Severe Violence Research Articles

Intimate Partner Violence and Mental Health Problems in Married Women in Rural Central India: A Community-based Cross-sectional Study

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant social issue affecting women in rural India, with deleterious consequences for their physical and mental health. The “mental health problems and psychosocial factors associated with IPV” is an under-researched topic in Central India. The cross-sectional observational descriptive study was part of a project aimed at strengthening the health sector response to gender-based violence. Eighty consenting women from 19 villages in a district in Central India, who acknowledged experiencing IPV, participated in the study. A predesigned and pretested sociodemographic questionnaire, the WHO multicountry women’s questionnaire, and self-report scales for depression, anxiety, stress, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were used to interview the women. The mean age of the respondents was 31.13 ± 6.96 years. The majority of the women (95%) experienced severe physical violence. In addition, a majority of these women simultaneously faced emotional abuse, whereas more than one-third suffered from sexual abuse from their partners. Self-reporting measures showed that nearly two-thirds of the participants had PTSD and moderate-to-severe depression and anxiety. A substantial number of study participants believed that IPV is a private matter for a couple and justified violence if the wife was unfaithful, disobedient, or neglectful of children and household duties. The under-reporting of IPV, presence of misconceptions, and high prevalence of associated mental health problems among IPV-affected women highlight the need for interventions tailored to the needs of battered women.

Youth Intimate Partner Femicide: Identification of Factors Specific to Femicide Against Adolescent and Young Adult Victims

Abstract Objectives Intimate partner femicide (IPF) is a public health issue with far-reaching and extreme consequences. As previous research mainly has treated IPF as an adult phenomenon, young victims of such violence have been rendered invisible. Consequently, youth IPF is not well understood and little is known about factors specific to IPF against adolescent and young adult females. Purpose The aim of this study is to examine factors related to youth IPF (≤ 25 years) and to compare cases of youth IPF with cases of adult IPF (≥ 26 years) regarding these factors. Victim and perpetrator characteristics are explored, as well as factors related to the relationship and circumstances of the crimes. Methods This epidemiological study is based on a national dataset that involves all homicides in Sweden between 1990 and 2017. Incidents of male-perpetrated femicide in which the perpetrator and victim were or had been in an intimate relationship were analyzed. Descriptive and multivariate analyses with odds ratios (OR) were conducted in order to make group comparisons between young (n = 62) and adult (n = 320) IPF. Results Our study reveals interesting differences between youth and adult IPF, in which youth IPF is more likely to be motivated by relationship break-up, involve strangulation of the victim and drug use. Conclusions Our study sheds light on the factors and circumstances that play an important role in youth IPF, and could be fruitful to target in future prevention and intervention efforts that aim to combat severe violence against adolescent and young adult females.

The Effect of Intimate Partner Violence on Child Undernutrition in Zambia

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a critical global issue affecting millions of individuals and constitutes a serious violation of human rights. In Zambia, an estimated 41% of women aged 15–49 years have experienced physical and/or sexual IPV at least once in their lifetime. This study assessed the effect of mothers’ experience of IPV on child undernutrition in Zambia. We analyzed data pooled from three rounds of nationally representative cross-sectional household surveys (Zambia Demographic and Health Survey: ZDHS-2007, ZDHS-2013/14, and ZDHS-2018), including 29 817 children under 5 years of age. Results from multivariate multilevel logistic regression analyses showed that mothers’ exposure to emotional violence significantly increased the likelihood of stunting among girls (OR = 1.145, p = 0.037). The negative effects of mothers’ exposure to IPV were confirmed for both less severe and severe violence on girls’ stunting (OR = 1.214, p = 0.001 and OR = 1.230, p = 0.011, respectively). Nonetheless, mothers’ experience of IPV had no significant effects on underweight or wasting among girls, nor on any indicator of undernutrition among boys. Protecting mothers from IPV could be beneficial for improving child development in Zambia.

Children’s problems [مشاكل]: A mixed-methods study on physical violence experienced by children living in the Sahrawi refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria

BackgroundPhysical violence towards children is quite common in refugee camps, and also in the Middle East and North Africa region in general. Hardly anything is known about physical violence towards and between Sahrawi children living in refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria. These camps are unique in that they are semi-permanent, and are ruled by their own government. ObjectivesAnalyzing the occurrence of physical violence experienced by children living in the Sahrawi refugee camps, and the cultural/normative factors that determine this occurrence. MethodsThe study employed a mixed-method strategy, combining qualitative interviews with n = 93 participants (who held the following, sometimes combined, roles: 36 children, 18 parents, 13 teachers, 8 young persons, 9 (I)NGO employees/youth workers, 5 government employees, 3 legal professionals/police, 6 journalists/doctors/nurses/imams), and quantitative data from a questionnaire filled in by n = 172 children. ResultsPhysical violence against and between children occurs often (e.g. 52.9% of children have seen or heard children seriously fighting with each other “lots of times”, 38.1% have been hit, punched or slapped by an adult family member at least once; 40.6% of children have been hit, punched or slapped by a teacher “a few times” or “lots of times”). Severe physical violence from adults against children is rare (e.g. 5.5% of children reported that an adult family member tried to hurt them with a knife/other sharp object at least once; 5.6% reported that a teacher did this at least once). (Light) beating by adults is considered normal and educational, and fighting between peers is considered normal by adults, while it is considered problematic by children. ConclusionsThe child’s right to protection from physical violence is violated regularly in the camps. There are several factors that contribute to this situation, namely: 1) a lack of child-friendly spaces and materials, 2) the normalization of certain forms of violence, and 3) the lack of effective protection/enforcement mechanisms.

Consanguineous Marriages and Domestic Violence against Women: Evidence from Pakistan

The high prevalence of cousin marriages in the patriarchal Pakistani society presents a unique setting to study the impact of consanguinity on domestic violence. Our study investigates the relationship between consanguineous marriages and domestic violence against women, using econometric models and the Pakistan Demographic and Health Surveys (2012 and 2017–2018). The findings reveal a grim picture of domestic violence, with 6.5% of women experiencing severe physical violence in 2017–2018. We find that consanguineous marriages serve as a protective cushion against domestic violence, while being married to a maternal cousin as compared to a paternal cousin interestingly reduces domestic violence.

Association Between Domestic Violence and Mental Health Among Nepalese Women: Results from a Nationally Representative Sample.

This study aims to examine the association between exposure to domestic violence and mental health outcomes, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety among married women in Nepal. The 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey was used. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed. A complex sampling frame was used to ensure the accuracy of the sample. A total of 4,211 women aged 14 to 49 years were analyzed. Among women between the ages of 15 and 49, 22.8% experience anxiety, and 22.5% experience depressive symptoms. Nearly 50% of women who had experienced domestic violence had symptoms of anxiety and depression. At the multivariate level, in Model 1, the study found that wealthy women were less likely to have anxiety (OR = 0.75; 95% CI [0.58, 0.96] and depression (OR = 0.70; 95% CI [0.54, 0.91]) than poor women. Similarly, women of the former untouchable caste were more likely to have anxiety (OR = 1.51; 95% CI [1.14, 2.00]) and depression (OR = 1.20; 95% CI [0.91, 1.58]) than high-caste women. In Model 2, the odds of anxiety and depressive symptoms were 1.70 (95% CI [1.29, 2.24]) and 1.99 (95% CI [1.48, 2.67]), respectively, for those women who had experienced severe physical violence. The odds of experiencing anxiety and depression were 2.88 (95% CI [2.28, 3.64]) and 3.04 (95% CI [2.32, 3.98]) times, respectively, for those women who had experienced emotional abuse. Similarly, women who had been sexually assaulted had 2.34 (95% CI [1.72, 3.20]) and 1.67 times (95% CI [1.23, 2.26]) more likely to experience anxiety and depression than women who had never been sexually assaulted. We found a strong association between mental health problems and women's experience of domestic violence. To address the mental health of Nepalese women, it is critical to strengthen domestic violence prevention programs, especially those targeting the lowest social strata of the population.

Assessment of Functional Outcomes of Femur Treatment Using Modified Thoresen’s Criteria in Terms of Malalignment, Knee Motion, and Associated Symptoms

Comminuted fracture shaft of femur is increasing day by day due to Severe violence by road traffic accident and fall from height in modern civilization and intramedullary nailing sometimes technically not feasible in this type of fracture (AO type-32B3, 32C). Reaming may aggravate the comminution and displaced the comminuted fragments and sometimes difficult in segmental fracture involving metaphyseal region. To assessment of functional outcomes of femur treatment using modified Thoresen’s Criteria in terms of malalignment, knee motion, and associated symptoms. The study was carried out at the Dhaka medical college Hospital over a period of one and half year from September, 2016 to February, 2018. The total number of patients were 24. The mean age of the patients was 33.1±9.9 and the lowest and highest ages were 20-60 years respectively. Age of most (58%) of the patients were below 30 years. Three quarter of the patients (75%) were male and 37.5% were day labourer. Most of the patients (81%) were presented with right sided comminuted femoral shaft fracture. All of the injuries were closed type. In terms of type of fracture, AO type 32C2 were predominant (50%).AO type 32B3, 32C1,32C3 were 12.5%, 12.5% and 25%. Associated injury was found 6 patients that was 25% among 24 patients. Total duration of surgery <90 minute was taken in 41.5% and >90 minutes taken in 58.5% with mean deviation was 105 minutes and standard deviation was 19 minutes. 16 patients (67%) exhibited wide range of knee motion (>120), four (17%) patients slightly restricted knee motion (110-120), two patients (8%) moderately restricted knee motion (90-110) and two patients (8%) extremely restricted knee motion (<90). Evaluation of outcome by The Modified Thoresen’s criteria (1985) 6 months after intervention demonstrated that 29% of the patients had excellent outcome, 57% good outcome, 9.5% fair and 4.5% poor outcome. Assessment of Functional Outcomes of Femur Treatment Using Modified Thoresen’s Criter

Crisis Reporting and Professionalism in Journalism: An Analysis of Reporting Practices in Cameroon and Nigeria

ABSTRACT This study examines the dynamics of journalistic professionalism in crisis reporting in Nigeria and Cameroon: countries which have experienced sustained violent secessionist crises since 2015 and 2016 respectively. These crises have led to new approaches to crisis reporting, in which local journalists cover events amid severe violence and the strong nationalist ideologies typical of secessionist movements. Using an innovative mixed method that combines regression analysis and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), the article explores the nuances of journalistic professionalism in the reporting of these crises through a survey of 302 journalists from the secessionist regions in these countries. With professionalism operationalized through objectivity, the regression analysis revealed the use of emotions, the inclusion of ideologies on nationalism/secessionism, the freedom of journalists, their use of multiple/variety sources in reporting, and the inclusion of opposing views as factors affecting journalistic objectivity in crisis reporting in Cameroon and Nigeria. The FsQCA results further stress the nuances in the independence of these factors and the complex circumstances where their presence or absence could enhance objectivity in reporting. In this way, the study reveals the dialectics of existing literature on media systems using an innovative methodological approach.

Violence Risk or Writing Quality? Predicting Relief Outcomes from Protective Order Narratives.

Civil orders of protection (OPs) are the only victim-initiated legal intervention for intimate partner violence. The OP process is unique because victims write a narrative account of abuse to inform judges' decision-making. Historically, feminist scholars have considered OPs as empowering to victims, as they can signal strength-based change and requesting needed relief. OPs also serve as an important tool for some mothers who need temporary protection related to child custody and visitation. Studies of OP narratives have found that content related to future risk is associated with securing an OP, including allegations of physical and severe violence, suggesting that OPs provide needed protection. At the same time, the OP process is disempowering for some women. The content and quality of survivors' OP narratives vary greatly, and studies have found that well-written accounts are positively associated with securing OPs, uncovering the potential influence of judges' implicit biases. This study used logistic regression to explore how violence risk and writing quality related to the receipt of emergency OPs in a sample of 90 petitions filed by women with minor children in a large Midwest County. As expected, violence severity was positively associated with securing an OP, controlling for the mention of other cases/orders and legal representation. However, the association was no longer significant when writing quality was considered; specifically, greater readability was associated with being granted an OP. Linear structure and appearance of narratives were not related to OP outcomes. Findings underscore the ongoing need to explore how the written narrative requirement of the OP process (dis)empowers survivors and the role implicit biases may play in judicial decision-making in civil OP proceedings.

Assessing risk for severe domestic violence and related homicides perpetrated by partners and in-laws: adapted danger assessments for women in abusive relationships in India

Despite domestic violence and related homicides perpetrated by partners and/or in-laws being a significant public health problem in India, there are no reliable and valid instruments to identify and intervene with women in domestic violence relationships. Continued domestic violence can escalate to severe, near-lethal, or lethal violence or homicide. The Danger Assessment (DA) is a risk assessment instrument designed to assess the likelihood of severe, near-lethal, or lethal violence in abusive relationships. However, the DA is not designed to determine the risk of future severe, near-lethal, or lethal violence by in-laws. In-law abuse plays a significant role in domestic violence-related homicides in India and other countries with similar cultural norms. This study addressed this gap by developing the Danger Assessment for in-laws (DA-L) to assess risk from in-laws, alongside the Danger Assessment for Women in India (DA-WI) to assess risk from partners. The study also examined the psychometric properties of the DA-L and DA-WI. Longitudinal data from 150 women in India were used to measure the reliability and validity of the two versions of the DA. The original DA items and additional risk items were examined using relative risk ratios for their relationship with severe violence at three-month follow-ups. Predictive validity was tested with the receiver operating characteristic curve. The study resulted in reliable and valid measures (11 items DA-L and 26-items DA-WI) of risk. The versions of the DA can be useful for practitioners in India and those working with Indian women in the US and other countries. The DAs can be used for identifying women in domestic violence relationships who are at risk for future severe domestic violence and guide the provision of tailored safety plans.

Implications of refugee crisis on public sector healthcare organizations: Empirical observation from Myanmar’s Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh

Abstract Political crises, like the refugee crisis, present significant challenges to nation-states and public sector entities. The influx of refugees from Myanmar to Bangladesh has intensified over recent decades, notably after severe violence erupted in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on 25 August 2017. This study focuses on public service organizations, aiming to understand the impact of the Rohingya refugee crisis. Using a qualitative approach and drawing on existing literature, the research examines how the crisis affects the capacity of public healthcare providers in Bangladesh. The findings reveal both detrimental and beneficial effects on organizational functioning, including management, resource availability, and absorptive and adaptive capacities. Through data analysis, eight key themes emerge, such as changes in service quality, disease control, resource allocation dynamics, and impacts on professional knowledge, shedding light on the complex repercussions of the Rohingya refugee crisis on public healthcare services in Bangladesh.

A Multi-Level Analysis of Help-Seeking Behaviour of Male Victims of Intimate Partner Violence

Globally, many men are victims of intimate partner violence but not many seek help to stop the violence. This study sought to identify the factors associated with the help-seeking behavior of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Uganda. This was done using ordinary and mixed-effects regression models with logit, probit, and complementary log-log link functions and secondary data from the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. Most males (70.6 percent) never sought help after experiencing intimate partner violence. Marital status, listening to the radio, physically hurt partner, experienced physical injury, number of control issues, father ever beat mother, and severity of violence were significantly associated with the help-seeking behavior of male victims of IPV. There is a need to come up with interventions that encourage males to report IPV, especially among the married, and also sensitize males not to wait until they have experienced physical injuries or any other severe violence before they seek help. Given that the sampling methodology used in demographic and health surveys introduces nesting in the data, researchers should consider using multilevel models.

Positive and Negative Gender Role Beliefs and Intimate Partner Violence.

An ethnically diverse sample of 384 male and female undergraduates was assessed for their gender role beliefs based on positive (family responsibility) vs. negative (male dominance and female submissiveness) aspects derived from Hispanic cultural traditions. Negative male and female gender role beliefs were significantly positively correlated with reported victimization by and perpetration of severe intimate partner violence (IPV) for both men and women. Positive male gender role beliefs were negatively correlated with reported victimization by and perpetration of IPV for both men and women, with women also providing some evidence that positive female gender role beliefs were associated with less IPV.

Prevalence of intimate partner violence among Indian women and their determinants: a cross-sectional study from national family health survey – 5

IntroductionIntimate partner violence (IPV) can be described as a violation of human rights that results from gender inequality. It has arisen as a contemporary issue in societies from both developing and industrialized countries and an impediment to long-term development. This study evaluates the prevalence of IPV and its variants among the empowerment status of women and identify the associated sociodemographic parameters, linked to IPV.MethodsThis study is based on data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India, 2019-21 a nationwide survey that provides scientific data on health and family welfare. Prevalence of IPV were estimated among variouss social and demographic strata. Pearson chi-square test was used to estimate the strength of association between each possible covariate and IPV. Significantly associated covariates (from univariate logistic regression) were further analyzed through separate bivariate logistic models for each of the components of IPV, viz-a-viz sexual, emotional, physical and severe violence of the partners.ResultsThe prevalence of IPV among empowered women was found to be 26.21%. Among those who had experienced IPV, two-thirds (60%) were faced the physical violence. When compared to highly empowered women, less empowered women were 74% more likely to face emotional abuse. Alcohol consumption by a partner was established to be attributing immensely for any kind of violence, including sexual violence [AOR: 3.28 (2.83–3.81)].ConclusionsOur research found that less empowered women experience all forms of IPV compared to more empowered women. More efforts should to taken by government and other stakeholders to promote women empowerment by improving education, autonomy and decision-making ability.

Behind Closed Doors: The Persistence of Domestic Violence in Contemporary Indian Society

Introduction: Domestic abuse is a significant contributor to the nation's misdemeanor index, with destructive behavior in personal relationships where one person attempts to exert control and influence over another. This can occur in dating, marriage, or conjugal relationships and can lead to physical, psychological, or sexual harm. This work aims to explain the underlying reasons for domestic violence, which include various factors such as individual, relational, community, legal, and governmental elements. These components contribute to domestic abuse and its effects on the victim's emotional and physical well-being in daily life. The report also discusses the different forms of domestic violence, including physical, emotional, mental, sexual, economic, and teasing abuse. Objective: To assess domestic violence and its relation to human rights. Methods: The study was conducted in selected areas of Noida, Uttar Pradesh by two data collectors. A total of 60 women were selected using a convenience sampling technique. The questionnaires were checked for completeness, cleaned manually, and entered into SPSS version 25.0 for further analysis. Descriptive statistics were carried out, and associations between dependent and independent variables were checked. Results: The majority of the women (34 or 56.6%) experienced moderate domestic violence, 16 (26.6%) experienced severe domestic violence, and 10 (16.7%) experienced mild domestic violence. The education status of the women was found to be significantly associated with the level of domestic violence, with a p-value of less than 0.05. Conclusion: Urgent action is required to strengthen efforts to reduce violence and improve the availability of information on domestic abuse cases. These statistics are crucial for effectively combating domestic violence against women in India.

Marital violence affects reproductive health and pregnancy outcomes in Northeast India.

As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4, 2015-16) report, 40% of women aged 15-49 in India experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), with emotional abuse significantly associated with negative reproductive health (RH) outcomes. The study uses secondary data from the NFHS-4 and conducts statistical analysis based on information gathered from 8766 married women aged 15-49years in Northeast India. Bivariate analysis followed by multiple logistic regression analysis is performed to understand the relationship between IPV and its effects on women's RH. The findings indicate that ever-married women in Northeast India have faced physical violence (25.1%), sexual violence (11.8%), emotional abuse (6.4%) and severe violence (5.3%). Among all women who participated in the study, 6.9% had experienced non-live births, 4.2% miscarriages, 2.4% abortions, 0.3% stillbirths, 16.9% terminated pregnancies and 2.1% sexually transmitted infections (STI). Sexually abused women (SAW) showed higher likelihoods of non-live births, STIs, miscarriages, abortions and pregnancy terminations. SAW had a 65% higher risk of miscarriages, while those experiencing physical violence had a 64% increased risk of abortions. IPV significantly impacts women's RH in Northeast India. This study presents evidence from surveys on sexual and RH among married women affected by IPV in Northeast India.

Relación entre Violencia Física y Otras Formas de Maltrato Intrafamiliar en Mujeres Adolescentes Embarazadas

Besides the relationship with each other, forms of abuse are risk factors for the use of alcoholic beverages, early initiation of sexual activity, and early pregnancy. There are still gaps in the literature regarding maltreatment events in specific groups. This study aims to identify the relationship between physical violence and other forms of mistreatment in Malanje municipality pregnant teenagers from August 2nd to October 5th, 2022. It is quantitative survey of 137 participants in a single-stage cluster. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test, and multivariate analysis by logistic regression were applied at a 0.05 significance level. As results, the study demonstrates that pregnant adolescents living in rural areas were 5.38 times more likely to suffer physical violence than those from urban/ peri-urban areas. The experience of physical violence by study participants was associated with corporal punishment (AOR= 4.35; 95% CI. 1.86-10.18) and severe physical violence (AOR= 4.95; 95% CI. 1.24-19.80). No significant association was found between physical violence and psychological aggression (AOR= 1.81; 95% CI. 0.55-5.96). In conclusion, pregnant teenagers who are victims of non-violent abuse are equally vulnerable to violent acts. A permanent dialogue with families to promote violence-free education is needed, especially in more disadvantaged areas. Future studies should further explore geographic issues to generate more assertive strategies.

Brain structural alterations associated with impulsiveness in male violent patients with schizophrenia

BackgroundViolence in schizophrenia (SCZ) is a phenomenon associated with neurobiological factors. However, the neural mechanisms of violence in patients with SCZ are not yet sufficiently understood. Thus, this study aimed to explore the structural changes associated with the high risk of violence and its association with impulsiveness in patients with SCZ to reveal the possible neurobiological basis.MethodThe voxel-based morphometry approach and whole-brain analyses were used to measure the alteration of gray matter volume (GMV) for 45 schizophrenia patients with violence (VSC), 45 schizophrenia patients without violence (NSC), and 53 healthy controls (HC). Correlation analyses were used to examine the association of impulsiveness and brain regions associated with violence.ResultsThe results demonstrated reduced GMV in the right insula within the VSC group compared with the NSC group, and decreased GMV in the right temporal pole and left orbital part of superior frontal gyrus only in the VSC group compared to the HC group. Spearman correlation analyses further revealed a positive correlation between impulsiveness and GMV of the left superior temporal gyrus, bilateral insula and left medial orbital part of the superior frontal gyrus in the VSC group.ConclusionOur findings have provided further evidence for structural alterations in patients with SCZ who had engaged in severe violence, as well as the relationship between the specific brain alterations and impulsiveness. This work provides neural biomarkers and improves our insight into the neural underpinnings of violence in patients with SCZ.

Healing wounded trees: clinicians' perspectives on treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder.

While treatment guidelines agree on the first-line interventions for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there is an ongoing debate between experts regarding the treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). As scientific research is slowly emerging, different treatment approaches are used in clinical practice This article aims to provide a set of treatment options for C-PTSD in adult survivors of repeated exposure to severe violence and abuse, both in childhood and later on in life. The developmental-contextual perspective on mental health forms the basis of this approach. This perspective is elaborated using the tree metaphor. Then, several treatment strategies are suggested. The presented strategies are a combination of the existing evidence-based approaches for the treatment of PTSD and personality disorders. They target psychological damage in survivors while taking their developmental trajectories and ecological environments into consideration. The treatment model presented is based on longstanding clinical practice and it may be a promising framework for treating C-PTSD. However, it still needs to be scientifically examined for acceptability and effectiveness.

Post-traumatic stress disorder in parents of schizophrenic patients at the Arrazi Psychiatric Hospital in Salé following familial violence

IntroductionParents whose adult child has a serious mental illness are at risk of serious violence from their child. One of the reasons for the high risk of PTSD is violence in the home [1,2]. The high risk of PTSD in parents of patients with schizophrenia is an issue of great concern because parents are likely to fear repeated violence and, therefore, to object to patients being discharged from hospital.Objectives To assess the existence of post-traumatic stress disorder in relatives of patients with schizophrenia treated at the Arrazi University Psychiatric Hospital in Salé following familial violence.MethodsThis was a descriptive cross-sectional study using a questionnaire including sociodemographic criteria, clinical criteria, questions about domestic violence and an “IES-R” post-traumatic stress symptom assessment questionnaire to investigate the existence of post-traumatic stress disorder in relatives of patients with schizophrenia followed up at Arrazi University Psychiatric Hospital in Salé following familial violence.ResultsThe response of 72 relatives of schizophrenic patients was collected. About 70% of the participants were mothers. The average age of the participants was 58. All lived with children who had been treated for schizophrenia for more than 18 years (57% of participants). Around 20% of these children were in hospital at the time of completing this questionnaire. About 80% of the children with schizophrenia spent all their time at home, and about 89% of the participants had already been victims of violence from their sick children. 90% had been sworn at and insulted, the majority blamed themselves for the illness, about 56% had already been kicked or punched, and 36% had already received death threats and 12% serious injuries/. For all items, parents with a high IES-R score had significantly more experiences of violence than parents with a low IES-R score. The percentage of parents with a high IES-R score was 45%.Conclusions The experience of severe violence and hospitalisation of a patient was related to a high risk of post-traumatic stress disorder in parents. These two factors can be considered as traumatic events arising from crisis situations and can have harmful consequences for parents and their schizophrenic children, who are sometimes rejected. There seems to be a need to create crisis intervention programmes that offer a multidisciplinary approach capable of rapidly detecting the exacerbation of a serious mental illness and providing rapid and intensive treatment as quickly as possible. Finally, the provision of support, education or treatment for parents during their child’s hospitalisation is essential.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared