Victim-perpetrator Relationship Research Articles

Unacknowledged and missed cases of sexual victimization: A comparison of responses to broad versusbehaviorally specific questions.

From the beginning of systematic research on sexual victimization, it has been recognized that a substantial proportion of women report nonconsensual sexual experiences meeting the defining criteria of rape in response to behaviorally specific items, but do not acknowledge their experience as rape in response to broad questions about whether they have ever been raped. Recent studies suggest that rates of unacknowledged rape may be as high or even higher among men than among women. This study examined rates of unacknowledged female and male victims of rape and sexual assault by comparing responses to behaviorally specific items of the Sexual Aggression and Victimization Scale (SAV-S) with responses to broad questions using the labels of sexual assault and rape (SARA) in 593 participants (303 women) in Germany. As predicted, more women and men were classified as rape victims based on behaviorally specific items than on the basis of the broad rape item. The rates of unacknowledged rape were about 60% for women and 75% for men. The gender difference was not significant. Against our prediction, no significant differences in acknowledgement of sexual assault were found in relation to coercive strategy and victim-perpetrator relationship. Few cases of rape and sexual assault identified by the SARA items were missed by the behaviorally specific questions. The implications for establishing prevalence rates of rape and sexual assault and for comparing victims and nonvictims in terms of vulnerability factors and outcomes of sexual victimization are discussed.

Examining the Factors that Impact Suicide Following Heterosexual Intimate Partner Homicide: Social Context, Gender Dynamics, and Firearms.

Despite a wealth of research on intimate partner homicide, research on intimate partner homicide followed by suicide of the perpetrator is sparse. Existing studies on intimate partner homicide-suicide: tend to be descriptive, not keeping pace with quantitative advances in the epidemiological and social sciences; have yet to examine how context impacts intimate partner homicide-suicide; and are typically limited to male perpetrators, given small localized samples of female-perpetrated intimate partner (homicide and) homicide-suicide. This study uses data on 7584 heterosexual intimate partner homicide and homicide-suicide cases distributed across 2465 places and 42 U.S. states from the National Violent Death Reporting System (2003-2018) to examine the victim and perpetrator characteristics, relationship dynamics, situational factors, and contextual features that influence the likelihood of committing suicide following intimate partner homicide. Hierarchical logistic regression models indicate that victim characteristics that increase the vulnerability to victimization (alcohol and drug use, mental health problems, less than some college education) decrease the odds of committing suicide following intimate partner homicide. Similarly, situational (victim weapon usage, additional perpetrators) and contextual (concentrated disadvantage, residential instability) risk factors decrease the odds of committing suicide following intimate partner homicide. Conversely, impairment of the perpetrator (alcohol use, mental health problems) and a more intimate victim-perpetrator relationship (spousal relationship, caregiver) increases the odds of homicide-suicide. Additionally, results indicate that firearms play an integral part in homicide-suicide as well as in decreasing the gender gap in homicide-suicide. The findings suggest that the internalization of guilt by perpetrators of intimate partner homicide may play a key role in subsequent suicide. Practically, limiting firearm exposure will not only reduce the lethality of intimate partner violence, but will decrease the odds of perpetrator suicide following intimate partner homicide. This is particularly true for female-perpetrated homicide-suicide, which is unlikely to occur without a firearm.

The Victim-Perpetrator Relationship and Peritraumatic Schemas as a Result of Sexual Trauma.

The development of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) due to sexual trauma is complex. Various mechanisms have been studied to explain the relationship between sexual trauma and PTSS. Other studies have looked at the impact of the victim-perpetrator relationship on the relationship between sexual trauma and PTSS with mixed results. Lacking from the literature is the possible mediating effect of peritraumatic schemas for the relationship between sexual trauma and PTSS. Additionally, the impact of the type of victim-perpetrator relationship may have on the development of peritraumatic schemas has also been unaddressed. This study seeks to close the gap in the literature by asking if peritraumatic schemas mediate the relationship between sexual trauma, specifically attempted and completed rape, and PTSS. The moderating role of the victim-perpetrator relationship on the association between sexual trauma and peritraumatic schemas was also examined. Using a college student sample that had endorsed experiencing at least one sexual trauma in their life, this study examined path analysis model explaining the mediating effects of peritraumatic schemas and the moderating effects of the victim-perpetrator relationship. Results indicated that peritraumatic schemas partially mediated the relationship between attempted rape and PTSS when controlling for completed rape. This effect was not found for the relationship between completed rape and PTSS when controlling for attempted rape. The interaction between attempted rape and the acquaintance perpetrator relationship was significant, indicating that peritraumatic schemas increased more severely for those that experienced attempted rape by an acquaintance. Recognizing that PTSS partially results from the peritraumatic schemas experienced, which are impacted by the victim-perpetrator relationship, helps increase understanding of the experience of attempted rape.

Elder financial abuse based on victim–perpetrator relationship as perceived by Asian young adults

AbstractObjectiveThe current study aimed to examine how Asian adults perceive the severity of elder financial abuse (EFA) based on victim–perpetrator relationship and the explanations they give for minimizing it when the perpetrator is a close family member.BackgroundFinancial abuse, one of the fastest growing forms of abuse in the elderly population, has remained understudied, especially in Asian communities, due to cultural variations in its definition and perception.MethodA mixed‐methods study design was utilized. One hundred sixty‐four participants responded to two vignettes depicting EFA perpetrated by a close family member (son) and nonfamily member (neighbor).ResultsPaired samples t test found significant differences in severity ratings of EFA committed by son and neighbor within Asian adults. The qualitative report explored participants' explanations for minimizing EFA perpetrated by close family member using thematic analysis, which identified two major themes: (a) dismissal of severity and responsibility and (2) justification of abuse.ConclusionThis is one of the few studies to provide valuable insight into the influence of culture on perceptions of elder abuse.ImplicationsWith the elderly population in Asia increasing steadily, culturally relevant risk factors of abuse need to be identified because this could guide legal provisions that help protect the rights of older individuals.

Vulnerability and variability: Associations between various early forms of nonconsensual sexual experiences and later sexual experiences of young adults

Early nonconsensual sexual experiences (NSEs) in childhood or adolescence have been linked to elevated risk for adjustment problems and later victimization in some research, whereas others find little or no associations between NSEs and later sexual experiences. The current study examined how a range of early NSEs are linked to both consensual and nonconsensual sexual experiences among young adults, as well as consideration of the familial versus non-familial nature of the perpetrator—victim relationship, an often-overlooked factor. A sample of 520 young adults (68% female; 18–25 years) completed anonymous surveys that assessed sexual experiences before and after age 16. Our results demonstrated that 6.9% of participants reported at least one episode of NSEs under the age of 16 with family members, 3.5% with non-familial adults, but far more (39.2%) with same-age peers. Early NSEs with family members and non-family adults were linked to experiences of sexual assaults after age 16 for both male and female participants. Early NSEs with peers were linked to later sexual assaults for female participants only. Careful consideration must be given to identifying types of early sexual experiences in efforts to understand their differential links to young adults’ experiences. Implications for improving scientific communication and operationalizing NSEs more precisely to advance research in this area are discussed.

A 70-year study of femicides at the Forensic Medicine department, University of Bologna (Italy)

Femicide is defined as the gender-related killings of women and girls or as an any intentional murder of women and it represents a worldwide health issue. Although it has gained a growing attention across the public and the media, true data on its prevalence and a characterization of the phenomenon are still scarce. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the characteristics of female homicides and femicides, which are necessary to design and monitor effective preventive efforts. Post-mortem examination reports of female homicides occurred in the judicial district of Bologna over a period of 70 years were revised. Characteristics of victims and perpetrators, circumstantial and post-mortem data were extracted. Overall, 172 female homicides were observed, including 103 femicides, with no significant changes over time. The mean age of victims increased over time and showed a statistically significant association with the victim-perpetrator relationship. Homicides committed by non-intimate partner family members increased.Our study unveiled that, in the past decades, femicide was a hidden but constant social phenomenon, despite the social, cultural and juridical changes. The research in forensic pathology could help bring to light trends, characteristics and risk factors to be considered for strategies to counteract violence against women.

The role of the victim-offender relationship on psychological distress among Latinx women: A betrayal trauma perspective.

The current study expands the knowledge within the betrayal trauma literature by applying this conceptualization to the victimization of Latinx women, a generally understudied minority group in the United States. Under the betrayal trauma framework, this study focuses on the victim and perpetrator relationship of Latinx women to examine trauma-related psychological distress outcomes, including depression, anger, dissociation, and anxiety. Using data from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas Study on 2,000 adult Latinx women in the United States, findings examine the victim-perpetrator relationship of the Latinx women who experienced victimization (n = 870). Ordinary least squares regressions were conducted with the Trauma Symptom Inventory scales of depression, anger, dissociation, and anxiety as the dependent variables, resulting in four regression models. A sequential regression including the interaction terms was then completed for each of the TSI scale outcomes to account for possible moderation between cultural variables and victim-perpetrator relationships. Linear models show that childhood betrayal trauma and total victimization significantly associate with greater psychological distress, including depression, anger, dissociation, and anxiety. Interactions effects were significant for anxiety, showing a stronger relationship between childhood family-perpetrated victimization for highly enculturated women while the opposite was found for family-perpetrated victimization in adulthood where low-enculturated women had a stronger relationship to anxiety. The study findings support the betrayal trauma theory among Latinx women by showing that the closeness in relationship between the victim and the perpetrator for childhood victimization was associated with greater psychological distress above and beyond the impact of other perpetrator-victim relationships. This effect remained significant even when accounting for the total lifetime victimization. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The environment of intrafamilial offenders – A systematic review of dynamics in incestuous families

The aim of this study was to identify family characteristics and dynamics relevant to the initiation and maintenance of intrafamilial child sexual abuse. An understanding of essential characteristics of the affected families could help to prevent such crimes. In order to provide an overview of the current state of research, a literature review based on the PRISMA criteria was conducted. For the research in the databases PsycInfo and PSYNDEX, predetermined criteria and search terms were used. Fifteen relevant articles from 1991 to 2020 were identified. The studies examined perpetrator-victim relationships, the role of the mother, the relationship between the parents and characteristics of the families in which child sexual abuse took place. Relevant core characteristics of incestuous families are dysfunctional, violent, and conflictual relationships between the parents, and between parents and children. However, these factors are often not specific to intrafamilial abuse. Only six articles published after 2000 were identified. Little evidence for each individual construct was found, so the effects should not be overestimated. Further research on intrafamilial child sexual abuse is necessary.

Predictors of Skeptical Responses to Disclosures of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) may be met with skeptical responses when they disclose their experience. The fear of such a response means that most victims delay telling anyone about the abuse. The aim of this study was to explore how contextual factors of abuse such as victim gender and age, perpetrator gender, and victim-perpetrator relationship affect a response to CSA. Further, we explored what personality traits may predict a skeptical response. An online questionnaire with 357 undergraduate students asked participants to read a vignette describing CSA, and to indicate the extent to which they believed the vignette, whether they blamed the victim or perpetrator, and what punishment they would recommend for the perpetrator. Results indicated that older victims were less likely to be believed and more likely to be blamed than younger victims. Further, we found more blame was placed on a perpetrator of intrafamilial abuse compared with extrafamilial abuse, but only if the perpetrator was male. Female perpetrators were punished less harshly than male perpetrators, but female intrafamilal perpetrators received harsher punishment than female extrafamilial perpetrators. No such effect was found for male perpetrators. Openness to Experience was associated with a more supportive response to CSA, as was Agreeableness. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Factors Associated with Stalking Duration Among a Nationally Representative Sample: Results from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey.

The current study examined the duration of stalking episodes among a nationally representative sample. Analyses of the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey estimated if the victim-perpetrator relationship and other types of victimization experienced were associated with (a) if the stalking episode lasted over a year (N = 1,509) and (b) the length of stalking episodes, in days, for episodes <1 year (N = 506). Findings indicate coercive control was associated with higher odds the stalking episode lasted over a year and increased the length of episodes lasting <1 year. The intersection of stalking and coercive control is discussed.

Sexual Assault Against Women: A Retrospective Study of 292 Cases in Fujian Province, China.

In China, rape is defined as forced sexual intercourse against a woman's will by violence, coercion, or any other means or intentionally having sexual intercourse with a girl under the age of 14 years who is legally incompetent of giving consent. A retrospective study of 292 cases of rape in Fujian Province, China, between the years 2014 and 2017 was conducted. Sociodemographic characteristics of victims and perpetrators, perpetration patterns of rape, and associated factors were reviewed and analyzed. Over a quarter of rape victims were under the age of 18 years. In over half of cases, the perpetrators were known to the victims, which was more frequent in minors than in adult victims. Over half of perpetrators were within the age range of 18-30 years. Most perpetrators had received a low level of education and were from low-income populations. Nighttime has the highest occurrence of rapes: 39.9% of rapes occurred during late night; and 24.6%, during early night. Victim perpetrator relationship and the location were significantly related (χ2 = 23.667; df = 3, 266; p < 0.001). Risk evaluation showed that 30.8% and 28.1% of cases occurred under medium- and high-risk settings, respectively. Sexual motivation was present in over 95% of cases. Physical force was used in almost half of cases. Less than half of victims received forensic clinical examination after perpetration. The findings provide population-based data to contribute to the future development of prevention strategies and to raise awareness of the urgent need for victim assistance services.

Child homicides in Romania, Bucharest 2005-2015

ABSTRACT Child homicide is a rare but nevertheless tragic event with serious effects on families and the community. The study focuses on investigating the prevalence and circumstances of child homicide in Bucharest. It draws on data from the General Department of Bucharest Police Homicide Division and a systematic online search of news outlets in the years 2005 to 2015. The information available included the victim’s and offender’s name, their age, relationship and occupation and the modus operandi. This information was used to identify news reports that complement the police data. In total, 15 homicides of children were identified to have been committed in Bucharest. All homicides were identified from police records and for seven homicides additional information from the news media was available. Of these 15 child homicides, ten were infanticides, a murder of a child 10 month old, one of a 4 years old and two were adolescents. Three children were female. The child’s mother committed the homicides in the majority of the cases, other perpetrators included grandmothers and acquaintances. For five of the homicides the perpetrator victim relationship was unknown. This study contributed to the gap of knowledge on child homicides by describing child homicides occurring in Bucharest.

The Challenges of Working with Child Abuse and Neglect: Barriers to Disclosure and Intervention, Adverse Outcomes, and Perplexing Presentations

The Challenges of Working with Child Abuse and Neglect: Barriers to Disclosure and Intervention, Adverse Outcomes, and Perplexing Presentations

Mothers as perpetrators and bystanders of child sexual abuse

BackgroundIn research and literature, little attention has been paid to the role of women, especially mothers, in child sexual abuse. ObjectiveIn order to estimate prevalences on mothers as perpetrators and bystanders, data was collected in a German nationwide representative survey. Participants and settingA total of 2,531 participants (53.3 % female, 14−94 years) were selected by a random route procedure and questioned with a paper-pencil-questionnaire. MethodsThe survey included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire as well as questions on the perpetrator-victim relationship, bystanders and the awareness within society on the topic of female-perpetrated child sexual abuse. Prevalences were calculated. ResultsThe prevalence of child sexual abuse (6.6 %) as well as the proportion of female perpetrators (6.6 %) determined in the current survey were low compared to the findings of previous studies. Within the group of female perpetrators, biological mothers accounted for a larger share than biological fathers in the group of male perpetrators. Among the bystanders, the biological mother was named most frequently (24.6 %). ConclusionThe general population underestimates the involvement of biological mothers in child sexual abuse. The results confirm that female perpetrators account for a rather small but substantial proportion of the perpetrators of child sexual abuse. Furthermore, the results indicate that mothers play a role in sexual abuse – either as perpetrators or as bystanders – that has been underestimated so far. It is therefore necessary to sensitize professionals and the public to the topic of female perpetrators and especially to the role of mothers in child sexual abuse.

The Perpetrator-Victim Relationship: An Important Clue in Understanding Intimate Partner Homicide in China.

Intimate partner homicide (IPH) is a global public health issue that has serious consequences for an individual's health. Whereas prior research has made some progress analyzing the perpetrator-victim relationship in understanding the dynamics of IPH, research set in the context of China in this field using the perpetrator-victim relationship as a focal variable in analyzing IPH is still lacking. The current study addresses this gap and builds on existing research by exploring the significance of the perpetrator-victim relationship in order to facilitate a deeper understanding of IPH in China. After examining 979 IPH criminal judgments, the findings revealed that the perpetrator-victim relationship is an important clue in understanding IPH in China today. By analyzing the correlation between intimate relationships as a focal variable and other variables such as IPH characteristics and risk factors, it is possible to understand the prevalence of IPH in China in greater detail. Irrespective of the kind of relationship between the perpetrator and victim, the findings revealed that most of them come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, have no previous history of intimate partner violence, and are not satisfied with their marriages. Although research has provided detailed explanations, the perpetrator-victim relationship remains neglected, especially in the context of research on contemporary China. The findings showed that over half of the perpetrators and victims had intimate relationships with people outside their marriages. This may be the main reason for the rapid increase in the number of instances of IPH, which seems to be in tandem with China's rapid modernization and urbanization.

Moderating Factors in Culpability Ratings and Rape Proclivity in Stranger and Acquaintance Rape: Validation of Rape Vignettes in a Community Sample.

Rape is a serious concern globally. Past research has identified Ambivalent Sexism (AS), Rape Myth Acceptance (RMA), and the victim–perpetrator relationship as key constructs influencing rape blame attributions and rape proclivity. Limitations with methodologies have, however, limited the practical implications of past research, particularly in the context of underpowered samples and a lack of transparency in vignette development and implementation. In the current research, three studies aimed to validate material to be used in research into rape perceptions and to examine the impact of victim–perpetrator relationship, AS, and RMA on victim and perpetrator culpability, and rape proclivity, using an experimental design. On 563 participants, this research developed and validated six rape vignettes which accounted for methodological limitations of past research (Study One) and were found to be believable and realistic by participants; it further found that aggressively sexist attitudes were associated with increased victim culpability and decreased perpetrator culpability (Study Two), and increased rape proclivity (Study Three). Scenarios of a casual acquaintance produced the highest levels of victim culpability and the lowest levels of perpetrator culpability. Victims were ascribed more control than blame, or responsibility. Men reported the highest levels of rape proclivity in scenarios of casual acquaintance, and intimate partner relationships. Contrary to past research, Benevolent Sexism (BS) did not directly impact attributions in rape cases but may maintain and legitimize the attitudes, which do. As some of our findings contradict past research, we suggest that the need for standardized rape vignettes is evident, along with greater transparency and methodological rigor in sexual assault research, as this will improve the practical implications of findings. Reproducible research practices may be useful for this. While limited in diversity, this research has important implications for policy and research practice, particularly in producing validated material that can be reused by future researchers.

Examining the Relationship Between Weapon Type and Relationship Type in American Homicides: A Bayesian Approach

The weapon type used in a homicide predicts the victim-perpetrator relationship. However, there are some limitations in this past research including the common data analytic strategies. Our purpose was to build a model of weapon type, predicting relationship type, and to address previous limitations. We examined 363,927 homicides and used Bayesian multilevel categorical regression. In addition to analyzing weapon type (final model consisted of 16 weapon categories), we examined the victims’ sex, age, and race as covariates and modeled the data across states and counties. Results indicate that weapon type is highly informative, however, the age of the victim and sex of the victim interact in important ways.

The "3 Es" of trauma-informed care in a federally qualified health center: Traumatic Event- and Experience-related predictors of physical and mental health Effects among female patients.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) are a fast-growing source of healthcare for women with intersectional identities, or those most frequently exposed to and negatively impacted by interpersonal trauma. According to the "3 E" conceptualization of trauma, certain Event- and Experience-related characteristics of a trauma predict victims' physical and mental health Effects. The "3 Es" have yet to be studied in female FQHC patients. The current study examined the prevalence of interpersonal trauma and interrelationships among traumatic Event-related factors (e.g., cumulative trauma by victim-perpetrator relationship), Experience-related factors (e.g., betrayal, resilience), and Effects (e.g., somatic symptoms, posttraumatic stress (PTS), anxiety/depression, mistrust, reduced sense of safety) among 138 predominantly Black (89.1%) women receiving care at an FQHC in the southeastern U.S. Roughly 65% of participants (n = 86) endorsed exposure to at least one type of interpersonal trauma. More cumulative trauma was significantly correlated with more somatic, PTS, and anxious/depressive symptoms,and a reduced sense of safety. Experiences of betrayal and/or resilience were better predictors of PTS and anxious/depressive symptoms and lack of safety than Event-related factors. Findings support the need for the implementation of trauma-informed care within community-based health centers. Healthcare providers should consider women's subjective experience of trauma when screening for exposure and providing trauma-sensitive care.

The Killing of Women in "Sex Games Gone Wrong": An Analysis of Femicides in Great Britain 2000-2018.

This research investigated cases of femicide in Great Britain where perpetrators claimed that victims died in "sex games gone wrong." Forty-three femicides that resulted in a conviction for murder, manslaughter, or culpable homicide were examined in relation to victim-perpetrator sociodemographic characteristics, victim-perpetrator relationship, homicide details, and criminal justice outcomes. Key patterns within the data were identified. The research highlights that the "sex game gone wrong" narrative has gained traction against a cultural backdrop of normalized bondage, domination, and sadomasochism (BDSM) within neoliberal political economy.

Gender Differences and the Role of Social Inequality in Alcohol’s Harm to Others in Europe

The harm caused to individuals because of the consumption of alcohol by others has been shown to be a significant problem in Europe. The current study investigates gender differences in the experience of alcohol's harm to others (AHTO), taking the victim-perpetrator relationship and social inequality (gender and income inequality) into account. Data were obtained from the Standardized European Alcohol Survey in 2015, which comprised 28,182 individuals from 17 jurisdictions. AHTO was indicated by the experience of at least one harmful event in the past year because of another person's drinking. Multinomial logistic regression models were run to examine AHTO (a) by a known person's drinking, (b) by a stranger's drinking, and (c) by both a known person's and a stranger's drinking. Survey-weighted regressions were performed for gender, the Gender Inequality Index, and the Gini index, and the respective Gender × Inequality interactions. Women were more likely than men to experience AHTO because of a known person's drinking, whereas men were at a higher risk of harm resulting from a stranger's drinking, or by both a known person's and a stranger's drinking. Independent of the victim-perpetrator relationship, AHTO was related to higher levels of gender and income inequality. With increasing income inequality, gender differences in the experience of harm because of a known person's drinking or a stranger's drinking declined as the risk of reporting the former among men and the latter among women increases more steeply than by the opposite gender. As higher levels of AHTO were observed in jurisdictions with greater social inequality, reducing alcohol consumption and social inequalities should be key interventions in attempting to reduce AHTO in Europe.