Sexual Assault Research Articles

가스라이팅 관련 범죄기사 분석: 텍스트마이닝과 내용분석을 중심으로

This study aims to analyze the main keywords and themes of criminal cases related to gaslighting through text mining techniques, and to reveal the characteristics of articles containing the concept of gaslighting through content analysis of individual case articles on gaslighting. To this end, 710 criminal case articles searched for 'gaslighting' as a topic in 11 major daily newspapers in Korea from 2019 to 2023 were analyzed using text mining techniques such as word clouding and topic modeling, and the contents of the cases were presented through content analysis. As a result of topic modeling these incidents, they were organized into four topics: 'Valley murders', 'Minor abuse and sexual crimes', 'Sexual assault by authority', and 'Sports and celebrity-related incidents', which were reported the most. By analyzing the content of articles centered around the same incidents, a total of 118 criminal cases were extracted. The main types of crimes were sexual crimes, accounting for 60%, followed by murder, assault, fraud, and others. Further, when categorizing the relationship between perpetrators and victims, it was found that crimes occurred mainly in workplace relationships, romantic relationships, family relationships (parents-children, spouses, siblings), and priestly relationships. This reaffirmed that such crimes utilizing psychological manipulation and domination occur in existing intimate relationships. Based on the analysis results, directions, and implications for future research on domestic gaslighting crimes were suggested.

Forensic, medical and legal problems and solutions on passenger and cargo ships

Marine vehicles have an important place in international trade and tourism. There are various directives and studies on the prevention of health problems in marine vessels and injuries and deaths due to occupational accidents. In the literature, not enough studies have been found in which the issues to be considered in cases of injuries, sexual assaults, accidents, suicides and murders that are common in forensic medicine practice, and there are no guidelines or recommendations of internationally accepted organizations. It is important to determine the seafarer who is responsible for intervening in health emergencies on cargo ships, and to detect faulty ones, if any, in work accidents that result in serious injury and death. In addition, injuries, suicides and murders are encountered among the crew, and crime scene findings are lost until they are evaluated by the judicial authorities. Although rare, sexual assaults on cargo ships are also reported, but there are not enough scientific studies that indicate what should be done in terms of evidence evaluation. Our study emphasizes the issues to be considered, that one of the crew should be held responsible and necessary training should be given in order to make a forensic medical evaluation in forensic events that will be encountered on cargo ships, and that physicians and health workers should be competent in the first forensic medical evaluation in case of emergency on passenger ships. It is thought that the launch of the telemedicine application, which provides uninterrupted service for forensic medical emergencies in maritime vessels, under the leadership of organizations such as the “International Maritime Organization” (IMO), will make a significant contribution. In addition, suggestions are made for legal impasses in such cases that take place in high seas.

Experiences of trauma and psychometric properties of the Life Events Checklist among adults in Uganda.

Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTE) is common and increases an individual's risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other psychiatric disorders. PTEs can be screened with the Life Events Checklist for DSM 5 (LEC-5). However, the psychometric properties of the LEC-5 have never been assessed in Uganda. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of PTEs and evaluate the factor structure of the LEC-5 in a sample of N = 4,479 Ugandan adults between February 2018 -March 2020. We used the phenotyping data from a case-control study (NeuroGAP-Psychosis) in Uganda investigating the genetic and environmental risk factors for psychosis spectrum disorders with 4,479 participants (2,375 cases and 2,104 controls). Prevalence for PTEs was determined for all participants and by case-control status. The factor structure of the LEC-5 was assessed using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The overall prevalence of exposure to one or more types of PTEs was 60.5%. Cases reported more frequency of exposure to PTEs than controls (64.2% vs 55.4%; p<0.001). The most frequently endorsed traumatic event was physical assault (22.8%), while exposure to toxic substances was the least endorsed (1.7%). There were several differences among the types of events experienced between cases and controls, including cases reporting more experiences of physical (28.6% vs. 16.2%, p<0.001) and sexual assault (11.5% vs. 5.0%, p<0.001) than controls. The EFA yielded a six-factor model that explained 49.8% of the total variance. The CFA showed that a theoretical seven-factor model based on the South African Stress and Health survey was a better fitting model (CFI = 0.935; TLI = 0.908; RMSEA = 0.026) than the EFA. This study revealed a high prevalence of PTEs among cases and controls, and the LEC-5 was found to have good psychometric properties among Ugandan adults.

Seasonal Decomposition of Sexual Victimization-Related Cases in Hyderabad, Pakistan

The issue of sexual assault is a serious concern that contributes to abuses of human rights and risks to public health. Evaluating situations like these is absolutely necessary in order to make the judicial process easier for both the victim and the person who committed the crime. When the seasonality of sexual assault-related incidents is determined, it can provide the community and law enforcement authorities with information that can help them implement preventative measures. Objective: To assess the seasonality of sexual assault-related cases at casualty department of a teaching hospital in Hyderabad, Pakistan. Methods: In current descriptive/prospective study, ninety two sexual assault-related medico-legal cases (MLCs) were included. This study based on the seasonality of sexual assault-related MLCs using seasonal decomposition of three-year from January 2020 to December 2022 data from a leading tertiary care teaching hospital in the Hyderabad region. Results: Most of the cases (N=42) were reported in the year 2021. The percentage of sexual assault-related MLCs was found to be concentrated from June to August (10.86% to 14.13%). The highest number of sexual assault-related MLCs occurred in July. The seasonal decomposition also showed pronounced peaks in summer, with intense peaks in July for rape and total sexual assault cases. Conclusions: The number of sexual assault-related cases was aggregated in mid-year, showing a higher trend in summer season. Efficient preventive measures in certain seasons and education of vulnerable groups can minimize sexual violence in the community

준거기반내용분석(CBCA)의 변별력

Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA) is part of Statement Validity Analysis (SVA), a process that checks for the presence of 19 criteria that are known to be frequently found in the statements of truth-tellers. This study examined how well CBCA scores predict trial outcomes (guilty or not guilty) and which conventions are associated with higher conviction rates in order to validate the analysis of adult sexual assault victim statements. The results showed that the CBCA total score was not a reliable predictor of guilt or innocence. Next, we examined the truth discriminatory power of CBCA subcategories: logical structure and superfluous details were significantly higher in the guilty group and self-deprecation was significantly higher in the innocent group. The logical structure of the statement was found to be of significant value in assessing credibility, while the other cues were found to be of varying value depending on the characteristics and psychological state of the individual interviewee and the nature of the case, and thus need to be judged in a case-specific manner. These findings suggest that CBCA is a useful tool for analyzing adult sexual assault victim statements, but it is only valuable when used as part of an SVA and cannot be used as a stand-alone authenticity tool.

The Value of Restitution and Diversion in the Law Enforcement of Criminal Sexual Violence Against Children

The process of shifting the criminal justice system's case resolution process for offenses involving minor sexual assault to an outside location is known as diversion. One kind of diversion is returning money to victims of child sexual abuse; nevertheless, diversion and restitution are typically used less frequently in the criminal justice system. For this study, the following question was posed: Does law enforcement adhere to the juvenile criminal justice system when it comes to enforcing diversion and providing compensation for offenses involving sexual abuse of children? The study's technique is juridical-normative and follows the law. The study's findings show that law enforcement officers at all levels still stray from advised procedures even in the face of attempts to implement diversion within the criminal justice system. In order to make diversion mandatory during police investigations, public prosecutors' prosecutions, and judicial panel trials, rules and regulations that offer legal certainty are required.

Sexism, risk perception, and beliefs about sexual consent

ABSTRACT People’s beliefs about sexual consent can have far-reaching consequences, from forming opinions about a sexual assault case while serving as a juror to attending to a partner’s verbal and nonverbal consent cues during a sexual encounter. In this study, we examined the extent to which sexism, attitudes towards sexual consent, and sexual consent norms predict perceptions of risk related to sexual consent communication, or more specifically, the absence of sexual consent communication. Undergraduate students (N = 217) participated in an online survey study. Results revealed that participants’ attitudes towards sexual consent mediated the relationship between sexism and perceived risk. That is, people with sexist beliefs were less likely to evaluate sexual consent behaviours in a positive way, and in turn, these negative evaluations of sexual consent were associated with lower risk perceptions.

Factors affecting female external genital findings in child sexual assault victims

ABSTRACT The presence of external genital findings in child sexual assault victims is frequently not in accordance with the history of the incident acknowledged by the victims, due to many factors that can affect those findings. This study aimed to identify various factors affecting the findings of external genitalia injuries in child sexual assault victims. Clinical data were collected from medical records and then analysed statistically. Hymenal and/or non-hymenal injuries were observed in 64.2% of all subjects. Hymenal tears in all regions were significant for penile penetration. Factors affecting hymenal injuries were age group, nature of sexual violence, and number of penetrations. Factors affecting non-hymenal injuries were the nature of sexual violence and the time of examination.

Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude about POCSO Act among Medical Interns: A Questionnaire based Study

Background: The issue of child sexual abuse is a worldwide problem that exists among both developed as well as developing countries. The most vulnerable groups in society for sexual abuse are these children. The number of incidents involving child sexual assault is rising alarmingly. Material and Methods: It is across sectional questionnaire based study from February 2023 to July 2023 comprising of 100 medical interns (50 males and 50 females) conducted at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, A.M.U, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. Results: In this cross sectional study, 100 medical interns comprising of 50 males and 50 females participated. The questionnaire consisted of 10 multiple choice questions about the POCSO Act.76% of medical interns knew what the acronym POCSO Act means. The age of child under POCSO Act was known to 82% participants. 71% participants were aware that POCSO Act is gender neutral. Conclusion: Although teaching young children about appropriate and inappropriate touching starts in the primary grades, CSA can be reduced by increasing knowledge and awareness in the local community. The cases of child abuse in India require a holistic approach from every member of society.

My Body Under Capitalism

This creative-critical personal essay unpacks the structural mechanisms and invisible biases that allow gendered violence and the whore stigma to flourish. I embody my role as unsympathetic victim-survivor of sexual assault, refusing to conform to societal pressures around virtue and propriety. Resisting the temptation to point the finger at any one perpetrator, I explore the co-option of women’s bodies and my demons with a subversive literary arsenal, using humor, volatility and disruption as weapons. This essay-in-fragments explores consent culture, objectification and the commodification of my body as I engage in transactional sex and sex for pleasure, with an aim to subvert expectations around sex workers, who are often accused of “asking for” rape.

Culturally Diverse Students' Perspectives on Sexual Violence Policies: Recommendations for Culturally Sensitive Approaches to Prevention in Higher Education.

Culturally sensitive approaches in sexual violence prevention (SVP) refer to the proactive measures and strategies designed to address unique cultural circumstances impacting SVP. It focuses on fostering a culture of consent, respect, and equity and creating a safe and supportive environment for all individuals regardless of your identity. Increasing cultural diversity on university campuses poses unique challenges in preventing sexual violence (SV). Cultural diversity brings different perspectives, norms, and values regarding sex, sexuality, and gender roles. It can contribute to varying understandings of consent, differing attitudes toward SV, and diverse victimization experiences. These differences can create barriers to effectively addressing and preventing SV. The multiphase Culture and Perspectives on Sexual Assault Policy study, conducted at four universities in Eastern Canada, employed a qualitative research design involving focus groups with culturally diverse student participants. The findings revealed a strong desire for more education on sex, sexuality, SVP, and the intersections of culture. Additionally, the findings emphasize the importance of education and comprehensive prevention efforts that consider cultural differences, challenge gender normativity, debunk rape myths, and address the shame and secrecy associated with experiencing SV. These insights have significant implications for promoting a sense of community ownership, increasing the effectiveness and sustainability of prevention efforts, and helping to create a campus environment where all students feel safe, supported, and valued.

Fear of Sexual Victimization in Metaverse: A Comparison of Adolescent and Adult Female Users.

Metaverse platforms have gained worldwide popularity in recent years. This increase in popularity has also heightened safety concerns, as virtual sexual assault against children and the youth is on the rise. The issue of sexual abuse in the metaverse is becoming increasingly controversial due to the gaps in the current regulatory framework that result from the uncertain consequences of such virtual crimes. Drawing on an online survey of female users of Zepeto (n = 343), a metaverse social network platform where users interact with others while creating personalized avatars and virtual spaces, this study aims to explore how female users interpret the risk of sexual harassment in Zepeto, examining the triggers of emotional distress and behavioral change that result from such risk assessments by users. It investigates how these interpretations and responses vary depending on their sense of presence and engagement in the virtual environment and identification with their avatars and how all these processes differ between adolescent and adult female users. Overall, this study provides insights into the complex dynamics of virtual victimization. The findings could inform the development of regulatory frameworks that protect users from virtual sexual assault and create a safer environment for all users, especially the youngest generations.

Commission of POCSO Offences by Juveniles

India is the largest country with different cultures and a large population. A large population includes men, women, and children. Children were considered as the backbone of our country. However, a large number of children were sexually exploited. To deal with such cases Indian Government made a special law namely, the POCSO (Protection of Children sexual assault and sexual harassment. This article mainly discusses the POCSO offences, acts, and the POCSO offences done by juveniles.

Exploring Experiences of Drink and Needle Spiking Incidents Among Global Drug Survey Respondents from 22 Countries

This study explored experiences of spiking following the re-opening of nightlife settings post COVID-19 lockdown. Global Drug Survey 2022, respondents were asked about experience, context, and consequences of drink/needle spiking. In a sample of 7697 respondents 2% reported experiencing spiking the last 12 months, and 20% over a year ago. Most occurred in clubs/bars (54.8%), but a quarter occurred in a private home. 84.9% of respondents suspected a drug was added to their drink; 4.2% thought they had been injected with a drug. Almost a fifth experienced sexual assault during the incident. Only 7.2% who experienced drink spiking reported it to police. Higher AUDIT scores, being a woman, recent illicit substance use and recent clubbing experience were also associated with recent spiking. Low rates of reporting means it is difficult to understand prevalence and causes. However, media reports of an epidemic of spiking appear to have been disproportionately emphasised.

Attitudes of first and sixth year medical faculty students towards sexual assault victims: A cross-sectional study

Purpose: Sexual violence encompasses a range of coercive behaviors, from verbal harassment to forced penetration, and includes from social pressure and intimidation to the application of physical force. Sexual violence has numerous mental and physical health consequences on the individual. Although physicians recognize their crucial role in caring for sexual violence victims, various attitudes and behaviors hinder their fulfillment of these roles. In our study, the aim was to determine the attitudes of first and sixth-year medical faculty students towards sexual assault victims and the socio-demographic factors influencing these attitudes. Materials and methods: A total of 370 voluntary first- and sixth-year students enrolled in the 2021-2022 academic year at Manisa Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine were administered a questionnaire comprising socio-demographic characteristics, the "Social Attitudes Scale Towards Sexual Assault Victims," and questions assessing their knowledge of forensic medicine regarding sexual assault. Results: Our study found that 55.9% of the medical faculty students who participated were female, with an average age of 20.83±2.85 years. 56.5% were first-year students. 18.9% reported that they or someone close to them had been subjected to behavior considered as sexual assault. The average score of the participants in the Social Attitudes Scale towards Sexual Assault Victims was determined to be 95.29. It was statistically significant that women aged between 17-22 and those with a high monthly family income had higher average scores on the scale. It was found that 17.3% of the participants answered all six forensic medical questions correctly. The total scores of female students on the Social Attitudes Scale Towards Sexual Assault Victims and the scores of the behavior and thought sub-dimensions were found to be statistically significantly higher than those of male students. Conclusion: It was determined that participants generally held a positive attitude towards sexual assault victims. Factors contributing to this positive attitude included higher parental education levels, the influence of education received during medical school and preceding periods, and social environments.

Development and validation of Malaysian one stop crisis center service quality instrument (OSCC-Qual) for domestic violence management

One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) is a multi-sectorial center aimed to provide medical, social, legal, police and shelter services to survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sodomy and child abuse. Although OSCCs have been established for almost three decades in different parts of the world including in Malaysia, there is a lack of a validated instrument to measure the service quality rendered in OSCCs. A validated instrument known as OSCC-Qual was developed using a 5-stage approach where (1) in stage 1, group discussions were conducted among all authors to identify potential items for the instrument; (2) in stage 2, content validation was performed by 13 experts using content validity index and modified kappa; (3) in stage 3, exploratory factor analysis was performed by 141 healthcare staff with experience in managing OSCC cases to validate the items as well as to identify the number of factors in the instrument; (4) in stage 4, confirmatory factor analysis was performed by 110 domestic violence survivors to ascertain the validity of the factors and items retained in stage 3 and (5) in stage 5, forward and backward translation into local Malay and Chinese languages was performed. Results: In stage 1, a total of 42 items were identified. No item was deleted in stage 2. In stage 3, a total of 7 factors (i.e., “information provision”, “competency of staff”, “professionalism”, “supportive environment”, “attitude of staff”, “multi-sectorial coordination” and “tangibles”) were identified. Four items were deleted due to poor factor loading. In stage 4, another 3 items were iteratively removed due to poor factor loading. Discriminant validity was good. Conclusion: With the availability of the 7-factor and 35-item OSCC-Qual instrument, it is hoped that the efficiency of OSCC in achieving its philosophical objectives after three decades of implementation can be unraveled and remedial actions can be taken, if necessary.

Male Victims of Sexual Violence and Factors Associated With Reporting to Law Enforcement in the United States

Of the violent crimes, sexual assault remains the least likely to be reported to law enforcement across various countries, particularly for male victims. Addressing this gap in the literature, this study uses National Crime Victimization Survey data from 1992 to 2020 to examine the relationship between victim, offender, and situational characteristics to the reporting of rape for male victims by both male and female offenders. Of the 330 male victims, only one in six (16%) reported it to law enforcement. In the multivariate model, men were less likely to report the incident when the offender was a woman or a juvenile, the victim was college educated and lived in a rural area, and when the incident was a completed rape and occurred at night-time. Older victims are more likely to report, and when a weapon is used or there are injuries. Implications for efforts to increase reporting among victims of male sexual violence are discussed.

Developing an interpretation model for body fluid identification

Criminal investigations, particularly sexual assaults, frequently require the identification of body fluid type in addition to body fluid donor to provide context. In most cases this can be achieved by conventional methods, however, in certain scenarios, alternative molecular methods are required. An example of this is the detection of menstrual fluid and vaginal material, which are not able to be identified using conventional techniques. Endpoint reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) is currently used for this purpose to amplify body fluid specific messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts in forensic casework. Real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) is a similar method but utilises fluorescent markers to generate quantitative results in the form of threshold cycle (Cq) values. Despite the uncertainty surrounding body fluid identification, most interpretation guidelines utilise categorical statements. Probabilistic modelling is more realistic as it reflects biological variation as well as the known performance of the method. This research describes the application of various machine learning models to single-source mRNA profiles obtained by RT-qPCR and assesses their performance. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR), Naïve Bayes (NB), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) were used to discriminate between the following body fluid categories: saliva, circulatory blood, menstrual fluid, vaginal material, and semen. We identified that the performance of MLR was somewhat improved when the quantitative dataset of the original Cq values was used (overall accuracy of approximately 0.95) rather than presence/absence coded data (overall accuracy of approximately 0.94). This indicates that the quantitative information obtained by RT-qPCR amplification is useful in assigning body fluid class. Of the three classification methods, MLR performed the best. When we utilised receiver operating characteristic curves to observe performance by body fluid class, it was clear that all methods found difficulty in classifying menstrual blood samples. Future work will involve the modelling of body fluid mixtures, which are common in samples analysed as part of sexual assault investigations.

“It’s Not Like I Wanted Him Kicked Off the Football Team”: Alternative Approaches to Justice and Campus Sexual Assault

Current Title IX policy focuses strictly on adjudication and punishment for sexual assault on college campuses. Yet, the possibility of alternative forms of justice has long been a point of debate, with recent policy changes allowing for university choice in the application of transformative and restorative justice practices. The following study, using qualitative interviews with 23 student survivors from two universities, finds that student survivors of campus sexual assault were not focused on punishment as a remedy for their victimization. Instead, students discussed a desire to be heard, have their victimization recognized, and the creation of survivor-centered resources focused on healing and resiliency. Opportunities for alternative forms of justice that increase healing and help seeking among student survivors are discussed.

ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF JUDICIARY IN PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL OFFENCES

This article examines the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO Act), which was passed by the Indian government in 2012. The purpose of this Act, which was passed on November 14, 2012, was to protect adolescents from sexual assaults and to make the judicial system a friendly place for them. Every day, there is an increase in child-related crime in India. The establishment of this Act was essential to ensure a swift and secure legal process in situations involving sexual offenses, since children need not to bear painful memories of wrongdoing perpetrated against them. The youngster should also be protected from the upsetting consequences of the arduous legal process. This article provides a thorough overview of the POCSO Act's, significant court decisions, and a number of case studies that illustrate its key features.