Child Domestic Violence Research Articles

Teachers’ Experiences in Responding to Students’ Exposure to Domestic Violence

Exposure to domestic violence in childhood can have long-term negative impacts on the social and emotional functioning and educational outcomes of children and adolescents. This study is the first known Australian research to examine teachers’ experiences of supporting students exposed to domestic violence. Interviews with eleven primary and secondary school teachers revealed the substantial impact of students’ domestic violence exposure on teachers, the need for support from other school staff, and the benefits of targeted professional development. Results suggest that there is a need for teacher training in relation to supporting students with exposure to domestic violence, better recognition of the impacts of students’ exposure to domestic violence on teachers, changes to the way information is communicated with teachers, and improved protocols and policies to support teachers. Outcomes of this study can be used to inform future training and supports for teachers.

Parents’ socioeconomic position, psychological problems, and emotional neglect in childhood

Abstract Background Despite high prevalence and severe consequences for health and wellbeing, emotional neglect (EN) in childhood is a neglected topic in epidemiological research. To enable prevention of neglect knowledge is important about conditions related to EN such as parental individual characteristics and social/economic situation. Aim to investigate the relationship between parental socioeconomic position (SEP), psychological problems, and EN in childhood. Methods The sample comprised Swedish women, N = 976, mean age 22. EN was assessed by five indicators: maternal/paternal rejection, maternal/paternal lack of time, and occurrence of domestic violence. The associations between parental SEP/psychological problems and EN were examined by logistic regressions. Results The odds of experiencing domestic violence in childhood was higher among women with parents with low (OR 3.1 95% CI 1.1-8.5) or medium SEP (OR 3.4 95% CI 1.7-6.9). Women who reported maternal psychological problems had higher odds of maternal rejection (OR 6.8 95% CI 3.5-13.0), maternal lack of time (OR 2.4 95% CI 1.2-5.0) and paternal rejection (OR 1.9 95% CI 1.1-3.5). Women who reported paternal psychological problems had higher odds of perceiving their father as rejecting (OR 4.0 95% CI 2.1-7.7), not having enough time for them (OR 4.9 95% CI 2.3-10.6), and experiencing domestic violence (OR 4.9 95% CI 2.1-11.6). Conclusions Lower SES was not related to EN in form of parental rejection or lack of time but to the occurrence of domestic violence. Parental psychological problems were related to all indicators of EN but differently among mothers and fathers. Public health initiatives aiming at supporting parents should also embrace parental psychological wellbeing. Key messages Emotional neglect was clearly related to parental psychological problems but not parental socioeconomic status. Gendered structures need to be considered in studies of emotional neglect.

“Those songs were the ones that made me, nobody asked me this question before”: Music Elicitation with ex-gang involved men about their experiences of childhood domestic violence and abuse

This article describes the use of music and music videos as an elicitation tool within life-story narrative interviews. The study focused on the lives of men who had experienced domestic violence and abuse in childhood and become involved on road and/or with gangs. Music elicitation was used as participants were asked to select three music tracks that aided them telling their life stories, with particular reference to their experiences of domestic violence in childhood and their involvement on road and in gangs. The music tracks and in many cases the accompanying music videos were viewed in the interview space by both the researcher and participant together. In this case, music elicitation was found to be a very valuable element to the interviews and enhanced the experience for both the participant and researcher. Music elicitation operated in three main ways. Firstly, music often had been used as a personal coping mechanism, and this was recalled in the interview, acting as an anchor to the memory. Secondly, at points, both the music lyrics and their accompanying music videos were used as tools for communication by the participant, through them being used as metaphors, or as illustrations of the past. Lastly, the music was used by the participants as a narrative tool to structure and pace the interviews, giving them greater control over the interview space. This article shows promising results in using music as an elicitation tool for research with this participant group discussing sensitive issues.

Improving the diagnostics of the impact of domestic violence in children with the use of semi-structured interview

The authors propose a semi-structured interview to identify the effects of domestic violence in children. The interview includes a list of questions aimed at identifying possible cases of domestic violence, signs of emotional problems, impaired behavior and attention, preneurotic, autonomic and somatic disorders, typical situations of their occurrence in children, as well as family and interpersonal contexts. Observing behaviors and non-verbal manifestations during the interview that accompanies the respondent's answers allow us to identify not only the clear signs of the problem, but also to recognize the hidden, non-verbal manifestations to better understand the nature of the problem in children. Quantitative and qualitative analysis confirmed the diagnostic value of the proposed interview. The group of children affected by domestic violence found a much higher prevalence of emotional problems (depression, anxiety, emotional lability, heightened emotional sensitivity), behavioral disorders (aggressiveness, passivity, excessive obedience), sleep disorders and fears, vegetodistonic and somatic problems. Children were significantly more likely to show signs of psycho-physiological arousal (tears, tremors, agitation, paleness of palms, sudden paleness of redness, etc.) during the interview, indicating high emotional tension and sensitivity to topics related to the situation in the family in general and domestic violence in particular. Revealing the effects of psychological trauma through interviewing is an important task and competence of psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers during medical and psychological examination, as well as the psychosocial support of children affected by domestic violence.

Domestic violence against women in Shiraz, South-western Iran

:Background:Domestic violence against women can lead to short and long term health-related issues. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of domestic violence against married women and its correlates in southwestern, Iran.Methods:A population-based survey was carried out from February 1st to May 30th, 2018 in Shiraz, Iran. Currently married or recently separated/divorced women who visited healthcare centers were voluntarily interviewed. World Health Organization (WHO) standard domestic violence questionnaire was used to measure domestic violence. Hence, its prevalence and correlates were assessed. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results:Lifetime prevalence of overall, mental, physical, and sexual domestic violence were 54.5% (95% CI: 49.6, 59.4), 52.0% (95% CI: 47.1, 57.0), 18.2 % (95% CI: 14.4, 22.0) and 14.0 % (95% CI: 10.6, 17.4), respectively. Living separately, increasing spouse’s age, the higher number of children, rental housing, middle to low monthly income, and history of domestic violence in the family of husband and/or wife had a positive correlation with domestic violence in some categories.Conclusions:More than half of the married women in southwestern Iran are experiencing domestic violence, and mental domestic violence is the most common type. Economic instability and witnessing domestic violence in childhood are the most correlates of domestic violence. Family violence preventive services and other population-based measures are highly necessary for this region.

A Preliminary Study of the Empowerment Effects of Strength-Based LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® on Two Taiwanese Adult Survivors by Earlier Domestic Violence

The objective of this study was to construct empowerment model through strength-based LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® (LSP) workshop and to explore the effects and change connotations of this workshop. Two adult participants who had experienced domestic violence in childhood were invited to a 6-h strength-based LSP workshop. The research instruments included The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, and Critical Positivity Ratio Self-Test Scale. They were employed on pretest, posttest, and follow-up test. Subsequently, group interview was conducted to explore the effectiveness of the strength-based LSP workshop. According to the research results, two participants exhibited a consistently increasing trend on their Critical Positivity Ratio Self-Test Scale. They demonstrated positive changing trend on the posttest involving attachment-related avoidance scale, and their scores on the attachment-related anxiety scale also presented an increasing trend. Furthermore, the textual information collected from the LegoViews revealed that the strength-based LSP workshop could ingrain inner strengths, develop strengths in a relationship, and reconstruct life experience.

Language disorders in victims of domestic violence in children's homes.

The sample consists of 104 participants divided in two groups. A group of children who have just been institutionalized due to domestic abuse (VG) (Age: 8 years 2 months with a standard deviation of 1, 5 years) without previous treatment; a group of comparison (CG) made up by children who have not been victim of domestic violence (Age: 8 years 6 months with a standard deviation of 2 years and a month), with similar characteristics of gender, age and schooling. The Child Neuropsychological Assessment by Matute, Rosselli, Ardila and Ostrosky (2007) was applied. This test includes metalinguistic, oral and written comprehension and expression skills. The VG group showed low scores in all components of the analyzed language with exception to the discourse, syllable and non-word dictation compared to the CG children. The alterations of the language observed in these children semantic suggest a lack of consolidation of phonological coding and a low use of code. From our findings an early language evaluation in these children can be of especial interest to apply timely intervention programs with the aim of diminishing the impact caused by domestic violence on school failure which is a frequent trait in these children.

Women Mental Health and Well-being: A New Paradigm

This paper reviews literature on the determinants of women’s mental health through a stigma of mental illness and gender perspectives. This approach stresses that women’s particular health needs have been neglected in a male-centred models of health, and argues for the importance of addressing these needs in a way that views women and their lives holistically. A woman in social context is seen as parents and their roles have been demonstrated from their life within the family and society as well. This article draws attention to the women and physical health instead of looking at mental illness alone. The impact of violence against women, in particular, the effects of childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence and rape has been illustrated in western and Indian perspectives. In recommendations initiatives in mental health services especially, for women mental health has been emphasized broadly.

Assessing the interrelatedness of multiple types of adverse childhood experiences and odds for poor health in South Carolina adults

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to negative health outcomes in adulthood, but little research has been done on the effect of ACEs on the health and well-being of adults in South Carolina (SC). This study analyzed a sample of 9744 respondents who participated in the 2014 South Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) to examine the relationship among childhood experiences of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as witnessing household violence, on mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood among SC residents. Twenty-two percent of survey respondents reported poor general health (22.1%), and a smaller proportion reported high frequent mental distress in the past month (13.1%). Each category of childhood experiences was associated with an increase in the risk of poor general health. Individuals reporting three or more types of experiences were more likely to report poor health (aOR 2.89; 95% CI 2.86–2.92) than adults without such experiences. Respondents reporting three or more types of childhood adverse experiences were more likely to report frequent mental distress (aOR 3.29; 95% CI 3.26–3.33) compared to adults who did not report three or more types of adversity. Findings from the SC BRFSS highlight a connection between ACEs and negative health outcomes later in life. Given that results of this study also demonstrated that increased exposure to ACEs was associated with greater odds of negative health in adulthood, preventing adverse events such as experiencing abuse or witnessing domestic violence in childhood will have significant effects on later adult health.

Mental Health Utilization Research Study Proposal

The U.S. Military has had an increasingly large amount of combat related deployments since the end of the last World War (Bruce, 2010; Kemp, & Bossarte, 2012). Combat related deployments are used on both the small and larger scale to meet the security, sovereignty, and supremacy needs of the United States of America. Accordingly, combat related deployments were utilized in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and most recently in the Iraq war and its associated conflict in Afghanistan (Roberts et al., 2011). Those missions or operations and subsequent deployments have increased the prevalence of combat related stressors and traumas (Bruce, 2010), (Kemp, & Bossarte, 2012). The stressors and traumas include such things as seeing other soldiers wounded or killed in action, an enemy firefight (direct weaponized conflict usually with military grade weaponry), witnessing or committing atrocities, receiving fire from rockets, mortars or snipers, and long-range reconnaissance patrols behind enemy lines. These stressors or traumatic events can manifest in dysfunction, personal issues with coping, or mental disorders amongst military members (DSM-5, 2014). Of the various manifestations, one has proven to be extremely prevalent and destructive to military members and their families, that issue is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Bruce, 2010; Kemp, & Bossarte, 2012). PTSD has been shown to have a correlated link with increased risk for Veteran suicide and suicidality (Frueh, et al, 2005;Roberts et al., 2011). In fact, a recent study states that 22 Veterans kill themselves a day and of those numbers, nearly half are suffering from PTSD or a related mental health issue (Bruce, 2010). For racial and ethnic minorities (particularly African Americans and Hispanics women), risk of PTSD is particularly high because increased odds of child maltreatment and witnessing domestic violence in childhood are associated with later odds of developing PTSD. The most devastating factor is that these groups are less likely to seek treatment (Roberts et al., 2011). The lack of “treatment seeking behaviors” by these population groups shown by the results of the study referenced above, provide a stark contrast with the increased availability and ease of access to federal and private mental health care providers. In fact, the increased availability and ease of access to federal and private mental health care providers is on the rise in the United States. In other words, there is increased availability and ease of access to mental health offerings; however, there remain high rates of suicide amongst the largest contingents of minority populations. Some mental health professionals have attributed the earlier mentioned high rates of suicide, particularly amongst minorities, to resistance to utilization of available mental health services (Roberts et al., 2011). To reinforce these claims these same professionals commonly offer the Dept. of Health and Human Services backed complaints and observations, sourced from prominent minority groups. These groups have taken issues with related topics such as limited access (location based) to care, social stigma, incongruent communal values, fear of alienation or unwanted employment bias (military units or employer) (Beals, et al., 2002), (Beckam, et al., 1998). As discussed above, some aspects of military service have been linked to the likelihood of developing PTSD, unwanted stress, and a tendency to amplify underlying mental health issues. These issues have an associated tendency to produce suicidality and suicide amongst Veterans (Roberts et al., 2011). The data also provided information detailing higher than average amounts of PTSD amongst minorities and lower rates of health care utilization. This establishes that there is risk and low utilization; consequently, it’s reasonable to believe that increased utilization would lead to better outcomes. For this and other reasons, the mention of health care utilization is relevant because it is the leading intervention for PTSD and could possibly have mitigating effects on suicidality amongst military members (Beals, et al., 2002), (Beckam, et al., 1998). An exploration of this information on utilization, PTSD and suicidality also helps to place this issue into a context that is worthy of social work research. This is not only because PTSD and its increased association with suicidality has a direct impact on military members. This is also because PTSD and its increased association with suicidality has a direct impact on their family members as well as the whole of society. Based on the issues, facts and available resources mentioned above, I hypothesize that the receipt of web-based mental health therapy will be negatively associated with risk for suicide (Roberts et al., 2011; (Beckam, et al., 1998; Beals, et al., 2002). More specifically, I hypothesize that as the use of the web-based mental health therapy increases, the risk of suicide will decrease (Roberts et al., 2011), (Beckam, et al., 1998; Beals, et al., 2002).

Direct and indirect forms of childhood maltreatment and nonsuicidal self-injury among clinically-referred children and youth

BackgroundAlthough exposure to direct forms of childhood maltreatment is among the most widely studied risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), research on NSSI has largely overlooked the role of exposure to indirect forms of child maltreatment (i.e., witnessing domestic violence). To address this gap in the literature, the present study examined associations among both direct and indirect forms of child maltreatment and NSSI among clinically-referred children and youth. MethodsData was collected using the interRAI Child and Youth Mental Health Assessment (ChYMH) at ten mental health agencies. The ChYMH is a comprehensive standardized clinical assessment tool completed by trained assessors using multiple sources. The study included a convenience sample of 747 children and youth (68% male) between ages 8–18 with complex mental health histories referred for inpatient or outpatient care in Ontario, Canada. ResultsUnivariate chi-square analyses indicated positive associations with NSSI and both direct (i.e., physical, sexual) and indirect child maltreatment (i.e., witnessing domestic violence). In a binary multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for participant age and sex, only exposure to indirect child maltreatment emerged as multivariate predictor of NSSI. LimitationsThe sample was limited to only 10 mental health agencies and only consenting parents/guardians referred to mental health services suggesting the study may not be generalizable to all clinical samples. ConclusionThe present study provides evidence that witnessing domestic violence in childhood is an important risk factor for NSSI. Clinical relevance includes implications for clinicians to develop targeted intervention and prevention strategies for NSSI for children who have witnessed domestic violence.

Family and professional functioning in patients with personality disorders

IntroductionPersonality disorders (PD) are weight group of conditions. As possible causes of PD, literatures indicates being victim/witness of domestic violent. There is valid suspicion that PDs may have influence on marital status, education level and professional activity.ObjectiveStudying the PD influence on patients quality of life concerning both personal and professional areas of life.AimAnalysis of the exposition to the violence in relation to PD diagnosis. Evaluation of the education level and professional activity in studied group, furthermore marital status.MethodsRetrospective analysis of 123 patients diagnosed with PD hospitalized over the years 2012-2015 in the Department of psychiatry and psychotherapy, medical university of Silesia hospital. Statistic analysis of variables and comparing with previous researches.ResultsThree quarters of hospitalized patients were females.Average age was about 50 years old.Proximal martial status: 40% single, 60% formalized relationship (about 20% were divorced).Among participants, 50% were employed, and 80% have completed at least 12 years of education.About 40% had been victim/witness of domestic violence.ConclusionsThe patients with PD had often experienced the domestic violence in childhood. Higher risk of impaired personality development with patients, who had been violence victim or witness is possible and they need to be advised accordingly. Research did not reveal PDs’ influence on the education level. To define correlation between employment or marital status and PD further researches are needed.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Peer First Impressions of Childhood Maltreatment Victims

ABSTRACTThe impact of childhood maltreatment effects can extend beyond the immediate stress of abusive family environments. College students (N = 435) exposed to childhood domestic violence or parental physical abuse were expected to be viewed less favorably by their peers than their nonabused counterparts. They were expected as well to be less accurate in predicting the first impressions left on their peers after 25-minute unstructured interactions. Partial support was found for both hypotheses. Relatively harsher (d = .49) peer first impressions were found among domestic violence witnesses. Domestic violence (d = .58) and parental physical abuse (d = .49) victims overestimated peer ratings. Social anxiety during peer interactions was higher among women exposed to either form of childhood maltreatment. Men from violent families viewed themselves less favorably than their peers (r = .22, p < .05). These results further implicate childhood maltreatment as a contributing factor in peer distancing and rejection.

The influence of television on childhood domestic violence in modern Russia

The article is focused on the influence of television as a factor of the problem of children’s exposure to domestic violence in modern Russia. A review of the main theoretical approaches is undertaken. The problem’s analysis is based on theories of violence by Sitikh E. L., Tabatadze G. S., Safonova T. Y., Tsymbal E. I. and also based on communication theories by McCombs M., Shaw D., Lasswel H., Gerbner G., Brayant D., Tomson S. The author also presents her own methodology in the article. It involves a conceptual model, sample and method. TV violence and the influence mechanism are key understandings of the conceptual model. The research model involves such violent actions towards the children as physical and psychological violence. The article presents the author’s pilot survey results characterizing the role of TV content in the lives of modern parents in 2013. The level of violent TV content of different levels is measured. The TV watching involvement level of modern parents is valued and the number of violent scenes in movies and TV series is reported. Moreover, the author determines the display of different violence types by parents over the children in correlation with recently watched violence on TV and values the character of violent scenes’ influence on the formation different types of children’s exposure to domestic physical and psychological violence. Refs 42. Tables 4.

Facets of Male Violence Against Women With Substance Abuse Problems: Women With a Residence and Homeless Women.

The aims of this study were to investigate the type and extent to which women with substance abuse problems have been exposed to male violence during their lifetime, and to examine possible differences between women with a residence (WR) and homeless women (HW). The total sample included 79 women (WR, n = 35; HW, n = 44; M age = 47.8 years). Of the total sample, 72 women (91%) had experienced different kinds of male violence, 88% from former partners, and 26% from male friends or acquaintances. Of the 72 women, 71% further reported "Countless occasions of violent events," and 36% had been forced to commit criminal acts. Abused women who had been forced to commit criminal acts were significantly more frequently found to be homeless, have reported parental alcohol and/or drug problems, have witnessed domestic violence in childhood, have been victims of sexual violence, have used illicit drugs as a dominant preparation, and have injected illicit drugs. Almost half of the abused women (46%) met criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where HW showed an almost 4-time higher risk (RR 3.78) than WR. In conclusion there is a particular vulnerability in women with substance abuse to male violence, which has an important impact on their health status. Thus, from a public health perspective, it is suggested that for those women who have experienced male violence, treatment protocols need to include both assessing and addressing the impact of such experience in relation to substance abuse as well as concomitant health concerns.

Matched trauma: The role of parents’ and children’s shared history of childhood domestic violence exposure in parents’ report of children’s trauma-related symptomatology

ABSTRACTParents’ childhood experiences of trauma may influence their reports of their children’s behavior, and this may be particularly true when children are also traumatized. The present study proposed and tested a matched trauma hypothesis, positing that compared to parents without a childhood history of witnessing domestic violence (DV), parents with a childhood history of witnessing DV may report their children’s trauma-related symptomatology differently following children’s exposure to DV. Of 137 included parents (M age = 32 years; 93% mothers), 81 reported witnessing childhood DV (matched group), whereas 56 reported no childhood DV exposure (nonmatched comparison group). All parents reported on their 3- to 6-year-old children’s dissociation and posttraumatic stress symptoms following children’s DV exposure. An analysis of covariance controlling for parental life stress, dissociation symptoms, and other childhood traumatic events revealed that parents who witnessed childhood DV reported significantly fewer child dissociation symptoms than comparison parents. No difference was found for parents’ reports of children’s posttraumatic stress symptoms. Exploratory analyses on a subsample of children with teacher reports of child dissociation symptoms (n = 75) revealed that the strength of the association between parent and teacher reports of dissociation symptoms was moderated by matched versus nonmatched group membership. Findings suggest the importance of considering a parent’s history of trauma when using parents as informants for children’s trauma symptoms.

Hope Building and Surviving Domestic Violence: Childhood Experiences

Research suggests that hope is an important element in the development of resilience. Although adversity and trauma can have a devastating effect on people and their world views by diminishing hope, these are also the situations that give birth to hope. This paper seeks to gain an understanding of the role of eco-systems in building hope in the context of children surviving domestic violence (DV). In order to gain insight into this phenomenon, the personal accounts of coping and resilience of eight adults with childhood exposure to domestic violence were examined. The study used a qualitative/phenomenological approach. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted by using a semi-structured question schedule. The contents of the interview transcripts were inspected to identify common themes and specific experiences of each participant, focusing on the systems in the individual’s life including other individuals, family members, peers, friends and community groups and the aspirations and events that facilitated change and contributed to the development of hope and resilience. Thus, this study proffers the importance of eco-systems in a person’s life in building hope and resilience and reiterates the importance of an eco-systems framework that social workers could use to develop resilience research and practice to help those affected with DV in childhood.

Domestic violence and immigration status among Latina mothers in the child welfare system: Findings from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being II (NSCAW II)

Many children involved with the child welfare system witness parental domestic violence. The association between children's domestic violence exposure and child welfare involvement may be influenced by certain socio-cultural factors; however, minimal research has examined this relationship. The current study compares domestic violence experiences and case outcomes among Latinas who are legal immigrants (n=39), unauthorized immigrants (n=77), naturalized citizens (n=30), and US-born citizen mothers (n=383) reported for child maltreatment. This analysis used data from the second round of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being. Mothers were asked about whether they experienced domestic violence during the past year. In addition, data were collected to assess if (a) domestic violence was the primary abuse type reported and, if so, (b) the maltreatment allegation was substantiated. Results show that naturalized citizens, legal residents, and unauthorized immigrants did not differ from US-born citizens in self-reports of domestic violence; approximately 33% of mothers reported experiences of domestic violence within the past year. Yet, unauthorized immigrants were 3.76 times more likely than US-born citizens to have cases with allegations of domestic violence as the primary abuse type. Despite higher rates of alleged domestic violence, unauthorized citizens were not more likely than US-born citizens to have these cases substantiated for domestic violence (F(2.26, 153.99)=0.709, p=.510). Findings highlight that domestic violence is not accurately accounted for in families with unauthorized immigrant mothers. We recommend child welfare workers are trained to properly assess and fulfill the needs of immigrant families, particularly as it relates to domestic violence.

Second-Generation Prisoners and the Transmission of Domestic Violence.

Adult inmates who experienced the incarceration of a parent, known as "second-generation prisoners," experience unique challenges and are at heightened risk for experiencing other adversities throughout the life span. Our study investigated one specific, and previously unexplored, type of adversity--domestic violence--within a sample of 293 incarcerated adults. We examined the relation between generation status (first- or second-generation prisoners), childhood exposure to domestic violence, and participation in adult relationship violence prior to incarceration. Results indicate that prisoners who had been exposed to domestic violence in childhood were more likely to engage in intimate partner violence resulting in inflicted and received injury. Relative to first-generation prisoners, second-generation prisoners reported more childhood domestic violence exposure and were more likely to have been injured by a relationship partner. However, this relation between second-generation status and injury victimization was mediated by domestic violence exposure. These results support an intergenerational pattern of domestic violence and suggest that second-generation prisoners are a unique population worthy of future investigation and mental health intervention.

Risk Factors for Severe Intimate Partner Violence and Violence-Related Injuries Among Women in India

Relying on an ecological framework, we examined risk factors for severe physical intimate partner violence (IPV) and related injuries among a nationally representative sample of women (N = 67,226) in India. Data for this cross-sectional study were derived from the 2005–2006 India National Family Health Survey, a nationally representative household-based health surveillance system. Logistic regression analyses were used to generate the study findings. We found that factors related to severe physical IPV and injuries included low or no education, low socioeconomic status, rural residence, greater number of children, and separated or divorced marital status. Husbands’ problem drinking, jealousy, suspicion, control, and emotionally and sexually abusive behaviors were also related to an increased likelihood of women experiencing severe IPV and injuries. Other factors included women’s exposure to domestic violence in childhood, perpetration of IPV, and adherence to social norms that accept husbands’ violence. Practitioners may use these findings to identify women at high risk of being victimized by severe IPV or injuries for prevention and intervention strategies. Policies and programs that focus on empowering abused women and holding perpetrators accountable may protect women at risk for severe IPV or injuries that may result in death.