Severe Physical 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.

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.

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.

Prevalence and predictors of Intimate Partner Violence among Women of Reproductive Age in Plateau state, North-Central Nigeria

Introduction: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is an important public health problem that affects both men and women, especially women globally. This study brings to bear, the prevalence and predictors of IPV among women of reproductive age in Plateau state, Nigeria.
 Materials and methods: An analysis of secondary data from the 2018 NDHS dataset was done. The survey collected data on a sample of women within the reproductive age group 15-49 years in Plateau State. The data set was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.
 Results: A total of 139 responded to the questions on IPV in Plateau state, more of whom are within the age range of 25-39 years (67.6%) and resided in rural areas (77%). The overall prevalence of IPV was 62.6%, that of more severe physical violence was 7.9%, 15.8% for less severe physical violence, emotional violence was 58.3% and 12.2% for sexual violence. Living in rural a rural area (OR=4.28; 95% CI=1.72-10.93), belonging to the middle/rich/richer wealth quintile (OR=0.25; 95% CI=0.11-0.59), and having a partner who has control issues (OR=2.67; 95% CI=1.32-5.38) were significant predictors of IPV. Having a non-professional job also showed higher odds of IPV but it was not statistically significant (OR=1.67; 95% CI=0.56-4.97).
 Conclusion: The prevalence of IPV among women in Plateau state was found to be high, with socio-economic status significantly predicting its occurrence. Opportunities for improving the socioeconomic status of women in the state, especially those in rural areas should be encouraged by providing better jobs and creating public awareness that would discourage IPV.

Prevalence of child discipline practices and their associated maternal psychosocial profile in Alexandria

ABSTRACT Background Child discipline practices are the methods used by parents to prevent future unwanted behavior in children. Child discipline practices involve non-violent and violent. Violent discipline is a pervasive problem across Egypt shaped by many factors and has many negative consequences. This study attempted to measure the prevalence of child discipline practices among mothers in Alexandria and their associated maternal psychosocial profile of mothers. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted to interview a sample of 275 mothers at eight family health units and centers in Alexandria using interview format to collect personal and socio-demographic data in addition to The Arabic version of the parent form of Conflict Tactics Scales Parent-Child (CTSPC) form and The Arabic Version of Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS). Results The study revealed that 25.09% of studied mothers were using nonviolent discipline practices (NVDP) only, while 74.18% were using psychological, physical, or severe physical violence with or without using NVDP. A significantly higher percentage of mothers who use NVDP are of high socioeconomic status compared to the other group (73.9% compared to 17.6%), they scored normal on the three domains of DASS compared to the other group (76.8% compared to 30.5% on depression domain, 72.5% compared to 14.7% on anxiety domain and 60.9% compared for 18.6% on stress domain).

Mental Health Conditions and Utilisation of Mental Health Services by Survivors of Physical Intimate Partner Violence in Portugal: Results from the WHO World Mental Health Survey

The aim of this article is to study mental health conditions among survivors of severe physical intimate partner violence (IPV) and their utilisation of mental health services. This study is an integrated part of the World Mental Health Survey Initiative-Portugal, for which data was collected from a nationally representative adult sample using well-validated scales. Logistic regression models were used in the analysis. The most common statistically significant mental health conditions among IPV survivors were suicide ideation, PTSD, major depressive episode, and generalised anxiety disorder. More than one in three survivors developed PTSD. Suicide ideation was likely to occur after first experiencing IPV. Almost a half of survivors received specialised mental health treatment; in most cases, delivered by a psychiatrist. Over 60% addressed their mental health issues consulting general physicians or other healthcare professionals. Those who experienced family violence in childhood had greater odds of also experiencing IPV; survivors of IPV with this experience were more likely to receive mental health treatment. The need to promote greater awareness and competencies of not only mental health professionals but also of general physicians and other healthcare professionals to provide support more effectively to survivors of any type of IPV deserves to be emphasised.

Just as Violent: Cyberbullying and In-Person Violence Compared Among Arab Youth in Israel

AbstractThis study examined similarities and differences between adolescent involvement in cyberbullying and in-person violence from a socio-ecological perspective. It explored the associations between individual (gender, age, religiosity, and impulsivity), family (parental support, monitoring, and conflict), and contextual factors (commitment to school, affiliation with delinquent peers and exposure to community violence), on the one hand, and four types of violence: cyberbullying and three subtypes of in-person violence—severe and moderate physical violence and indirect violence—on the other. The sample included 3178 Arab students in grades 7–11 in Israel, who completed a structured survey. “In-person bullying” or face-to face violence was found to be significantly and positively associated with involvement in cyberbullying, and both bullying behaviors were found to share common predictors. Of the four types of violence, involvement in severe physical violence and cyberbullying and was the lower (28.4% and 14.1% and of students, respectively), with significantly higher rates for indirect and moderate violence (65.7% and 47.3%, respectively). The general trend found in the study was one of similarities between cyberbullying and in-person violence, especially of the severe physical type. We conclude that protecting youth against involvement in violent acts can be most effectively achieved by buffering the impact of situational and personal risk factors.

Effectiveness of Moral Motivation and Reasoning Training on Violent Behaviors of Male Students

Objective: The emergence of violent and deviant behaviors among students, educators, and officials is a fundamental problem in society. These behaviors, besides causing economic and familial problems, also lead to numerous ethical, social, cultural, and political damages. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effectiveness of moral motivation and reasoning training on violent behaviors in male middle school students. Methods and Materials: The research method was quasi-experimental with one experimental group and one control group, including pre-test and post-test assessments. The study population consisted of all middle school students with violent behaviors in Tabriz during the academic year 2020-2021. For selecting the research sample, multi-stage cluster random sampling and screening methods were used. Thirty students who scored above the cut-off point on the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS, 1972) were selected as the sample of students with violent behaviors and were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received twelve two-hour sessions of moral motivation and reasoning training, while the control group received regular school education. Both groups completed the Conflict Tactics Scale questionnaire as pre-test and post-test. Multivariate covariance analysis was used for data analysis. Findings: The results of multivariate covariance analysis showed that the effectiveness of moral motivation and reasoning training was significant for all three subscales, including verbal violence (F=7.30, α=0.004), mild physical violence (F=3.47, α=0.48), and severe physical violence (F=3.58, α=0.04) (α>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that among the subscales of violent behaviors, verbal violence received the most significant impact from the provision of moral motivation and reasoning training.

Evaluating the impact of an information-based education and training platform on the incidence, severity, and coping resources status of workplace violence among nurses: a quasi-experimental study

BackgroundWorkplace violence among nurses has emerged as a critical issue, posing a significant threat to their occupational safety. Education and training are the primary measures employed to prevent and respond to workplace violence. However, the current approaches have proven ineffective, possibly due to a lack of consideration for the specific needs of clinical nurses. Therefore, it is essential to explore the effectiveness of an informational education and training platform tailored to nurses' requirements. This study aimed to investigate the impact of such a platform on the incidence, severity, and coping resources of WPV in nurses.MethodsThis research was a quasi-experimental study. An information-based education and training platform focused on nurse workplace violence was developed through literature reviews, expert meetings, consultations with software development companies, and a trial run. A tertiary general hospital in Suzhou was selected, in which hospital district A was the intervention group and hospital district B was the control group. A total of 276 nurses were recruited, 140 in the intervention group and 136 in the control group. The nurses' incidence, severity, coping resources status, and evaluation of the application were measured before the intervention and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention.ResultsThe overall incidence of workplace violence, verbal aggression, and verbal threat among nurses showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) for the time effect, while the incidence of physical aggression demonstrated statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) for the between-group effect and the time effect. The severity of physical violence among nurses exhibited statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) for the between-group effect and time effect, and the severity of psychological violence showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05) for the time effect. Nurses' total coping resources score and dimensions also showed statistically significant differences in terms of group, time, and interaction effects (P < 0.001). The evaluation questionnaire for the mobile application indicated usefulness scores of 2 (1, 2); ease of learning scores of 2 (1, 2); ease of use scores of 2 (1, 2); trust scores of 2 (1, 2.75); acceptance score of 1 (1, 2); and satisfaction scores of 2 (1, 2).ConclusionsImplementing the nurse workplace violence information-based education and training platform proved beneficial in reducing the incidence and severity of workplace violence among nurses and enhancing their coping resources. This outcome suggested the platform's potential for further application and promotion in clinical settings.

Overlooked impact of less severe physical violence on antenatal care visits: Findings from South Asia.

In South Asia, women often experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and have limited access to maternal health services (MHS). However, the effects of IPV on antenatal care (ANC) visits remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the impact of IPV of different forms and severities on ANC visits in South Asia. This cross-sectional study used the latest available data from demographic and health surveys conducted in Bangladesh, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Maldives, and Pakistan. The study sampled 4467 women who had given birth within the past 12 months and were interviewed for IPV. IPV was measured by binary variables indicating the presence of physical violence (PV), categorised into less severe (LSPV) and severe physical violence (SPV), emotional violence (EV), and sexual violence (SV). ANC utilization was measured using binary variables indicating whether respondents had any, at least four, or at least eight ANC visits, as recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). Logistic regressions adjusted for survey weights were used to assess associations between ANC utilization and exposure to IPV during pregnancy and lifetime. The prevalence of LSPV, SPV, EV, and SV during pregnancy were 14.5%, 4.4%, 11.6%, and 4.1%. LSPV experience during pregnancy was associated with decreased likelihoods of at least four ANC visits (odds ratio (OR) = 0.55; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.40-0.76) and eight ANC visits (OR = 0.53; 95% CI = 0.31-0.90). Results of lifetime exposure to IPV followed similar patterns. Lifetime exposure to LSPV was associated with decreased likelihoods of at least four ANC visits (OR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.41-0.74) and eight ANC visits (OR = 0.47; 95% CI = 0.29-0.77). This study highlights the negativities of LSPV on the frequency of women seeking ANC visits. Policies are necessary to identify women at risk of the often-overlooked LSPV early and provide protective interventions to promote maternal health in South Asia.

Pornography associated with youth violence

Abstract Background Violence is a very present situation in the various contexts of humanity, with Veracruz, Mexico being one of the most violent states in the country. There are studies that suggest that the consumption of pornography may be associated with an increased risk of violent behaviors due to physiological stimuli and legitimizing the behaviors observed in it. Objective: to determine the association between addiction to pornography and violence in young people from Veracruz, Mexico. Methods A cross-sectional, observational, prospective and analytical study was carried out between November and April 2023. Young people between the ages of 12 and 25, residents of Veracruz, Mexico were included; subjects with known psychiatric diagnoses were excluded. Data collection was carried out using Google Forms, applying the ‘Buss and Perry’ violence test (A.Cronbach 0.87) and the ‘EMAP’ pornography addiction test (A.Cronbach 0.95). SPSS v22 software was used for data analysis, X2 test with Odds Ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) and MannWhitney U test. Results 1399 subjects were included, with an age of 19.3±2.8 years, 514 participants indicated consuming pornography (all digitally). Pornography addiction was identified in 495(35.3%) subjects and 399(28.5%) with moderate or higher violence. Addiction to pornography was shown to be a factor associated (OR/CI95%) with moderate or higher levels of physical (1.4/1.-1.7), verbal (1.3/1.0-1.6) or general (1.3/1.0-1.7) violence.), anger (1.3/1.0-1.7), hostility (1.4/1.1-1.8), as well as severe physical violence (1.3/1.0-1.7), in the same way that pornography consumption was associated with moderate or superior levels of physical and verbal violence, anger, hostility and violence in general (p &amp;lt; 0.05). Conclusions The use of pornography and addiction to it facilitate the presence of physical and verbal violence, anger, hostility and violence in general in moderate or greater intensity, as well as severe physical violence. Key messages • Access to pornography through digital media facilitates the presence of violent behavior in young people, so it is necessary to find ways to regulate access to pornography. • It is necessary to establish strategies to provide education to young people, in order to educate and help the interpretation that young people can give to this type of explicit material.

A - 137 Head Injury Due to Intimate Partner Violence: Pain Severity and Interference.

This study examined pain severity and interference in women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) with and without head injuries (HIs), including women with IPV-related and non-IPV-related HIs. Hypotheses were (1) women with IPV-related HIs would report greater pain severity than women without HIs, but comparable severity to women with non-IPV-related HIs, and (2) women with IPV-related HIs would report greater pain interference than women without HIs and women with non-IPV-related HIs. Among women IPV survivors, 268 reported no HIs (M(age) = 30.9 ± 9.8years-old, 77.2% White), 113 reported non-IPV-related HIs (M = 31.5 ± 9.2, 88.5% White), and 251 reported IPV-related HIs (M = 32.9 ± 8.9; 88.0% White). Participants reported pain severity and interference in past week. Women with IPV-related HIs reported higher pain severity than women without HIs (p < 0.001, d = 0.49 [95% CI: 0.32, 0.66]), but comparable severity to women with non-IPV-related HIs (p = 0.233, d = 0.24 [0.02, 0.46]). Women with IPV-related HIs reported more pain interference than women without HIs (p < 0.001, d = 0.60 [0.42, 0.77]) and women with non-IPV-related HIs (p = 0.017, d = 0.34 [0.12, 0.56]); however, after controlling for covariates (demographics, physical/sexual violence), the HI groups reported similar pain interference (p = 1.00). Women with IPV-related HIs reported the highest pain severity and interference, although this difference became non-significant after controlling for lifetime IPV severity. Pain interference among women with IPV-related HIs may be related to more severe physical violence, coercive control, and emotional trauma.

Mental health outcomes of physical, sexual, and psychological intimate partner violence among women in Turkey: A latent class study.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a severe human right violation and a significant public health problem in Turkey. However, its complexity and stratified relationship with mental health problems are still uncovered in this under researched community, as violence is often approached as a uniform health and social problem. In this study, we collected data from 539 female adults in heterosexual relationships in Turkey using convenience and snowball sampling. The aim was to examine violence-related clusters and their association of these clusters with mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, and depression). We assessed whether participants experienced physical, sexual, and psychological violence in their intimate relationships and conducted a latent class analysis. We obtained five violence clusters: (1) no or low violence, (2) high psychological violence, (3) jealous control with physical violence, (4) moderate sexual and psychological violence, and (5) severe physical, sexual, and psychological violence. Analyses of variance showed that women who experienced multiple forms of IPV reported stronger depression, anxiety, and somatization compared with women in the no or low violence class. Additionally, they reported greater depression and anxiety compared with women who experienced only high psychological IPV. However, psychological violence amplified somatization as much as physical and sexual violence.

Prevalence of Intimate Partner Violence and Associated Factors Among People With HIV: A Large-Sample Cross-Sectional Study in China.

To assess the prevalence and exacerbating factors of intimate partner violence in people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH) in China, we conducted a cross-sectional study, involving 2792 PWH in 4 provinces in China from 1 September 2020 to 1 June 2021. The categories of intimate partner violence (IPV) included physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, and controlling behavior. The severity of a violent act was divided into mild, moderate, and severe. Among PWH, the prevalence of IPV was 15.4% (95% confidence interval, 14.1%-16.8%). The severity of physical violence was mainly moderate, and the severity of sexual violence, emotional abuse, and controlling behavior was mainly mild. The prevalence of IPV in men was higher than that in women. Results from the multivariable logistic regression showed that age, ethnic, registered residence, education, and duration of HIV antiretroviral therapy were factors related to IPV in PWH (P < .05).

COVID Pandemic and Spousal Violence Against Indian Women: An Exploration of NFHS-4 (2015–2016) and NFHS-5 (2019–2021) Data Sets

We explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on spousal violence (SV) against Indian women using NFHS-4 and NFHS-5 datasets on Indian married women. We observe that probabilities of experiencing less severe physical violence and sexual violence actually declined as compared to NFHS-4 level for women from the group of states that were surveyed during pandemic period (Phase-2 states) whereas for the group of states that were surveyed prior to pandemic (Phase-1 states) no such significant decline in SV was noted under NFHS-5 survey vis-à-vis NFHS-4 level (except for the level of emotional and psychological aggression which shows a significant decline). The same counter intuitive result was observed for consolidated SV index, which declined for Phase-2 states during COVID-19 pandemic, whereas no such decline under NFHS-5 was observed for Phase-1 states, while we are controlling for different socio-demographic variables and level of women empowerment.

Anadolu Kadınlarının Kadına Yönelik Şiddete İlişkin Görüş Tutum Ve Davranışları

Objective: Violence against women is a global humanitarian problem. The present study evaluates the opinions, attitudes and behaviors of women living in the Kars province of Turkey toward violence against women, and analyses the socio-demographic factors that influence both physical violence, and the opinions, attitudes and behaviors of women toward such violence.&#x0D; Methods: This cross-sectional research was conducted with 183 women aged 17-83 years, involving a questionnaire prepared based on a summary report on domestic violence against women in Turkey.&#x0D; Results: Of the respondents, 30.4 percent had been exposed severe physical violence and 41.3% mild physical violence. It was seen that a low family income increased the risk of physical violence 3.152-fold. The risk of physical violence was 2.974 times greater in women with unemployed partners. A relatively low educational level in the partner meant a 2.981-fold increase in the risk of physical violence; and the risk of physical violence was 2.328 times greater in the younger age groups than in the older age groups. Women with a higher level of education and with more economic independence, those in employment, and those in the younger age groups mostly considered violence against women to be “never acceptable”. Women seeking legal aid when exposed to violence by their partners were in the well-educated and economically independent women groups, to a significant degree. &#x0D; Conclusion: Culture, education and economic status are the main risk factors for violence against women, however multidimensional research is necessary if we are to understand the root cause of such behaviors.

Dysfunctional Attitudes, Sociotropy-Autonomy, and Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in Emerging Adulthood.

Understanding the dynamics and vulnerability factors involved in intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among emerging adults is important in order to better prevent it from happening. The current study aimed to investigate the relationships among dysfunctional attitudes, sociotropy-autonomy, and types of IPV victimization (i.e., psychological, physical, and sexual) and severity (i.e., minor or severe) in emerging adulthood. Through an online survey, 929 emerging adults (84.6% women, mean age = 23.61) completed self-report questionnaires related to variables explored. When checking for childhood abuse, dysfunctional attitudes, sociotropy, and autonomy were related to IPV victimization for at least one type of violence and one scale of severity. The regression models show that independence from others and importance given to others are related to greater severe and minor physical violence, respectively. Attraction to loneliness seemed related to lesser minor psychological violence, whilst valorization of freedom of movement and action were related to greater minor sexual violence. The capacity to oppose others seemed related to greater severe sexual violence. These different cognitive and social characteristics may be associated with poorer social skills, thus making emerging adults more vulnerable to IPV victimization. The preventive and clinical implications are discussed.

Fear of COVID-19 and parental violence: The mediating role of parental burnout and child perceived as difficult

BackgroundSince the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a worldwide increase in the incidence of child abuse. Studies show that the pandemic context contributes to exacerbate several risk factors usually associated with the use of violent disciplinary practices. ObjectiveThis study aims to better understand the role of parental burnout and child perceived as difficult as a parental stressor in the link between fear of COVID-19 and the use of parental violence (minor and severe physical violence and repeated psychological aggression). ParticipantsThe sample includes 467 mothers living in Québec (Canada) with a child aged 5 or less. MethodAn online questionnaire, administered one year after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Québec (March to May 2021), was used to measure parental violence, parental burnout, parental stress related to the perception of the child as difficult and fear of COVID-19. Serial mediation analyses were performed. ResultsThe main analyses confirmed the indirect association between fear of COVID-19 and the three forms of parental violence studied, through parental burnout and the child perceived as difficult. Unlike physical violence (minor and severe), the association between fear of COVID-19 and repeated psychological aggression is explained only by parental burnout. ConclusionsThis study has identified new mechanisms that allow a better understanding of processes underlying parental violence during the pandemic. It also shows that parental violence can also occur in low-risk families. It is crucial to develop strategies to prevent the use of violent disciplinary practices in future socio-health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.