Partner Violence Research Articles

Prevalence of Antenatal Depression in a Teaching Hospital South/South Nigeria.

Background: Over 30 million people living in Africa suffer from depression which also contributes to global burden of diseases with a steady rise in prevalence, affecting all groups, including pregnant women. Factors which account for the psychological effects of pregnancy on mothers include; maternal age, planned pregnancy, previous experiences, spouse support, and partner violence. These risk factors may lead to antenatal depression which endangers the mother and the pregnancy. To safeguard mothers from depression during pregnancy, these factors need to be determined.
 Objective: To determine the prevalence, risk factors and predictors of antenatal depression.
 Methods: Pregnant women attending antenatal care, who met the study inclusion criteria were interviewed and screened for depression using the risk factor and socio-demographic questionnaire and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Data obtained was fed into the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 and cross-tabulation of the relevant variables obtained using chi-squared and t-test. P values <0.05 were statistically significant.
 Results: Of 500 respondents, 158 (31.6%) had depression. Risk factors of cohabiting with spouse, lack of financial support from spouse, fight with spouse, threat to life, history of still birth and child health challenges were determined, four of which turned out to be predictors of antenatal depression (AD).
 Conclusion: The high prevalence of 31.6% of antenatal depression calls for a review of obstetrics practice to include screening and diagnosis for antenatal depression.
 Keywords: Antenatal depression, socio-demographic factors, EPDS, Obstetrics risk factors, social support, predictors.

Situaciones traumáticas en víctimas de desplazamiento forzado en Colombia con diagnóstico de TEPT: inicio, tipos, frecuencias, gravedad e impacto

IntroductionArmed conflict is associated with the presence of emotional symptoms and mental disorders in victims, the most recurrent being post-traumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, anxiety and depressive reactions. The purpose of the study is to characterise situations due to forced displacement in people who meet diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder according to gender. MethodsA descriptive, cross-sectional non-experimental study in a sample consisting of 1367 subjects between 18 and 70 years of age included in the single registry of victims, of which 588 were classified as the clinical sample. The symptoms, history and severity of PTSD were evaluated using the EGEP-5 instrument. The data were analysed using descriptive and frequency techniques, as well as differences in means and Chi2 in relation to the gender variable. ResultsIn categorizing situations, it was observed that women were exposed with a significantly higher frequency than men to physical violence, sexual harassment and partner violence; in turn, men were exposed with a significantly higher frequency than women to acts of terrorism or torture, serious accidents in means of transport, other types of accidents and violence, abuse or sexual assault. ConclusionsAll the people included in this study, in addition to the fact of forced displacement, have been exposed to at least one potentially traumatizing adverse event; of these, just over two-fifths meet clinical criteria for PTSD and, no less noticeable, is the fact that they are polytraumatised people, having been exposed to multiple traumatic situations.

Aggression and Violence Affecting Youth During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review

Experiencing aggression and violence has long-term developmental effects. Youth have indirectly or directly experienced aggression and violence during COVID-19. Aggression and violence have been happening in communities throughout the world, and with excessive social media exposure, youth are observing violence. Partner violence has also been experienced at home along with sibling violence. Being the target of aggression/violence has been reported by youth via texting hotlines and via self and parent-report surveys. This narrative review includes summaries of this COVID-19 research as well as potential underlying mechanisms for aggression/violence including frustration and touch deprivation. Limitations of these studies include their nonrepresentative samples and cross-sectional data deriving from different pandemic periods

‘My Family and I Are Absolutely against This Law’: Gender Citizenship and Domestic Violence in Contemporary Russia

The article examines how post-soviet legal initiatives on prevention of intimate partner and domestic violence relate to the concepts of gender citizenship and “new private” which transformed gender order in the Russian Federation. To explore emerging concepts the article focuses on the discursive practices of the public debate on the draft law “On prevention of family-domestic violence,” which was released by the Federation Council for the online public discussion on 29 November 2019 and became the most debated draft law drawing 11,186 online entries as comments. Using grounded theory to identify main discursive clusters of the public debate, the article offers an analysis of how theories of cultural sovereignty and “new private” are articulated in contemporary Russian public space. This analysis, supplemented by the examination of other legal and policy documents on prevention of violence against women, gender policy and human rights of women, resulted in conclusions that in post-soviet Russia the concept of gender citizenship has been developing in the close relationship with the concept of cultural sovereignty, which provides the State with legitimate ways to exercise a selective approach to the guarantees of human rights and reject gender-sensitive legislation on the grounds of protecting the family as a traditional value at the expense of human rights of women.

Foreldre underrapporterer om konflikter og utfordringer i forkant av mekling. En evaluering av familievernets differensieringsverktøy

Background: In 2016, the Norwegian family counselling service implemented differentiated mediation to give cumstomized help. The differentiation tool (i.e., questionnaire) has never been evaluated. Method: Using a sample of 761 parents, we compared parent responses given over the phone to the family counselling service and anonymously to an electronic version of the questionnaire. Results: One-third of the parents underreported their challenges to the family counselling service, and only 15% of parents who, in the electronic questionnaire reported substanse abuse or violence in the relationship, revealed this to the service. Underreporters had higher interparental conflict and more symptoms of anxiety and depression. Parents who underreported problems with substanse abuse and violence had more physically violent conflicts. Conclusions: There is a need to improve the validity of the differentiation tool. We suggest that parents need information and a safe environment when completing the questionnaire. Electronic administration of the questionnaire may serve this purpose. Keywords: parental mediation, differentiated mediation, parental conflict, partner violence

Risk and protective factors for GBV among women and girls living in humanitarian setting: systematic review protocol

BackgroundWhile one in three women around the world are estimated to have experienced intimate partner or sexual violence, these rates are often exacerbated during conflict and humanitarian crisis. This systematic review seeks to provide an overview of existing research on risk and protective factors associated with gender-based violence (GBV) in conflict and humanitarian settings.MethodsStudies will be searched from the following databases: PubMed (Medline); PsycINFO; Scopus; Global Health; and Cochrane Center trials registrar. In addition, targeted searches of the internet repositories for GBV will be conducted. We will include studies that are published between January 1995 and December 2020 and document risk or protective factors for gender-based violence against women and girls in conflict or humanitarian settings. Two reviewers will independently screen and extract data for the review, with a third reviewer arbitrating disputes and ensuring quality. A quality assessment of the included studies will be undertaken using a modified GRADE system. Narrative synthesis will be utilized to analyze the data.DiscussionThe results of this study will inform the design and delivery of GBV prevention programs in conflict and humanitarian settings as well as contribute to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 5. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and will be utilized at the World Health Organization to inform efforts to prevent GBV in conflict and humanitarian settings.Systematic review registrationThe protocol has been registered with PROSEPERO (CRD42020198695).

Predictors of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization by Multiple Partners Over a Period of 8 Years.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive social issue with broad physical and mental health implications. Although 35%-56% of women report IPV victimization with more than one violent partner, few studies have identified factors that increase the risk of experiencing IPV across multiple partners (i.e., IPV reengagement). In the current study, multilevel modeling was used to examine the roles of trauma exposure, mental health, and sociodemographic factors in the risk for reengagement in a sample of women (N = 120) with IPV victimization. Participants were drawn from a randomized control trial of an intervention for mothers who had experienced IPV. The results revealed that more psychological but less sexual IPV was associated with increased reengagement. Higher degrees of posttraumatic reexperiencing symptoms were associated with less reengagement. Depressive symptoms were also significantly associated with reengagement such that lower levels of positive affect and increased somatic symptoms were associated with increased reengagement. Higher income levels and less housing instability were associated with more reengagement, βrange = -.13-.16. Finally, compared to the control condition, participation in the intervention program was significantly associated with lower levels of reengagement at 8-year follow-up, β = -.75, p = .001. These findings suggest that it is not what happened (i.e., experiences of abuse) but rather a woman's posttraumatic experience (i.e., posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms) that creates risk for reengagement. The findings support the long-term effectiveness of a brief intervention in reducing reengagement.

El dinero no es todo: Compra y venta de sexo en la Argentina del siglo XX

El dinero no es todo: Compra y venta de sexo en la Argentina del siglo XX

“He Sees Me as His Possession and Thinks He Can Do What He Wants.” Dependent Stay and Partner Violence among Moroccan Marriage Migrant Women in the Netherlands

ABSTRACT Partner violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual violence, is a problem in the Netherlands, just as it is all over the world. A special category of women who are affected by these forms of violence are marriage migrants; a group that is particularly vulnerable in the first five years after migration to the Netherlands because of their dependence on their partner for residence rights. This article, based on qualitative research among Moroccan women in the Netherlands, examines the position of this group of women and analyses the role that dependent residence plays in partner violence. In the Netherlands, a process of “culturalization of male-female relationships” is going on, for migrant couples, especially for Muslims. Male-female relations and violence against women are explained by reference to Islam or cultural concepts such as “group culture”, “honour and shame”. In this article we argue how legal regulations in the surrounding society play an important role.

Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Women's Reproductive Health Components: A Narrative Review

Background & aim: Reproductive health is one of the most essential steps in achieving sustainable development, which generally changes in crises. Restrictions such as home quarantine and social restrictions due to Covid-19 pandemic have reduced women's access to the services that is effective on their reproductive health. In this study, the effect of Covid-19 pandemic on women's reproductive health issues was reviewed.Methods: In this narrative review, searches were performed in databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, Cochran library, and Farsi database of Magiran in 2019-2020 using the keywords including Covid-19, reproductive health, sexual satisfaction, mental health, domestic violence, childbearing, pregnancy, fertility, partner violence, maternal health, and family planning.Results: Covid-19 pandemic has different effects on reproductive health issues. Studies have shown an increase in the frequency of sexual intercourse due to increased presence of the spouse at home, but also there was a decrease in the quality of sexual intercourse due to the stress caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Also regarding women's mental health, an increase was observed in domestic violence as well as stress, anxiety and depression in women of reproductive age.Conclusion: In the pandemic high-risk situation, it is necessary that health care teams to focus more on women's reproductive issues and screen them in terms of mental health, domestic violence, sexual relationships, use of contraceptive methods and intending for childbearing. Providing virtual group educations and use of national media, could enhance the awareness of women of reproductive age.

Anxiety and depressive symptoms in pregnancy predict low birth weight differentially in male and female infants-findings from an urban pregnancy cohort in India.

This study examined the contributions of antenatal anxiety, depression, and partner violence to low birth weight (LBW) in infants and to sex-specific birth weight outcomes among mothers from a cohort in urban India. Data from 700 mothers from the PRAMMS cohort (Prospective Assessment of Maternal Mental Health Study) were used. Pregnant women were assessed in each trimester-T1, T2 and T3, for symptoms of anxiety, and depression as well as partner violence. Multivariate analyses were performed for the whole sample and then for male and female infants separately. The final multivariable logistic regression models were each built using a backward selection procedure and controlling for confounders. To accommodate longitudinally measured data, change in scores (T2-T1 and T3-T2) of anxiety and depression were included in the model. Of the 583 women with a singleton live birth, birth weight was available for 514 infants and LBW was recorded in 80 infants (15.6%). Of these, 23 infants were preterm. Overall, higher T1 Depression scores (OR: 1.11; 95% CI 1.040, 1.187)and an increase in both Depression scores (OR: 1.12; 95% CI 1.047, 1.195)from T1 to T2 and Anxiety scores(OR: 1.32; 95% CI 1.079, 1.603) between T2 and T3 were predictors of LBW. Female infants had a higher chance of LBW with increase in maternal anxiety between T1-T2 (OR: 1.69; 95% CI 1.053, 2.708) and T2-T3 (OR: 1.49; 95% CI 1.058, 2.086); partner violence during pregnancy just failed to reach conventional statistical significance (OR: 2.48; 95% CI 0.810, 7.581) in girls. Male infants had a higher chance of LBW with higher baseline depression scores at T1 (OR: 1.23; 95% CI 1.042, 1.452) and an increase in depression scores (OR: 1.25; 95% CI 1.060, 1.472) from T1 to T2. Increasing prenatal anxiety and depressive symptoms in different trimesters of pregnancy were associated with LBW with sex-specific patterns of association in this sample from a Low and Middle Income Country.

Relationship Between Different Types of Violence and Mental Health in High School Students From Northern Mexico.

Different types of violence have been present in Mexico but there have been few studies that have analyzed their relationship with mental health in adolescents, especially in cities with high rates of social violence. It is important to compare different violence types and their relationship with mental health since not all relationships are the same. It appears that social violence has a stronger relationship with mental health, and for this reason it receives more attention, but other types of violence have a stronger relationship and do not receive as much attention. Chihuahua has been one of the most violent states in Mexico, and Juarez has been the most violent city in the world in 2009 and 2010. The purpose of the study is to compare the relationship of different types of violence (social, cyberbullying, partner violence, and child abuse and neglect) with mental health indicators (depression, anxiety, stress, self-esteem, and paranoid thoughts). There were 526 high school students, from the cities of Juarez (n = 282) and Chihuahua (n = 244). The mean age was 16.5 (SD = 1.4) years and 50.6% reported being males. The relationships among the variables were analyzed using Pearson's correlations and multiple linear regressions. Both cities that have experienced social violence like carjacking, kidnapping, and sexual assault, but they have very small or no relationships with mental health indicators. Other types of violence have stronger correlations. Our findings suggest that interventions should not focus only in preventing and dealing with social violence, but that other types of violence must also be addressed in adolescents.

Intimate Partner Violence and Intimate Partner Homicide: Development of a Typology Based on Psychosocial Characteristics.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains an important and alarming global issue. Studies have put forth different profiles of perpetrators of IPV according to the severity of the violence and the presence of psychopathology. The objective of this study was to develop a typology of perpetrators of IPV and intimate partner homicide (IPH) according to their criminological, situational, and psychological characteristics, such as alexithymia. Alexithymia is when a person has difficulty identifying and describing emotions and in distinguishing feelings from bodily sensations of emotional arousal. Data were collected from 67 male perpetrators of IPV and/or homicide. Cluster analyses suggest four profiles: the homicial abandoned partner (19.4%), the generally angry/aggressive partner (23.9%), the controlling violent partner (34.3%), and the unstable dependent partner (22.4%). Comparative analyses show that the majority of the homicidal abandoned partners had committed IPH, had experienced the breakup of a relationship, and had a history of self-destructive behaviors; the generally angry/aggressive partners were perpetrators of IPV without homicide with a criminal history and who were alexithymic; the controlling violent partners had a criminal lifestyle and committed IPH; and the unstable dependent partners had committed IPV without homicide, were alexithymic, but had no criminal history. Establish a better understanding of the psychological issues within each profile of perpetrators of violence within the couple can help promote the prevention of IPV and can help devise interventions for these individuals.

Coping strategies available for women living with HIV/AIDS experiencing intimate partner violence in the Singida region, Tanzania

Background: Intimate partner violence is a major public health problem in Tanzania, yet little is known about the coping strategies among women living with HIV/AIDS who experiencing IPV. The objective of the study was to explore the coping strategies employed by women living with HIV/AIDS experiencing IPV who attended care and treatment services in the Singida region.Methods: A qualitative phenomenology study design was performed in which data were collected through in-depth interviews with 35 women living with HIV/AIDS who also experienced IPV. Content analysis was used to analyse the data.Results: We found that women living with HIV/AIDS experienced IPV used family members, such as their mothers, sisters, and brothers as a coping mechanism to express their pains. Spiritual leaders counselled them spiritually and psychologically and they were advised on how to live with their violent partners. Other coping mechanisms included reporting to the police and the legal system, and the use of support groups. Through support groups, they obtained relief from depression, loneliness, isolation, stigma and discrimination.Conclusions: This study concludes that coping mechanisms helped women living with HIV/AIDS to reduce the stress associated with HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence. The government of Tanzania should strengthen policies related to IPV and HIV/AIDS among all women in Tanzania. Moreover, local government authorities should build safe homes for all survivors of intimate partner violence throughout the country.

Re-establishing their Lives: Issues Relating to Affordable Housing for Women and their Children Escaping Violent Intimate Partner Relationships in Northern Manitoba

Housing affordability is a significant and growing issue across northern Manitoba communities. One population impacted by the lack of safe and affordable housing is women (and their children) leaving violent and abusive relationships. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with fourteen women staying in women’s shelters in the cities of Thompson and Winnipeg, Manitoba, this research project focused on exploring the journeys women make as they seek safety and shelter for themselves and their children, and their reasons for making these transitions. The women’s interviews revealed: 1) the centrality of the notion of home for women establishing safety for themselves and their children; and 2) the complex transitions and geographic moves that women make in search of the idea of home and safety. The stories of their journeys point to severe issues regarding availability of affordable, safe housing in northern Manitoba, the lack of northern transportation services to access shelters, and the significant absence of formal support on First Nation communities. The research reiterates that there is a need for proactive service responses to violence against women and children. Such a coordinated response needs to begin in the northern communities themselves, with links to regional services and supports when appropriate.

Parenting for Child Development: The development and preliminary pilot of a parenting intervention to reduce violence against children in Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is a low-income country experiencing high rates of family violence and child maltreatment. Child protection services are under-developed, and few tertiary-trained social workers are employed by them. A research team was commissioned to develop a parenting programme for implementation in remote provinces. After development and co-design of the programme, a pre- and post-evaluation was conducted in 10 communities to test the programme’s potential to facilitate change. Measures of harsh parenting, family well-being and parental attitudes were translated by experienced academics and administered to parents by a team of staff and students from a local university. Responses were subjected to factor analyses. A series of paired-sample t-tests was conducted to ascertain change in parents’ reported family well-being and use of harsh disciplinary practices (sample n = 159). Encouraging numbers of caregivers attended the programme in all sites. The analysis of change between pre- and post-programme scores revealed statistically significant reductions in verbal abuse and corporal punishment, and in harsh parenting overall, with reductions in partner violence and family difficulties contributing to improvements in family well-being. The evaluation indicates that with further development, this programme could be implemented as a primary prevention measure to complement child protection services. To consolidate the programme’s future implementation by building the pool of trained personnel, links with social work education should be further developed.

Barriers to and facilitators of HIV serostatus disclosure to sexual partners among postpartum women living with HIV in South Africa

BackgroundDisclosure of HIV serostatus to a sexual partner can facilitate partner’s support and testing and better treatment outcomes. Studies examining changes in disclosure rates of serostatus from delivery and postpartum periods are scarce. Our study fills this gap by using a follow-up survey of postpartum women with HIV to examine if disclosure prevalence has improved compared to the proportion recorded at childbirth. We further assessed the reasons for non-disclosure and correlates of serostatus disclosure to sexual partners.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analytical study (exit interview) with a final sample of 485 postpartum women with HIV drawn from the East London Prospective Cohort study database between January and May 2018. Disclosure of HIV status to partner was based on self-reporting. We fitted adjusted and unadjusted logistic regression models and also conducted descriptive statistical analyses. Sampling weights were used to correct for sampling errors.ResultsOverall, 81.8% of women in the study cohort had disclosed their status to their partners, representing a 7.4 percentage point increase since child delivery. After adjusting for important covariates, women were more likely to disclose their status if they were married [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 3.10; 95% confidence interval (CI):1.39–6.91] but were less likely to disclose if they used alcohol [AOR: 0.61; 95% CI:0.37–0.99] or had reported adherence to ART [AOR: 0.59; 95% CI:0.36–0.96]. Fear of rejection, stigma or being judged, new or casual relationships, and having a violent partner were the main reasons for not disclosing HIV status to sexual partners.ConclusionWe found a relatively higher rate of HIV status disclosure in the cohort compared to the rate recorded at childbirth, suggesting an improvement over time. Also, complicated relationship dynamics and fear of social exclusion still constitute barriers to HIV status disclosure to sexual partners despite patients’ counselling.

Partners' behavior as the main cause of domestic violence experienced by pregnant adolescents in Jakarta.

BackgroundAdolescent pregnancy leads to a variety of complex problems. Adolescents with an unwanted pregnancy potentially face a stigma or rejection by parents and friends as well as facing threats to be a victim of domestic violence. Violence experienced by pregnant adolescents has a negative impact on the health status of the mother and their fetus. This study aimed to identify the factors triggering domestic violence on pregnant adolescents in Jakarta.Design and MethodsThe design of the study was cross-sectional study with convenience sampling (n=230). The tools used for data collection were questionnaires.ResultsThe results of the bivariate analysis showed that the factors associated with domestic violence suffered by pregnant adolescents were the partner's violence history (p=0.000), partner's behaviors (p=0.000), economic status (p=0.002) and family's support (p=0.03). The partner's behavior was the most influential factor that contributed 73.96 times the potential occurrences of domestic violence against pregnant adolescents (p=0.000; OR=73.96).ConclusionsThe involvement of the partner during the pregnancy process is necessary for understanding and comprehension of the changes, which may possibly occur due to the partner's pregnancy.

The role of relational dependence, forgiveness and hope on the intention to return with an abusive partner

The aim of this study was to examine psychological and relational variables such as dependence, forgiveness (both in their positive and negative dimensions), and hope that may explain why women reconciliate with abusive partners. We administered a questionnaire to women victims of violence. Relational dependence was indirectly associated with greater intentions to return to the violent partner via benevolent forgiveness and hope of a change in the partner. The positive dimension of forgiveness (benevolence) could represent a phase of the cycle of violence, during which the hope for change in the partner can increase the probability of reconciliation.

Service Coordination to Address Maternal Mental Health, Partner Violence, and Substance Use: Findings from a National Survey of Home Visiting Programs.

Maternal risks such as poor mental health, partner violence, and substance misuse can undermine child health and development. Maternal and early childhood home visiting programs address these risks primarily through referral and coordination with community-based services, yet effects on these outcomes have been small. This study assessed the strengths of local home visiting sites' systems to support coordination of mental health, partner violence, and substance use services. Investigators recruited home visiting sites (N = 88) representing diverse models from a national practice-based research network, the Home Visiting Applied Research Collaborative (HARC). Web-based surveys assessed five implementation system supports for coordination and nine coordination activities drawn from the Measurement Framework for Coordination developed earlier in the project. Surveys also assessed seven coordination barriers identified in previous research. Sites varied in their implementation supports and coordination activities; on average, sites had stronger systems in place to support screening and referring families than to support linkage and follow-up. Implementation supports and activity scores were higher for mental health and partner violence than for substance use. Across all service needs, scores were highest for offering a referral and documenting the caregiver's agreement for exchange of information between providers. Scores were lowest for offering a warm handoff. Lack of open slots and lack of transportation were major barriers to successful coordination for all three services. Results suggest that home visiting coordination could be strengthened by focusing on infrastructure for linkage and follow-up with services in the broader system of care.