Research underscores the epidemic of sexual violence (SV) among Indigenous populations including youth, which is rooted in colonization and multiple historical traumas. Yet, little research has examined the prevention of SV in the context of tribal reservations. The purpose of the current study was to examine the promise of the program, including (a) examining program acceptability and fidelity; and (b) changes in intermediary outcomes (e.g., gender-equitable attitudes, rape myths) associated with participation in a program (i.e., Sources of Strength [SOS]) intended to prevent SV and among middle school boys residing on a rural reservation in the Northern Great Plains. SOS teaches boys to understand and manage violence in peaceful ways, including an emphasis on cultural values and resisting peer pressure. Participants were 56 middle school boys who completed a pretest, participated in SOS over a 6-week period, and completed a posttest several weeks following the last SOS session. Participants also completed a postsession survey after each session where we assessed acceptability. Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses on the postsession surveys found that the program was acceptable and perceived as impactful (e.g., commitment to nonviolence, living life consistent with Lakota manhood). Results from analyses examining changes from pre- to posttest found reductions in rape myths and some domains of conformity to masculine norms and increases in gender-equitable attitudes. There were no changes in recognizing the importance of sexual consent. This initial study documents that SOS holds promise as a program to prevent the use of SV among Indigenous middle school boys.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and firearm violence threaten women’s health and safety in the United States. Despite the magnitude of female homicides and mass shootings resulting from IPV-related firearm incidents, research in this critical area remains limited. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) Firearm Injury Surveillance Study from 1993 through 2019 was performed. The study focused on firearm shooting injuries seen in US Emergency Departments (ED) during assaults, excluding unintentional injuries, suicide attempts, or law enforcement activity. The demographics and injury patterns of IPV and non-IPV groups were compared using statistical methods accounting for the weighted, stratified nature of the data. Over the 27-year period from 1993 through 2019, there were 60,730 ED visits for firearm injuries (limited to assaults when shot by the firearm for those 10 years or older) for an estimated 1,564,078 visits. IPV represented 0.9% (137,740 of the 1,564,078) estimated firearm-related injuries. IPV patients were more likely to be older (39.3 vs 27.7 years; p < 0.0001), female (59.0% vs 11.3%; p < 0.0001), white (62.5% vs 19.5%; p < 0.0001), occurred at home (67.1% vs 13.8%; p < 0.0001), sustained head and neck injuries (30.2% vs 15.0%; p = 0.0056) and with a higher mortality (12.3% vs 6.6%; p < 0.01) compared with non-IPV patients. Female IPV patients had more head and neck injuries (37.2% vs 20.2%; p = 0.03) than male patients. The average age of IPV patients when the perpetrator was an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend was lower (25.8 years) than when the perpetrator was a spouse (40.6 years) or ex-spouse (37.7 years) ( p < 0.0001). One-third of the IPV patients were not married or did not report their marital status, supporting firearm restrictions for those already convicted of domestic violence offenses from a public health viewpoint. The study highlights the urgent need for interventions to reduce IPV-related firearm injuries, given the deliberate targeting of head and neck regions in female IPV patients and the high fatality rates observed in IPV patients presenting to ED.

This article presents a scoping review of empirical research on public perceptions, the perpetration and harms associated with sexual deepfakes, nonconsensual explicit content fabricated through generative technologies. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology, 14 peer-reviewed studies retrieved from three academic databases were analyzed. The literature predominantly focuses on Anglo-Western contexts, resulting in a significant absence of research from culturally diverse settings. The findings are organized into three main topics and related subthemes: (i) “public opinions,” which includes perceptions of sexual deepfake content, motivations, harms, construction of perpetrators’ identity, and the role of digital platforms; (ii) “perpetration,” which addresses the sociotechnical aspects of the sexual deepfakes, such as the accessibility of generative nudatory technologies and its relationship with the cultural frameworks surrounding the abuse; and (iii) “impacts and harms,” which details the real, embodied consequences experienced by victims and survivors and the barriers they face. The review identifies three critical areas of debate: (1) terminological debates surrounding sexual deepfakes; (2) differences between survey-based and online studies; and (3) empirical gaps and directions for research. Future research is encouraged to employ intersectional, survivor-centered, culturally grounded, and prevention-focused methodologies to better understand how sexual deepfakes are produced and experienced.

Despite the pervasive threat of firearm violence across the United States, research has overwhelmingly centered on male victims, often overlooking the devastating impact on black women and girls. In 2023 alone, 2320 black women and girls were victims of firearm violence. This scoping review explores the effects of firearm violence on this demographic, examining the disproportionate burden of firearm-related homicide, suicide, and police violence, as well as the associated social, economic, and psychological consequences. It also analyzes the systematic factors contributing to this overlooked public health crisis. A search of EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases was conducted in September 2024. Search terms related to firearm violence, black women, black girls, and intersecting factors such as race and gender were used to identify relevant studies. Peer-reviewed empirical articles focusing on black women and girls in the United States were included; reports, dissertations, and theses were excluded. All eligible studies were uploaded to DistillerSR for screening, analysis, and data extraction. Fifty-six studies were included, generating four themes: demography ( n = 29), intimate partner violence ( n = 10), neighborhood disparities ( n = 11), and mental health consequences ( n = 6). Findings revealed a disproportionate exposure to firearm violence among black women and girls, along with significant gaps in research focused on this population. Findings highlight the need for research on the intersection of race, gender, and firearm violence, especially regarding mental health and firearm suicide. Improved data collection and intersectional approaches are essential to understand and mitigate the impact of firearm violence on this demographic.

Transgender individuals in Pakistan face physical and mental health challenges due to marginalization, discrimination, and victimization, which may increase their vulnerability to depression, anxiety, negative body image, and suicidal behaviors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between demographic factors, depression, anxiety, and low body appreciation with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide risk among transgender individuals in Pakistan. Demographic variables included age, gender assigned at birth, gender identity, profession, education, and socioeconomic status, assessed through a self-developed semistructured questionnaire. Psychological constructs were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Body Appreciation Scale-2, and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. Reliability of instruments was evaluated through Cronbach’s alpha. Data were collected from 135 participants through respondent-driven sampling using both online and in-person interviews after informed consent, ensuring anonymity and privacy. Analyses included questionnaire validation, frequencies, descriptive statistics, mean comparisons, bivariate correlations, and logistic regressions. Results indicated that demographic factors significantly influenced suicidal ideation and attempts. Correlation analyses showed significant associations between depression (r = 0.071), anxiety (r = 0.147), low body appreciation (r = 0.110), and suicidal behaviors (r = 0.008). Depression, anxiety, and low body appreciation were significantly related to past suicidal ideation (R² = 0.395), attempts (R² = 0.376), and future suicide risk (R² = 0.415). Regression analysis further revealed that depression (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.024, p = 0.001) and low body appreciation (AOR = 1.071, p = 0.044) were associated with a higher number of past suicide attempts. These findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive mental health interventions for transgender individuals in Pakistan.

Violence against women is a global public health issue with serious physical and psychological consequences, most commonly inflicted by an intimate partner. The attitudinal acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crucial factor associated with its prevalence. The current study aims to estimate the prevalence rates of attitudes toward IPV and identify associated factors among Honduran women and men who have experienced marital relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Demographic and Health Survey carried out in 2019. Separate analyses were done based on sex, employing univariate analyses to estimate prevalences and bivariate analyses, as well as Poisson regression models, to determine associated factors. The results revealed that the prevalence of attitudinal acceptance of IPV was 6.2% in women and 5.1% in men. For women, being previously married or cohabiting, belonging to the lowest wealth quintile, and having educational levels below or equal to high school were associated with a higher prevalence of attitudinal acceptance of IPV. In the case of men, higher prevalence of attitudinal acceptance of IPV was associated with marrying before reaching 18 years old, belonging to the lowest wealth quintile, and reporting some form of functional disability. These findings provide guidance for policymakers to develop strategies focused on reducing acceptance of IPV.

The study examines how revenge fantasies are expressed through drawings and narratives, revealing how cultural norms, hierarchy, and gender expectations shape responses to injustice. This is the first study to explore gendered revenge fantasies using arts-based methods within a Buddhist collectivist context. Using a mixed-methods approach, 50 participants (aged 18–30) created drawings and narratives depicting both unjust events and their revenge fantasies. Four primary revenge strategies emerged: direct punishment, indirect punishment (by proxy), karma, and avoidance. Findings suggest that hierarchical and gendered constraints influence revenge ideation, with socially disadvantaged individuals favoring indirect strategies. At the same time, those of equal status with their perpetrators were more likely to envision direct retaliation. Women gravitated toward symbolic or emotional revenge, while men depicted direct- or proxy-based retaliation. Cultural and religious values reinforced indirect, socially sanctioned revenge, with karma-based retaliation reflecting a belief in inevitable justice. These findings suggest that indirect revenge strategies may function as emotional regulation mechanisms and could inform culturally adapted violence prevention efforts.

This review explores the existing literature on posttraumatic growth in transgender individuals who are survivors of sexual assaults. A systematic review of research literature following preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines between 1989 and 2024 was conducted using databases PsycINFO, PubMed, ProQuest, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Approximately 72 articles were initially identified and evaluated in the preliminary search using the identified keywords. Of those retrieved, 10 met the criteria and were included integrating the findings from nine quantitative and one qualitative studies. The review findings suggest that overall small to moderate Posttraumatic growth was found to be a recurring phenomenon among transgender survivors of sexual assault. The highest level of growth was consistently experienced in relation to other domains. Posttraumatic stress, social support, and control over recovery were suggested to be associated with posttraumatic growth. Implications for practice, policy, and future directions are discussed.