 28,026 adults in 2021, the weighted prevalence of CSA was estimated according to six social spheres of perpetration: family, Church, school, sports club, artistic activities, and summer camps. Altogether, 14.60%, 95% confidence interval [CI: 13.41; 15.80] of female respondents and 6.38% [5.73; 7.03] of male respondents had experienced CSA. Family was the most common social sphere of perpetration (3.55% [3.18; 3.92]), followed by the Church (0.81% [0.62; 0.99] of respondents exposed) and public schools (0.32% [0.23; 0.40] of respondents exposed). Altogether, we estimate 213,000, 95% CI [147,000; 278,000] people were victims of Church CSA since 1950 in France. Church CSA was more common among men than women (1.28% [0.93; 1.64] vs. 0.34% [0.20; 0.48]) while the opposite was true for other social spheres. CSA was overwhelmingly perpetrated by men ranging from 93.37% in the Church to 97.65% in schools. Many victims spoke with someone about these abuses: 41.81% of the Catholic Church compared to 41.25% of school CSA victims and 51.68% of family CSA victims. Results suggest structural factors including gender norms, but also the spiritual authority of the priest and the culture of secrecy contribute to clerical CSA.

Two studies examined the impact of the implementation of the Field-tested Assessment, Intervention-planning, and Response (FAIR) system, a system-level intervention for determining whether allegations of family maltreatment meet threshold for abuse or neglect, on alleged recidivism. Data were collected at the 10 U.S. Army installations with the largest family maltreatment caseloads. Participants were family members who had an allegation of family maltreatment (i.e., child maltreatment or partner abuse) during one of the two study periods. Data were collected when Family Advocacy Program staff used the then-in-place system (Case Review Committee) and later the FAIR system. In Study 1, cases were followed for 6 months following the initial maltreatment allegation to measure the occurrence of subsequent allegations of any type. Additionally, at five installations, alleged victims of partner abuse were recruited into a study (Study 2) in which they anonymously reported on intimate partner violence via telephone. In Study 1, the advantage for the FAIR condition was concentrated in cases with unsubstantiated initial determinations; the mean relative risk reduction for recidivism was 0.48. In Study 2, FAIR extended median time to recidivism by approximately 170%. These results replicate and extend earlier findings that employing the FAIR system can result in decreased family maltreatment re-offense.

A significant amount of literature exists on the lasting effects of interparental abuse on children’s psychological health as adults. However, evidence on how children’s childhood experience of interparental violence shapes their attitude toward partner violence in adult intimate relationships is limited. Given the existing evidence that women’s acceptance of partner violence as a social norm increases the risk of partner violence, we analyzed the effect of girls’ witnessing interparental abuse (where a father is a perpetrator) on their attitude toward partner violence in their intimate relationships as adults. We used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys for 31 low and middle-income countries in Asia and Africa. Aggregating information about women’s attitudes toward partner violence into a binary “intimate partner violence acceptance” variable, we found that a woman who witnessed her father beat her mother was 1.62 times more likely to justify partner violence than a woman who did not experience such interparental abuse (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.62, 95% CI [1.57, 1.66], p < .001). Additionally, using individual components of acceptance as response variables, we found that a woman who witnessed interparental abuse was significantly more likely to justify partner violence if she went out without telling her husband (OR = 1.49, 95% CI [1.45, 1.54], p < .001), neglected children (OR = 1.53, 95% CI [1.49, 1.58], p < .001), argued with the husband (OR = 1.49, 95% CI [1.45, 1.53], p < .001), refused sex with the husband (OR = 1.35, 95% CI [1.31, 1.39], p < .001), or burned food (OR = 1.36, 95% CI [1.31, 1.41], p < .001). This study highlights the need to put in place children-specific social policies to limit the intergenerational transmission of the adverse effects of intimate partner violence.

Decades of research have examined the association between pornography use and sexual coercion, with the most significant relationships found between more deviant genres of pornography use and sexual violence. However, researchers have yet to provide a comparable body of research examining the theoretical mechanism of this association. One theory that has shown promise in explaining the association between certain variables of pornography use and sexual coercion is the sexual script theory. In this theory, scripts can best be understood as a mechanism through which society defines and disseminates what is acceptable, desirable, and pleasurable sexual conduct. Studies examining the application of the sexual script theory to the association between pornography use and sexual coercion have found that pornography use has a significant indirect effect on sexual coercion and correlates of sexual coercion through sexual scripts. The current study sought to extend this line of inquiry by examining the relationship between pornography use, sexual scripts, and sexual coercion. A structural equation model examining direct and indirect effects of sexual scripts and pornography use on sexually coercive behaviors was run using a sample of 390 college-aged males. Results of the study indicated there were significant direct and indirect effects in the model. Specifically, pornography use, while not directly related to sexually coercive behaviors, had a significant indirect effect on sexual coercion through sexual scripts. These results further support the use of the sexual scripts theory to help explain the relationship between pornography use and sexual coercion.

We examined whether prejudice-related personality characteristics (i.e., right wing authoritarianism [RWA]) and COVID-19–driven psychological resource loss might predict perpetrator-directed punitive responding (i.e., support for criminal charges) to a COVID-19–related attack on a Chinese victim by a White male. Across two studies, participants completed an RWA measure and reported the extent they had experienced COVID-19–related psychosocial resource loss. They then read a passage describing the COVID-19–related physical assault. For both studies, at low resource loss levels, low RWA participants reported greater punitive responding toward the perpetrator than high RWA participants. This RWA–punitive responding association was mediated by greater victim-directed suffering sensitivity (i.e., empathy) for Study 1 and greater anti-perpetrator reactions (i.e., hate crime perceptions) for Study 2. The RWA association with the relevant outcome variables (i.e., suffering sensitivity, anti-perpetrator bias, and punitive responding) was eliminated at high psychological resource loss levels. Specifically, low and high RWA participants reported similar reactions. While previous research has demonstrated that high RWA individuals tend to report greater outgroup-directed prejudicial responses due to COVID-19–driven perceptions of threat, our findings demonstrate that the COVID-19 pandemic can also elicit feelings of resource loss that can diminish the egalitarian reactions typically reported by low RWA individuals. In sum, we demonstrate that experiencing difficult life circumstances such as COVID-19 psychosocial resource loss can diminish supportive reactions toward victimized minority group members even among low RWA participants who are typically expected to be more sensitive to the struggles of those who are disadvantaged.

Carrying a handgun is an established risk factor for firearm violence, with detrimental and too often irreversible consequences for adolescents including injury and mortality. Although researchers identified a number of risk factors for adolescent handgun carriage, little is known regarding the role of strengths or developmental assets in buffering against risk. The goal of this study was to identify both risk and protective factors for handgun carriage among a predominantly African American (88%) community-based sample of adolescents (M_age = 14.3) who resided in urban communities with high rates of poverty and exposure to violence. Consistent with prior work, we found that adolescents with access to a handgun or with friends who had carried a handgun had higher odds of carrying a handgun themselves in the past 3 months. Handgun access, friends’ handgun carriage, and beliefs supporting reactive aggression were identified as risk factors for handgun carriage. Although personal and social assets and positive outlook moderated these relations, the direction was contrary to our hypotheses. We believe that these findings are in part due to structural inequities and social norms impacting adolescents in urban communities characterized by concentrated poverty and high rates of violence. Our findings highlight the value of moving beyond a deficit-oriented framework to gain a more nuanced understanding of the dynamics among both positive and negative factors that alter risk for handgun carriage among African American youth living in low-income urban areas.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with long-lasting and pervasive impacts on survivors’ sexual health, particularly on their sexual satisfaction. Dispositional mindfulness has been found to be associated with greater sexual satisfaction among adult CSA survivors. However, the mechanisms involved in this association remain understudied. The present study examined the role of sexual self-concept (i.e., sexual esteem, sexual preoccupation, and sexual depression) in the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and sexual satisfaction among CSA survivors. A total of 176 adult CSA survivors (60.6% women, 39.4% men) completed an online survey assessing dispositional mindfulness, sexual self-concept, and sexual satisfaction. Path analyses revealed that dispositional mindfulness was positively related to sexual satisfaction through a significant indirect effect of higher sexual esteem and lower sexual depression. The integrative model explained 66.5% of the variance in sexual satisfaction. These findings highlight the key roles that dispositional mindfulness and sexual self-concept play in CSA survivors’ sexual satisfaction. Implications for interventions based on trauma-sensitive mindfulness targeting the sexual self-concept are discussed, as they may promote sexual satisfaction in adult CSA survivors.

Past findings have indicated that sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals experience disproportionate rates of emotional, physical, and sexual assault compared to their heterosexual/cisgender counterparts. While these findings are robust, many studies report homogenous groupings of SGM participants. This practice likely masks important between-group differences. We sought to address this issue by examining reported base rates of emotional, physical, and sexual assault within 12 months of data collection, split across specific sexual (heterosexual, gay/lesbian, bisexual, questioning, queer, pansexual, asexual, and demisexual) and gender (cisgender men, cisgender women, gender nonconforming female assigned at birth [FAB], and gender nonconforming male assigned at birth) identity groups. Our data came from 2020 to 2021 Healthy Minds Study, a large survey of college students living in the United States (N = 119,181). Results indicated most forms of assault were higher in SGM groups compared to heterosexual and cisgender individuals, both on univariate and multivariate (e.g., one or more type of assault) levels. Demisexual individuals reported the highest base rates for emotional assault (45.7%), whereas pansexual individuals reported highest rates of physical assault (12.5%) and sexual assault (17.3%). Demisexual individuals reported the highest multivariate base rate of experiencing at least one form of assault (49.5%), and pansexual individuals reported the highest multivariate base rate of experiencing all three forms of assault (4.7%) within the past 12 months. Gender nonconforming FAB individuals reported the highest univariate and multivariate base rates across assault types compared to all other gender identity groups. With few exceptions, compared to heterosexual and cisgender men (referents), all other sexual and gender identity groups reported significantly higher adjusted odds of experiencing each assault type. These data suggest SGM individuals experience disproportionate levels of assault.

Hate-motivated behavior (HMB) comprises a continuum ranging from microaggressions to criminal acts. The measurement of HMB is limited primarily to one or two minoritized groups in any given instrument. Current HMB research also lacks a way to assess the full range of acts and motivations for bias-based behavior. The present study fills gaps in HMB measurement by conducting a psychometric study of the Hate-Motivated Behavior Checklist (HMBC). The HMBC is a self-report instrument of HMB perpetration; the instrument also has sections capturing victim target group (e.g. race, sexual orientation, disability) and perpetrator motivation for HMB commission (e.g., perceived threat, impulsivity). We conducted an online cross-sectional survey of community-dwelling adults and college students (N = 463). Measures assessed demographic information, HMB, and social-political characteristics. Confirmatory factor analysis, item response theory analyses, between-groups analyses (e.g., Analysis of Variance), and descriptive statistics were used to examine HMBC properties. Primary findings included (1) poor model fit of the HMBC behaviors score; (2) good model fit with high reliability for an HMBC behaviors score adapted to binary (no/yes) scoring; (3) men reported meaningfully higher HMB scores compared to women; (4) the most common target classification for HMB was based on political affiliation; and (5) perceived intrusion was the most cited reason for committing HMB. Our findings are an important step in refining the HMBC. The instrument represents a potentially useful tool for HMB research, surveillance, and intervention evaluation. Future directions in HMBC research include application to extremist and criminal samples, replication and extension of the binary scoring to include cut-score derivation, and validation against behavioral outcomes.

Child maltreatment is related to a host of negative consequences, including difficulties with emotion regulation (ER), posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), and greater risk for revictimization. Yet, the literature has largely focused on sexual revictimization, while relations between maltreatment and other adult victimization types (e.g., intimate partner violence [IPV]) are less clear. Further, associations between emotion dysregulation and both child and adult trauma exposure have been identified, but aspects of dysregulation (i.e., nonacceptance of emotional responses, difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior, impulsivity, lack of emotional awareness, limited access to ER strategies, and lack of emotional clarity) have received less attention. This study aimed to: (1) investigate the associations between maltreatment and adult victimization and the six ER dimensions while accounting for PTSS, and (2) determine whether there are indirect effects between maltreatment and adult victimization through each ER component. Seven hundred and forty-four undergraduates from two universities participated in the study (M_age = 21.48, SD = 4.12; 80.9% women; 56.2% white). Maltreatment and PTSS were directly linked with adult victimization (B = 0.14, B = 0.01, respectively). PTSS was inversely associated with each ER aspect (Bs = 0.02–0.10). Unexpectedly, neither maltreatment nor adult victimization was related to the ER dimensions, and no indirect effects were observed between maltreatment and adult victimization through emotion dysregulation. These findings suggest that specific components of emotion dysregulation may not be tied to trauma exposure outside of PTSS. Further, it may be that the ER dimensions are not differentially related to increased risk for adult victimization.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy needs to be prevented because it leads to negative health outcomes for both the mother and offspring. However, it is not easy to detect women who suffer from IPV by health practitioners or public health staff due to stigma attached to it or hesitation of the women to disclose it. The aim of this study is to develop a scale using pregnancy registration records to detect IPV during pregnancy. We used administrative data of pregnancy registration records of Adachi City, Tokyo, in the 2016 fiscal year (N = 5,990). IPV was assessed at the first interview or another opportunity for further assessment by a public health nurse. The data include registration information, demographics, health and perinatal status, and social environment. Multiple logistic regression model was used to predict IPV. IPV cases were found for 24 (0.4%) cases. Subsequent child (odds ratio [OR]: 3.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.02–11.6]), single marital status (OR: 7.96, 95% CI [2.88–22.2]), thinness (OR: 3.17, 95% CI [1.13–8.90]), past pregnancy of four or more times (OR: 5.25, 95% CI [1.35–20.4]), having trouble with family member (OR: 5.45, 95% CI [1.95, 15.2]), and poverty (OR: 6.27, 95% CI [2.25–17.5]) showed significant association with IPV. These variables detected IPV with good predictive power (area under receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.89, 95% CI [0.81–0.98]). We showed strong detectability of IPV during pregnancy using a scale based on pregnancy registration records in which IPV was not asked directly. The current study is useful to detect IPV during pregnancy and prevent further adverse health outcomes due to IPV during pregnancy.

Mental contamination (MC)—a sense of dirtiness experienced without contacting an identifiable pollutant—is a distressing and enduring experience among many survivors of sexual trauma. MC has been linked to more frequent use of avoidant coping behaviors (e.g., washing behavior, substance use, binge eating) and approach coping. However, it is unclear if specific approach and avoidant coping strategies are more consistently related to perseverative experiences of trauma-related MC, if the use of certain strategies predicts changes in MC, and if fluctuations in MC predict the use of certain strategies. The present study evaluated contemporaneous and prospective relationships between sexual trauma-related MC and use of 11 specific coping strategies among 41 women with a history of sexual trauma using an experience sampling design. Women completed twice-daily assessments of coping strategy use and MC for 14 days. Between-persons, women reporting more intense MC on average reported more frequent use of distraction, denial, giving up, self-blame, thought suppression, washing behavior, emotional processing, and emotional expression than those experiencing less intense MC. Within-person increases in MC were associated with more frequent concurrent use of all coping strategies except seeking support. Lastly, within-person increases in MC predicted more frequent use of giving up, substance use, and seeking support at the next assessment and within-person increases in substance use predicted less severe MC at the next assessment. Future work should aim to identify factors influencing the selection and/or quality of use of these specific coping strategies among individuals experiencing MC.

Research focusing on the role of adverse childhood experience (ACE) of individuals involved in sexual homicide (SH) is scarce. Theoretical models of SH have postulated a connection between these adverse experiences and the development of internal risk factors. However, such assumptions have never been empirically tested. Therefore, the current research aims to identify how ACEs affect the development of personality disorders and problematic behaviors during adolescence, which constitute internal risk factors for the commission of SH. The sample comes from a database including 613 individuals involved in sexual crimes in Canada among which 60 committed a SH. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were conducted to identify personality disorders and problematic behaviors during adolescence associated with the presence of ACEs. Next, path analysis was used to identify the direct and indirect relationships between ACEs, internal risk factors, and the commission of SH. Results showed that individuals who experienced ACEs were more likely to develop internal risk factors involved in the commission of SH. Moreover, findings suggest that the impact of these adverse experiences will differ, depending on whether the child has been victim of violence or if he/she has witnessed it.

Literature on anti-bullying programs shows a growing consensus about promoting victims and bystanders’ self-efficacy against bullying, but provides no theoretical model nor measurement scale to assess the extent of achieving this aim. The current research aims to address these theoretical and empirical gaps by proposing the Dublin Anti-Bullying Self-Efficacy Models and Scales, using a convenience sample of 14-year-old students in Ireland (N = 1,100). After establishing both content and face validity, four separate scales were tested to measure anti-bullying self-efficacy beliefs among offline victims (20-item), online victims (20-item), offline bystanders (20-item), and online bystanders (20-item). Thereafter, four separate exploratory factor analyses of the scale items were followed by reflective measurement analyses of their internal consistency and construct (convergent and discriminant) validity. Results indicated sufficient psychometric properties of each scale measuring five dimensions of anti-bullying self-efficacy: recognition, emergency comprehension, responsibility, knowledge, and intervention. Further research is needed to test the proposed model and scale for assessing effectiveness of an anti-bullying program in promoting self-efficacy beliefs.

Intergenerational continuity of child maltreatment (CM) is a well-documented phenomenon of concern; however, its effects on the child’s level of exposure to CM, as well as subsequent trauma exposure and adult functioning remain undocumented. The present study aimed to further explore the intergenerational effects of CM by comparing emerging adults (EA; ages 18–25) on their exposure to CM, adult victimization, and psychological functioning according to their mother’s CM histories. One hundred and eighty-five mothers and their EA completed independently an online survey measuring sociodemographics, material deprivation, CM, adult victimization, and psychological functioning. The participating dyads (primarily White and female-identifying) were recruited online through social media, universities, and advertisements in non-profit organizations throughout Canada. Findings revealed that maternal histories of CM were associated with increased neglectful and physically abusive acts endured in childhood for maltreated EA. Maternal histories of CM, regardless of the EA’ victimization status, were associated with a higher EA’ number of adulthood interpersonal—but not non-interpersonal—traumas experienced. While a maternal history of CM was a risk factor for intimate partner violence (IPV) in maltreated EA, it was protective for non-maltreated EA. Maltreated EA with maltreated versus non-maltreated mothers presented more psychological difficulties, but only if they also reported material deprivation. Practitioners working with children at-risk or exposed to CM should document parents’ histories of CM and take that into account in their assessments and intervention practices. This study also provides further evidence to support social policies targeting the family system as a whole.

Sexual assault is a serious physical and psychological concern worldwide. Various negative psychological outcomes are associated with survivor well-being, including depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depressive symptoms, and trauma-related shame. Opportunities for emotional expression and processing have been shown to be beneficial among survivors of trauma; however, survivors of sexual victimization may be reticent to disclose details of their traumatic experience, particularly to formal sources of support. Trauma-related shame (e.g., negative evaluations of self, feelings of worthlessness, and powerlessness) has been shown to negatively impact expectations of disclosure, as some survivors may fear being blamed or judged. Limited research exists on the impact of psychological distress on survivors’ expectations of disclosure. The current study investigated whether psychological distress (i.e., depressive and PTSD symptoms) is associated with expectations of disclosure (positive vs. negative) through trauma-related shame among survivors of sexual victimization. Participants, recruited from a primarily Hispanic-serving institution, participated in the present study. Participants (N = 86) completed measures of PTSD and depression symptom severity, trauma-related shame, and expectations of disclosure. Results revealed that psychological distress severity was associated with negative expectations of disclosure through trauma-related shame (b = 0.682, p < .05, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.197, 1.367]), but not positive expectation (b = −0.068, p = .417, 95% CI [−0.523, 0.155]). Our findings have implications for prognosis and treatment for survivors of sexual victimization, particularly among LatinX populations.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is common in men who have sex with men (MSM). MSM also face increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, it is not known whether IPV experience of MSM in China would affect their attitudes toward pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use. A cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the associations between different types of IPV and willingness to use PrEP in a sample of 608 MSM from November 2018 to May 2019 in Chengdu, China. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the associations between different types of IPV and willingness to use PrEP. The average age of the participants was 31.8 ± 12.3 years, 48.9% of them were aware of PrEP before this study, and only 7.2% were aware of long-acting injectable PrEP (LAI-PrEP). The overall willingness to use any type of PrEP in the next 6 months was 82.2%. Approximately one third of the participants (n = 198) had experienced at least one type of IPV. We found that experience of sexual perpetration was negatively associated with the willingness to use on-demand PrEP (adjusted odds ratio [ORa] = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.16–0.67) and the overall willingness to use any type of PrEP (ORa = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.15–0.64). The willingness to use LAI-PrEP also had negative associations with any type of monitoring IPV (ORa = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.38–0.91), controlling victimization (ORa = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.21–0.82), and emotional victimization (ORa = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.35–0.97). The findings of this study demonstrate that IPV experiences are negatively associated with willingness to use PrEP among MSM, suggesting that PrEP promotion programs should consider IPV screening and develop explicit intervention strategies for both perpetrators and victims.

Responding to high rates of interpersonal victimization and perpetration among adolescents, schools have implemented bystander intervention (BI) training to educate students to intervene to prevent or stop violence. These trainings function much like an application of scripts for guardianship in action. The current study builds on the overlapping and complementary bodies of BI and routine activities research by testing whether participation in BI training, namely Green Dot (GD), influences individuals’ underlying ability to intervene. Using four years of survey data collected from high school students (N = 2,374–3,443), we use item response theory to model the difficulty of engaging in different BI behaviors. We then estimate multivariate ordinary least squares regression models, one for each year, to estimate the effect of GD training on students’ ability to intervene. The item response theory results show that BI behaviors differ in terms of how “difficult” they are for respondents to engage in. Findings show that in each year, GD training increased students’ underlying ability to intervene. Our findings suggest BI training and guardianship in action scripts should take into account this varying difficulty of intervention behaviors to best train individuals for successful intervention to prevent victimization.

The Internet is the setting for several forms of violent and risky behavior among adolescents, such as cyberbullying, sexualized interactions with adults, sexting, and online dating violence. Often, these behaviors are responses to experiences of online victimization. This study examined the differential effects of a wise intervention (WI), combining growth mindset and self-affirmation strategies, on these behaviors for adolescents who had experienced victimization and those who had not. A sample of 1,085 adolescents (54.3% girls; ages 11–18 years) were randomized into two intervention conditions (WI and an anti-stress control intervention). They completed measures of violent and risky behaviors at pretest and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups and measures of victimization at pretest. The results of multilevel analyses indicated that the WI was beneficial for adolescents without experiences of victimization at pretest, as they displayed smaller increases in online peer aggressions, sexualized interactions with adults, and sexting than the adolescents in the control condition. However, the WI was not beneficial for adolescents with experiences of victimization at pretest. Moreover, the adolescents under the anti-stress control condition displayed better outcome. These findings suggest that previous victimization experiences of adolescents should be considered to select an appropriate intervention.

Homelessness is a public health crisis both nationally, in the United States, and internationally. Nevertheless, due to the hidden vulnerabilities of persons who are without shelter, little is known about their experiences during periods of homelessness. The present research adopts a network approach that conceptualizes how the major risk factors of homelessness interact, namely substance abuse problems, poor mental health, disability, and exposure to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Our analysis draws on a large demographic survey of over 5,000 unsheltered homeless persons conducted in 2017 by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. We estimated a network structure for 12 survey items tapping individual risk using the graphical least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm. We then examined network centrality metrics and implemented a community detection algorithm to detect communities in the network. Our results indicated that mental illness and intimate partner violence (IPV) are central measures that connect all other mental and physical health variables together and that post-traumatic stress disorder and IPV are both highly affected by changes in any part of the network and, in turn, affect changes in other parts of the network. A community detection analysis derived four communities characterized by disability, sexual victimization and health, substance use, and mental health issues. Finally, a directed acyclic graph revealed that drug abuse and physical disability were key drivers of the overall system. We conclude with a discussion of the major implications of our findings and suggest how our results might inform programs aimed at homelessness prevention and intervention.

Stigma plays a critical role in the decision-making process of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors, particularly whether they disclose, initiate, and continue with care for the consequences of the violence. As such, this study developed and validated a scale to assess the manifestation of IPV stigma on survivors’ attitudes toward accessing services, using a racially and ethnically diverse sample of women (N = 409). An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using a calibration subset (n = 206) to identify the factor structure of the newly developed scale. A confirmatory factor analysis was then performed using a validation subset (n = 203) to validate the hypothesized model. To assess language and Latina ethnic differences in the scale functioning, multiple indicators and multiple causes (MIMIC) modeling was applied. To test for construct validity, the scale’s correlation with two conceptually relevant variables was estimated. The final exploratory factor analysis (EFA) model retained eight items across two factors, accounting for 58.63% of the variance. Factor 1 captures attitudes related to anticipated stigma, and factor 2 captures attitudes related to internalized stigma. Results from the CFA validated the hypothesized second-order, two-factor model of the scale of Attitudes About Seeking Formal Help. Overall, results from the MIMIC model indicated measurement invariance across English and Spanish-speaking and Latina and non-Latina survivors. Construct validity was supported. This scale provides a tool to help capture and understand IPV stigma in relation to accessing professional services. Specifically, practitioners will be able to identify survivors who endorse high negative attitudes about seeking formal help, potentially being at higher risk of service discontinuation. Such information could, in turn, help guide a targeted service plan. Practitioners may also use this tool with ongoing clients to inform their practices and determine whether specific IPV stigma should be the focus of intervention.

This study compared how two different measurement methods of client-perpetrated violence influence findings on prevalence rates and mental health outcomes in a probability sample of 660 Norwegian public sector child welfare workers. Using a single-item self-labeling approach, 15.4% reported exposure to physical violence, and 19.3% reported exposure to threats. Using a 15-item behavioral experience inventory, the prevalence rates ranged from 4.4% to 65.7%. A comparison of these methods uncovered a high number of false negatives when using the single-item approach as 62.2% of those who indicated that they had not experienced any workplace violence when answering the single-item questions reported being exposed 1 to 2 times when responding to the behavioral inventory. Results based on the behavioral inventory further revealed that the most frequently occurring actions in the child welfare service were direct and indirect forms of threats (24.5%–65.7%), while the least reported behaviors were threats and violence including objects (4.4.%–9.1%). Although client-perpetrated violence was significantly associated with mental health problems (e.g., symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress [PTS]) for both assessment methods, the magnitude of the effect sizes differed from η² = .000 to η² = .121. These findings highlight that the use of different measurement methods for workplace violence has significant consequences for the assessment of prevalence rates, as well as on results of associated outcomes. Consequently, the decision on how to assess workplace violence has practical implications for uncovering how prominent the issue is, as well as the way in which this negative workplace exposure is subsequently addressed and counteracted. Therefore, both scholars and the child welfare service, and similar fields in which workplace violence frequently occurs, should take these findings into consideration for future assessments.

The current study uses a nationally representative sample of institutions of higher education (IHEs) in the United States (n = 448) to estimate the prevalence rate of consensual sexual relationship policies (CSRPs) and to examine variation in CSRPs across sectors of IHEs. The concepts of consent and power differentials in CSRPs are also explored. Findings show that the majority of IHEs do not have a CSRP, that there are no significant differences in the prevalence rate or type of CSRPs across IHE sectors, and the most common type of CSRP is a limited ban. The concepts of consent and power differentials underpin the majority of CSRPs.

Although research on sexual violence experiences of minoritized college students has increased in recent years, little is known about the experiences of Latinx students. Even less knowledge is available on whether such violence and disclosure experiences vary by gender identity. The present study addressed this gap by exploring the rates of sexual violence and disclosure patterns after experiences of sexual violence among Latinx college students. Using data from the 2019–2020 Healthy Minds Study, a national sample of Latinx college students was analyzed (n = 6,690). Descriptive statistics, χ² tests, and one-way analyses of variance were conducted to explore differences in gender identity, sexual violence victimization, and disclosure type. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the association between (1) gender identity and sexual violence victimization and (2) gender identity and sexual violence disclosure while controlling for various sociodemographic measures. Results indicated sexual violence victimization occurred at significantly higher rates among transgender/gender nonconforming and cisgender women Latinx students, compared to cisgender men. Transgender/gender nonconforming students who experienced sexual violence were significantly less likely to make any disclosure of sexual violence when compared to cisgender men. These findings highlight the extent to which experiences of sexual violence among Latinx students differ based on their gender identity. It also brings attention to the need for campus programming to attend to students who often face structural barriers because of their intersecting identities, specifically transgender/gender nonconforming Latinx students.

Sexual revictimization is heightened among military service members and veterans and is associated with greater posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and severity. The heightened distress following revictimization may be due to posttraumatic cognitions (PTC), which include negative beliefs about the self and world, and self-blame. Moreover, it is unclear whether men and women experience different levels of PTC. The current study tested PTC (overall and subdomains) as a possible mediator between sexual revictimization and PTSS severity, and gender as a possible moderator of these associations. Revictimization was defined across time periods (military sexual assault [MSA] only vs. premilitary sexual trauma + MSA) and in military rape frequency (0, 1, 2+). Participants were 400 (n = 200 [50%] male) service members/veterans with a history of MSA and completed online, anonymous, self-report questionnaires. PTC mediated the association between revictimization and PTSS severity. A significant interaction of gender suggested that men reported high overall PTC and PTC about the self regardless of revictimization; by contrast, overall PTC and PTC about the self were lower for women in response to MSA only and increased with revictimization. Results also showed men were more sensitive to PTC about self-blame as it pertains to more severe PTSS compared to women. There were no unique gender interactions when assessing revictimization by rape frequency, although PTC (overall, all subdomains) significantly mediated the association between rape frequency and PTSS severity. PTC may be a beneficial target when treating PTSS in men, and may be especially heightened in women who have experienced revictimization.

Reassessing the confluence model of men’s risk for sexual aggression—the confluence model of sexual aggression has been widely used to study men’s risk for perpetrating sexual violence. Over time, researchers have attempted to expand this model to improve its predictive utility. Unfortunately, this work has continued to produce similar results with only slight improvements in prediction at best. One explanation for the inability to enhance the model could be due to changes in the dating landscape and shifts in beliefs about gender roles. Therefore, the current study aims to reassess the confluence model using a more contemporary construct, hostile sexism, in an effort to improve the predictive utility of the confluence model of sexual aggression. Participants were 258 college men recruited from a medium-sized public university in the northeastern United States, using an online participant pool of students who volunteered to participate as part of a requirement for a psychology course. Structural equation modeling using mean- and variance-adjusted weighted least squares estimation indicated that the confluence of hostile sexism and impersonal sex appears to be a better predictor of sexual aggression in comparison to the confluence of hostile masculinity and impersonal sex. The results suggest that replacing hostile masculinity with hostile sexism may produce a model that is better able to predict men’s risk for perpetrating sexual aggression. These results can provide insight for future iterations of the confluence model, which may include hostile sexism as a core construct. Attitudes that stem from hostile sexism may be a beneficial target for future interventions designed to decrease the frequency of perpetration.

We examined longitudinal associations between binge drinking (BD), depressive symptoms, and sexual violence (sexual harassment and sexual assault) among sexual and gender minority (SGM) and non-SGM emerging adults. Data were drawn from four annual web-based surveys of a diverse cohort of 2,553 emerging adults, spanning from approximately age 19 (2016) to age 22 (2020). About 18% were SGM individuals. We tested a multigroup parallel process latent growth curve model (recent depression symptoms; past-year BD) with time-varying covariates (past-year sexual harassment; sexual assault) to determine associations of sexual violence with BD and depression outcomes over time, and whether growth curves and associations differed by SGM status. For both SGM and non-SGM emerging adults, past-year sexual harassment was associated with depressive symptoms at each time point, but harassment was not associated with BD. For both groups, sexual assault was associated with both depressive symptoms and BD. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine longitudinal, contemporaneous associations of sexual violence (including both harassment and assault as distinct constructs), with BD and depressive symptoms among racially and ethnically diverse emerging adults, comparing SGM and non-SGM groups. Although our models do not disentangle directionality or causality, the findings suggest the need to address sexual violence victimization (assault and harassment) in the context of depression screening and treatment, and vice versa. We discuss a number of intervention strategies currently in use for an implicitly non-SGM general population that could be adapted for greater inclusion of and relevance to SGM populations.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is generally perceived as a crime perpetrated out of sight, without witnesses. Nevertheless, several researchers have explored the presence of others during incidents of abuse in regards to two main aspects: bystanders in extrafamilial CSA and bystanders’ decisions whether or not to get involved. However, there is a dearth of knowledge regarding how children who experience abuse perceive and experience the presence of others during abusive incidents. The current study was designed to examine the experiences and perceptions of girls who experienced intrafamilial CSA (IFCSA) with respect to the presence of others, as conveyed during their forensic interviews. A thematic analysis of 24 forensic interviews was conducted with secular Jewish, ultra-Orthodox Jewish, and Muslim Arab girls, aged 4–14. The analysis identified four main themes: (a) the girls’ perceptions of others’ awareness of them being abused, (b) the girl’s experiences of loneliness, (c) the girls’ experiences of disclosing to the others present during the abuse, and (d) family dynamics. The discussion highlights the unique, multifaceted and elusive dynamics of IFCSA, calling into question the commonly held view that it happens only in secret. The girls’ narratives highlighted their distress and pointed to the abusive and unbearable daily routine in which they live. In spotlighting their encounters with IFCSA, the girls focused on the feelings of guilt, shame, and isolation they experienced.

Reporting child sexual abuse (CSA) to law enforcement institutions is the ideal child protection imperative. The role of parents in this process is unquestionably profound. Yet, there is limited evidence on parental perspectives on reporting CSA to law enforcement agencies in developing country contexts. We apply vignettes to describe the views of parents about reporting CSA perpetrated by “family members, schoolteachers, and strangers.” Data was collected from 89 parents from four culturally diverse regions of Ghana. A systematic inductive approach was used to determine patterns and similarities in participants’ attitudes toward reporting. We note that the attitudes of participants about reporting CSA varied considerably; these are influenced by the nature of social relationships between the victim and perpetrator. In a seeming order of severity, CSA perpetrated by a family member was viewed less seriously compared to victimization by a teacher or a stranger. The desire to preserve familial/kin ties and reputation and keeping to the cultural heritage of resolving “disputes and disagreements” amicably were primary norms against reporting CSA. However, attitudes toward reporting CSA by teachers were influenced by expectation of higher moral standards, which made reporting CSA by a teacher a reasonable cause of action. Positive attitudes toward reporting CSA by “strangers” were prevalent. Child protection programs must recognzse the segmented attitudes toward CSA and tackle the deep-seated cultural and social norms through social and behavioral change communication (SBCC).

Prior work has identified endorsement of gendered sexual script beliefs as predictive of sexual coercion perpetration among heterosexual individuals, primarily men. This research is lacking among sexual minority individuals and may be important in informing inclusive and effective sexual coercion prevention efforts. The current study sought to (1) assess the level of adherence to gendered sexual script beliefs, (2) report relative rates of general sexual coercion and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV), and (3) examine the relationship between gendered sexual script beliefs and self-reported sexually coercive behavior among sexual minority and heterosexual college men and women. Undergraduate students (n = 1,199; 182 sexual minorities) completed self-report measures assessing gendered sexual script beliefs, sexual coercion perpetration, and sexual IPV. Results from Gender × Sexual Minority group ANOVAs and logistic regression analyses indicated similar rates of perpetration across sexual orientation groups, with men overall reporting the most perpetration. Furthermore, men and heterosexual individuals adhered more strongly to gendered sexual scripts than women and sexual minority individuals, respectively. Results of path models revealed no moderation by sexual orientation, and that adherence to gendered sexual scripts was positively related to sexual IPV perpetration among the full sample of heterosexual and nonheterosexual individuals, though this effect was small. Gendered sexual scripts did not significantly relate to general sexual coercion perpetration among the full sample, suggesting that traditional sexual script beliefs may not be as relevant to perpetration in a contemporary college sample. This study adds to limited literature on sexual coercion perpetration among sexual minority individuals and is an important step in understanding relationships between endorsement of gendered sexual script beliefs and sexual coercion perpetration among sexual minority and heterosexual college students.

For young women, the power imbalance in favor of males in dating relationships has been related to dating violence (DV) victimization. In addition, the use of rumination to cope with DV may increase their psychological distress. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether experiences of DV and rumination mediate the association between power imbalance and suicide risk (SR). The sample comprised 1,216 young women aged between 18 and 28 years from Colombia (n = 461) and Spain (n = 755), in a heterosexual dating relationship, not married or cohabiting with a partner and without children. The following scales were applied: The Sexual Relationship Power Scale-Modified, The Dating Violence Questionnaire–-R (DVQ-R); Cyberdating Abuse Questionnaire, Measure of Affect Regulation Scale (MARS), and The Spanish Suicide Risk Scale. A sequential mediation paths model was tested. Results indicated that power imbalance was associated with DV victimization. Furthermore, DV was associated with more rumination, which was also linked to a greater SR in both countries. Rumination may be a mechanism through which experiences of DV victimization negatively influence mental health in young women and is an important variable related cross-culturally to SR. The findings suggest an equality approach, addressing the power imbalance in dating relationships, empowering girls to prevent DV, and teaching coping strategies for dealing with victimization and its consequences.

With the transition to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), additional research is needed to understand which diagnostic codes for intimate partner violence (IPV) are being used. The current study examined characteristics of IPV visits and frequency of diagnostic codes to identify IPV in all emergency department (ED) and inpatient hospital visits for adults in California from 2016–2018, after ICD-10-CM implementation. Five ICD-10-CM codes outlined in the Uniform Data System Reporting Instructions were used to identify IPV. Fewer than 0.1% of visits (17,347 ED visits and 1,430 hospitalizations) included documentation of IPV. Visits with documented IPV were more common among patients who were younger, female, Black, primarily English-speaking, and publicly insured compared to visits with no documented IPV. There were fairly consistent patterns over time in the specific ICD-10-CM codes used for IPV between 2016 and 2018. Physical and sexual abuse were the most common codes for types of abuse. Among the 15 EDs and 15 hospitals in California with the highest volume of IPV visits, there was variability in the use of ICD-10-CM codes for IPV visits. Accurate documentation of IPV in administrative data may improve patient care and increase understanding of the burden and effects of IPV on individuals and communities.