Battered Women

This study examines verbal violence against women in Palestinian domestic relationships, focusing on its psychological, social, and political implications. Analyzing narratives from two Facebook support groups-Ask the Girls of Palestine and Strong Independent Women-the research reveals how verbal abuse functions as a tool of control, dehumanization, and emotional manipulation. A thematic analysis of the words of 18 participants from regions across Palestine (Hebron, Nablus, Jenin, Bethlehem, Salfit) uncovers the role of patriarchal norms, family honor, and motherhood in sustaining abuse. The study highlights how cultural pressures prevent women from seeking help, yet many develop coping mechanisms, including mental reframing and finding solidarity in online communities. These platforms offer anonymous support, empowering women to resist and manage abusive situations while exposing how verbal abuse diminishes autonomy and reinforces patriarchal dominance.

The operation of the Counseling Support Center for Women Victims of Violence of the Women's Center of Karditsa (Greece) aims to deal with female abuse, to enable women who have suffered violence to regain their self-esteem and to support them for a better quality of life in the future, intra-family or not. This qualitative study highlights the value of the operation of the Women's Centers of the Network of Structures for Gender Equality in Greece, the remarkable work of the executives of the Karditsa Women's Center, and its contribution to the wider region, throughsemi-structured interviews. However, it was found that reducing and preventing violence against women is equally important to dealing with it. The effective and systematic prevention and confrontation of violence against women is fragmentaryin various Centers in Greece. And, this is because power relations between the sexes, prejudices, and deep-rooted stereotypical perceptions lead to violent and aggressive behaviors. The research concludes that dealing with violence against women demands the appropriate education of boys and girls regarding gender equality and a strategic cooperative approach of all stakeholders (police, prosecutor's office, medical services and medical care, social welfare service) involved in the protection and support of the victims.

Domestic violence is a violence that takes place between intimate partners where one (in this context) the man, uses coercion and control to enforce authority or usurp the power of the woman through physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse. With the use of technology, this can be curbed to a great degree. This study examined the use of ICT facilities in Curbing Domestic Violence in Samaru Community, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. For the purpose of this study, five research questions and five research objectives were postulated. The specific research questions are as follows: How are ICT facilities applied in seeing that domestic violence is curbed in Samaru community? What types of ICT facilities can be used to curb domestic violence in Samaru community? What are the challenges encountered in using ICT facilities to provide awareness and curb domestic violence? What measures can be employed to overcome the challenges? Why do women remain in abusive marriages? Qualitative research design was used to get the necessary data to answer the research questions. The sampling size was determined by taking to use five documented cases of domestic violence from a law court in Samaru community and case study was the instrument which was used for data collocation. The findings from the study revealed amongst others that women remain in abusive marriages due to economic dependence, religious beliefs, stigma attached to divorce and sadomasochistic behaviors in some cases, amongst many others. It was concluded that the increase in domestic violence is due to the general attitude of government and law enforcement agents towards domestic violence which is often treated as a mere family misunderstanding and so is often dismissed. It was recommended amongst others that policies and laws should be enacted to protect women and breaking these laws must be given commensurate punishments to the act of violence.

Over the past three decades, several models for individual and group intervention with battered women have been developed. The common assumption underlying all of these models is that violence and abuse are never appropriate in an intimate relationship, and that battered women have a basic right to safety, which is not negotiable. Because almost all of those models were developed in the individualistic contexts of Western societies, some questions and concerns have been raised as to their suitability for intervention with battered women in collectivist contexts. In this article, we explore the characteristics of collectivist societies based on the conceptual framework of which focuses on five dimensions: the self, attitudes, values, activities, and behaviors. Furthermore, we explore each of those dimensions and their relevance to various aspects of wife abuse in collectivist societies, such as the way that battered women cope with violence against them, and possibilities for professional intervention. Numerous studies have shown that the problem of violence against women by intimate partners exists in most societies throughout the world, if not in all of them (e.g., . For example, based on a review of 35 studies from a diverse range of countries, Heise, Pitanguy, and Germain (1994) concluded that the proportion of women who report physical abuse by a present or former partner ranges from one fourth to more than one half. Women also suffer from other forms and types of abuse by their intimate partners, including psychological, sexual, economic, and social abuse-although such experiences are reported less to health and mental health, welfare, and legal services. Irrespective of the rate of reporting incidents of abuse, empirical and therapeutic knowledge gathered over the past three decades clearly indicates that wife abuse by husbands occurs in all cultures, among all socioeconomic strata, and in different geographic regions . Nevertheless, the incidence and severity of such violence vary in different contexts. Moreover, societies differ in their perceptions of wife abuse and battering, as well as in their attitudes toward battered wives and violent husbands. These differences are reflected in aspects such as justification of wife abuse and battering, tolerance and leniency toward violent husbands, blaming wives for violence against them, and leniency in society's formal responses to the various manifestations of the problem . In many societies throughout the world, and particularly in individualist Western societies such as North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, legislation has been enacted over the past three decades to prevent violence against women. In addition, resources have been allocated for the establishment of services to support battered women and treat

Over the past three decades, several models for individual and group intervention with battered women have been developed. The common assumption underlying all of these models is that violence and abuse are never appropriate in an intimate relationship, and that battered women have a basic right to safety, which is not negotiable. Because almost all of those models were developed in the individualistic contexts of Western societies, some questions and concerns have been raised as to their suitability for intervention with battered women in collectivist contexts. In this article, we explore the characteristics of collectivist societies based on the conceptual framework of which focuses on five dimensions: the self, attitudes, values, activities, and behaviors. Furthermore, we explore each of those dimensions and their relevance to various aspects of wife abuse in collectivist societies, such as the way that battered women cope with violence against them, and possibilities for professional intervention. Numerous studies have shown that the problem of violence against women by intimate partners exists in most societies throughout the world, if not in all of them (e.g., . For example, based on a review of 35 studies from a diverse range of countries, Heise, Pitanguy, and Germain (1994) concluded that the proportion of women who report physical abuse by a present or former partner ranges from one fourth to more than one half. Women also suffer from other forms and types of abuse by their intimate partners, including psychological, sexual, economic, and social abuse-although such experiences are reported less to health and mental health, welfare, and legal services. Irrespective of the rate of reporting incidents of abuse, empirical and therapeutic knowledge gathered over the past three decades clearly indicates that wife abuse by husbands occurs in all cultures, among all socioeconomic strata, and in different geographic regions . Nevertheless, the incidence and severity of such violence vary in different contexts. Moreover, societies differ in their perceptions of wife abuse and battering, as well as in their attitudes toward battered wives and violent husbands. These differences are reflected in aspects such as justification of wife abuse and battering, tolerance and leniency toward violent husbands, blaming wives for violence against them, and leniency in society's formal responses to the various manifestations of the problem . In many societies throughout the world, and particularly in individualist Western societies such as North America, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, legislation has been enacted over the past three decades to prevent violence against women. In addition, resources have been allocated for the establishment of services to support battered women and treat

This study examines the positive aspects of intimate relationships perceived by drug-involved women victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). The article examines the association of psychological distress, childhood abuse, and severity of IPV with the different positive aspects the women indicated. Most analyses were conducted on a subsample of 149 women in methadone maintenance treatment who intended to continue their relationship with their abusive partner. The women most frequently valued fulfillment of the role of an intimate partner such as “he takes care of me, loves me, makes me laugh” (29.7%). Fewer than one tenth of the women valued their partners’ role as economic provider; however, these women reported more physical IPV. Women intending to continue the relationship (more than two thirds of the participants) reported less physical or sexual IPV and experienced less psychological distress. Policy and practice implications are discussed.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a highly prevalent problem among women. Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of IPV among patients of an out-patient clinic obstetrics-gynecology, association with level of education, and women's opinion on asking about IPV by physicians. We conducted a survey among women between 18 and 60 years in a waiting room of an out-patient clinic obstetricsgynecology. We used the Composite Abuse Scale to measure type and severity of IPV. Two hundred women of whom 82 (41%) were pregnant, were included in the study (response 57%). Twenty-three percent of the women ever experienced IPV and 9% currently. IPV is more prevalent among women with a lower educated partner. Four of the pregnant women (5%) experienced current IPV. Seventy-eight percent of the respondents find it important for physicians to ask about IPV. IPV proved to be a highly prevalent problem in an out-patient clinic obstetrics-gynecology with almost one-quarter of the patients ever having been victim of various forms of IPV, and almost one in 10 currently. Awareness of the possibility of IPV and early recognition by physicians might reduce mental and physical sequels and strengthen women's feeling of being supported.

In the 1990s, concerns with response fragmentation for intimate partner violence (IPV) led to the promotion of coordinated community responses (CCRs) to prevent and control IPV. Evaluation of CCRs has been limited. A previous evaluation of 10 CCRs funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed no overall impact on rates of IPV when compared to matched communities. However, there was great variability in the quality and quantity of CCR efforts between sites and thus potentially different levels of impact. This article establishes the impact of each of the 10 CCRs on women's past-year exposure to IPV and contact with IPV services and explores the associations between specific CCR components and contact with IPV services.

Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) navigate complex, dangerous decisions. Tailored safety information and safety planning, typically provided by domestic violence service providers, can prevent repeat IPV exposure and associated adverse health outcomes; however, few abused women access these services. The Internet represents a potentially innovative way to connect abused women with tailored safety planning resources and information. The purpose of this study was to compare safety and mental health outcomes at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months among abused women randomized to: (1) a tailored, Internet-based safety decision aid; or (2) control website (typical safety information available online). Multistate, community-based longitudinal RCT with one-to-one allocation ratio and blocked randomization. Data were collected March 2011-May 2013 and analyzed June-July 2015. Currently abused Spanish- or English-speaking women (N=720). A tailored Internet-based safety decision...

Objectives. This 11-city study sought to identify risk factors for femicide in abusive relationships. Methods. Proxies of 220 intimate partner femicide victims identified from police or medical examiner records were interviewed, along with 343 abused control women. Results. Preincident risk factors associated in multivariate analyses with increased risk of intimate partner femicide included perpetrator’s access to a gun and previous threat with a weapon, perpetrator’s stepchild in the home, and estrangement, especially from a controlling partner. Never living together and prior domestic violence arrest were associated with lowered risks. Significant incident factors included the victim having left for another partner and the perpetrator’s use of a gun. Other significant bivariate-level risks included stalking, forced sex, and abuse during pregnancy. Conclusions. There are identifiable risk factors for intimate partner femicides.

This descriptive study presents the profiles of abused female sex workers (FSWs) in Chennai, India. Of 100 abused FSWs surveyed using a structured questionnaire, severe forms of violence by intimate partners were reported by most (98%) respondents. Of the total sample, 76% experienced violence by clients. Sexual coercion experiences of the FSWs included verbal threats (77%) and physical force (87%) by intimate partners and forced unwanted sexual acts (73%) by clients. While 39% of the women consumed alcohol before meeting a client, 26% reported that their drunkenness was a trigger for violence by clients. The findings suggest that there is an urgent need to integrate services, along with public-health interventions among FSWs to protect them from violence. Recognition of multiple identities of women in the contexts of intimate relationships versus sex work is vital in helping women to stay safe from adverse effects on health.

Objective: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression occur frequently following traumatic exposure, both as separate disorders and concurrently. This raises the question of whether PTSD and depression are separate disorders in the aftermath of trauma or part of a single general traumatic stress construct. This study aimed to explore the relationships among PTSD, depression, and comorbid PTSD/depression following traumatic injury. Method: A group of 363 injury survivors was assessed just prior to discharge from hospital and 3 and 12 months postinjury. Canonical correlations were used to examine the relationship between PTSD and depression symptom severity and a set of predictor variables. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify whether the diagnostic categories of PTSD, depression, and comorbid PTSD/depression were associated with different groups of predictors. The majority of psychopathology in the aftermath of trauma was best conceptualized as a general traumatic stress factor, suggesting that when PTSD and depression occur together, they reflect a shared vulnerability with similar predictive variables. However, there was also evidence that in a minority of cases at 3 months, depression occurs independently from PTSD and was predicted by a different combination of variables. Conclusions: While PTSD and comorbid PTSD/depression are indistinguishable, the findings support the existence of depression as a separate construct in the acute, but not the chronic, aftermath of trauma.

Experiencing a sexual assault can have long-lasting negative consequences including development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol misuse. Intervention provided in the initial weeks following assault can reduce the development of these chronic problems. This study describes the iterative treatment development process for refining a brief intervention targeting PTSD and alcohol misuse for women with recent sexual assault experiences. Experts, treatment providers, and patients provided feedback on the intervention materials and guided the refinement process. Based on principles of cognitive change, the final intervention consists of one in-person session and four coaching calls targeting beliefs about the assault and about drinking behavior. Initial feasibility and acceptability data are presented for patients enrolled in an open trial (N = 6). The intervention was rated as helpful, not distressing, and interesting by patients and all patients completed the entire treatment protocol. A large decrease in PTSD symptoms pre-to postintervention was observed. A small effect on decreasing alcohol consequences also emerged, although drinks consumed per week showed a slight increase, not a decrease, over the course of the intervention. Applications of this intervention and next steps for testing efficacy are presented.

Introduction: Women, and persons facing social and economic disadvantage, are at greater risk for depressive disorders. Our objective was to describe the explanatory models of illness in depressed women, in particular, their idioms of distress, and their views of their social circumstances and how this related to their illness. Method: We carried out a qualitative investigation nested in a population based cohort study of women's mental and reproductive health in Goa, India. We purposively sampled women who were ever-married and who had been found to be suffering from a depressive disorder on the basis of a structured diagnostic interview. In-depth interviews were carried out about six months apart exploring stressors in women's lives, a typical day in their recent lives, and their illness narratives (idioms of distress, causal models, impact of illness, help-seeking). Results: 35 women consented to participate in the study, 28 completing both interviews. Women gave expression to their problems primarily through somatic complaints, typically a variety of body aches, autonomic symptoms, gynecological symptoms and sleep problems. There was frequent mention of overall "weakness" and tiredness. Economic difficulties and difficulties with interpersonal relationships (particularly related to marital relationships) were the most common causal models. However, women rarely considered biomedical concepts, for example, the notion that they may suffer from an illness or that their complaints were due to a biochemical disturbance in the brain. Despite the lack of a biomedical concept, most of the participants had sought medical help, typically for reproductive and somatic complaints. Conclusions: We recommend the use of somatic idioms as the defining clinical features, and a broader, psychosocial model for understanding the aetiology and conceptualization of the clinical syndrome of depression for public health interventions and mental health promotion in the Indian context.

En este trabajo se han estudiado las repercusiones psicopatológicas de la violencia doméstica en la mujer en función de las circunstancias del maltrato en una muestra de 212 víctimas en un Servicio de Violencia Familiar. Los resultados pusieron de manifiesto que la gravedad psicopatológica (estrés postraumático y malestar emocional) estaba relacionada con diferentes circunstancias de maltrato: la situación de la mujer en relación con la convivencia con el maltratador, la cercanía de la violencia en el tiempo, los años de sufrimiento del maltrato y la presencia de relaciones sexuales forzadas, así como los episodios de maltrato en la infancia. Por otro lado, se halló que el apoyo social y el apoyo familiar eran variables relacionadas con un menor nivel de gravedad psicopatológica. Se comentan las implicaciones de este estudio para la práctica clínica y para las investigaciones futuras. PALABRAS CLAVE. Mujeres maltratadas. Trastorno de estrés postraumático. Psicopatología.

The ongoing debate surrounding the criminalisation of abused women who commit
domestic homicide remains a contentious issue. The legal responses to domestic
violence saw the introduction of new coercive control legislation and the new Domestic
Abuse Act 2021, however the effectiveness of these measures is still uncertain. This
paper aims to highlight the shortcomings of both theoretical and practical aspects of
the current law and proposed reforms. It is suggested that the failure to provide an
adequate defence for women who resort to killing their abuser, stems from the
significant gender imbalance in the law that has created a culture of victim blaming.
Throughout this paper I examine substantial challenges faced by women who commit
domestic homicide and the protection available to. This research expands on previous
findings and considers alternative legislative reform in the interests of justice and fair
treatment. By shedding light on plight of women subjected to coercive control, this
paper suggests that a deeper comprehension of such dynamics by legal professionals
could potentially mitigate instances of legal systems abuse.

Uma mulher que experimenta a maternidade no contexto da imigração, é suscetível a inadequações no atendimento, comprometendo sua própria experiência da gravidez e do parto e a satisfação com o atendimento. Este estudo pretende compreender as tradições, crenças e práticas de cuidado cultural relacionadas à gravidez, parto e pós-parto das mães imigrantes em Portugal. É um tipo de pesquisa qualitativa, utilizando a entrevista semi-estruturada, em que 60 mães imigrantes participaram. A análise de conteúdo foi apoiada por NVivo10. Várias crenças, tradições e práticas culturais associadas à gravidez, parto ou pós-parto, de diferentes culturas, são apresentadas. De especial relevância destacam-se as interdições e proibições impostas à mulher grávida...Palavras-Chave: Crenças; Práticas; Cuidado Cultural; Imigração; Maternidade

The impact of interpersonal violence on college students has received considerable recent attention, yet no studies have been conducted among community college students. These students comprise over 40% of all American college students, and may have unique risk factors and needs. These students are more likely than their peers at 4 year institutions to be women, people of color, working, parenting, and first generation college students. The current study uses a simple random sample of students from four campuses (n=435) to assess the extent of intimate partner violence, trauma exposure, sexual violence victimization, and associated mental health consequences among female students attending community college. Over 27% of participants met the threshold for experiencing IPV in the past 12 months, while 25% reported having experienced sexual assault and 34% reported experiencing other uncomfortable sexual experiences in their lifetime. Nearly 20% of participants were currently reporting PTSD symptoms.

This study was aimed to estimate the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in a sample of 226 women with disabilities living in four different districts of Bangladesh. It also explored the physical and psychological suffering of women experiencing violence and their various coping strategies. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 226 women with disabilities to measure the prevalence of IPV, and 16 in-depth interviews were conducted to document in detail the experiences of violence encountered by the abused women. Among the 226 women interviewed in the survey, about 84% reported ever having experienced at least one act of emotional abuse, physical, or sexual violence from their partner during their lifetime. Women who were older (aged above 32 years), separated, and members of economic/savings group were more likely to report ever having experienced any IPV than women with disabilities who were younger (aged 32 years and less), married, and not members of economic/sav...

The paper discusses women's narrations on the effects violence against them has upon their children, if exposed, and challenges the women's consciousness of these effects. Findings concern the first phase results of the VICTIMS project (2009-2011) on violence against women and its effects on their children, which was designed and conducted in four European countries with co-funding obtained by the DAPHNE III programme. The paper particularly discusses the findings that have emerged from a series of seventeen in-depth interviews that were conducted with mothers from Cyprus,

Background: Gender based violence, including violence by an intimate partner, is a major global human rights and public health problem, with important connections with HIV risk. Indeed, the elimination of sexual and gender based violence is a core pillar of HIV prevention for UNAIDS. Integrated strategies to address the gender norms, relations and inequities that underlie both violence against women and HIV/AIDS are needed. However there is limited evidence about the potential impact of different intervention models. This protocol describes the SASA! Study: an evaluation of a community mobilisation intervention to prevent violence against women and reduce HIV/AIDS risk in Kampala, Uganda. Methods/Design: The SASA! Study is a pair-matched cluster randomised controlled trial being conducted in eight communities in Kampala. It is designed to assess the community-level impact of the SASA! intervention on the following six primary outcomes: attitudes towards the acceptability of violence against women and the acceptability of a woman refusing sex (among male and female community members); past year experience of physical intimate partner violence and sexual intimate partner violence (among females); community responses to women experiencing violence (among women reporting past year physical/sexual partner violence); and past year concurrency of sexual partners (among males). 1583 women and men (aged 18-49 years) were surveyed in intervention and control communities prior to intervention implementation in 2007/8. A follow-up cross-sectional survey of community members will take place in 2012. The primary analysis will be an adjusted cluster-level intention to treat analysis, comparing outcomes in intervention and control communities at follow-up. Complementary monitoring and evaluation and qualitative research will be used to explore and describe the process of intervention implementation and the pathways through which change is achieved. Discussion: This is one of few cluster randomised trials globally to assess the impact of a gender-focused community mobilisation intervention. The multi-disciplinary research approach will enable us to address questions of intervention impact and mechanisms of action, as well as its feasibility, acceptability and transferability to other contexts. The results will be of importance to researchers, policy makers and those working on the front line to prevent violence against women and HIV.

The applicant was arrested on suspicion of membership of an illegal armed organisation, the PKK (Workers' Party of Kurdistan) and later convicted as charged and sentenced to 15 years' imprisonment. She complained in particular that, during her detention, she had been subjected to ill-treatment and a gynaecological examination against her will. The European Court of Human Rights, finding that there was no evidence to substantiate the applicant's allegation that she had been subjected to ill-treatment, declared that part of her complaint inadmissible as being manifestly ill-founded. The Court further found the applicant's allegation that she had been forced to have a gynaecological examination to be unsubstantiated and therefore held that there had been no violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, the Court did find that the applicant had resisted a gynaecological examination until persuaded to agree to it and that, given the vulnerability of a detainee in such circumstances, the applicant could not have been expected to indefinitely resist having such an examination. It decided to examine that issue from the point of view of Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the Convention. Observing that the gynaecological examination which had been imposed on the applicant without her free and informed consent had not been shown to have been "in accordance with the law" or "necessary in a democratic society", the Court held that there had been a violation of Article 8 of the Convention. Thus, in particular, the examination appeared to have been a discretionary measure taken by the authorities to safeguard those members of the security forces who had arrested and detained the applicant against a false accusation of sexual assault. That safeguard did however not justify seeking to persuade a detainee to agree to such an intrusive and serious interference with her physical integrity, especially given that she had not complained of having been sexually assaulted.

In the past few years, WHO, the American Medical Association, International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Royal College of Nursing, and other professional medical organisations have made statements about the public-health importance of violence against women. 1 Several organisations have developed guidelines on how health workers can better identify, support, and refer victims of violence. These actions result from a growing recognition that violence represents a serious violation of women's human rights, is an important cause of injury, and is a risk factor for many physical and psychological health problems. Understanding genderbased violence and the appropriate case management of women with a current or previous history of violence are now recognised as core competencies for health workers. In the next six editions of The Lancet, different authors will discuss current challenges and debates on violence against women and public health. As an introduction, we present an overview of the different forms of violence against women to convey an idea of its global magnitude, and discuss characteristics that distinguish violence against women from other forms of violence. The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women defines violence against women as: . . . any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women. Although broad in its scope, this statement defines violence as acts that cause or have the potential to cause harm, and emphasises that these acts are rooted in sex inequality. This focus on women does not deny the fact that men experience violence. Indeed, war, ethnic cleansing, and gang and street violence are significant causes of male morbidity and mortality. However, as violence against men often differs in its aetiology and response strategies, it warrants separate consideration.

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a global public health and human rights concern. Despite a growing body of research into risk factors for IPV, methodological differences limit the extent to which comparisons can be made between studies. We used data from ten countries included in the WHO Multi-country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence to identify factors that are consistently associated with abuse across sites, in order to inform the design of IPV prevention programs. Methods: Standardised population-based household surveys were done between 2000 and 2003. One woman aged 15-49 years was randomly selected from each sampled household. Those who had ever had a male partner were asked about their experiences of physically and sexually violent acts. We performed multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of physical and/or sexual partner violence within the past 12 months. Results: Despite wide variations in the prevalence of IPV, many factors affected IPV risk similarly across sites. Secondary education, high SES, and formal marriage offered protection, while alcohol abuse, cohabitation, young age, attitudes supportive of wife beating, having outside sexual partners, experiencing childhood abuse, growing up with domestic violence, and experiencing or perpetrating other forms of violence in adulthood, increased the risk of IPV. The strength of the association was greatest when both the woman and her partner had the risk factor. Conclusions: IPV prevention programs should increase focus on transforming gender norms and attitudes, addressing childhood abuse, and reducing harmful drinking. Development initiatives to improve access to education for girls and boys may also have an important role in violence prevention.

Background: Violence by an intimate partner is increasingly recognized as an important public and reproductive health issue. The aim of this study is to investigate the extent to which physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence is associated with induced abortion and pregnancy loss from other causes and to compare this with other, more commonly recognized explanatory factors. Methods: This study analyzes the data of the Tanzania section of the WHO Multi-Country Study on Women's Health and Domestic Violence, a large population-based cross-sectional survey of women of reproductive age in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya, Tanzania, conducted from 2001 to 2002. All women who answered positively to at least one of the questions about specific acts of physical or sexual violence committed by a partner towards her at any point in her life were considered to have experienced intimate partner violence. Associations between self reported induced abortion and pregnancy loss with intimate partner violence were analysed using multiple regression models. Results: Lifetime physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence was reported by 41% and 56% of ever partnered, ever pregnant women in Dar es Salaam and Mbeya respectively. Among the ever pregnant, ever partnered women, 23% experienced involuntary pregnancy loss, while 7% reported induced abortion. Even after adjusting for other explanatory factors, women who experienced intimate partner violence were 1.6 (95%CI: 1.06,1.60) times more likely to report an pregnancy loss and 1.9 (95%CI: 1.30,2.89) times more likely to report an induced abortion. Intimate partner violence had a stronger influence on induced abortion and pregnancy loss than women's age, socio-economic status, and number of live born children. Conclusions: Intimate partner violence is likely to be an important influence on levels of induced abortion and pregnancy loss in Tanzania. Preventing intimate partner violence may therefore be beneficial for maternal health and pregnancy outcomes.

Previous research shows that victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) often justify violence, which can play a role in the persistence of violence. The present studies examined whether the victim’s justification of violence negatively affects third parties’ evaluative responses toward the victim (general evaluation of the victim, victim blaming, and evaluation of the victim’s response toward the violence) and negatively affects third parties’ willingness to support and take action. We also examined whether this would occur especially when the violence had happened frequently in the past. In two experimental studies (one in the Netherlands, Study 1, N = 220; one in Indonesia, Study 2, N = 231), participants watched a video depicting IPV. After watching the video, we manipulated the victim’s justification of violence (high vs. low justification of violence) as well as the frequency of violence experienced by the victim in the past (high vs. low past frequency). Consistent across the two studies, the results showed that when they justified violence (as compared to when they did not justify violence), victims were evaluated more negatively. There were no effects on victim blaming, willingness to support, and willingness to take action. We also found the effects of past frequency of violence on victim evaluation and willingness to take action. We discuss how the current findings extend previous research on the consequences of justification of violence as well as on third-party responses toward victims.

Background: Previous studies quantified that women who experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) had a higher
risk of spontaneous abortion than women who did not experience IPV. However, there is limited evidence documenting
the experiences of women in Northern Ethiopia who have been subjected to partner violence and who had spontaneous
abortions. This evidence is critical for policymakers looking to improve women’s access to maternity care.
Objectives: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of IPV survivors during pregnancy who had spontaneous
abortions in Northern Ethiopia.
Design: A phenomenological qualitative study design was used to explore the lived experiences of survivors of IPV who
had spontaneous abortions.
Methods: A total of 16 interviews were conducted between April 23 and June 5, 2020. Eight in-depth interviews and
eight key informant interviews were conducted with eligible mothers who received the required service, Adigrat General
Hospital service providers, zonal women’s affairs experts, and legal professionals. The purposive sampling technique was
used to select study participants, and the sample size was determined using the information saturation principle. The
data were analyzed through open coding and thematic content analysis.
Result: The themes that emerged in this study included opinions toward IPV, mothers’ and experts’ experiences of
partner support during pregnancy, attitudes toward IPV, and understanding of spontaneous abortion. Physical, emotional,
sexual, and economic pressure were identified as the most common forms of IPV. Participants in the study believed
that physical violence and stress were associated with spontaneous abortion. They also mentioned various strategies
for preventing IPV, such as providing job opportunities for women, punishing perpetrators, and encouraging mutual
tolerance.
Conclusion: This study found that spontaneous abortion is linked to any type of IPV, including physical IPV during
pregnancy. IPV is a community-supported event that necessitates strategies and legal frameworks to prevent and mitigate
its effects.

Cultural heritage, societal values, role expectations, the legal system, and sex stereotyping are examples of. the multi-level collusion of forces which keep victims of domestic violence fróm challenging the legitimacy of the abusive behavior. Powerless subjects of injustice, specifically battered women, who are eager to maintain high self-regard may actually identify with the aggressor and develop ways of anesthetizing or avoiding the pain. The physical presence of options or alternatives empowers victims to take charge and activate change in their lives. These alternatives can take the form of personal-, group-, or system-level options, such as ,psychological exploration of the inner self to make sense of life circumstances, membership in support groups, or legal actions against the aggressor. When victims are offered options, they are told that they are in a position to do something about their victimization. Options do not, by definition, activate a sense of injustice, but they must be present to instigate the. process.

Despite increasing numbers of studies on gender-based intimate partner violence, little is known about its specific characteristics in the case of older women. This is difficult to understand and justify given that the population is progressively ageing while recognition of the intersectional paradigm is growing. This paper analyses some of the specific characteristics of genderbased intimate partner violence in the case of older women. Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with women survivors and two discussion groups were arranged, one with professionals working in centers to help survivors of gender-based violence and another involving associated older women. The results show that gender-based intimate partner violence against older women has specific characteristics, which primarily relate to the effects of the intersection between sexism and ageism that permeate our society.

This study examined battered women's cognitive schema in relation to their cognitions about violence (i-e., the "meaning" attached to the violence), post-traumatic reactions to violence, and serual victimization histories. Seventy-two battered women seeking help from an outpatient family violence clinic were subjects. The meaning of the violence (e.g., srpectatwnr of recurrent violence and of severeflethal violence, causal attribution) was found to erplain variance in cognitive schemata about SAFETY, SELF, A N D OTHER (McCann and Pearlman, 1990a). All measures of cognitive schemata were significantly related to various global and specific measures of posttraumatic stress (GSI, MMPI-PTSD, IES). No differences were found for cognitive schemata based on histories of sexual victimization. Results point to the importance of assessing the impact of traumatic experiences on core cognitive beliefs as a component in the constellation of post-traumatic sequelae.

OBJETIVO: Compreender as vivências de enfermeiros no atendimento a mulheres que sofreram violência sexual. PROCEDIMENTOS METODOLÓGICOS: Estudo clínico-qualitativo em que foram entrevistados seis enfermeiros de um serviço de assistência a mulheres vítimas de violência sexual em Campinas, SP, no período de abril a maio de 2007. Utilizou-se a técnica da entrevista semidirigida de questões abertas. Os dados foram analisados pela técnica de análise de conteúdo com base no referencial psicodinâmico. Foram produzidas categorias analíticas: o que pensam, o que sentem, como agem e como reagem ao trabalho com vítimas de violência sexual. ANÁLISE DOS RESULTADOS: Os entrevistados indicaram o acolhimento como fundamental na assistência humanizada e no estabelecimento de vínculo com a cliente. Foram relatados sentimentos como medo, insegurança, impotência, ambivalência, angústia e ansiedade, que acarretam alterações de comportamento e interferem na vida pessoal, como também sentimentos de satisfa...

Globalization, in the context of this panel, refers to international, trans-border processes which are not regulated by the international legal framework, either private law or public international law. These processes, these unregulated influences, are having both positive and negative effects and affecting aspects of culture and society which had previously been considered domestic or wholly domestic concerns. This is creating a tension within both the domestic and international environments, and it is this particular tension that this panel seeks to address. E. Clinton Bamberger, Emeritus Professor of Law, University of Maryland Law School, will speak about how domestic systems in one country can serve as surrogates or supplements, providers of access to justice, for persons denied access to justice in their own country. Lucie White, Professor of Law, Harvard will talk about how legal aid is affected when different cultures and different communities immigrate or immigrant communities are set up in a country.

Evaluar el nivel de conocimientos y las opiniones del personal sanitario acerca de la violencia de género y conocer las barreras organizativas que aprecian, sus propuestas para mejorar la detección precoz y la atención a las víctimas. Método. Estudio transversal, observacional, descriptivo. Se empleó un cuestionario anónimo administrado a profesionales sanitarios de las unidades obstétricas, pediátricas y de urgencias de los 2 hospitales del área 8 de Madrid. Resultados. En la prueba de conocimientos las respuestas correctas alcanzaron, globalmente, un nivel medio. Para un 58,2% de profesionales los malos tratos a mujeres se asocian a clases sociales bajas; un 72,8% cree que la violencia la sufren mujeres sin estudios, amas de casa o extranjeras. Respecto al agresor, un 67,6% lo considera un varón bebedor, drogadicto o parado. El 97,7% de los profesionales cree que la violencia contra la mujer es un problema importante y que habitualmente pasa desapercibido, sin embargo el 66,7% no lo plantea como diagnóstico diferencial ante una paciente con lesiones físicas. Entre los problemas organizativos señalados destacan la presión asistencial, la falta de formación, información y de un protocolo de actuación. Conclusiones. Los profesionales muestran un nivel medio de conocimientos acerca del tema, sin que se encuentren diferencias significativas entre los 2 hospitales que participan en el estudio, ni entre las 3 categorías profesionales estudiadas. Hay creencias estereotipadas entre los profesionales, quienes, por otra parte, consideran que su labor es importante a la hora de detectar los casos de maltrato. Reducir las barreras organizativas detectadas podría mejorar la asistencia a estas pacientes. Palabras clave: Mujeres maltratadas. Violencia contra la mujer. Profesional sanitario. Personal de enfermería en hospital. Conocimientos, opiniones y práctica en salud.

The term 'Battered Wife Syndrome' was first used in R. v. . Angelique Lyn Lavallee, the accused, was charged with 2nd degree murder of her common law partner, Kevin Rust. For the most part, Lavallee had experienced both physical and psychological abuse from her partner for several years. The night Lavallee shot her partner, they were in a heated argument in Lavallee's room. Rust had given Lavallee a rifle and told her that if she didn't kill him, he'd kill her. When Rust turned to leave Lavallee's room she shot him with the rifle in the back of the head (Verdun-Jones, At trial, Lavallee relied on section 34 (2) of the Criminal Code of Canada which states: "every one who is unlawfully assaulted and who caused death or grievous bodily harm in repelling the assault is justified if (a) he causes it under reasonable apprehension of death or grievous bodily harm from the violence with which the assault was originally made or with which the assailant pursues his purposes; and (b) he believes, on reasonable grounds, that he cannot otherwise preserve himself from death or grievous bodily harm" (Criminal Code of Canada, R.S.C. 1985, C. c-46, P. CC/91). The jury acquitted Lavallee of 2nd degree murder, however Crown appealed, and the Manitoba Court of Appeal (MCA) agreed with Crown's position. Lavallee appealed to Supreme Court of Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada overturned the Manitoba Court of Appeal decision and acquitted Lavallee of the 2nd degree murder conviction. The decision became the landmark decision for what is know referred to as the "Battered Wife Syndrome" defence (Verdun-Jones, 2002. p. 332).

The objective of this study was to determine whether a military deployment of 6 months predicted domestic violence against the wives of deployed and nondeployed soldiers during the postdeployment period. The method involved the completion of an anonymous questionnaire by a sample of the spouses of soldiers deployed from a large U.S. Army post. The Conflict Tactics Scale identified incidents of domestic violence by the soldier husbands, and a logistic regression model predicted domestic violence during the postdeployment period. The results indicate that deployment was not a significant predictor of domestic violence during the first 10 months of the postdeployment period. Younger wives and those who were victims of predeployment domestic violence were more likely to report postdeployment domestic violence. The conclusion was that interventions for domestic violence in the U.S. Army should address risks among younger couples and those with a previous incident of domestic violence.

Since its inception in England and Wales, the partial defence to murder of loss of control has generated a steady stream of appeals. Individually, those appeals have illuminated key aspects of the plea's operation. This paper, though, is the first to explore that operation via a systematic analysis of every loss of control appeal to date (110 cases). Using that data, the paper frames more effectively, and thus improves understanding of, a neglected phenomenon in the plea: specifically, the decision-making roles of criminal justice 'gatekeepers' - principally trial judges, juries and prosecutors - in governing access to loss of control. In doing so, the paper assesses how far these gatekeepers interpret the plea's requirements in a 'civilising' way - one which prioritises meritorious loss of control claims above those which are unmeritorious. It contends that each gatekeeper struggles to regulate loss of control in such a way. Ultimately, this diminishes the symbolic value these reforms may have had and frustrates any civilising potential of homicide law reform.

The course of physical and psychological partner aggression was investigated over a decade in 203 wives from Suffolk County, New York. Wives reported on their own and on their partners’ aggression at one month before marriage and 6, 18, 30, and 120 months after marriage. This follow-up is the longest period over which partner aggression has been examined. Prevalence rates of wife’s report of wife- and husband-perpetrated physical aggression were 48% and 35% at premarriage, and 13% and 10% ten years later. Using HLM, husband- and wife-perpetrated physical aggression were found to decrease on average approximately one act of aggression per month, regardless of severity and even when controlling for changes in marital satisfaction. There was no significant pattern of change in psychological aggression. These findings are consistent with cross-sectional analyses, and suggest that physical partner aggression decreases in community samples of couples.

Changing Systems to Prevent Violence in Chicago and Beyond Mission Statement UIC 2010 Seed Grant funds will be used to support Center-related activities that together will develop the necessary infrastructure to promote and support ongoing interdisciplinary work in the area of violence. In addition we aim to go beyond our current membership to bring together practitioners, policy makers, and other UIC researchers dedicated to preventing violence in Chicago and beyond. By collaborating with community partners, the relevance and immediate impact of the Center's research will be greatly enhanced. The UIC Center for Research on Violence is being proposed to better understand and address the problems that violence creates for individuals, families, and communities. The proposed Center will explore violence from an ecological perspective, focusing on systems' responses and community factors relevant to the maintenance and prevention of violence. This perspective is broad enough to encompass the different theoretical approaches currently used by Center members while also allowing for the broadening of perspectives. To this end, the mission of Center will be to create a truly collaborative environment, which promotes the interdisciplinary generation, diffusion, and utilization of knowledge in the study and prevention of violence. In pursuing its mission, the Center will undertake several projects that together will create an infrastructure to promote the kinds of interdisciplinary investigations that are needed to have an impact upon the fields of criminal justice, social work, psychology, public health, occupational therapy, African-American studies, gender studies, healthcare, etc. as they relate to violence and its prevention.

Introducción. Estudiar la gravedad del trauma físico en las víctimas de feminicidio podría contribuir a prevenirlo de forma más efectiva.Objetivo. Determinar si el número de heridas en los feminicidios con arma cortopunzante varía respecto a la edad de la víctima y su relación con el atacante.Materiales y métodos. La población correspondió a mujeres colombianas lesionadas hasta la muerte con arma cortopunzante entre 2011 y 2013 (n=331; edad promedio 14-91 años), quienes fueron categorizadas por rangos de edad y tipos de relación con los agresores. Dos análisis ANOVA de una vía y uno factorial permitieron identificar diferencias entre los promedios de las lesiones de las víctimas y los efectos de interacción entre las categorías establecidas.Resultados. El patrón de gravedad del trauma físico fue mayor en mujeres entre los 22 y 40 años y con vínculos románticos con los agresores. Los rangos de edad y tipos de relación tuvieron efectos de interacción sobre la cantidad de heridas sufri...