Recurrent Violence Research Articles

Factors associated with the recurrence of violence against children and adolescents. Mato Grosso-Brazil, 2013 to 2019.

This study examined factors associated with the recurrence of interpersonal violence against children and adolescents in Mato Grosso state, considering cases recorded in the Notifiable Diseases Information System, from 2013 to 2019. Associations between variables were estimated by logistic regression and stratified by age group (children and adolescents). The frequency of recurrent violence against children was 49.0% and, against adolescents, 42.9%. For both, recurrent violence was positively associated with occurrence at home, psychological or emotional violence, aggressors' being more than two, their being relatives and threats being the means of aggression. Neglect or abandonment and male or both-sex aggressors were positively associated with recurrent violence against children. Against adolescents, poor education, sexual violence and intimate-partner aggressors were positively associated with recurrent violence, while other aggressors and firearms or physical force were negatively associated. The findings offer significant contributions to knowledge of factors associated with recurrent violence, which is still little studied in the national and international literature. This is essential in order to inform strategies to reduce the recurrence of violence and protect children and adolescents.

Analysis of reported cases of repeated violence in Espírito Santo.

Identify the frequency of recurrent violence in cases reported in Espírito Santo and the associated factors. Cross-sectional study. Which included data on violence in Espírito Santo from 2011 to 2018, from the Notifiable Diseases Information System, and, Statistical analyzes were performed using the chi-square test and Poisson regression. 54.2% (N:14.966) of reported cases of violence are repeated, and higher prevalences were associated with female sex (PR:1.54), child (PR: 1.29) or elderly victims (PR: 1.25), the presence of disabilities/disorders (PR:1.42) and occurrence in urban/peri-urban areas (PR: 1.10). Furthermore, there is a greater frequency of injuries caused by a single aggressor (PR: 1.20), man (PR: 1.28), aged 25 or over (PR: 1.09), known to the victim (PR: 2.81) and at home (PR: 1.69). The reported cases of violence showed a high frequency of recurrence, and were associated with the studied characteristics of the victim, the aggressor and the event.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE, CHILDHOOD TRAUMAS, ALEXITHYMIA AND COPING STYLES WITH STRESS

Objective: In this study, it was aimed to determine the sociodemographic characteristics, childhood traumas, alexithymia and coping methods with stress in women exposed to intimate partner violence and to examine the relationship between these characteristics and intimate partner violence in comparison with women who were not exposed to violence. Method: The study included 42 women who had been exposed to intimate partner violence in the last year and 42 women as the control group who applied to the Behavioral Sciences Center in our center. Sociodemographic data form, DSM-5 oriented diagnostic interview guide, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS), Childhood Trauma Scale (CTS) and Stress Coping Styles Scale (SCS) were applied to all participants and the data obtained were compared. Results: The rates of income level, education level of the partner and employment status of the partner were lower in the case group compared to the control group, while the rates of divorce, separation, elopement, forced marriage, witnessing domestic violence in childhood and inflicting violence on their children were higher in the case group. It was found that 97.6% of the women in the case group had experienced recurrent violence and 33.3% had been subjected to violence in their past relationships. Significant differences were found between the groups in the total scores of the TTS, the total scores of the CFTQ, and the scores of the SBTQ. There was a relationship between alexithymic characteristics and preferred stress coping methods. Alexithymia and childhood traumas were found to have a predictive effect on partner violence. Conclusion: The fact that the level of alexithymia and the use of ineffective methods to cope with stress are higher in women who are victims of violence is important in therapeutic studies to be conducted with these women. Variables affecting intimate partner violence should be evaluated in a larger population with longitudinal follow-up.

Prevalence and factors associated with recurrent violence in a southeastern Brazilian state: Cross-sectional study.

Violence is a serious public health problem and its repetitive character points to a chronic phenomenon and its insertion in the daily lives of victims. To identify the frequency of repeat violence reported in adults in a Brazilian state and its association with the characteristics of the victim, the aggressor, and the aggression. This is an epidemiological cross-sectional study conducted with data from the notifications of violence recorded in the Notifiable Diseases Information System in Espírito Santo, Brazil from 2011 to 2018. Bivariate analysis was performed using Pearson Chi-Squared test and the multivariate Poisson regression, using a widely used hierarchical model, with the victim's characteristics in the first level and the aggressor's characteristics and the occurrence in the second level. In the multivariate analysis, the variables that obtained P < .2 in the bivariate analysis were included in the model, keeping those with P < .05. Data were expressed by prevalence ratio (PR), with confidence intervals of 95%. During the period, 9933 cases of violence were registered in the adult population, referring to 1061 notifications of male adults and 8872 notifications of female adults. The prevalence of repeat violence was 56.7% (95% CI: 56.0 - 57.5). It was more prevalent among women (PR: 1.73; 95% CI: 1.63 - 1.83), in the age groups over 40 years (PR: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.08 - 1.16), black and mixed-race (P: 1.04; 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.07), and with a partner (P: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.05 - 1.12). Victims with disabilities or disorders suffered 34% more from this problem (95% CI: 1.29 - 1.38) and lived in urban or peri-urban areas (PR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.10 - 1.23). As for the aggressors, they were under 25 years of age (PR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02 - 1.11), of both sexes (PR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.06 - 1.64), and were the victim's intimate partner (PR: 3.91; 95% CI: 3.25 - 4.71). The aggressions had only 1 perpetrator (PR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.07 - 1.28) and occurred in the residence (PR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.26 - 1.41). Repeat violence showed high frequency among notifications and was associated with characteristics of the victim, aggressor, and event. The results point to a phenomenon present in the daily life of communities that is potentially capable of negatively impacting the different areas of the subjects lives. Studies on the subject are important to understand the phenomenon and implement strategic actions to confront it.

Risk Factors for Recurrent Violent Injuries Among African Women in The Gambia.

IntroductionViolence against women remains a major public health concern in African countries. We conducted a matched case-control study to identify risk factors for recurrent violent injuries among African women in The Gambia, a small West African country.MethodsDuring the 12-month study period, we recruited study participants from eight emergency departments in the metropolitan areas of the municipality of Kanifing and the West Coast region. We selected women aged ≥15 years who sought medical treatment for an injury due to physical violence at least twice over the study period. Two control groups were used: violence controls (VC), which included those who had experienced a single violence-related injury in the prior 12 months; and nonviolence controls (NVC), which included those who had experienced a nonviolent injury. Control patients were matched based on gender, health facility, injury date, and age (±2 years).ResultsIn total, 116 case patients and 232 control patients participated in the study. Results of the conditional logistic regression analyses of the VC and NVC control groups individually showed that women with recurrent violent injuries had a significantly higher likelihood of having a secondary education (odds ratio [OR]VC 6.47; ORNVC 4.22), coming from a polygamous family (ORVC 3.81; ORNVC 3.53), and had been raised by a single parent (ORVC 5.25; ORNVC 5.04). Furthermore, compared with the VC group, women with recurrent violent injuries had a significantly higher likelihood of living in a rented house (ORVC 4.74), living with in-laws (ORVC 5.98), and of having experienced childhood abuse (ORVC 2.48). Compared with the NVC group, women with recurrent violent injuries had a significantly higher likelihood of living in an extended family compound (ORVC 4.77), having more than two female siblings (ORVC 4.07), and having been raised by a relative (ORVC 3.52).ConclusionWe identified risk factors for recurrent injuries from physical violence among African women in The Gambia. Intervention strategies targeting these risk factors could be effective in preventing recurrent violence against African women.

Utilizing a combined hospital and criminal justice database to identify risk factors for repeat firearm injury or violent-crime arrest among firearm victims.

Introduction: Identifying firearm victims with the greatest risk of repeat-firearm exposure and offering interventions has the potential to disrupt recurrent violence. This study explored risk factors associated with repeat violence among survivors of intentional firearm injury in a unique clinical and criminal justice (CJ) dataset. Methods: This study analyzed a retrospective cohort (n = 4058) of persons injured by nonfatal intentional firearm violence from 2013 to 2016 in one metropolitan area. Data were collected from a single level I trauma center, city police records, and state CJ databases from 1948 to 2019. The primary outcome of interest was another firearm injury or violent-crime arrest (defined as a violent or firearm felony offense). Results: Among 4058 nonfatal intentional firearm victims, 1202 (29.6%) individuals had a repeat-firearm injury or violent-crime arrest. In a bivariate analysis, history of mental, physical, and/or emotional abuse (odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40-1.86), mental health diagnosis (OR, 1.88; 95% CI, 1.51-2.35), or illegal substance use (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 2.48-3.32) was associated with increased risk of repeat-firearm injury or violent-crime arrest. Prior felony arrest (OR, 3.68; 95% CI, 3.19-4.24), prior incarceration (OR, 3.72; 95% CI, 3.04-4.56), prior firearm charge (OR, 4.06; 95% CI, 3.33-4.96), and suspected gang membership (OR, 8.69; 95% CI, 6.14-12.32) demonstrated the greatest association with significant repeat violence. Conclusions: Thirty percent of those who experienced an intentional firearm injury were found to have a repeat-firearm injury or violent-crime arrest multi-disciplinary interventions that address the complex needs of a CJ-involved population are needed to mitigate significant repeat violence.

The Epidemiology of Recurrent Violence and Its Relationship with Sentence Time in the Romanian Juvenile Prison System: A Two-Year Cohort Study

Background: Research suggests that a small number of persistent violent offenders are responsible for a majority of prison violence and tend to behave violently to a disproportionate amount. However, literature on patterns of violence in juvenile prisoners is limited. Method: In order to explore how subjects engage in violence while incarcerated in the juvenile prison system, the authors will examine both proximal and distal predictors of violent behavior among juveniles in custody. This study adds to the current empirical research by longitudinally examining dynamic risk factors of recurrent violent behavior across a population of juvenile prisoners (Mage = 16.21; 94.8% male) in custody in the Romanian juvenile justice system, starting from their entry date until the end of the follow-up period (Me = 2 years). Results: Results from a series of repeated aggressive events survival analyses show evidence of a long-term deleterious association between pre-incarceration risk factors and poor developmental trajectory associated with violence. Adherence to destructive conduct in prison was consistently influenced by low ability to cope with the prison environment, although education level and family factors also mattered. Implications for prison professionals and forensic practitioners are presented. Conclusion: Recurring aggressive behavior is frequent for individuals who experience complex adverse experiences during childhood, suggesting that screening youths upon their admission into juvenile justice settings should include an assessment of their basic self-regulation needs. A greater focus on longitudinal studies may help improve the screening process and also follow the progress of each juvenile to warrant the efficacy of preventive programs in self-harm, according to their emerging needs.

Why communities hosting internally displaced persons in the Sahel need stronger and more effective legal protection

AbstractIn the Sahel, host communities are among those most affected by recurrent internal displacement, but they are often ignored in responses to displacement. Furthermore, their situation has attracted little attention from researchers or other observers. The present article will argue that it is essential to provide these communities with adequate protection, especially as they play a leading role in providing humanitarian protection and assistance to internally displaced persons (IDPs). The article begins by examining the legal instruments that protect populations affected by forced displacement, in order to identify and present the legal protection they offer to IDP host communities. The article will then analyze and highlight the advantages of fully applying this protection. It will show that the recurrent violence and breaches of the law that these communities suffer are impeding the full realization of those advantages. Finally, the article shall propose solutions that would overcome the deficiencies noted and hence ensure enhanced protection for IDP host communities in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Postpartum Women's Lived Experiences of Perinatal Intimate Partner Violence in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia: A Phenomenological Study Approach.

ObjectivePerinatal intimate partner violence affects the health and safety of postpartum women and their infants. However, it has not been well recognized and addressed in the study setting. Hence, this study aimed to explore postpartum women’s lived experiences of perinatal intimate partner violence and its contributing factors in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA phenomenological study approach was used to explore postpartum women’s lived experiences of perinatal partner violence from January to March 2020. A total of twenty-two postnatal women and five health extension workers (HEWs) were interviewed. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in local languages, and then translated into English. Data were analyzed thematically, using deductive and inductive coding. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (CORE-Q) checklist was followed to report the findings.ResultsResults indicated that postpartum women had experienced recurrent violence before, during, and after pregnancy from their husbands, with 16 out of 22 women being subjected to perinatal intimate partner violence. A majority of the participants delineated their exposure to perinatal physical violence next to perinatal psychological violence. Many of the interviewed women noted that violence during pregnancy was exacerbated and increased during postpartum. Moreover, the interviewees revealed that some partners were not only a serious threat to their wives, but also their infants during the postpartum period. Four of the participants stated that their newborns were hit and thrown by their father and became unconscious. Participants linked husbands’ perinatal violence with suspicion about the newborn, male-child preference, partner infidelity and jealousy, contraceptives usage, alcohol consumptions, indifference to shortages on household necessities, improper parenting, and financial problems.ConclusionThis study highlights that postpartum women are experiencing continuous and severe forms of perinatal IPV in the study setting. Thus, community-level interventions that minimize perinatal partner violence against postnatal women and their infants are needed.

The Effects of Inhumane Treatment in North Korean Detention Facilities on the Posttraumatic-Stress Disorder Symptoms of North Korean Refugees.

ObjectiveThe study investigated the effects of severe human rights abuses in North Korean on Posttraumatic-stress disorder (PTSD) in North Korean Refugees (NKRs). MethodsThe study included 300 NKRs (245 females and 55 males) who completed self-report questionnaires that assessed PTSD, experiences of imprisonment, and exposure to inhumane treatment, by authorities in North Korea. A moderation analysis was conducted using a hierarchical multiple regression model to determine whether a moderation effect existed. In the next step, a post-hoc probing procedure of the moderation effect was performed using multiple regression models that included conditional moderator variables. ResultsThe influence of the frequency of being imprisoned on PTSD varied as a function of recurrent exposure to inhumane treatment or punishment by authorities. Experiences of imprisonment were associated with PTSD only among those who were exposed to recurrent violence, such as beating or torture, by North Korean authorities. ConclusionThe present findings highlight the significant effects of human rights violations, such as the inhumane treatment of prisoners in North Korea, on the PTSD of NKRs.

Trauma, mental health, and everyday functioning among Rohingya refugee peopleliving in short- and long-term resettlements.

This study investigated if Rohingya refugeepeople resettled in camps in rural Bangladesh and urban locations in Malaysia had different levels of trauma, mental health and everyday functioning. The study also examined if direct and indirect exposure to traumatic events could predict PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, and everyday functioning in the two groups separately. An attempt was also made to see if the relations between trauma and mental health were different across the two settings. This was a cross-sectional study, for which we conveniently recruited 100 adult Rohingyas, 50 from each country; the majority was males. Rohingyas in Bangladesh fled Myanmar's Rakhine State following a major military crackdown in 2017, whereas Rohingyas in Malaysia fled Rakhine gradually over the last three decades because of recurrent violence and military operations. We assessed trauma (cumulative trauma, direct trauma, and indirect trauma), PTSD, depression, generalized anxiety, and everyday functioning of the participants using traumatic event questionnaire, PTSD-8, PHQ-9, GAD-7, and WHODAS-2.0. The Bangladeshi cohort experienced more types of traumatic events (i.e., cumulative trauma) than did the Malaysian cohort (d = 0.58). Although the two cohorts did not differ in terms of indirect exposure to traumatic incidents (i.e., indirect trauma), the Malaysian cohort had direct exposure to traumatic events (i.e., direct trauma) more frequently than did the Bangladeshi cohort (d = 1.22). The Bangladeshi cohort showed higher PTSD (d = 1.67), depression (d = 0.81), generalized anxiety (d = 1.49), and functional impairment (d = 2.51) than those in Malaysia. Hierarchical linear regression analyses showed that after controlling for demographic variables, both direct and indirect trauma significantly predicted PTSD, depression, and functional impairment among Rohingyas in Bangladesh, with direct trauma being the stronger predictor. However, similar analyses showed that only indirect trauma predicted PTSD among Rohingyas in Malaysia, while all other effects were nonsignificant. The results also showed that the predictive relationship between direct trauma and PTSD was different across the two countries. With the same level of direct trauma, a participant from Malaysia would score 0.256 points lower in PTSD than a participant from Bangladesh. The recently experienced direct and indirect trauma have impaired mental health and everyday functioning among the Bangladeshi cohort. However, only indirect trauma was active to cause PTSD in the Malaysian cohort as direct trauma was weakening due to the time elapsed since migration. We discuss the results in the context of the current theories of trauma and mental health and suggest therapeutic interventions for the refugee population.

Retromania as the Symptom of Trauma: The Past and Present in Sergei Loznitsa’s Schast’e Moe

The article discusses Sergei Loznitsa’s film Schast’e moe (My Joy, 2010) as the most radical critique of the retromaniac glorification of the profound connections between the present-day Russia and its heroic history, especially the Great Patriotic War. Loznitsa presents this connection as a circular narrative that is driven by recurring patterns of violence, which in turn manifest unresolved societal traumas. The patterns of recurrent violence and the circularity of its cycle can be described through Freudian definition of trauma. Loznitsa treats retromania as an objective condition of contemporary Russian society – the one that mythologizes reproduction of these violence-based power relations, not only vertically but also horizontally. This logic is deeply embedded in the film’s structure and the system of recurring motifs, which eventually constitute a surreal picture in which the borders between the past and present are blurred by the permanence of violence in the fabric of society.&#x0D; Keywords: Sergei Loznitsa, violence, historical memory, trauma

Recurrent Violence, Violence with Complications, and Intimate Partner Violence Against Pregnant Women and Breastfeeding Duration.

Background: Few studies have investigated the association between violence against pregnant women in terms of recurrence, complications, and perpetrators of violence, and breastfeeding duration. This study verifies whether recurrent violence, violence with pregnancy complications, and intimate partner violence (IPV) against pregnant women are associated with shorter exclusive breastfeeding up to the infant's 6th month and breastfeeding up to the 12th month of life. Materials and Methods: A cohort study with a convenience sample of 1,146 pregnant women was performed. Follow-up assessments were conducted at birth, and at 12-36 months. Survival analysis was used to verify whether recurrent violence, violence with pregnancy complications, and IPV were associated with reduced duration of exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding. Results: The adjusted Cox regression revealed no difference regarding exclusive breastfeeding duration among mothers exposed or not exposed to violence and according to who perpetrated the violence. The risk of an infant not being breastfed within the first 12 months of life increased in cases of violence before/during pregnancy (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.88), recurrent psychological/physical/sexual violence during pregnancy (95% CI = 1.11-1.92), recurrent psychological violence (95% CI = 1.05-1.96), and recurrent physical/sexual violence (95% CI = 1.01-2.39). Violence with pregnancy complications (95% CI = 0.94-2.22) was not associated with breastfeeding interruption. Similar risks of breastfeeding interruption were observed for IPV (95% CI = 0.96-1.87) and violence perpetrated by other family members (95% CI = 0.83-1.89). Conclusions: We observed a shorter breastfeeding duration up to 12 months of life in cases of recurrent violence.

Blood Revenge in Light of the Imago Dei in Genesis 9:6

In recent years, some scholars have claimed that God’s creation of humanity in the divine image (Gen 1:26-28) presents both a royal-functional reading and also the model of nonviolence that counters recurrent violence throughout the Hebrew Bible. This nonviolent reading of humanity created in God’s image disregards the mention of this concept at the end of the Flood Narrative in Gen 9:6. This article firstly takes into consideration the proximate context and semantics of the sentence in Gen 9:6 expressed through its structural, linguistic and syntactic aspects. Moreover, the pragmatics of this saying will be analyzed through the investigative criteria of discursive analysis to better identify how semantic meaning and other contextual features underpin what is communicated by this challenging utterance.

Long-Term Violent Reoffending Following Forensic Psychiatric Treatment: Comparing Forensic Psychiatric Examinees and General Offender Controls.

Background: Long-term violent re-offending in forensic psychiatric (FP) patients vs. non-FP offenders is largely unknown. Methods: We studied rates and facets of long-term violent reoffending among 1,062 violent forensic psychiatric examinees (FPE) consecutively undergoing pre-trial, forensic psychiatric examination (FPE) in Denmark during 1980–1992. Altogether, 392 were sentenced to FP treatment (FPE+T); the remaining 670 examinees received ordinary non-FP sanctions (FPE-T). FPE+T were compared to 392 contemporary matched violent general offenders (GEN) without FPE or other psychiatric contacts and sentenced to ordinary non-FP sanctions. FPE data were linked to population-based registers with sociodemographic, psychiatric, and crime information, and we estimated relative risks controlling for birth year, sex, educational and marital status, and previous violent crime. Results: During follow-up (mean = 18.0–19.5 years), FPE+T and GEN had any violent recidivism rates of 43% vs. 29% [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–1.9], respectively. Corresponding findings for severe violence (21% vs. 14%; aHR = 1.3; 95% CI, 0.9–1.9) and recurrent violence (3+ violent convictions; 16% vs. 6%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5–4.4) also suggested weakly to moderately increased risks in FPE+T, albeit non-significantly for the former. Comparing FPE+T to FPE-T suggested decreased risk of any violence (43% vs. 51%; aHR = 0.8; 95% CI, 0.6–1.1), severe (21% vs. 34%; aHR = 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4–0.8), and recurrent violence [16% vs. 22%; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5–1.0] in FP patients, though non-significantly for any violence and recurrent violence. Among all FPE examinees, violent reoffending was independently predicted by male sex, younger age, pre-index violent crime, personality disorder (vs. schizophrenia spectrum and other psychiatric disorder), substance use disorder, and 5+ hospital admissions. Conclusion: FPE examinees, untreated followed by treated, reoffend violently more often than GENs. Similar trends are suggested also for severe and recurrent violence suggesting a need for continua of services for FPE examinees, independently of medico-legal status (i.e., sentencing to treatment or not).

"Being Married Doesn't Mean You Have to Reach the End of the World": Safety Planning With Intimate Partner Violence Survivors and Service Providers in Three Urban Informal Settlements in Nairobi, Kenya.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) harms women physically, sexually, and psychologically. Safety strategies, or harm reduction techniques implemented by women undergoing recurrent violence, may help mitigate the negative health, economic, and social consequences of IPV. This study aimed to understand recommended and utilized safety strategies among three urban informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Semi-structured key informant discussions (KIDs; n = 18) with community-based service providers and focus group discussions (FGDs; n = 49) with IPV survivors were conducted. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and translated verbatim from Swahili to English. Inductive thematic analysis was used to structure codes. Convergence matrices were used to analyze emergent strategies by data source (service providers vs. IPV survivors). Women preferred safety strategies that they could implement unassisted as first line of harm reduction. Strategies included removing stressors, proactive communication, avoidance behaviors, sexual and reproductive health (SRH), economic, leaving partner for safety, child safety, and securing personal property. Strategies recommended by service providers and utilized by IPV survivors differed, with clear divergence indicated for leaving the abusive relationship, SRH, and personal property strategies. Innovative strategies emerged from IPV survivors for safeguarding property. Similar to upper-income and other low and middle-income contexts, women experiencing IPV in urban informal settlements of Nairobi actively engage in behaviors to maximize safety and reduce harm to themselves and their families. Integration of strategies known to be helpful to women in these communities into community-based prevention and response is strongly encouraged. Increased synergy between recommended and implemented safety strategies can enhance programming and response efforts.

Report of multiple abuse against older adults in three Brazilian cities.

This study analyses the multiple abuse against older adults reported to the elder abuse police units of three Brazilian cities from 2009 to 2013. This is a longitudinal and retrospective study carried out through the analysis of police reports (PRs) in the elder abuse police units of three Brazilian cities: Ribeirão Preto (SP), Teresina (PI), and João Pessoa (PB). Descriptive statistical analysis consisted of absolute and percentage frequencies. The chi-square test, Fisher’s Exact test, and Relative Risk (RR) were used to analyze the data, with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and a significance of 5%. A total of 2,313 reports of older adult abuse were analyzed, of which 245 (10.6%) were related to reports of multiple abuse, 49.4% in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 22.9% in João Pessoa, Paraíba, and 27.8% in Teresina, Piauí. Most of the victims of recurrent older adult abuse are female and younger elderly. Psychological abuse was the most recurrent, followed by financial abuse, occurring in the victim’s own home. In João Pessoa, older women and elderly living with their abusers were at a higher risk of report of multiple abuse acts. In Ribeirão Preto, living with the aggressor was a risk factor for multiple violent acts. In the total population of the study, living without companion and not living with the aggressor were identified as protective factors against recurrent violence. The need to implement social and legal actions to improve safety for the more vulnerable groups is emphasized.

Militancy and youth restiveness in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria

This paper examined militancy and youth restiveness in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria and the challenges it posed to Nigeria’s development. Youths are principal actors in the transition from contentious politics to violence because they are most affected by situation of powerlessness, which state oppression aggravates. Despite the enormous contributions of the region to the wealth of Nigeria, the people of the Niger Delta have remained impoverished and underdeveloped. Paradoxically, the oil producing states have benefited least from the oil wealth. Devastated by the ecological costs of oil spillage and the highest gas flaring rates in the world, Niger Delta is a political tinderbox. Poverty, unemployment, decay infrastructure, corruption at high level, misery, and lack of basic human needs, seem to be lot of the people. For the youths, violence becomes a bargaining weapon for negotiating, legitimizing or violating (oppressive) public order. The poor and unemployed youths therefore formed militia groups to seek redress against the government and the multinational corporations operating in the area. This paper explained the Nige Delta militancy within the Frustration-Aggression Theory and argues that frustration is the bane of the recurrent violence in the region. The paper also argued that most of the circumstances that generate the frustration and anger that degenerate into murderous militancy and youth restiveness in the region is founded on the sense of injustice, unemployment and such other factors as environmental security and infrastructural developmental issues that sparked the conflict in the region. This paper recommended that economic empowerment of the citizenry, both young and old, should be the corner stone of government’s policy, as an idle hand is the devil’s workshop.Keywords: Militancy, Corruption, Frustration-Aggression Theory, Terrorism, Niger-Delta, Security threat, Youth Restiveness

The predictive ability of childhood animal cruelty methods for later interpersonal crimes.

Research on the topic of childhood animal cruelty methods and their link to interpersonal violence is sparse. Most of the studies that do exist focus only on the frequencies of different methods of childhood animal cruelty. Only two studies to date have examined the predictive nature of these methods for later violence toward humans. One of these previous studies found that drowning and having sex with animals were predictive of later human violence, while the other found that sex with animals and the age at which the offenders began committing animal cruelty were its only statistically significant predictors. Using data collected from 257 anonymous self-reports by male inmates at a medium-security prison in a Southern state, we investigate the predictive ability of several retrospectively identified childhood animal cruelty methods (i.e., drowning, hitting/beating, hitting with rocks, shooting, kicking, choking, burning, stabbing, having sex, and starving/neglecting) for later violent crimes toward humans. Regression analyses revealed that recurrent (i.e., more than once) childhood animal cruelty and stabbing animals were the only statistically significant variables in the model that predicted recurrent interpersonal violence in adulthood.

Violence, Insecurity, and Religiosity: A Multilevel Analysis of 71 Countries

ABSTRACT A large social science literature demonstrates a link between personal insecurity and religiosity. When individuals are healthy, literate, and gainfully employed, they tend to be less religious. One of the most fundamental threats to an individual is the risk of violence, but this important marker of insecurity has been unexplored in recent studies of the determinants of religiosity. We use a unique dataset that measures state-sponsored terror, an ideal measure for studying insecurity, and explore the relationship between violence and religious beliefs and practices in 71 countries during the period 1981–2011. We find a robust positive association between violence and religiosity, and offer several reasons to believe that this is a causal relationship. Drawing on psychological studies, we argue that the specific mechanism at work deals with religious coping, a uniquely efficacious way of combating the stress and anxiety produced by the threat of recurrent violence.