Effects Of Sexual Violence Research Articles

Childhood and adolescent nutrition outcomes among girls exposed to gender-based violence: A rapid evidence assessment of quantitative research.

An emerging evidence base has explored the nutritional consequences of gender-based violence (GBV) perpetrated against girls during childhood/adolescence. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment of quantitative studies describing associations between GBV and girls' nutrition. We adapted systematic review methods and included empirical, peer-reviewed studies, published after 2000 (until November, 2022), that were written in Spanish or English and reported quantitative associations between girls' exposure to GBV and nutrition outcomes. A variety of GBV forms were considered: childhood sexual abuse (CSA), child marriage, preferential feeding of boys, sexual IPV and dating violence. Nutrition outcomes included anemia, underweight, overweight, stunting, micronutrient deficiencies, meal frequency, and dietary diversity. In total, 18 studies were included, 13 of which were conducted in high-income countries. Most sources utilized longitudinal or cross-sectional data to quantify associations between CSA, sexual assault, and intimate partner/dating violence and elevated BMI/overweight/obesity/adiposity. Findings suggest that CSA perpetrated by parents/caregivers is associated with elevated BMI/overweight/obesity/adiposity via cortisol reactivity and depression; this relationship may be compounded by additional intimate partner/dating violence in adolescence. The effects of sexual violence on BMI are likely to emerge during a sensitive period of development between late adolescence and young adulthood. Emerging evidence was found regarding the relationship between child marriage (and the related exposure: age at first pregnancy) and undernutrition. The association between sexual abuse and reduced height and leg length was inconclusive. Given that only 18 studies were included, the relationship between girls' direct exposure to GBV and malnutrition has received little empirical attention, especially with respect to studies conducted in LMIC and fragile settings. Most studies focused on CSA and overweight/obesity, where significant associations were found. Future research should test the moderation and mediation effects of intermediary variables (depression, PTSD, cortisol reactivity, impulsivity, emotional eating) and consider sensitive periods of development. Research should also explore the nutritional consequences of child marriage.

College Students’ Experiences of Dating App Facilitated Sexual Violence and Associations with Mental Health Symptoms and Well-Being

ABSTRACT Dating app facilitated sexual violence (DAFSV) includes behaviors such as unwanted sexual comments/harassment, unsolicited sexual photos, and gender/sexuality-based harassment – and could extend to sexual violence when meeting partners face-to-face. The effects of sexual violence on mental health are well-established; however, research on DAFSV has been limited. The goal of the current study was to understand college students’ experiences of DAFSV and investigate cross-sectional associations with indicators of mental health (i.e. depression and anxiety symptoms) and well-being (i.e. self-esteem, loneliness, perceived control). Participants were college students in the United States who used dating apps (N = 277) and identified primarily as women (64.6%) and heterosexual/straight (74.0%). Most participants (88.4%) self-reported at least one instance of DAFSV. Women (vs. men) and sexual minority (vs. heterosexual/straight) individuals experienced more frequent DAFSV. Regression analyses indicated that DAFSV frequency was associated with higher depression and anxiety symptoms, higher loneliness, lower self-esteem, and lower perceived control. This study highlights the importance of DAFSV for a broad range of well-being indicators. Given that dating apps are one of the most common means of meeting partners, research is needed to better understand these initial interactions, prevent DAFSV from occurring, and mitigate the impact of DAFSV on health outcomes.

Przemoc seksualna wobec dzieci z uwzględnieniem zagadnienia STD i opieki nad ofiarami także w wieku dojrzałym

STD-related inflammation may be a symptom of sexual violence against children – it is necessary in suspected cases to implement diagnostics including psychological care. It is important to protect children from violence and to raise awareness of the symptoms of abuse. It is important to be aware of the symptoms that may indicate sexual abuse of a child. If they occur in the form of physical injuries, STDs are likely to be diagnosed only by medical services. The cooperation of gynecologists with dermatologists, forensics, paediatricians, as well as psychologists and nutritionists is important here – therefore, holistic (interdisciplinary) cooperation for children. The problem of violence against a child is also part of the philosophical issue of human pain and suffering in general. It is worth emphasizing that the effects of sexual violence in childhood are still observed in adulthood.

Lebenszeitpr\xe4valenz des Erlebens von Sex und sexueller Ber\xfchrung gegen den eigenen Willen sowie Zusammenh\xe4nge mit gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren

ZusammenfassungHintergrundDie negativen Auswirkungen von sexueller Gewalt auf die Gesundheit sind im vergangenen Jahrzehnt weltweit erneut stark in den gesundheitspolitischen Fokus gerückt. Bislang fehlen für Deutschland bevölkerungsrepräsentative Daten, auf deren Basis die Lebenszeitprävalenz für unterschiedliche Altersgruppen sowie spezifische Zusammenhänge zu gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren dargestellt werden können.Ziel der ArbeitDie Studie untersucht 1) die Lebenszeitprävalenz für Sex sowie sexuelle Berührung gegen den eigenen Willen im Kindesalter und über die Lebensspanne sowie 2) die Zusammenhänge mit gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren.Material und Methoden4955 Personen im Alter von 18 bis 75 Jahren wurden in einer zweistufig geschichteten, randomisierten Einwohnermeldeamtsstichprobe im Rahmen des bundesweiten wissenschaftlichen Survey „Gesundheit und Sexualität in Deutschland“ (GeSiD) befragt. Die Zusammenhänge mit soziodemografischen und gesundheitsbezogenen Faktoren wurden (altersadjustiert und stratifiziert für Geschlecht) mittels logistischer Regression berechnet.ErgebnisseFür Frauen lag die Lebenszeitprävalenz für (versuchten/vollzogenen) Sex bei 14,9 % und für (versuchte/vollzogene) sexuelle Berührung gegen den Willen bei 40,8 %, für Männer bei 3,1 % respektive 13,2 %. Für erzwungenen Sex vor dem 14. Lebensjahr lag die Prävalenz bei 2,1 %, für sexuelle Berührung bei 7,5 %. Es zeigten sich höhere Prävalenzen bei Personen mit beeinträchtigter Lebensqualität, schlechtem Gesundheitszustand, chronischer Erkrankung oder Behinderung, einer Behandlung aufgrund von Depression oder einer anderen psychischen Störung im letzten Jahr.DiskussionDie Studie verdeutlicht Zusammenhänge von sexueller Gewalt mit psychischer und somatischer Gesundheit. Sie unterstreicht die Dringlichkeit, nach solchen Erfahrungen regelhaft in der ärztlichen Anamnese zu fragen.

Sex Must Be Voluntary: Sexual Communication and the New Definition of Rape in Sweden

AbstractMany countries are in the process of replacing outdated sex offense regulations with laws that accurately correspond to late modern ideas about gender equality, sexual self-determination, and consensual sex. One example is Sweden, where a law that defines rape based on a criterion of nonvoluntary participation entered into force in 2018. This article analyzes the representation of rape in the new law and legal discourse in Sweden, and shows that rape is represented as a matter of choice and communication in sexual situations. Further, the new rape law is coupled to an emerging problem within such disparate spheres as public health, social media campaigns, sexual education, and gender studies; namely, the problem of sexual communication and gray zones in sexual encounters. To understand this new representation of rape, further exploration is suggested both into the effects of sexual violence being framed as a matter of individual choice, consent, and communication in late modernity and into the role of criminal law in the era of thin normativity. The article concludes that the new rape law sends a clear message about what sex should be—namely, something voluntary—but does not accurately describe the crime and the conduct that deserves criminal censure.

I am a Survivor: Experiences, Impacts and Coping Mechanisms of Filipino Victims of Sexual Violence

Sexual violence is a catastrophic phenomenon that most women encounter worldwide. However, the stigma surrounding the victims of sexual violence often leads to a culture of silence, causing the number of such cases to be underreported, leading to limited sexual violence-related studies. With this, the goal of this study is to contribute additional information on the experiences of Filipino victims with sexual violence, its impacts, and their coping mechanisms. Ten Filipino women, who were victims of sexual violence, were interviewed in this study. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the gathered data. Themes on their experiences, the effects of sexual violence, and their coping mechanisms were formulated and presented in this study. The study showed that the most common type of sexual violence experienced by the participants was rape. They also reported feelings of fear during and after the abuse. Feelings of shame and guilt were also experienced, which kept them silent about their negative experiences. Experiencing sexual violence can have negative impacts on an individual's total well–being. To cope with these adverse experiences, they sought support from their families and friends. Some confronted their problems and even employed positive reappraisal, while some used avoidance coping.

Legal Protection Against Women in Sexual Violence

Introduction: Sexual violence is one of the morbidities and mortality factors in women. Sexual violence of women causes physical and physiological sequences that make them vulnerable to health problems. Material and method: It was normative legal research with a literature study and document study as a method to collect the research data. Findings: Marital sexual abuse or the highest personal relation was incest with 1,071 cases followed by raping with 818 cases, and molestation with 321 cases. Meanwhile, marital rape reached 195 cases. The forms of sexual violence consist of sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, coercion of contraceptive use, compulsion in abortion, rape, marital compulsion, prostitution, sexual bondage, and sexual torture. The protection against victims of sexual violence was considered to be not optimal due to a lack of public understanding of the causes and effects of sexual violence. Conclusion: So far, the legal protection against women in sexual violence cases have not been optimally implemented. The minimum legal protection triggered impunity, reoccurrence, and even the victims’ frustration to accept justice and recovery.

“Architects of Their Own Brain.” Social Impact of an Intervention Study for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Adolescence

Research in psychology has evidenced both the prevalence of gender-based violence among youth worldwide and the negative impacts that such violence has on the victims’ mental and physical health. Neuroscience has proven that violent intimate relationships harm the brain, while very simple social experiences can change the brain architecture in positive directions. Also, interventions that have been demonstrated to be successful in preventing and responding to gender violence in adolescence have been informed by psychology. This article reviews the social impact of psychology in the field of teen gender violence and then reports on the potential social impact achieved by an intervention study consisting of seven interventions framed by the research line on the preventive socialization of gender violence. The program was addressed to 15- and 16-year-old adolescents and focused on supporting free reconstruction of mental and affective models of attractiveness via critical analysis of the dominant coercive discourse, which links attraction to violence. The communicative methodology involved working with an Advisory Committee from the beginning of the study, as well as continuous dialog between the researchers and the participants, which was used to refine subsequent interventions. The results show that the program contributed to raising participants’ critical consciousness regarding the dominant coercive discourse in their life, provided the participant subjects with cognitive tools to better understand their own and others’ sexual-affective thinking, emotions, and behaviors, in favor of rejecting violence, and supported the modification of female adolescents’ sexual preferences for different types of men. Importantly, the findings also indicate that the interventions aided some participants’ use of the knowledge gained in the project to help their friends and communities in reflecting upon coercive patterns of sexual attraction, the quality of their intimate relationships, and the different effects of sexual violence and toxic relationships on health. Some individuals reported leaving toxic relationships after the interventions. This intervention research illustrates Santiago Ramón y Cajal’s metaphor, employed to explain plasticity: that every person, if s/he decides it, can be the architect of her or his own brain. With evidence-based cognitive tools within the reach of every adolescent, and upon individual free choice for transformation, a new sexual-affective socialization free from violence is possible.

Conflict-related Sexual Violence and Rebel Group Fragmentation

To what extent does sexual violence influence rebel group fragmentation? A substantial body of research explores wartime rape as a cohesion-building mechanism following forced recruitment. However, the relationship between sexual violence and broader organizational structural integrity has not been systematically tested. Our study on the effects of sexual violence on rebel group fragmentation provides this test. We argue that sexual violence increases cohesion at the battalion level but increases the risk of fragmentation of the broader organization because lieutenants are more likely to split from organizations if they are confident that their subordinate battalions are cohesive and will follow them. We test this argument on a global sample of 105 rebel organizations active between 1989 and 2014. The results provide robust support for the argument showing sexual violence increases the probability of fragmentation by a factor of six. This presents a crucial contribution to our understanding of sexual violence and rebel group fragmentation.

Me Too? The Invisible Older Victims of Sexual Violence

A review of legal research on violence against women and elder abuse reveals a disturbing picture. There is hardly any American legal research examining sexual abuse of older women and its conceptualization in legal literature and treatment in the legal system. This Article attempts to fill the abovementioned gap and to bring the hidden issue of sexual violence against older women to light. Scholars writing on rape, violence against women, and elder abuse tend to analyze age and gendered sexual violence separately from each other, without accounting for their interplay. This Article proposes a conceptual framework of sexual abuse of older women that integrates age and gender in the analysis. To achieve this end, this Article examines 109 publicly available American cases involving sexual violence against women over the age of 60, between the years 2000 and 2018, which are based on a search of 1,308 American cases. Based on this new empirical database, this Article offers an opportunity for analyzing the social and legal “taboo” regarding sexual abuse of older women. Despite findings indicating that sexual abuse of older women (and older people in general) is a significant issue creating serious consequences for victims, the Article shows that legal actors, social workers, health professionals, family members, and society miss its signs. Sexual abuse of older women is being noticed and treated by the criminal justice system only when it reflects a “real rape” 1 scenario. The obstacles to effective prosecution and to full access to the criminal justice system are distinctive in the case of older victims because of the effect of age, the way age shapes the experience of older victims of sexual violence, the effects of sexual violence on the victims, and its interplay with gender. Although sexual violence against older women is a form of elder abuse, it should be viewed separately from other forms of elder abuse and should be understood as part of a wider context of gender-based violence. There is a need for a holistic approach to sexual violence of older women, which perceives the sexual violence as a unique phenomenon and provides older women with legal and social mechanisms that fit their needs and experience both as women and elderly people.

산업보안관점에서 직장 내 성폭력이 기업성과에 미치는 영향

시대가 변화하면서 많은 여성들이 사회에 진출하였고 인식이 변화하면서 직장 내성폭력이 새로운 사회이슈로 떠오르고 있다. 산업보안은 광의의 개념으로 보았을 때기업의 자산을 보호하고 손실을 방지하는 것을 목표로 하고 있다. 현재 우리나라의산업보안은 산업기술유출에만 초점이 맞추어져 있다. 하지만 시대의 변화와 함께 기업의 손실방지란 측면에서 직장 내 성폭력 또한 산업보안의 범주에서 고찰할 필요가있다. 무엇보다도 직장 내 성폭력이 발생하여 이 사건이 언론 등을 통해 사람들에게알려지게 되면 기업의 이미지 손실로 인해 매출, 순이익 및 주가 등 기업성과에 적지않은 영향을 줄 수 있기 때문이다. 분석결과, 직장 내 성폭력 사건 발생 이후 해당 분기의 매출, 당기순이익과 주가의감소를 확인할 수 있었다. 이처럼 직장 내 성폭력 문제는 기업 존폐와 관련 있는기업성과에 영향을 줄 수 있다는 점에서 산업보안관점에서 매우 중요한 이슈가 아닐수 없다. 따라서 본 연구는 직장 내 성폭력 문제를 산업보안 관점에서 접근함으로써지금까지 산업기술 보호에만 치중해 있는 산업보안 연구의 범위를 확장하는데 기여하고자 한다.

History of Sexual Violence and Associated Negative Consequences: The Mediating Role of Body Image Dissatisfaction

This article explores body image dissatisfaction (BID) as a potential mediating variable that may explain why those who have experienced sexual violence are more vulnerable to negative outcomes. It was hypothesized that women with a history of sexual violence would be more likely to report greater BID, which would be associated with experiencing increased psychological symptoms and distress, increased sexual risk behavior, and reduced sexual assertiveness. Structural equation models with bias-corrected bootstrapping were used to evaluate the conceptual model. Mediational analyses demonstrated that for women, experiences of sexual violence are significantly associated with greater BID, which, in turn, was predictive of increased depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as decreased sexual assertiveness. The implications of the current study are important, as they may inform clinical prevention and treatment of BID, support future research, and provide the opportunity to empower assault survivors by reducing the deleterious effects of sexual violence.

Sexual Violence and Major Depression among Women: Evidence for Reciprocal Relationships

Using two waves of the National Comorbidity Survey, this study examines the relationship between sexual violence and major depression among women, focusing on rape. It uncovers evidence for two-way relationships that, among other things, shed light on who is at risk of sexual assault. Although rape increases the risk of developing major depression in a prospective fashion, depressed women are also at a higher risk of being raped. These pathways inflate the unadjusted prospective relationship between rape and major depression, though they do not explain it altogether. Comparisons between disorders indicate that major depression plays as significant a role as alcohol abuse disorder, and that depressed women are not at a higher risk only because of associated alcohol consumption. This study encourages further research not only on the effects of sexual violence on depression but also the role of common psychiatric disorders in the stress generation process, including how perpetrators target victims.

A Gendered Imperative: Does Sexual Violence Attract UN Attention in Civil Wars?

There is increasing awareness that sexual violence is distinct from other aspects of civilian victimization in civil wars. Few studies have examined the independent impact of such violence on responses to civil wars as compared to “traditional” forms of violence. This article explores whether reports of high levels of rape and sexual violence increase the probability of United Nations (UN) attention to conflicts and calls to action. In so doing, we combine original data on UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions with data on sexual violence in armed conflict and estimate the impact of sexual violence on UN attention to all civil wars from 1990 to 2009. We show that the effects of sexual violence on the number and level of UNSC resolutions are significant even when controlling for other important determinants of UN action. These findings have important implications for understanding how the UN has expanded its view on protecting civilians.

“To This Day She Continues to Struggle with the Terror Imposed upon Her”: Rape Narratives in Victim Impact Statements

This study locates the victim impact statements of raped women in the sociolegal context of significant sentencing law reforms introduced in Canada to address an ascendant victim’s rights movement. We examine 38 reported sentencing decisions in sexual assault cases in Ontario, Canada (1999–2010). Our objectives are to discern (a) whether the archetype of the ideal victim continues to influence juridical discourse after conviction and (b) what narratives of harm intersect with sentencing objectives and aggravating factors. Our findings suggest women express profound fear of re-victimization and traumatic effects of sexual violence regardless of the relational context of their rape experience. Most surprisingly, our data show sentencing judges view the sexual assault of an intoxicated rape victim as an aggravating factor. Future consideration for victim impact statements in sexual assault cases is discussed.

Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The extensive and sometimes profoundly damaging effects of sexual violence and large numbers of victims necessitate dedicated attention to primary prevention efforts. Few studies have examined the scope of current prevention activities or their fit with empirical research into effective prevention strategies. The current article presents findings from a survey of primary prevention activities in non-Māori and bicultural communities within Aotearoa New Zealand. Forty-four respondents representing 42 agencies responded to a comprehensive survey that canvased types of sexual violence primary prevention activities undertaken, sexual violence primary prevention programs, and barriers and supports to sexual violence prevention work. Consistent with findings from previous international surveys, the focus of primary prevention work in New Zealand was on sexual violence education and increasing awareness. Findings are discussed in the context of the sexual violence prevention literature and what works in prevention more broadly to help identify promising initiatives as well as gaps in current practices. Recommendations for advancing sexual violence primary prevention research are also provided.

The effects of sexual violence on psychosocial outcomes in formerly abducted girls in Northern Uganda: the WAYS study.

BackgroundThe objective of this study is to investigate the effects of sexual violence on the odds of different psychosocial outcomes (depression, psychotic symptoms, somatic complaints, conduct problems, daily functioning, community relations, and stigma) among formerly abducted girls in Uganda.MethodsData from an on-going War-Affected Youth Study (WAYS) in Uganda was used to compute the prevalence of psychosocial problems (scores ≥ 75th percentile) among three categories of formerly abducted girls (1) no history of sexual violence without children, 2) a history of sexual violence without children, and 3) a history of sexual violence with children as a consequence) among 210 women (age 22.06, SD = 2.06, range 18–25). Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine differences in psychosocial outcomes by the different categories of formerly abducted girls.ResultsCompared to participants with no history of sexual violence and without any children, the odds of adverse psychosocial outcomes were increasingly higher for all psychosocial dimensions for those who reported sexual violence with or without children. Those with a history of sexual violence and with children as a consequence had more than five times the odds of reporting depressive symptoms (OR, 5.37; 95 % CI (1.45–19.90), somatic complaints (OR, 6.59; 95 % CI (1.80 – 24.11), and stigma (OR, 13.85; 95 % CI (3.73 – 51.42) compared to those who did not report sexual violence.ConclusionThis study highlighted the risks of psychosocial problems among different categories of formerly abducted girls regarding sexual violence. Vulnerability to psychosocial problems among formerly abducted girls is further compounded by sexual violence, child care, stigma, and poverty.

Contribuições de Sándor Ferenczi para a compreensão dos efeitos psíquicos da violência sexual

O presente trabalho consiste em um estudo teorico que apresenta os efeitos da violencia sexual na infância sob a otica de Sandor Ferenczi (1873-1933), psicanalista da primeira geracao dos discipulos de Freud o qual conferiu grande importância ao trauma sexual e ao papel do adulto na constituicao do psiquismo infantil. Serao analisadas suas contribuicoes - originadas da clinica com pacientes adultos que haviam sofrido abuso sexual na infância - privilegiando o artigo ferencziano, publicado em 1933, Confusao de lingua entre os adultos e a crianca. A fim de compreender determinados movimentos psiquicos marcados pela acao da clivagem psiquica, pretendemos examinar a descricao de dois arranjos psiquicos: a identificacao com o agressor e a progressao traumatica ou prematuracao, aportes teoricos ferenczianos que serao utilizados para uma reflexao clinica.

Performing Reconciliation: Transnational Advocacy in Rwanda

In June 2010, I traveled to Kigali, Rwanda with a group of academics, community theatre professionals, performance artists, students, and genocide scholars from the U.S., Afghanistan, Mexico, Singapore, Belarus, Uganda, and Rwanda. While in Kigali we went to various genocide memorials and historical sites, toured a national prison, and spoke with political and academic experts from the region about such complex topics as the politics of witness and testimony, processes of reconciliation, (inter-)national recovery, and local (if any socio-political issue can be said to be limited thusly anymore) and transnational memory. The summer program hails such well-known alumna as Lynn Nottage, who on the same trip began writing her recent Pulitzer Prize-winning play Ruined, which explores the latent effects of sexual violence in the Congo.

Health Effects of Sexual Violence against Woman as a War Weapon: Case of Bosnia War

OBJECTIVE: Health effects and human rights dimensions of sexual violence against women, a public health and human rights problem, evaluated by the case of Bosnia War. METHODS: Bosnia War, United Nations resolutions, International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) cases, activities of NGOs, approaches of WHO, Dayton Peace Agreement, current health programs were evaluated with the health effects and human rights dimensions of sexual violence against women. RESULTS: Sexual violence against women and systematic rapes were used as an “ethnic cleaning” tool and war weapon during Bosnia War, estimated 20.000-60.000 women and girls were raped systematically, captivated in rape camps, exposed to sexual violence. Medical care following the sexual violence against women and rape should include; Determination and teatment of injuries, forensic notice and documentation, preventive and curative services for Sexually Transmitted Diseases including HIV/AIDS, emergency contraceptive services, safe medical abortus, follow up of pregnancies, psychosocial support and services and training of health care professionals. Mental Health Reform became a priority health topic for Bosnia Herzegovina aftermath of the Bosnia War. Taking measures to prevent social stigmatism of the victims, economic support and implementation of rehabilitation programs, punishment of the perpetrators to repair social and community bonds are important. ICTY investigates and punishes the crimes of rapes and sexual violence against women. CONCLUSION: UN defines the violence against women and rapes during wars as “crime against humanity”. Besides improving the status of women, comprehensive approaches with the cooperation of medical, legal and social organisations are needed.