Episode Of Domestic Violence Research Articles

“¡Este hombre me hirió!”. Homicidio, género y lenguaje jurídico en el Jalisco decimonónico

Against the backdrop of a national civil war, this article examines a fatal episode of domestic violence in Guadalajara in 1860. Ursino Sánchez may have silenced his partner, Sista Cuevas, and fled into the night, but the victim’s surviving family members ensured that he would face punishment at the hands of the law. By examining the language deployed in the courtroom by the involved parties, I observe both how gender norms were irremediably inscribed in the legal codes governing violence, and how these norms informed testimonies and, possibly, judicial findings. Furthermore, judicial records consulted here reveal the degree to which citizens had metabolized colonial and modern legal precedents into a shared cultural understanding of gender roles that spanned decades and class divides in postcolonial Mexico.

Domestic violence against women in the state of Tocantins, Brazil, between 2014 and 2018

A practice that could lead a person to harm, internally or externally, may be considered violence. Violence against women is a public health issue. In a historical context, the woman was socially subjugated to the will of the man. In Tocantins, as in other parts of the country, domestic violence against women tends to be perpetrated by spouses or people close to them. This work aims to analyze the situation of domestic violence against women in the state of Tocantins between 2014 and 2018. The majority of the female population is not aware of their legal rights or the laws that support them. They are emotionally dependent on their partner and social inequality and little study make them preferred targets of domestic violence. The majority of TO women declare themselves brown and find themselves in social, intellectual and financial vulnerability. Full trust in the spouse and close acquaintances exposes the woman to episodes of domestic violence. Finally, the current pandemic situation seems to increase episodes of this type of violence.

Narratives of experiences of violence of Venezuelan migrant women sheltered at the northwestern Brazilian border.

ObjectivesTo know the experiences of Venezuelan migrant women living in shelters in Roraima state at the northwestern border between Venezuela and Brazil regarding situations of violence as part of the dynamics of everyday life.Materials and methodsData were collected in January 2020 through 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 5 to 14 Venezuelan migrant women aged 18–49 years old living transitorily in five shelters established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Brazilian government. We obtained individual and shared views on the experiences regarding violence that migrant women may experience in their everyday life. To organize the FGDs, variations in age and the time women were living at the shelters were considered. All FGDs were held in a place at the shelter that guaranteed privacy and secrecy so that women could express themselves freely. The initial question was broad and open ended and was followed by more specific questions about situations of domestic violence and other types of violence.ResultsThe main themes identified were the following: i) women’s perceptions on domestic violence, ii) women’s perceptions on how humanitarian organizations were managing the episodes of domestic violence, and iii) situations considered violence in everyday life at the shelters. The FGDs showed that the reported violence inside the shelters was high, and several forms of violence emerged. Violence was identified as physical aggression and psychological threats, and violence in everyday life at the shelter included xenophobia when the migrants went outside the shelters that was perceived and described as violence.ConclusionsAccording to the perspective of Venezuelan migrant women violence was part of everyday life among those living in the UNHCR shelters at the northwestern border of Brazil-Venezuela. These women are not comfortable with this situation, and it is difficult for them to understand and handle the episodes of violence.

The Spiral.

Episodes of domestic violence are incredibly more common than what is documented. While we have had a law against it in India since 2005, the prevalence of domestic violence is high in India at close to 30 percent (as per National Family Health Survey, 2015-16). Yet, with interventions such as Dilaasa in Maharashtra, Bhoomika in Kerala, and Sukoon in Haryana - among others - visibility has increased; and so has support seeking behaviour. The narrative here is based on my personal observation - with some extensions from my imagination built in to give a structure to the narrative - which jarred as I saw how the consequences of violence can be so debilitating, how violence begets more violence*, becomes a question of contingent power; how it flows on through the survivor, creating more survivors.

Margins, Subjectivity, and Violence in Elena Ferrante’s Cronache del mal d’amore

ABSTRACT This article examines the manifold representations of violence against women in Elena Ferrante’s earlier novels: L’amore molesto (1992), I giorni dell’abbandono (2002) and La figlia oscura (2012). Episodes of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual abuse permeate the tissue of Naples – the chronotope of all of Ferrante’s texts and, simultaneously, a synecdoche of the male violence perpetrated therein. Reading the author’s ideas about the female body against feminist approaches and, especially, against her own theoretical apparatus, this article contends that the corporeal is deployed as a counter-strategy to gender violence that, albeit not always victorious, challenges patriarchal definitions of ‘woman’ framed through the normative male gaze. By establishing a link between the pivotal, yet still contentious, concepts of smarginatura and frantumaglia and gender violence, this reading offers new interpretative insights into the author’s aesthetics and into her treatment of female agency.

The impact of the Great Recession on California domestic violence events, and related hospitalizations and emergency service visits

ObjectiveExplore the impact of the Great Recession on domestic violence (DV) related hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in California. MethodsHospital and ED data were drawn from California's Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). DV-related hospitalizations and ED visits in California were analyzed between January 2000 and September 2015 (53,596), along with total medical costs. Time series were divided into pre-recession (Jan 2000-Nov 2007) and recession/post-recession (Dec 2007-Sept 2015) periods. ResultsThe medical cost of DV-related hospitalizations alone was estimated as $1,136,165,861. A dramatic increase in DV episodes was found potentially associated with the Great Recession. The number of ED visits per month tripled from pre- to post-recession (104.9 vs. 290.6), along with an increased number of hospitalizations (77.1 vs. 95.6); African Americans and Native Americans were disproportionally impacted. In addition, psychiatric comorbidities, severe DV episodes, in-hospital mortality and charge per hospitalization escalated. The rise in DV hospitalizations and ED visits beginning in December 2007 was mainly attributable to physical abuse episodes in adults; minors had no change in DV trends. DiscussionRecessions are frequent in modern economies and are repeated cyclically. Our study provides critical information on the effects of the 2007 financial crisis on DV-related healthcare service utilization in California. Given the current financial crisis associated with COVID-19, which expert predict could extend for years, the results from this study shine a spotlight on the importance of DV-related screening, prevention and response.

Risk and protective factors related to domestic violence against Brazilian adolescents.

To describe the factors associated with domestic violence against Brazilian adolescents. Descriptive analysis of the variables and calculation of the prevalence of intrafamily violence reported by the students was performed, followed by multinomial regression with calculation of the adjusted odds ratio to analyze the association between the variables and the outcome investigated. Black skin color (ORa = 1.9; 95%CI 1.4 - 2.7) and brown (ORa = 1.4; 95%CI 1.0 - 1.9), insomnia (ORa = 1.8; 95%CI 1.4 - 2.4), bullying (ORa = 2.5; 95%CI 1.7 - 3.7) and alcohol consumption (ORa = 1.5; 95%CI 1.1 - 1.9) increased the chances of adolescents suffering an episode of intrafamily violence. Bullying (ORa = 3.9; 95%CI 2.8 - 5.3) and alcohol consumption (ORa = 2.2; 95%CI 1.7 - 2.7) contributed up to 4 times more not to suffer more than one episode of domestic violence. Habits such as eating with family (ORa = 0.7; 95%CI 0.5 - 1.0) and having parents who understand their problems (ORa = 0.6; 95%CI 0.5 - 0,7) proved to be protective factors for intrafamily violence. Intrafamily violence against adolescents is related to family interactions, psychoactive substance use and violence in the school environment. Thus, it reveals the importance of the participation of parents and guardians in the prevention of violence and risk behaviors in the lives of Brazilian adolescents.

Challenges in the Protection of Domestic Violence Victims in Azerbaijan: An Overview of the National Legislation in Light of the 2011 CoE Istanbul Convention

This article focuses on the following issues: the list of people offered victim status under the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence of Azerbaijan, the legal remedies available to them, and the legal measures taken by state authorities in all kinds of domestic violence episodes. Additionally, the Law is scrutinized in light of the CoE Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence. Hence, the benefits and shortcomings of the current legislation are easily found.

Exploring trauma and attachment style over the lifespan using secondary data: A single case study of two sisters

Le interviste sul ciclo di vita forniscono ricche informazioni contestuali sul trauma infantile e adulto e sui rischi di disturbi clinici. Le interviste a sorelle possono dare informazioni sulla concordanza e sulle differenze individuali in relazione a un’esperienza. Esaminare i report di sorelle riguardanti le loro esperienze infan-tili comuni e le differenti esperienze durante l’eta adulta puo essere illuminante. Due sorelle selezionate per uno studio su esperienze infantili avverse, stile di attaccamento e depressione, sono state utilizzate per illustrare le esperienze chiave dell’area di indagine in questione. Prese da un campione di donne londinesi, le sorelle adulte cresciute in una famiglia di 13 bambini in Irlanda, riportano una comune trascuratezza emotiva. Una delle due sorelle riporta di aver vis-suto inversione di ruolo, dato dall’aspettativa che lei educasse la sorella minore; l’altra sorella riporta abuso fisico da parte di un fratello. Entrambe le sorelle esperiscono in eta adulta uno stile di attaccamento insicuro, una di loro declinato in uno stile ansioso-spaventante e l’altra declinato in uno stile evitante-ritirato. Entrambe presentano depressione clinica con Disturbo d’Ansia Generalizzato (GAD). Le interpretazioni combinano sia uno stile socio-ecologico (problemi relativi allo stato di deprivazione infantile e all’immigrazione) sia fattori relativi allo stile di attaccamento conseguente alle avversita infantili con implicazioni nell’adattamento in eta adulta.

Traumatic Brain Injury within Domestic Relationships: Complications, Consequences and Contributing Factors

ABSTRACT Traumatic brain injury (TBI) resulting from episodes of domestic violence (DV) is a serious yet greatly underreported issue. Head injuries arising in these circumstances are often concussive or sub-concussive in nature, and are unlikely to be isolated incidents, with victims frequently suffering repetitive TBIs over time. Although men may also be victims of DV, women and children are most at risk of DV via intimate partners and parents, respectively. Due to the complexities of these interpersonal relationships, victims of DV are not always able to receive appropriate clinical diagnoses, care or follow-up after TBI. TBI arising from DV is also likely to occur in a complex milieu of fear, anxiety and depression, the physical and psychological consequences of which may worsen or perpetuate the pathology of TBI. This review examines the complexities of TBI arising from DV from several perspectives, with focus on three pertinent and interrelated topics: 1) pathobiology and complications of single and repetitive TBI, encompassing direct neural consequences, inflammation and hormonal changes; 2) behavioral, cognitive and psychosocial consequences of TBI; and 3) contributing factors to TBI and complications, including strategies to increase clinician recognition of TBI in DV patients, and programs and policies in place in Australia and abroad to decrease rates of offending.

Evaluation of the environmental and individual attributes associated with domestic violence hospitalizations in California using a geographically weighted regression model.

Event Abstract Back to Event Evaluation of the environmental and individual attributes associated with domestic violence hospitalizations in California using a geographically weighted regression model. Alvaro Medel-Herrero1* and Beatriz Martínez-López2 1 Center for Health and the Environment, University of California., United States 2 Center for Animal Disease Modeling and Surveillance, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, United States Objective Our investigation explored trends in domestic violence-related hospitalizations and emergency room (ED) visits in California from 2000 to 2017, including the potential impact of the 2007 recession and the change on domestic violence (DV) codification from ICD9 to ICD10 on reported DV episodes. Methods ED and hospital data were drawn from the California's Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). Descriptive and trend analyses of DV episodes, and a geographically weighted regression (GWR) analysis was conducted. Results We analyzed all DV-related hospitalizations and visits to ED caused in California between 2000 and 2017 (80,556). Estimated total cost for California DV-related hospitalizations alone was $1,326,523,862 for the period analyzed (2000-2017). The number of DV episodes per month increased from 182.0 to 386.2 during the pre- (Jan 2000- Nov 2007) and the post-recession period (Dec 2007-Sept 2015) and reached 998.5 per month during the ICD10 codification period (Oct 2015-Dec 2017), when specific codes for suspected/confirmed cases were created. The areas highly affected by domestic violence have increased considerably in recent years. We found significant concentration of DV-related hospitalizations in rural areas and underserved communities. Conclusion Not enough attention has been paid to DV hospitalizations, despite its importance. Only limited descriptions of DV inpatients and risks factors for hospitalizations have been published so far, and very little is known about the impact of the 2007 recession and the changes on ICD codes in DV hospital rates on number of reported DV episodes. We found environmental and individual attributes associated with domestic violence hospitalizations, that contribute to explain the increasing trend in DV hospitalizations. The increase in DV presents an important research area for future studies. Acknowledgements Feminist Research Institute (FRI), small grant FRI 2018-19 Keywords: Risk factors, Cluster analysis, Social determinansts of health, California, Domestic Violence Conference: GeoVet 2019. Novel spatio-temporal approaches in the era of Big Data, Davis, United States, 8 Oct - 10 Oct, 2019. Presentation Type: Poster-no session Topic: Spatial methods for environmental & exposure epidemiology and climate change Citation: Medel-Herrero A and Martínez-López B (2019). Evaluation of the environmental and individual attributes associated with domestic violence hospitalizations in California using a geographically weighted regression model.. Front. Vet. Sci. Conference Abstract: GeoVet 2019. Novel spatio-temporal approaches in the era of Big Data. doi: 10.3389/conf.fvets.2019.05.00021 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 30 Jul 2019; Published Online: 27 Sep 2019. * Correspondence: Dr. Alvaro Medel-Herrero, Center for Health and the Environment, University of California., Davis, United States, amedelherrero@UCDAVIS.EDU Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Alvaro Medel-Herrero Beatriz Martínez-López Google Alvaro Medel-Herrero Beatriz Martínez-López Google Scholar Alvaro Medel-Herrero Beatriz Martínez-López PubMed Alvaro Medel-Herrero Beatriz Martínez-López Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Reincidência, Fatores de Risco e Avaliação de Risco em Vítimas de Violência Doméstica

Por reincidência entendemos o número de vezes que a vítima, após um ou mais episódios de violência doméstica, recorre a um serviço de apoio especializado. Fatores de risco correspondem a indicadores que estão associados a caraterísticas psicológicas e psicossociais dos agressores, das vítimas e/ou da relação entre ambos e, que aumentam a probabilidade de reincidência. A avaliação de risco permite a recolha de indicadores sobre as partes envolvidas no ciclo de violência bem como a implementação de medidas que previnam o risco de reincidência e minimizem a sua agudização. O estudo contou com administração do instrumento denominado Grelha de Monotorização do Risco em Processos de Reincidência de Vítimas de Violência Doméstica, constituído por 44 itens que permitem a identificação dos fatores de risco que promovem a reincidência e que impedem as vítimas de cessar o ciclo da violência. A partir dos dados extraídos dos Relatórios de Informação Social do Gabinete de Serviço Social da Unidade Funcional de Clínica Forense do Serviço de Clínica e Patologia Forense, da Delegação do Centro do Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, I. P., foi possível observar 43 vítimas do sexo feminino (88,4 %). A monotorização e a avaliação de risco de forma dinâmica e contínua são essenciais nos casos identificados de violência, uma vez que se assume como um vetor essencial na prevenção da mesma.

The Market Price of Managerial Indiscretions

To what extent should investors be concerned about the personal behavior of the top managers of the companies they invest in? In a study published recently in the Journal of Financial Economics, the authors shed light on this question by examining the market responses to revelations of over 300 cases of personal misconduct by senior executives and directors, including episodes of domestic violence, DUIs, extramarital affairs, and public dishonesty. In so doing, they provide suggestive evidence of how “tone at the top” can affect corporate policy by way of its culture and how a manager's reputation spills over to that of the firm.The authors' findings show that the companies employing these executives experienced meaningful financial and product market penalties following the disclosure of their unethical behavior. Following the revelation of an indiscretion, investors suffered immediate losses in shareholder wealth—on the order of 4% in cases involving CEOs—and the company's stock continued to underperform during the ensuing year, with total losses amounting to 12 %–14% of firm value. Such companies also tended to lose joint venture partnerships and major customers following these scandals, thereby forcing them into lower‐margin lines of business. The authors also find that such companies were more likely later to commit fraud and be targeted in shareholder class‐action lawsuits.The offending managers themselves were disciplined by the labor market for their missteps in that they faced a higher likelihood of dismissal, and those who were retained earned around $400,000 less pay following the indiscretion. Nevertheless, it is notable that a majority of these executives were not fired, implying that their supervising boards felt they contributed more value to the firm than the damage they caused through their off‐the‐job behavior. Interestingly, the board members supervising these executives were also held accountable for managerial indiscretions in that they received less shareholder support in director elections following the scandals.

The Narrative Function of Clothing in Elena Ferrante’s Troubling Love

Elena Ferrante’s first published novel Troubling Love deals with the dark side of the mother-daughter relation as no other of her works. The narration takes the form of a painful assembly of events, dealing with both rupture and continuity between the narrator Delia and the story’s protagonist, her mother Amalia. Essentially, Delia sews images together as they emerge from her visceral, rather than intellective or even imaginative revisiting of her childhood and adolescence. Amalia’s drowned body is progressively dressed by Delia’s pieces of memory, equivalent to clothing items that shape the narrative’s fabric. Part of the communication among different characters happens through exchange of clothes, fabric and lingerie, corresponding to their attempts to tailor Amalia’s narrative in the name of their troubled love, which comes in different patterns. Delia’s recollections of episodes of domestic violence, however, convey laceration and amorphousness, as she continuously stitches and makes adjustments, whereas no clothes or narratives can contain the true Amalia. This essay intends to highlight the path along which the narration’s thread runs. It explores the correspondences between the text’s form and content, and analyzes the narrator’s struggle to come to terms with a character whose very substance remains unreachable, encrypted in her old garments that have resisted violence, manipulation, and imposition of forms.

Fatores associados à violência conjugal em um grupo de mulheres no município de João Pessoa – Paraíba

O estudo objetivou investigar fatores associados à violência conjugal em um grupo de mulheres no município de João Pessoa-PB. Para atender ao objetivo, realizou-se uma pesquisa do tipo analítico, com abordagem quantitativa, cuja ferramenta de análise estatística dos dados foi a Regressão Logística. O local do estudo correspondeu à Delegacia Especializada de Atendimento à Mulher do município de João Pessoa, onde foi selecionada, por conveniência, no período compreendido entre abril e agosto de 2012, uma amostra de 291 mulheres maiores de 18 anos, das quais 206 sofreram violência conjugal e 85 não sofreram violência conjugal a menos de um ano. As variáveis relacionadas às características pessoais, sociais e econômicas dos sujeitos do estudo foram identificadas no questionário aplicado às mulheres e utilizadas para a obtenção do modelo probabilístico final. Os resultados demonstraram que a situação da mulher ter sofrido violência anterior aumenta a chance de ser violentada novamente quase cinco vezes. Além disso, ser aposentada ou pensionista diminui a chance de a mulher sofrer agressão em quase nove vezes. No que tange aos homens, quando eles têm renda menor que dois salários mínimos e meio e têm história de violência na família, a chance de eles praticarem a violência contra a parceira aumenta em duas vezes. A chance de praticar a agressão diminui em quase duas vezes quando o homem é casado. Esses resultados indicam que a violência conjugal é um fenômeno complexo cuja ocorrência encontra-se associada a fatores de ordem pessoal, social, econômica e cultural.

‘Do you want to do some arm wrestling?’: children's strategies when experiencing domestic violence and the meaning of age

AbstractThe aim of this study is, by analysing children's and young people's discourses, to investigate their strategies in response to domestic violence episodes, in relation to their age. The empirical data come from individual interviews with children and young people (ages 8–20 years) who had experienced domestic violence and lived at refuges for abused women. The thematic analysis shows that the children describe a wide range of strategies before, during and after a violent episode, that all children act regardless of age and that strategies vary according not only to age but also to situation and context. The theoretical framework used is the sociology of childhood, and the analysis engages with theoretical concepts of age, agency and positioning.

Women?s Narratives on their Interactions with the First Response Police Officer Following an Incidence of Domestic Violence in the UK

Background: Historically police responses towards the treatment of domestic disturbances regard them as a noncriminal problem. Recent changes to societal and Criminal Justice System attitudes to domestic violence now places an emphasis on first response officers to effectively deal with offenders, manage victim safety and gather evidence. Methods: This study explored fifteen women’s interactions with the attending first response police officer following an episode of domestic violence within the home. A qualitative approach using unstructured narrative interviews was chosen to ensure that each woman remained in control of the research interview. Results: Thematic analysis revealed three main themes concerning power relations and officer attitudes, suggesting that personal and cultural factors may negatively impact on officers ‘handling of complaints of partner assault, offsetting policy initiatives that guide officers in engaging with victims of domestic violence. The order of the themes reflects the sequential nature of the women’s dialogue. The first theme explores the initial police response, followed by the women’s narratives around feelings of personal disregard for their experiences and evidential considerations. The final theme explores the police response to retraction of statements. Conclusions: Women’s interactions with first response officers following domestic violence illuminates societal issues previously unmentioned. Making women’s’ stories visible provides an important insight, contribution and opportunity to examine first response officer’s responses to domestic violence. Integrating the voices of the women (service Abstract users) themselves, is arguably an advantageous consideration towards continuing Professional development training for all first response police officers. The attendance of the police at an incident of domestic violence provides unique opportunity to gather evidence for the purposes of prosecution. Negative police responses to women experiencing domestic violence may serve to undermine a woman’s autonomy and may also be interpreted as condoning the behavior of the abusive partner.

Interventions for preventing or reducing domestic violence against pregnant women.

Domestic violence during pregnancy is a major public health concern. This preventable risk factor threatens both the mother and baby. Routine perinatal care visits offer opportunities for healthcare professionals to screen and refer abused women for effective interventions. It is, however, not clear which interventions best serve mothers during pregnancy and postpartum to ensure their safety. To examine the effectiveness and safety of interventions in preventing or reducing domestic violence against pregnant women. We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Trials Register (31 July 2014), scanned bibliographies of published studies and corresponded with investigators. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) including cluster-randomised trials, and quasi-randomised controlled trials (e.g. where there was alternate allocation) investigating the effect of interventions in preventing or reducing domestic violence during pregnancy. Two review authors independently assessed trials for inclusion and risk of bias, extracted data and checked them for accuracy. We included 10 trials with a total of 3417 women randomised. Seven of these trials, recruiting 2629 women, contributed data to the review. However, results for all outcomes were based on single studies. There was limited evidence for the primary outcomes of reduction of episodes of violence (physical, sexual, and/or psychological) and prevention of violence during and up to one year after pregnancy (as defined by the authors of trials). In one study, women who received the intervention reported fewer episodes of partner violence during pregnancy and in the postpartum period (risk ratio (RR) 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.43 to 0.88, 306 women, moderate quality). Groups did not differ for Conflict Tactics Score - the mean partner abuse scores in the first three months postpartum (mean difference (MD) 4.20 higher, 95% CI -10.74 to 19.14, one study, 46 women, very low quality). The Current Abuse Score for partner abuse in the first three months was also similar between groups (MD -0.12 lower, 95% CI -0.31 lower to 0.07 higher, one study, 191 women, very low quality). Evidence for the outcomes episodes of partner abuse during pregnancy or episodes during the first three months postpartum was not significant (respectively, RR 0.50, 95% CI 0.25 to 1.02, one study with 220 women, very low quality; and RR 0.60, 95% CI 0.35 to 1.04, one study, 271 women, very low quality). Finally, the risk for low birthweight (< 2500 g) did not differ between groups (RR 0.74, 95 % CI 0.41 to 1.32, 306 infants, low quality).There were few statistically significant differences between intervention and control groups for depression during pregnancy and the postnatal period. Only one study reported findings for neonatal outcomes such as preterm delivery and birthweight, and there were no clinically significant differences between groups. None of the studies reported results for other secondary outcomes: Apgar score less than seven at one minute and five minutes, stillbirth, neonatal death, miscarriage, maternal mortality, antepartum haemorrhage, and placental abruption. There is insufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of interventions for domestic violence on pregnancy outcomes. There is a need for high-quality, RCTs with adequate statistical power to determine whether intervention programs prevent or reduce domestic violence episodes during pregnancy, or have any effect on maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes.

Domestic Violence: The Medical Forensic Response

Each year countless numbers of men, women, and children present to emergency rooms and urgent care centers seeking treatment following acts of domestic violence. Many times law enforcement is not involved until tragedy has struck. Working with emergency department staff can greatly improve victim outcomes and help law enforcement to understand why they may not see any visible injuries. Sexual assault, physical abuse, and strangulation are possible findings after an episode of domestic violence. Careful documentation of symptoms is one of the most important measures to note.

Reduced Visual Cortex Gray Matter Volume and Thickness in Young Adults Who Witnessed Domestic Violence during Childhood

Exposure to interparental violence is associated with negative outcomes, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and reduced cognitive abilities. However, little is known about the potential effects of witnessing domestic violence during childhood on gray matter volume (GMV) or cortical thickness. High-resolution 3.0 T volumetric scans (Siemens Trio Scanner) were obtained on 52 subjects (18–25 years) including 22 (6 males/16 females) with a history of visually witnessing episodes of domestic violence, and 30 (8 males/22 females) unexposed control subjects, with neither a current nor past DSM-IV Axis I or II disorder. Potential confounding effects of age, gender, level of parental verbal aggression, parental education, financial stress, full scale IQ, and total GMV, or average thickness were modeled using voxel based morphometry and FreeSurfer. Witnessing domestic violence subjects had a 6.1% GMV reduction in the right lingual gyrus (BA18) (P = 0.029, False Discovery Rate corrected peak level). Thickness in this region was also reduced, as was thickness in V2 bilaterally and left occipital pole. Theses regions were maximally sensitive to exposure to witnessing domestic violence between 11–13 years of age. Regional reductions in GMV and thickness were observed in both susceptible and resilient witnessing domestic violence subjects. Results in subjects witnessing domestic violence were similar to previously reported results in subjects with childhood sexual abuse, as the primary region affected was visual cortex. Brain regions that process and convey the adverse sensory input of the abuse may be specifically modified by this experience, particularly in subjects exposed to a single type of maltreatment. Exposure to multiple types of maltreatment is more commonly associated with morphological alterations in corticolimbic regions. These findings fit with preclinical studies showing that visual cortex is a highly plastic structure.