This study investigated whether interventions for children exposed to intimate partner violence combining parallel groups for children and mothers contribute to positive outcomes for partaking mothers. The study included 39 mothers in a long-term within-subject design without a control group in a Swedish naturalistic setting. Maternal psychological health was assessed pre- and posttreatment and at 6-month and 12-month follow-up. Mothers reported medium- to large-sized decrease in psychological symptoms, including symptoms of posttraumatic stress, postintervention (p = < .001 d = 0.45–0.96). During the follow-up period, sustained and further decrease of symptoms was reported (p = < .001 d = 0.58–1.60). Mothers also reported decreased exposure to violence. Results indicate that these child-focused programs have major and sustainable positive effects on mothers’ psychological health.

This study examined whether sexual objectification (i.e., reducing someone to a sex object via a disproportionate focus on appearance and sexual characteristics) was associated with decreased confidence in future bystander intervention to reduce the risk for sexual violence (i.e., bystander efficacy) through several barriers to intervention: failing to notice the event, failing to identify the situation as risky, and failing to take responsibility. Participants were 1,021 undergraduates (n = 309 men; n = 712 women) who completed self-report measures. Because men frequently perpetrate objectification, whereas women often experience objectification, complementary models were tested with objectification perpetration in men and objectification experiences in women. As expected, for men, each barrier mediated negative associations between objectification perpetration and bystander efficacy. Unexpectedly, for women, each barrier mediated positive associations between objectification experiences and bystander efficacy. Findings underscore important gender differences in associations between sexual objectification and bystander efficacy, as well as potential benefits of helping bystanders recognize the risk for sexual violence and assume responsibility for intervening.

A review of the recent scientific literature on the relationship between substance use and violence victimization among women in the United States is presented. Systematic review methodology adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses guidelines. In total, 15 studies were identified that met inclusion criteria. There is substantial evidence suggesting substance use (e.g., severity of use, types of substances used) is associated with women’s violent victimization histories. Evidence suggests that women are uniquely situated in illicit drug markets and other illicit economies in a manner that increases their risk for violent victimization. The strengths and shortcomings of current theoretical explanations of substance use and violence victimization are discussed, as well as considerations for future research and interventions.

Substantial gaps remain in our understanding of the risks and barriers that exist for men affected by rape and sexual abuse. The present research utilized semi-structured interviews with 12 service providers from specialist organizations in the United Kingdom. An interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed three superordinate themes: (a) survivors’ needs for agency, safety, and control as functions of their masculinity; (b) the impact of rape myths and their challenge to therapeutic intervention; and (c) survivors’ expectations around reporting and the police. The role of masculinity and social stigma permeated participants’ accounts, with negative stereotypes and male rape myths influencing reporting, access to services, and survivors’ coping mechanisms. Results are discussed in relation to current service provision within the United Kingdom, and avenues for improvement are suggested.

A prevalence study was conducted using the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire for men (m-NorAQ) to estimate the prevalence of self-reported experience of life-course abuse and to identify the perpetrators of the abuse. This among men seeking general psychiatric and addiction care in a Swedish context. In total, 210 men completed the questionnaire, and were included in the study. The total prevalence of life-course abuse (i.e., any emotional, physical or sexual abuse during the life course) was 75% (n = 157). The results of this study indicate the importance of identifying experiences of life-course abuse among men in general psychiatric and addiction care settings.

Most research to date has focused on perpetrators of mass murder incidents. Hence, there is little information on victims. We examined 973 mass murders that occurred in the United States between 1900 and 2019 resulting in 5,273 total fatalities and 4,498 nonfatal injuries for a total of 9,771 victims (on average 10 victims per incident). Approximately 64% of victims of mass murder were White individuals, 13% were Black individuals, 6% were Asian individuals, and 14% were Latinx individuals. Given the higher number of nonfatal injuries per non-firearm mass murder event (11.0 vs. 2.8, p < .001), the total number of victims was only 50% higher for mass shootings (5,855 victims) vs. non-firearm mass murder events (3,916 victims). Among the 421 incidents of mass murder in the United States since 2000, Black, Asian, and Native American individuals were overrepresented among victims of mass shootings compared with their representation in the general U.S. population, and White individuals were underrepresented (all p ≤ .002). Findings of racial/ethnic differences were similar among victims of mass murder committed with means other than firearms for Black, Asian, and White individuals. These findings highlight different areas of victimology within the context of these incidents.

Campus sexual assault (CSA) research predominately focuses on the victimization experiences of domestic college students. Therefore, there is little knowledge on, and understanding of, international student’s CSA victimization experiences. The present study analyzed results from a campus climate survey conducted in 2018 at a midsized Midwestern university. Twenty-three percent of international women and 18% of international men reported being a CSA victim. A series of analyses then compared CSA victimizations in relation to international victims vs. international nonvictims and international victims vs. domestic victims. Results showed international victims vs. international nonvictims were more likely to be a sexual minority and be a member of a sorority or fraternity. Compared with domestic women, international women were more likely to report being non-victims. Compared with domestic men, international men were more likely to report being CSA victims. Results are discussed in relation to research on CSA and propose future directions of study.

Chinese immigrant survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States have been overlooked and underserved. The purpose of this study was to explore their perceptions of resources for assistance as well as their priority needs. We conducted phone interviews with 20 Chinese immigrant women who had experienced IPV in the past year. The women expressed their needs for emotional support, culturally specific services, a variety of online resources to meet different demands, being empowered, raising the Chinese community’s awareness about IPV, and batterer intervention programs. These women’s testimonies shows that greater effort should be directed toward addressing those needs in order to reduce IPV and its impacts on health in this vulnerable group of women.

The firearm mortality rate in West Virginia (WV) increased over the past four years and is currently 50% higher than the national rate. These alarming statistics, combined with the urban-to-rural shift in firearm injuries, prompted this 10-year epidemiologic overview. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current study stands alone as the only report of its kind on firearm injuries in the rural setting of southern WV. Firearm injuries were common in White males within the age range of 20–49 years. Assault, which is typically identified as an urban problem, was found to be the most common injury in the study population. In our data series, injury severity score was the strongest predictor of mortality, followed by self-inflicted cause of injury and trauma to the neck/head region.

Since the rates of violence are high in patriarchal societies, determining the attitudes of people in these societies towards violence and the factors affecting these attitudes are of great importance. The researchers in the present study aimed to determine people’s attitudes towards violence who live in a region where patriarchal values still reign in Turkey and to investigate factors urging people to tend to perpetrate violence. The data was collected from 628 people at five family health centers in a province in the east of Turkey, providing health services to people of different socioeconomic levels. The Participant Information Form and Intimate Partner Violence Attitude Scale were used to collect the study data. In the present study, the participants displayed positive attitudes toward violence. In the present study, the following factors were determined to affect attitudes towards violence: Income status, occupation, sex, family type, alcohol use, and perception that violence cannot be prevented. Male-dominated patriarchal society has very negative effects on people in terms of perpetrating violence. In addition, to reduce the negative effects of living in extended families, people should be enabled to live independently of their families after getting married.

The present study represents the third part of an exploration into the demographic characteristics, context, and outcomes of abuse and outcomes of service engagement for users of specialist Domestic Violence and Abuse (DVA) services in the United Kingdom (UK; parts I and II respectively). It delivers on a commitment made in those parts to provide an examination of LGBT clients (including in comparison to the cisgender, heterosexual, or “cishet” clients examined in parts I & II, hereby known as “non-LGBT”). The current study utilized a large-scale quantitative data set of 35,882 clients presenting to specialist DVA services within the UK between 2007 and 2017, including 34,815 non-LGBT and 1,067 LGBT clients. Several areas of similarity between the two subsamples were identified, including some of the types of abuse reported, referral routes, and outcomes upon exit from services. Significant differences was also found. For example, the LGBT subsample was found to be significantly more likely to present to services with substance use and mental health issues (including self-harm) and was also more likely to have their case progressed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). The findings are discussed along with recommendations for future research and practice, centered around the provision of gender and sexuality-inclusive provision, which acknowledges differential risks of LGBT clients, and how these reflect their experiences as a “minority” population (i.e., so-called “minority stress”).

This explorative article aims to take a step in the direction of a realist-oriented scientific design that extends our knowledge of the requirements of a methodology that improves our ability to uncover the causal mechanisms behind men’s violence against women. Despite the great advances that have been made in individual research disciplines, our understanding of the complex causes is still insufficient and suffers from our inability to grasp the larger whole of the collaborative processes. As a first step towards the objective, an integration attempt is implemented that aims to highlight methodological issues that we have to overcome to explain men's violence against women. The integration of psychological, social-psychological, and sociological theories aims to exemplify how contributing, and counteracting factors interact with each other and form a complex mechanism that influences whether violence against women will take place or not. To leave room for the methodological dimension, the depth of each perspective has been reduced. The results of the integration attempt show both opportunities and difficulties in investigating the mechanisms behind men’s violence against women. However, there is still untapped knowledge potential in the explorative integration of theories and the use of realist-oriented pluralistic research methodologies.

Previous studies have demonstrated a connection between intimate partner violence (IPV) and a child’s alienation from the abused parent, but little is known about the relationships between the type of IPV, aspects, and severity of a child’s alienation, and the target parent’s gender. This study assessed the presence of an IPV history (verbal and physical aspects) among parents who identify as targets of their children’s unreasonable rejection. Also investigated were associations between the form of IPV and manifestations of a child’s alienated behavior, parent’s gender and type of IPV, and parents’ gender and degree of the child’s alienation. Self-identified alienated parents (n = 842) completed an online survey that included an IPV screening measurement (Hurts, Insults, Screams, Threatens screening tool) and a measure of the parent’s perception of their child’s alienated behaviors (Rowlands Parental Alienation Scale). The majority identified as IPV victims and reported a higher level of verbal than physical abuse. More mothers than fathers identified themselves as IPV victims. As a group, IPV victims rated their child as more severely alienated than did non-IPV alienated parents. Mothers were more likely than fathers to report physical aggression by the other parent and more likely than fathers to assess their child’s alienated behaviors as more severe. Victims of physical violence reported their children were less likely to withhold positive affection from them. This knowledge may assist in earlier identification of the alienation process and greater recognition, legitimacy, funding, and opportunities for enhanced collaboration among stakeholders. This, in turn, may lead to improvements in prevention, intervention, and accountability, thus helping to interrupt alienation processes.

Police respond to high volumes of domestic violence (DV) calls that can be time-consuming and often deal with repeat involved persons, regardless of whether or not charges are laid. This study extracts and examines three distinct cases of individuals/couples that involved almost 2% of 3,414 domestic violence calls to police that occurred over about a 3-year period for a small-sized urban community and its surrounding rural areas in Ontario, Canada. Most of the calls (86.2%) for these three cases did not result in any charges being laid. Each case represented a unique problem focus common in DV situations, and all three cases involved children. Key issues for one case included substance use and the cycle of violence; in another case, mental health problems and parenting challenges were prominent; and the third case pertained to child custody and access issues. Acceptance of offered support and services by the involved persons was minimal in all three cases. Implications for improved police responses involving collaboration with other service providers in smaller communities with limited resources are discussed.

Across many countries, the use of dating applications and websites (DAWs) has become increasingly popular over recent years; however, research examining the relationship between DAWs use and experience of dating violence and/or other harms is limited. This study aims to explore the use, motivations, and experiences of harm associated with using DAWs and meeting people in person via DAWs. An online convenience sample pilot survey was completed by adults (n = 217) aged 18+ years, living in the UK or the Republic of Ireland, who had used a DAW in the past two years. Differences were found in usage, motivations, and experiences of using DAWs in age and gender. Nearly half, 46.5% of respondents reported having been a victim of at least one harm as a result of meeting someone in person via DAWs in their lifetime; 33.2% reported experiencing sexual violence, 27.2% verbal abuse, 8.3% sexual activity in exchange for goods and 6.5% physical assault. Further to this, 41.9% of respondents reported being “Catfished” in the past two years (i.e., the other person looking different in person compared to their DAWs profile). In multivariate analysis, experiencing at least one harm was significantly associated with female gender (Adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 4.0; p < .001), being aged 40+ years (AOR 3.1; p < .01; reference category, 18–29 years) and being “Catfished” (AOR 3.3; p < .001). In multivariate analysis, sexual violence was significantly associated with being female (AOR 6.9; p < .001), being aged 40+ years (AOR 2.9; p = .013; reference category, 18–29 years) and being “Catfished” (AOR 2.9; p = .001). The study reinforces the importance of understanding the use of DAWs, exposure to harms on and offline, and risks associated with “Catfishing.”

Many countries are unable to offer men and their children a safe place to stay when exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV). Denmark is an exception by having implemented a coordinated effort in 2016 of meeting the needs of male victims of IPV and their children. This presents an opportunity for in-depth exploration of the experiences of male victims of IPV. In this study we present a review of men’s exposure to IPV in Denmark, the experiences of 58 men who stayed in six crisis centers for men, and present results from a follow-up pilot study working with these men. Men staying in the crisis centers reported having been exposed to psychological, physical, economical, material violence, and stalking perpetrated predominantly by a female partner or ex-partner. In the follow-up, several men reported still being exposed to different types of violence and threats. The men experienced a number of adverse outcomes associated with their experiences but described a positive impact by the combination of help offered at the shelters. This study points to the importance of safe accommodation for male victims of IPV and includes recommendations for practice.

Despite the recent expansion of sex trafficking awareness, prevention, and aftercare services, knowledge about sex trafficking remains limited by the systemic exclusion of survivors’ voices and strengths from sex trafficking epistemology. Notably, little research examines sex trafficking survivors’ experiences, their critiques of the counter-trafficking movement, nor their recommendations for how the counter-trafficking movement could be improved to better meet survivors’ needs. In this qualitative study, we adhered to an Intersectional-Standpoint Methodology (ISM) to explore sex trafficking survivors’ perceptions of the counter-trafficking movement and their barriers to sex trafficking exit. The results of this study suggest that survivors encounter numerous barriers to sex trafficking exit, including internal barriers, social barriers, and systemic-institutional barriers. Results point towards recommendations for improving service delivery systems by building upon sex trafficking survivors’ strengths and resilience and by reducing their many barriers to exit. By implementing these recommendations, counter-trafficking advocates at all levels of practice can increase sex trafficking survivors’ access to effective, survivor-informed aftercare services.

Limited research examines graduate student experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV) or bystander intervention. In this exploratory study, we compare the extent of opportunity to intervene in suspected IPV, how students tried to help, and barriers to intervention for undergraduate (n = 698) and graduate students (n = 967) at one university using data from stratified random samples of students. Graduate students indicated significantly less opportunity to intervene than undergraduate students (16.2% vs. 35.5%). Among students with the opportunity, however, similar proportions of undergraduate and graduate students tried to help, with most confronting the situation directly. Among those who did not try to help, graduate students commonly endorsed “not knowing what to do,” suggesting an opportunity to enhance prosocial intervention skills among this population through targeted bystander-based training initiatives.

The present study, conducted in Taiwan, sought to link some elementary and middle school students’ bullying to factors in their social status, social support, direct and indirect bullying victimization, and positive and negative affect. We obtained the secondary dataset from the Survey Research Data Archive, Academia Sinica. Survey data were collected during 2012 from students in grades 5, 7, 8, and 9; of 853 students who filled out the questionnaire, 711 were included in our study’s final sample. Our study found a strong relationship between bullying victimization and bullying perpetration. Therefore, intervention programs seeking to interrupt the implied cycle of bullying could boost their effectiveness by focusing on school children’s capacity to feel empathy for victims of bullying and by developing ways to reduce children’s vengeful feelings toward bullies.

PTSD symptoms and psychological inflexibility have been linked to a lack of self-compassion and poor psychological health. Prior work has explored these relationships in a trauma-exposed undergraduate population and found that, while self-compassion was correlated with PTSD symptom severity at the bivariate level, this relationship was no longer significant when accounting for psychological inflexibility. Additionally, self-compassion and psychological inflexibility predicted psychological health. The present study sought to test these findings in PTSD patients enrolled in an exposure-based partial hospitalization program. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-consistent measures (i.e., Valued Living Questionnaire, Behavioral Activation for Depression Scale [Short Form], Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire [Short Form]) were used to assess psychological health. The PTSD checklist for DSM-5 and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire (II) were used to measure PTSD symptoms and Psychological Inflexibility, respectively. Our results were largely consistent with previous investigations. We found a negative relationship between psychological inflexibility and psychological health, as well as a positive relationship between psychological inflexibility and PTSD symptom severity. Future research should measure these constructs across different time points to explore the benefit of viewing self-compassion and other related constructs (e.g., courage and love) as values in an ACT model for PTSD treatment.

Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at rates comparable to heterosexual women. Previous studies have identified that having a sexual agreement—an explicit agreement around sex permitted outside of the relationship—is associated with reductions in IPV. This article uses data from a sample of 967 partnered GBMSM to examine associations between individual use of substances and alcohol, discordant partner reports of sexual agreements, and the self-reporting of bidirectional IPV. Men who reported different sexual agreements than their partners and recently engaged in substance use or binge drinking had significantly increased odds of IPV. Dyadic interventions are necessary to assist couples in developing the communication skills to successfully navigate both their substance use and discussions around sexual agreements.

Conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence is common in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, but there are few evaluations of multisectoral training interventions in conflict settings. We conducted high-quality, trauma-informed medicolegal trainings amongst multisectoral professionals and sought to describe changes in knowledge after training and perceived training acceptability. Participants were health, law enforcement, and legal professionals who completed training at one of four sites from January 2012 to December 2018. Twelve trainings were randomly selected for evaluation. We conducted pre- and post-training assessments and semi-structured interviews of participants within 12 months of index training. Forty-six trainings of 1,060 individuals were conducted during the study period. Of the randomly selected trainings, 368 questionnaires were included in the analysis (36% health, 31% legal, 12% law enforcement, 21% other). The mean knowledge scores (standard deviation) significantly improved after training: 77.9 (22.9) vs. 70.4 (20.8) (p <0.001). Four key benefits were identified: 1) improved cross-sector coordination; 2) enhanced survivor-centered care; 3) increased standardization of forensic practices; and 4) higher quality evidence collection. Participants completing the training had improved knowledge scores and perceived several key benefits, suggesting the multisectoral training was acceptable in this under-resourced, conflict region.

This study provides a comprehensive examination of mass shootings in America (2006–2020). Specifically, this work identifies offender, victim, and incident characteristics, incidence rates, and differences between public, family, and felony mass shootings. Findings indicate consistent characteristics across all mass shootings include male offenders and the use of handguns. Family mass shootings had the highest incidence rate. Family and the felony mass shootings largely involved close offender-victim relationships, no victim injuries, and private locations. Oft-considered public mass shootings involving stranger victims, higher victim counts, and public locations do not reflect the overall phenomenon. Implications offer insight for understanding and addressing the mass shooting problem.

Incorporating residents’ voices in needs assessments and decision-making activities affecting public housing initiatives is supported by various research. This approach of increasing communal empowerment and growth informed a needs and assets assessment to support an urban community center servicing ethnically and culturally diverse public housing residents. This study employed qualitative methods to gather insights from focus group participants about their perceived needs of the community. The data gathered from the focus groups provided an opportunity for community voices to expand on understanding the assets and needs of the community. The five themes that emerged in the focus group discussion were: (1) Yearning for home and community; (2) Appreciation for diversity; (3) Conditions supporting human dignity; (4) Continual growth of programs & affordability; and (5) Emphasis on trust. These insights support the importance of including community voice for future programming, policies, and research.

Teen dating violence (TDV) is increasingly recognized as a national health priority, impacting overall well-being and school success. However, there are overlooked barriers to TDV program delivery in schools and youth-serving organizations and these are ideal settings to reach youth universally. In this study, we conducted 10 focus groups with school (e.g., administrators, social workers, nurses) and after-school personnel regarding barriers to TDV programming within a large urban community serving predominantly Mexican-heritage youth. Findings offer practice-driven considerations for the implementation of programs within urban communities. These include attention to limited resources, inhibitive and non-existent policies, competing demands, a lack of training, and demand for culturally competent curricula and wrap-around services.

Urban-dwelling African American older adults are disproportionately victimized by systems, which relegate them to disparities in health, education, and economic security as well as inequitable access to resources that support overall wellness (Brown, 2010; Jackson et al., 2004; Kahn & Pearlin, 2006; Zhang et al., 2016). The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020–2021 revealed poorer outcomes and a “double jeopardy” for African American older adults who suffered poor health outcomes (Chatters et al., 2020). As a result, avenues to promote healthy aging through health and wellness literacy, self-empowerment, and social-community connections are critical (Chatters et al., 2020; Pourrazavi et al., 2020; Waites, 2013). A qualitative study was conducted with African American older adults in Detroit to understand how to promote health literacy and overall wellness for those who are aging in place. An empowerment-oriented wellness framework (Dunn, 1961; Dunn, 1977; Hettler, 1976) was employed. Findings indicated that these African American older adults aging in the urban communities strived to maintain their independence while recognizing that they may need some assistance as they age in place. While some elders defined themselves by their disability and expressed feelings of being pushed aside by family and society, many rejected stereotypes associated with aging and reinforced a sense of pride and empowerment. They called for programs to: 1) assist older adults with health literacy and a comprehensive understanding of overall wellness; and, 2) provide activities and tools to support proactive overall wellness; and 3) employ strategies that actively encourage social engagement as well as outreach to their less engaged peers. Participants also suggested that a strategy to enlighten younger generations about the “senior world,” and aging is also crucial.

Research on the effect of arrests or convictions on college admissions decisions, while limited, suggests that college admission is a major hurdle for applicants with criminal histories. The purpose of this study was to examine admission application policies and practices at undergraduate social work programs in the South for justice-involved individuals or persons with criminal backgrounds. The qualitative study design recruited program directors through professional relationships for interviews and selected programs in urban cities in the South using the Council on Social Work Education’s Accredited Program Directory. The surveys consisted of three questions and the interviews consisted of eleven semi-structured questions focusing on the policies and practices associated with the application process. Study results reveal that slightly more than one half of all programs asked questions about criminal backgrounds, firm policies are not in place, and practices vary from institution to institution.

The literature suggests that being subject to a stressful life and victimization may negatively affect mental health, and that women and men seem to differ in these variables. Nevertheless, neither the mediating role of victimization experiences in the relationship between stress and mental health, nor the moderated role of sex have been explored. A sample of 826 adults, aged from 18 to 77 years old, completed a set of self-reported questionnaires (69.4% women). Results revealed significant mediation effects of psychological violence on the relationship between stress, depression and anxiety. Participants who reported more stressful life events in the previous year, also reported higher psychological abuse, which in turn predicted higher depression and anxiety. Furthermore, the moderating effects of sex were found to be statistically significant. Results suggest that interventions should be tailored to individual needs in order to prevent secondary victimization derived from biased beliefs related to stress, violence and gender in professional practice.

Though dating violence (DV) is prevalent on college campuses, few studies have examined a multitude of risk factors that may better explain this process. As such, we examined the role of family violence (i.e., childhood physical abuse, witnessing parental violence), personality traits (i.e., entitlement, antisocial personality [ASP] and borderline personality [BP]) and risk behaviors (i.e., risky sexual behaviors, heavy drinking, marijuana use, illicit drug use) on DV victimization and perpetration among 783 college students. Path analysis revealed that witnessing parental violence was linked to DV perpetration while experiencing more physical abuse was positively correlated with entitlement (females only), ASP traits, and BP traits. ASP traits (both males and females) and entitlement (females only) were directly associated with high-risk behaviors. Among females, entitlement was also indirectly associated with DV victimization and perpetration through sexual risk behaviors. Findings highlight the importance of histories of physical abuse and personality traits in understanding DV.

Prosecutors who work sex crimes face considerable legal constraints, for example, the need for corroborating evidence to prove their case, as well as extra-legal factors including biases that influence decision-making across the criminal justice system. Beyond these factors, sexual assault cases, especially those involving college students, present significant emotional trauma not only for victims, but also for prosecutors. This inductive study explores the ways prosecutors handle system constraints and how they experience and manage their response to emotionally difficult cases. Qualitative interview data revealed strategies that prosecutors use to mitigate the psychological impacts of participation in the courtroom experience on survivors of sexual assault and indicators of secondary trauma. In combination, this study’s examination of legal and extra-legal factors, secondary and vicarious trauma, and emotional labor contribute to a theory of how prosecutors work campus sex crime cases, expanding our understanding of both prosecutors’ roles and emotional labor, with implications for research, policy and practice.

This study examines the moderating effects of gender, child abuse, and pathological narcissism on self-reported stalking, sexual harassment, intimate partner violence, and sexual aggression in undergraduate men and women. Child abuse was positively associated with engaging in all forms of interpersonal violence for both genders. For women, pathological narcissism moderated this association such that higher levels of pathological narcissism reduced the association between child abuse and engaging in stalking, sexual harassment, sexual aggression. For men. pathological narcissism exhibited independent positive associations with engagement in sexual harassment and sexual aggression and a negative association with engagement in intimate partner violence, but no moderating effects. These gender differences have important implications for the assessment of women’s violence, and university violence prevention and advocacy programs.

This qualitative study of theoretical frameworks was conducted to explain criminal offending and attitudes towards desistance from crime for a sample of 26 women reintegrating back into society after incarceration. Theoretical pathways and desistance theories were used to provide themes for analyzing in depth interviews, journal entries written by the study’s participants, and halfway house records. Pathways and desistance perspectives suggest that gendered pathways can explain how women are led into criminal lifestyles, as well as how their criminality may come to an end. Distinct gender-specific policy implications and programs, as well as directions for future research, are also discussed.

The association between adolescents’ involvement in sexual intercourse and their experiences with adolescent dating violence (ADV) is an understudied topic. This study examined this relationship for 178 Jamaican adolescents in Grades 9–11. The expectation that adolescents who reported having had sexual intercourse would report greater victimization and greater perpetration than adolescents who had not had intercourse was consistent only for sexual abuse. Analyses also showed that sexually experienced males perpetrated and experienced more psychological abuse compared to males who were not so experienced. These results suggest different experiences based on adolescents’ sex and so support others’ calls for ADV research to do more examinations by sex. Also, it endorses the importance of doing research on both victims and perpetrators of intimate abuse. Implications of these findings for sexual and relationship education of adolescents are discussed.

Strengthening Family Coping Resources (SFCR), a multi-family group intervention tailored to families experiencing traumatic stress, is associated with improved post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and family functioning. To further SFCR research, we examined (1) SFCR’s effects on caregiver PTSD symptom clusters (intrusions, avoidance, negative alterations in cognitions and mood [NACM], alterations in arousal and reactivity); and (2) whether effects differed by caregiver trauma type (interpersonal versus non-interpersonal; intrafamilial versus extrafamilial). Forty-two caregivers of primarily low socioeconomic status reporting trauma histories completed SFCR treatment. Significant decreases in PTSD intrusion, avoidance, and NACM subscale scores emerged from pre- to post-SFCR; there were no differences in subscale score changes by trauma type categorization. Findings support SFCR as a promising treatment for reducing PTSD severity among caregivers reporting diverse traumas.

Background: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth face a disproportionate risk of suicidal ideation and attempt compared to heterosexual counterparts. Escalation from ideation to attempt can occur quickly, and youth who survive suicide attempts are likely to pursue subsequent, riskier attempts. This study examines the effects of bullying and sexual orientation on suicidal outcomes. Methods: Data came from the national, school-administered 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (N = 14,765). Bivariate associations, binomial logistic regressions, and ordinal logistic regressions were performed. Results: Lesbian/gay, bisexual, and unsure youth reported greater odds of ideation and attempts compared to heterosexual youth. For ideation, increased effects were inconsistent across bullying types and significant interactions were found for bisexual youth who were bullied in school, and for lesbian/gay youth who were cyberbullied. Conclusion: These results underscore the need to understand bullying victimization for lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth. Awareness of increasing cyberbullying and creating school environments of no-bullying tolerance in the post-pandemic era are among the challenges ahead.

The purpose of this study was to identify the therapeutic landscapes of immigrant Latina survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV). The rate of IPV among Latinas is alarming and research has documented the effects of IPV on the survivor’s mental health. Immigrant Latina women possess vulnerability factors that compound their ability to receive treatment. Notably, therapeutic landscapes serve to foster recovery yet research has not identified these places for immigrant Latinas. Our qualitative study aimed to fill this gap. Our findings include four themes: Places of worship, places of social support, places of empowerment, places of freedom. Implications for practice within a cultural context are discussed.

Research suggests that sexual minorities (SMs) experience a higher risk of IPA than their heterosexual counterparts. The extent of this problem is likely underestimated and not fully understood due to limitations in our assessment of ways IPA uniquely manifests among SMs. Three forms of IPA that have been discussed in the literature are physical aggression, psychological aggression, and controlling behaviors. In the current study, we assessed the measure invariance of the assessment of these forms of IPA between SM and non-SMs. Participants were recruited using Amazon Mechanical Turk Crowdsourcing Platform. We recruited 338 participants between the ages of 18–59 years old. Of those, 47.3% (n = 160) described their sexual orientation as straight/heterosexual, 28.1% (n = 95) bisexual, 10.1% (n = 34) gay, 4.7% (n = 16) lesbian, 3.0% (n = 10) as asexual, 3.8% (n = 13) as pansexual, 3.0% (n = 10) as queer. Similar to previous research, fits for the overall model for both SMs and non-SMs were poor. However, measurement weights, structural covariances, and measurement residuals models were all significantly different from the unconstrained model, exhibiting a meaningful difference in assessment of IPA between the two groups. Results suggest that experiences of IPA may not be adequately captured by this measure, particularly for SM individuals. Future research should examine the unique and shared experiences of SM and non-SM IPA survivors.

Effective policies and programs for addressing and reducing male violence including intimate partner violence must be informed by an in-depth understanding of biopsychosocial theory. This understanding needs to proceed from the substantial empirical research in the early life development of boys, taking into account the unique vulnerabilities of males and considering the complex inter-mixing of biological, psychological, and sociological factors. Simplistic explanations encoded in the constructs “patriarchy” and “toxic masculinity” have been facilely accepted to explain male violence without rigorous efforts to confirm their validity. The public perception and the policy framing of violence and violent crime maybe influenced by these sorts of constructs. When believed to be either a matter of macro-sociocultural influences or ideologically or ethically aberrant choice, violent behavior is the behavior of men who then deserve only punishment or re-education. Biopsychosocial theory appears to have been broadly resisted or even intentionally misconstrued, with reference to misconceptions about the etiology of violence, the emphasis on punishment over treatment, an ideological reluctance to address empirically established differences between the two sexes, and notably, in policies and programs that address domestic violence perpetration. Several aspects of male development are highlighted which are seldom identified in the underlying biological, psychological, and sociological vulnerabilities of males with regard to violence perpetration. These susceptibilities lie at the base of male violence and must be better understood to effectively address the issue and to design effective interventions.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) occurs across the lifespan, yet younger partners are targeted with greater frequency than older adults. Additionally, involvement in increasingly intimate relationships corresponds with more frequent and serious forms of assault. The current study examined rates and seriousness of IPV assaults as a function of age and type of relationship. Data were obtained from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s online incident-based reporting system (N = 86,755). Logistic regression analyses confirmed that younger individuals demonstrated higher rates of IPV overall, and the majority of IPV sexual assaults occurred among those under 18. Boyfriend/girlfriend relationships demonstrated high rates of several assault categories, stranger, and acquaintance relationships illustrated more serious assaults than hypothesized, and LGBTQIA relationships illustrated relatively low reporting rates. Thus, IPV risk does vary across different age cohorts and relationship types. Possible legal implications and prevention strategies are discussed.

According to the I³ model, intimate partner violence (IPV) results from an interaction of instigating, impelling, and inhibiting factors. Attachment insecurity is a well-established risk factor for IPV perpetration, but few studies have focused on its role as an impellor within an I³ framework. The current study investigated the independent and interactive effects of attachment insecurity (in impelling factor) and hazardous alcohol use (a disinhibiting factor) on IPV perpetration. It was hypothesized that hazardous alcohol use would moderate the relationship between attachment insecurity and IPV perpetration, such that this relationship would be stronger at higher levels of hazardous alcohol use. Couples (N = 133 dyads) ages 18–40 who had been involved in a committed inti-mate partner relationship for at least 90 days and had consumed alcohol within the past 90 days were recruited online through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and a university recruitment system. Structural equation models were estimated using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to evaluate actor and partner effects of each risk factor on IPV perpetration. The hypothesized interaction was not significant; however, both hazardous alcohol use and attachment insecurity uniquely predicted different forms of IPV. Results suggest that impelling and inhibiting processes may differentially influence psychological aggression and physical assault, providing further support for varying thresholds for perpetration as posited by the I³ model. Partner effects for both predictors were observed, such that attachment insecurity and hazardous alcohol use of one partner predicted IPV perpetrated by the other partner. These findings also highlight the importance of considering dyadic processes when conceptualizing the etiological and perpetuating factors of IPV.

Little is known about victims’ experiences with the perpetrator after they report a sexual assault. This study examined harassment of sexual assault victims during the prosecution process utilizing case notes from a large, southern District Attorney’s office. Specifically, harassment cases were compared to cases where no harassment was reported by the victim. We found that approximately 15% of victims vocalized harassment by the defendant, his family, or friends. The results detail characteristics and factors related to how harassment was carried out in these cases. These findings unveil the importance of communicating with victims during the prosecution process and suggest control balance theory to be an appropriate lens through which to view harassing behavior.

The examination of violence perpetrated by female offenders remains an understudied topic, as research typically focuses on male offender samples. As such, it remains unclear what personality characteristics may be associated with the perpetration of violence among female offenders. This study sought to examine the relationship between personality characteristics, as assessed by the MMPI-2-RF, and engagement in violence, within a sample of 228 incarcerated women. Results indicated that women serving time for a violent offense obtained higher mean scores on MMPI-2-RF scales related to underreporting, atypical thoughts/experiences, and paranoia. Women who obtained disciplinary reports for violence within the institution obtained higher mean scores on MMPI-2-RF scales related to behavior/externalizing dysfunction, overactivation, and aggression. Taken together, violence was most strongly associated with the MMPI-2-RF scales related to paranoia and atypical thoughts/experiences (e.g., THD, PSYC-r). This study provides new data on the viability of the MMPI-2-RF to provide critical insights into violent and aggression behavior in female inmates, an understudied population and demonstrate the instrument’s efficacy in assessing characteristics associated with violent behavior.

Though high rates of sexual assault are found on college campuses, prevalence rates between studies can vary considerable by gender, sexual orientation, and other student characteristics. Thus, it is unknown whether these are “true” differences for such characteristics or if there are methodological differences to consider. As such the current study examined whether student characteristics including gender, race, sexual orientation, sexual attraction, Greek affiliation, and relationship status are uniquely associated with reporting on two different sexual assault scales. Data were gathered from 783 college students in 2019–2020 at a large Midwestern university. Results revealed that the two different scales consistently provided different prevalence rates of sexual assault. Moreover, for each type of sexual assault (e.g., coercion, incapacitation, and physical force), there were also significant differences with students consistently reporting higher prevalence rates on one scale over the other. Finally, significant differences were found in prevalence rates across gender, sexual attraction, and Greek affiliated status.

Adolescent gang membership has been proposed as a risk factor that creates individual-level vulnerability for domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) and/or a context in which DMST may occur. This study investigates the gang membership-DMST association using data from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, a nationally representative sample of adolescents in the United States (n = 12,605). Bivariate results found gang-involved minors had 4.39 greater odds of experiencing DMST compared to non-gang-involved peers. Multivariable results found gang membership, violence victimization, delinquency, and certain demographic characteristics to be significantly associated with DMST. These findings emphasize the need to consider the context in an adolescent’s life beyond DMST when designing policies and programs, and highlight the need for additional research into the gang membership-DMST association.

Assessing risk in domestic violence situations is foundational to ensuring safety. Although there is growing information about the reliability and validity of a variety of risk assessment tools across different practice contexts, there is a paucity of research on the feasibility and application of these tools in real world settings. The present qualitative study examined current practices in domestic violence risk assessment in Canada through a survey of professionals working across diverse sectors. Utilizing a thematic analysis of 255 open-text responses, this study presents several themes related to challenges identified at the systemic, organizational, and individual levels. Themes related to promising practices and the practical implication of risk assessment strategies are also explored.

Guns are present in many households in the U.S., including those with children. Safe storage of guns at home can mitigate the increased risks of both the unintentional and intentional injury that in-home gun access presents; yet estimates suggest fewer than half of gun owners store their weapon(s) safely. Unsafe storage in homes with children is especially problematic given that gun-owning parents make incorrect assumptions about both children’s awareness of firearm storage locations, and their actions upon encountering an unsecured gun. There is limited identification and understanding of why some parents do not engage in safe storage practices. Using 2019 survey data from an internet-based sample of gun-owning adults with children at home, this study explores various potential correlates of unsafe storage. Findings suggest that unsafe storage occurs not in response to crime/victimization fears, but from broader, group- and status-based threats. Understanding the complex factors preventing gun-owning parents from implementing safe storage practices has important implications for both victimization scholarship and public health/injury prevention efforts.

Social reactions to sexual assault (SA) disclosure are well-documented in the literature, but less is known about disclosure and reactions received by Latina survivors. The current study analyzed correlates of positive and negative social reactions to sexual assault disclosure in a community sample of Latina survivors (n = 239). Compared to White survivors, Latina survivors were more likely to report turning against and acknowledgement without support reactions. Among Latina survivors, contrary to hypotheses, both “stereotypical” (e.g. more violent assaults) and “non-stereotypical” (e.g. pre-assault substance use) assault characteristics were associated with acknowledgement without support negative social reactions. Furthermore, total number of sources Latina survivors disclosed to were associated with turning against social reactions. Implications for future research on disclosure/social reactions and Latina survivors are discussed.