Domestic Violence Research Articles

Frequency, Causes and Medico-Legal Aspects of Grievous Injury to the Eye after Physical Assault

Aims: A medicolegal report is prepared by the medicolegal officer in conjunction with an ophthalmologist in cases of physical assault claiming vision loss. The objective was to report the frequency and cause of grievous injury to the eye after a physical assault. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan from October 2019 to August 2022. A total of 378 medicolegal cases were reported in the ophthalmology outpatient. Among them, 285 patients of physical assault were included with consecutive sampling technique. Results: The mean age of the patients was 33.93±12.96 years. The mean reporting time to an ophthalmologist was 4.1±8.2 days. Simple and grievous injuries were found in 278 (97.5%) and 7 (2.4%) cases, respectively. Among the grievous injuries, 4 (57.2%) were close globe injuries and 3 (42.8%) were open globe injuries. Thirteen (4.5%) were malingers. Domestic violence was observed in 82 (28.8%) study subjects. Conclusion: The frequency of grievous injury to the eye is very low (2.4%) in patients with physical assault. The patients of assault-related grievous injury were mostly males, young age, low level of education, and doing manual jobs. Vitrolage with corneal melting, and firearm injury caused the grievous injury in open globe patterns. Vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, macular hole, and secondary glaucoma were seen among close globe patterns. J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2024; 42: 336-341

How does family support mitigate the impact of childhood adversity on adolescent mental health?

Abstract Background Childhood adversity is associated with increased risk of developing mental health problems over the life course. We investigated how family emotional support in adolescence may mitigate the impact of childhood adversity on adolescent mental health. Methods We used longitudinal data from the UK Millennium Cohort Study on 9,269 children followed to age 17 years. Individuals were assigned to exposure trajectories characterised using group-based trajectory models that included measures of poverty and family adversities (parental mental ill health, parental alcohol misuse and domestic violence) up to age 14 years. Using counterfactual causal mediation analysis and four-way decomposition modelling approach, we evaluated how perceived family emotional support at age 14 (measured using the three-item Short Social Provisions Scale) influences the association of childhood adversity trajectories on mental health at ages 14 and 17, assessing the relative contributions of mediation and interaction simultaneously. Results Compared with children experiencing low adversity and poverty, those exposed to childhood adversity were almost three times more likely to experience poor mental health (RR 2·99, 95% CI 2 ·41 to 3·57) at age 14 and age 17 (RR 2·58, 95% CI 2·09 to 3·06). Perceived emotional support mitigates up to 18% (95% CI: 9% to 26%) of this effect at age 14, and 13% (95% CI: 5% to 22%) at age 17, mainly due to interactive mechanisms. Conclusions Childhood adversity has a strong effect on mental health, which is partially mitigated by perceived family support in adolescence. Policies that support positive family functioning may be particularly beneficial for children who have experienced adversity. Key messages • Socio-economic – associated mental health problems in adolescence differed based on levels of family support. • Approximately 20% of the social inequality in mental health outcomes in adolescence may be mitigated or reduced by improving levels of family support.

Conflicts and Restrictions: Flora Nwapa's Visionary Exposé of Women's Struggles in Nigerian Marital Contexts

This paper investigates acclaimed Nigerian Author Flora Nwapa's nuanced literary portrayals of the challenges Nigerian women face within marital roles and relationships. Through textual analysis of characters and events across Nwapa's novels, short stories and folklore centered on women's experiences, the study illuminates critical perspectives on issues of patriarchy, lack of autonomy, rigid gender roles, and socioeconomic restrictions undermining women’s agency and fulfillment. Core themes highlighted in Nwapa's subtle social commentary include anguish over infertility, hardships from prolonged spousal absence, emotional tolls of polygamy, lack of personal choice in partners, limited educational and career opportunities, economic dependence, and domestic violence. Her visionary work gives voice to Nigerian women’s aspirations while exposing oppressive structures. Findings substantiate how Nwapa’s rich depictions of women navigating complex marital terrain reveal an array of postcolonial and patriarchal impediments to female empowerment. Her literary portrayal of restrictions, conflicts and oppression compels critical examination of norms inhibiting women’s advancement. By confronting gender-based inequities and envisioning transformative possibilities, Nwapa leads African women writers in catalyzing legal and sociocultural reforms to promote women’s full flourishing.

Being made visible: Responding to complex needs created by child removal in the Family Court

ABSTRACT The transfer of residence (aka child removal) when domestic abuse is a factor appears to have increased as a practice to resolve challenging child arrangements in public and private law proceedings. Minimal data exists regarding the transfer of residence in public law and the number of private law orders made each year is less clear. Serious concerns about the safety of the family courts continue to be raised, including expert reports recommending the transfer of residency. Following, often harrowing, removals mothers report how they are left to manage complex needs while still being expected to ‘fight’ for their child’s return. In 2022, Project Lighthouse was founded in response to the growing population of mothers who have endured domestic abuse and child removal The charity is beginning to understand the impact and lifelong trauma caused by child removal and, often, is a mechanism of coercive control hidden in plain sight of the family court. Focusing mainly on doctoral and peer research, this paper discusses how mothers’ lived experiences suggest that child removal in private law proceedings is increasing. The paper concludes by calling for urgent research focusing on the impact of child removal, which will help increase much needed awareness.

Adverse childhood experiences and age-trajectories of depressive symptom for middle and older ages

Abstract Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have lifelong impacts on health outcomes. Less is known about their effects on later outcomes (mental health). Moreover, associations of ACEs with age-trajectories of depressive symptoms and how they differ in different countries remain unclear. We investigated associations between ACEs and trajectories of depressive symptoms at mid-to-older ages in two distinct populations. Methods We used longitudinal data from English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA: n = 19602, ≥50y) and China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS: n = 19561, ≥45y). Depressive symptoms were measured by Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale at 10 waves (2002-2022) in ELSA and at 5 waves (2011-2020) in CHARLS. ACEs were retrospectively reported in both studies. We applied group-based trajectory modelling to identify distinct age-trajectories of depressive symptoms and multinomial regression to estimate associations between ACEs and trajectory groups. Results We identified three trajectory groups: in ELSA: high (12.3% in men and 14.7% in women), moderate (46.6% and 47.9%) and low (41.1% and 37.4%), and in CHARLS: high (9.3% and 13.2%), moderate (34.1% and 39.4%) and low (56.6% and 47.4%). Most ACEs were associated with increased risk of having moderate/ high trajectories of depressive symptoms after adjusting for other ACEs, sex, and childhood socioeconomic disadvantages. For example, for physical abuse, the adjusted relative risk ratio (RRRadj) for high and moderate trajectory groups was 2.09(1.99, 2.19) and 1.16(1.12, 1.20) respectively in ELSA. It was 1.34(1.23, 1.44) and 1.22(1.13, 1.32) in CHARLS. For domestic violence, the respective RRRadj was 1.90(1.65, 2.18) and 1.44(1.22, 1.70) in ELSA, and 1.33(1.22, 1.44) and 1.24(1.14, 1.35) in CHARLS. Conclusions ACEs have life-long effects on mental health at mid-to-older ages in both countries, highlighting the need of early intervention to improve mental health in later life. Key messages • Our work considered the distinct patterns of age-trajectories of depressive symptoms for adults at middle and older ages, capturing the changing process of mental health problems in later life. • We also investigated the associations between childhood factors and trajectory of depressive symptoms, which helped to improve mental health for older people under the situation of global ageing.

Domestic Violence in India- Issues and Challenges

Domestic violence is violence or abusive behaviour which is used by one partner to control another partner in any relationship. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological or any pattern. For example, it may take the form of sexual assault psychological abuse or verbal abuse to anyone. It affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. Domestic violence not only affects those who are abused, but also affects family members, friends, co-workers, other witnesses, and the community at large. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 2019-2021, 29.3% of married Indian women between the ages of 18 and 49 have experienced domestic or sexual violence in India. That is only the number of cases reported by women, there are frequently many more that never make it to the police. According to NFHS data, 87% of married women are victims of marital violence. The National Commission for Women said in 2020-21, it received 26,513 complaints from women, an increase of 25.09%, compared with the 20,309 complaints registered in 2019-20. The Indian legal system has formed Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code according to the Criminal Law (Second Amendment) Act, 1983 (46 of 1983), especially for dealing with domestic violence. 498A IPC states that “Husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty. —Whoever, being the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman, subjects such woman to cruelty shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and shall also be liable to a fine. Sec 498A IPC is cognizable, non-compoundable and non-bail able. Even though the law provides for the security of women, there is a big loophole; a lack of awareness among the victims, most of whom do not know that they have the option to approach the law. In this paper, the researchers have tried to explore the issue and challenges for stopping domestic violence in India.

Domestic Violence in the Focus of Estonian Penal Policy and Implementation of the Law in the Light of the Istanbul Convention Requirements

Domestic violence is a multi-faceted phenomenon, encompassing social, psychological, medical and, certainly, legal aspects. Depending on the existing legal framework, it is the lawyers who have the possibility and even the duty to assist and protect the victim and to apply various sanctions against the perpetrator. The decision on the Principles of Criminal Policy until 2030, adopted by the Estonian Parliament, formulates the goal of the penal system as supporting law-abiding lifestyles and thus ensuring that the norms based on the values of our society are implemented, violations are responded to and conflicts are resolved fairly. These are goals that, if realised, could also contribute to reducing domestic violence in society. Estonia has ratified the Istanbul Convention and has made amendments to national legislation in accordance with the requirements of the Convention. Dealing with cases of domestic violence is nevertheless relatively problematic, especially from the perspective of the victim. The predominance of the settlement procedure or the practice of out-of-court restorative justice and conciliation in domestic violence cases, in the opinion of this author, tends to support the position of the perpetrator of violence.

The victims' shoes trope and emerging solidarity in political protest

AbstractBy providing an overview of the rich and surprising ways in which the victims' shoes trope becomes utilised in political protests as the focus of interaction ritual chains, this article elaborates on the three distinct ways through which moral communities of solidarity position themselves. Firstly, moral communities are often formed around aspects of large‐scale atrocities such as commemoration, victimhood and past injustices that, I argue, strengthen nationalist sentiments. The second type of moral communities of solidarity are those that demand ‘rights’ and claim ‘duties’ for promoting particular sectoral agendas. In the third type, the shoes serve to build solidarities that are future‐oriented and aim at promoting universal human rights. By using Goffman's Frame Theory and Collins' Interaction Ritual Chain Theory, this article analyses protests from around the world in which the victims' shoes trope has been utilised to tackle a wide range of subjects—gun and domestic violence, unemployment, Covid‐19 policies, institutional abuse, road safety, commemorations, antiwar and climate protests and more.

Going Insane: Battered Muslim Women Reclaim a Positive Identity.

This study examines the process of identity negotiation of 15 Muslim women who resisted severe abuse by their husbands and extended family by becoming mentally ill and thereafter, divorcing. Content analysis of the interview narratives shows that these women were poor, married young, and endured years of battering, isolation, and silencing for the sake of family honor and children's well-being. Entrapped within a web of sociocultural norms legitimizing wife beating, and abusive extended family relationships that annihilate their voice by branding them as maj'nuna/insane, these women explained that they were terrorized helpless victims fearing the stigma of being labeled insane and the resultant harm to their children. With the deterioration of their health, threat of annihilation, and imminent danger to themselves and their children, these women broke through the normative oppressive framework by becoming maj'nuna/mentally ill. Detached from the extended family and no longer caring to endorse a label that discredited what they said or did, these women overtly resisted by escaping to the family of origin and/or mental health clinic to reveal the abuse, divorce, and seek treatment. Severing all family ties, and now residing in public housing, these women felt safe to renegotiate a favorable identity and reclaim the right to live with dignity. Implications/recommendations: (1) The criminalization of battering and prosecution of batterers is not enough to deter when cultural norms sanction battering, (2) additional diagnostic categories are needed to identify the precursors of battering within the strategies of overt and covert resistance battered women adopt in collectivistic cultures such as mental and neurophysiological dysfunctions, and (3) it is necessary to transcend the individualistic model titling battered women within the false dichotomy of victimization or agency as it fails to reflect battered women's experience in collectivistic cultures and their resistant strategies to abuse in the extended family.

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Virtually-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the Duluth Model for Men Court-Mandated to a Domestic Violence Program

A Randomized Clinical Trial of Virtually-Delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and the Duluth Model for Men Court-Mandated to a Domestic Violence Program

Exploring factors associated with domestic violence among pregnant women in Pakistan and its implications for maternal and perinatal health

ABSTRACT Domestic violence during pregnancy is a critical health issue due to its significant implications for both maternal and fetal well-being. Women in South Asian countries are particularly at a higher risk of experiencing domestic violence. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with domestic violence among pregnant women attending tertiary care antenatal services in Pakistan. The secondary aim was to evaluate the impact of domestic violence on maternal and perinatal outcomes. The study participants were 681 pregnant women registered for antenatal care and delivery at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad, Pakistan. Data were collected through in-person surveys and medical chart reviews. Associations between domestic violence and study variables were examined by logistic regression analysis. Among the study participants, 31.4%experienced some form of domestic violence during pregnancy, with psychological abuse (16.4%) being the most prevalent followed by sexual abuse (9.5%) and physical violence (1.8%). Women whose husbands were unemployed were three times more likely to experience domestic violence (aOR; 3.3, 95%CI: 1.6, 7.0). Similarly, husband’s substance abuse was significantly associated with domestic violence during pregnancy (aOR: 120.8, 95%CI: 57.9, 252.2). Domestic violence was a significant predictor of adverse maternal outcomes, including anemia, preterm labor, and recurrent abdominal pain. Similarly, domestic violence was a significant predictor of NICU admission (aOR: 20.6, 95%CI: 12.6, 33.8) and low birthweight (aOR: 24.4, 95%CI: 10.2, 58.4). The study findings emphasize the urgent need for comprehensive interventions targeting domestic violence among women and preventing its cascading effects on pregnancies.

Domestic Violence Experience, Past Depressive Disorder, Unplanned Pregnancy, and Suicide Risk in the First Year Postpartum: Mediating Effect of Postpartum Depression.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between domestic violence, past depressive disorder, unplanned pregnancy, suicide risk, and postpartum depression among Korean women using a mediation model approach. A web-based, cross-sectional survey was performed from September 21 to September 30, 2022. Participants included 1,486 women in their first year postpartum from Chungnam Province, South Korea. The generalized linear model mediation was analyzed using the R-based Jamovi 2.3.21 version program. Of all participants, 8.7% had domestic violence experience, 7.5% had been diagnosed with depressive disorder by the doctor in the past, 33.0% had reported that the last pregnancy was unplanned, 39.9% had postpartum depression, and 11.2% of the participants had a suicide risk. Among the participants with a high risk of suicide, 34.4%, 37.5%, 53.1%, and 96.9% reported experiencing domestic violence, past depressive disorder, an unplanned pregnancy, and postpartum depression, respectively. Postpartum depression partially mediated the relationship between domestic violence, past depressive disorder, and suicide risk and completely mediated the relationship between unplanned pregnancy and suicide risk. Our findings highlight the necessity for screening and early intervention for suicide risk and postpartum depression from pregnancy to the first year postpartum.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Impact of Increasing Criminalization on Domestic Violence Support Workers: Nonfatal Strangulation as a Case Study.

Specialized nongovernmental domestic violence (DV) services provide critical support to victim/survivors. This research draws on 14 semistructured focus groups with 27 DV support workers to examine how expanded criminalization impacts support workers' roles using a case study of a 2016 nonfatal strangulation offense legislated in Queensland, Australia. Our results describe a lack of governmental support intersecting with increased complexity and higher workload burden resulting from expanded criminalization. Expansions to criminal law need to account for and critically assess the full system impact of new DV legislation and the added burdens placed on the pivotal third sector of DV services.

Legal framework for protection against domestic violence in Lithuania

Legal framework for protection against domestic violence in Lithuania

When is ‘the end of the road’ reached? Observing the presumption of parental involvement through systems theory

ABSTRACT In 2014 the Children Act 1989 was amended to include a presuption that involvement of a parent in a child’s life will further the child’s welfare unless there is evidence of the risk of harm. Kaganas published two seminal articles which concluded that the government’s ideological rationale for introducting the presumption of parental involvement not only failed to materialise but had some unintended, possibly detrimental, consequences for mothers. This article examines the operation and effects of the presumption of parental involvement in recent years based on an analysis of private law family court judgments between July 2020 and December 2023. Drawing on Luhmann’s theory of autopoietic social systems, it examines the possibilities for and limitations on using law to drive social change beyond the operations of the legal system itself. It concludes that the statutory presumption has failed to serve its stated purpose and has even had the unintended consequence of generating legal communications about the risks of parental involvement. From a feminist perspective, it concludes that positive changes observed in the family court response to domestic and child abuse are an achievement, in light of the limits on steering society, at least until something changes in the unknowable future.

Dowry demand, perception of wife-beating, decision making power and associated partner violence among married adolescent girls: A cross-sectional analytical study in India.

Violence against women is considered a fundamental violation of their human rights. According to the world health organization (WHO), one-third of women worldwide experience some form of intimate partner violence (IPV). This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dowry demand, perception of wife-beating, decision-making on work and household purchases and physical, sexual, and emotional violence against married adolescent girls in India by using a large dataset. Data from the Understanding the lives of adolescents and young adults (UDAYA) project survey were used in this study. The final sample size included 4893 married adolescent girls. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were performed to examine preliminary results. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the associations between dowry demand, perception of wife-beating, decision-making and types of IPV. The prevalence of emotional, physical, and sexual violence among married adolescent girls were 28.6%, 22.9%, and 26.1%, respectively. Approximately 44% of married adolescent girls have experienced some form of violence (emotional, physical, or sexual). The likelihood of experiencing violence was 3.64 times more likely among adolescent girls who reported that dowry was demanded by their in-laws than their counterparts [aOR: 3.64; CI: 3.05-4.35]. Moreover, married girls who justified wife-beating were more likely to face any violence than their counterparts [aOR: 1.56; CI: 1.28-1.90]. Similarly, adolescent girls whose work decisions were made by others had higher odds of experiencing any violence than those who decided their work themselves/jointly with others [aOR: 1.34; CI: 1.07-1.68]. The odds of any violence were higher among adolescent girls whose decisions on household purchases were made by others compared to those who decided to make purchases themselves or jointly with others [aOR: 1.37; CI: 1.09-1.71]. The findings revealed significant associations between dowry-demand, justification of wife-beating, decision making power and IPV among married adolescent girls, and suggest policies that help reduce violence related to the predominantly practiced dowry system in the country, and programs aimed at educating adolescent married girls about their rights against violence and empowering them to retain equal decision-making power within their families and reduce their vulnerability to domestic violence.

Police and researcher use of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA): Interrater agreement and examination of published norms.

Police and researcher use of the Ontario Domestic Assault Risk Assessment (ODARA): Interrater agreement and examination of published norms.

IMPACTOS DAS ALTERAÇÕES RECENTES NA LEI MARIA DA PENHA: UMA ANÁLISE CRÍTICA DAS NOVAS MEDIDAS DE PROTEÇÃO ÀS MULHERES VÍTIMAS DE VIOLÊNCIA DOMÉSTICA

The Maria da Penha Law (Law No. 11,340/2006) is a milestone in the fight against domestic and family violence against women in Brazil, and is internationally recognized for its relevance. However, over the years, it has been necessary to adapt it to face new challenges and ensure its effectiveness. This research analyzes the changes made to the Law, seeking to identify the potentialities and limitations of these changes in strengthening protection measures for women victims of violence. The objective of this research is to understand the impact of these changes on the fight against domestic and family violence and on the protection of women. To this end, a bibliographic review was used as a methodology, complemented by a detailed analysis of the laws that modified the Maria da Penha Law. The relevance of this research lies in the need to evaluate legislative advances in addressing gender-based violence, a social problem deeply rooted in Brazilian culture. The research is justified by the urgency of analyzing the effectiveness of legislative changes, considering the social context and the importance of improving public policies aimed at protecting women. The results show that the main recent changes include improvements in police and forensic services, criminalization of non-compliance with emergency protective measures and increased enforcement of the law, regardless of the condition or motivation of those involved.

Rural Road Infrastructure and Women’s Empowerment in India

Abstract The paper examines the impact of a rural road construction program in India on a range of outcomes that capture women’s empowerment comprehensively. While spatial integration can ease mobility constraints and provide women with increased education and employment opportunities, the extent of benefits might be limited by underlying gender norms. The paper identifies the impact of the policy by exploiting the program rule that assigned roads based on the village population in a two-way fixed effect framework. The results suggest that the policy reduces mobility restrictions faced by women and improves norms around domestic violence and intra-household agency. It also finds a positive impact of the policy on female education; however, there is limited impact on female employment. Additionally, the study documents gendered impact of the policy—men benefit more in terms of employment than women. The paper offers important policy prescription on how investment in rural roads can affect women’s lives.

The Religious Conversion of Iranian Asylum-Seeking Women in the Process of Searching for Identity

This article explores the experiences of Iranian women who converted from Islam to Christianity, particularly focusing on the challenges they faced in their home country and as immigrants. Following the 1979 Iranian revolution, women, especially those from minority groups, endured significant oppression. Many women fled Iran in pursuit of freedom, but their difficulties persisted as immigrants, now compounded by their minority status in a new context. Based on qualitative research, including in-depth interviews with twenty-seven women in Eskisehir, Turkey, the study uncovers how patriarchal norms, domestic abuse, early marriage, and a lack of educational opportunities in Iran pushed these women toward Christianity, which offered them not only a new faith but also a sense of personal and spiritual autonomy. The research highlights the complex interplay of identity, religion, and agency, demonstrating how these women's conversions were both an act of defiance against oppressive systems and a path toward personal liberation.