Sexual Misconduct Research Articles

Altered stakes: Identifying gaps in the informed consent process for psychedelic-assisted therapy trials

AbstractBackground and aimsPsychedelic-assisted therapy (P-AT) has been shown to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety symptoms, and is likely to be approved in the United States (US) in the coming years. However, concerns about participant safety in these early trials have surfaced, including allegations of sexual misconduct. This paper aims to illuminate how potential risks have been communicated to P-AT participants via informed consent documents and to suggest how existing policy might be modified given the unique risks involved in P-AT trials.MethodsPublicly available informed consent forms (ICFs) were gathered by searching clinicaltrials.gov. Queries were applied to filter trials involving the use of a classical psychedelic (psilocybin, LSD) or psychedelic-adjacent substance (MDMA, ketamine) in tandem with psychotherapeutic intervention and those with a status of “completed,” “recruiting,” or “active.”ResultsNineteen ICFs met inclusion criteria and were reviewed to determine what risks, benefits, and safety protocols were communicated to participants in their respective trials. The primary finding from this review of ICFs from P-AT trials revealed that studies were in compliance with federal regulation. However, there were missing elements related to the vulnerability experienced while under the effects of psychedelics that warrant inclusion in future ICFs in P-AT trials.ConclusionAlthough the ICFs for P-AT trials examined in this study covered several important areas related to risk, benefits, safety, and accountability as required by federal regulations in the US, future research should consider ways to expand this content in order to assure that consent is truly informed prior to enrolling subjects.

A klerikusok által a hatodik parancs ellen, a kiskorú személyek terhére elkövetett büntetendő cselekmény jelenlegi kánonjogi szabályozása

Church legislation on the abuse of minors – and vulnerable persons – has become increasingly strict in recent decades. The scope of the offence has expanded, the age of the victims has increased, the statute of limitations has increased and the offence has become a reserved offence for the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith. These are all the means and manifestations of the Church’s desire to show zero tolerance towards the perpetrators of such acts. The study analyses the nature of the offence, the identification of the perpetrator and the victim, the possibility of limitation, the obligation to report an incident of sexual abuse and related misconduct and the obligations of the ordinary following a report.

A Review of US State and Federal Policies Related to Campus Sexual Misconduct Surveys

ABSTRACT The administration of campus climate surveys has proliferated across the United States at institutions of higher education to help respond to sexual misconduct. This study reviews existing state legislation related to campus climate surveys and compares it to the recent federal mandate outlined in the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022. Just under one-third of all states in the US have state laws mandating the use of campus climate surveys to assess sexual misconduct, with wide variability in laws’ scope, comprehensiveness and clarity and potential gaps in aligning with federal requirements. This has significant implications for what surveys IHE select regarding the type of research design, frequency, reporting, and cost. Keywords (3-10) campus climate, sexual misconduct, legislative mandates.

Briefings in surgical teams: a pilot study of experiences and attitudes

While healthcare should not be compared to other high reliability organisations (HROs), many lessons, attitudes, and transferable practices can be applied and adapted from them to improve patient safety and team morale. Despite briefings improving both patient safety and effective team working, some in healthcare have not valued or actively engaged with them, deeming them to be irrelevant. In this pilot study we explored the experiences of, and attitudes to, briefings using a 10-question Survey Monkey. This was promoted during a human factors session at the 2023 Association of Surgeons in Training Conference (ASiT) and at a large NHS trust. Questions were asked about the number of briefings per day, attitudes, engagement, and respondents’ attitudes to them. In total, 109 responses were received. A total of 85% reported at least one briefing on a normal operating day, 65% felt them to be interactive, 67% reported that briefings were led by the most senior surgical team member, and 58% lasted four minutes or more. Eighteen per cent of respondents felt they were of little benefit, and 56% did not routinely de-brief at the end of the day. This study has highlighted variable attitudes to team briefings, with some colleagues still seeing them as a ‘tick box’ exercise. While culture has changed following the introduction of the WHO checklist, the importance of active engagement and education to improve the delivery and value of effective briefings cannot be overestimated. It is also an opportunity to create a ‘safe space’ for team members and to confirm zero tolerance for any inappropriate behaviour, including sexual misconduct.

Sexual misconduct among elementary and middle school‐aged children in partial hospitalization setting

Often discussions of sexual misconduct of minors center on adult‐on‐child incidents; however, the frequency of student‐on‐student sexual misconduct has been on the rise. Sexual misconduct is defined as any conduct which is sexual in nature and is unwelcome and engaged in without consent. Sexual misconduct can include a range of behaviors including sexual harassment and unwanted touching. Recent data indicates that one‐half to three‐quarters of child sexual abuse and assault victimization experiences are committed by other children.

Gender Equality or Inequality in Learning Institutions in South Africa: A Case of the Professional Advancement of Women

This study unveils the role of gender issues in the professional advancement of women in learning institutions. The study investigated the status of women’s professional advancement in South African learning institutions and identified the obstacles encountered by women in advancing professionally in these institutions. The study examined the work environment in learning institutions when women are in leadership positions and discussed male employees’ perceptions of female colleagues and superiors. The research used a primary data-gathering technique and a qualitative data-collection tool in a descriptive research strategy under the interpretivist research philosophy. The study’s target population included both women and men in learning institutions in South Africa. The participants were chosen for interviews using the purposive sampling technique. Following the thematic analysis approach, the findings revealed that there are several opportunities for women to progress in their careers at South African educational institutions, as well as several leadership roles. They are also given increased trust and responsibility. Some participants believed that there are no barriers that prevent women from advancing professionally in educational institutions whereas others believed that existing barriers are primarily caused by individual issues, a lack of support, cultural issues, and concerns about sexual misconduct. When women are in positions of leadership, the perception of the workplace atmosphere is equivocal. While certain participants felt that jealousy made the workplace hostile, others believed that the environment was inviting and provided opportunities for female employees to advance. Finally, it was indicated that the paradigm for empowering women in South Africa must emphasise seizing chances, providing a guiding structure, recognising efforts and successes, and eliminating patriarchy. This study contributes to the existing discourse on the role of gender in the career advancement of women. Keywords: Gender Equality, Inequality, Learning Institutions, Women’s Professional Advancement, Gender Roles

Universal mandatory reporting policies show null effects in a statewide college sample.

It is widely assumed that universal mandatory reporting policies (MRPs) for sexual misconduct are important for campus safety, but there is little evidence to support these assumptions. Given the exploratory nature of this research, no formal hypotheses were tested. We did not expect universal MRPs to be significantly associated with increased reporting or postreporting outcomes. Data on MRPs and sexual misconduct reporting in annual security reports and to Title IX coordinators at institutions of higher education in New York (N = 188) were used to examine the prevalence of universal MRPs as well as the relationship between MRPs and reporting and postreporting outcomes. Descriptives showed that 44% of institutions of higher education have a universal MRP. Multivariate linear regression models indicated that universal MRPs were not significantly related to reporting in annual security reports; reports to Title IX coordinators, campus police, campus safety or security officers; or rates of referrals to additional services, no-contact orders, access to the judicial conduct process for sexual misconduct, or findings of student responsibility for sexual misconduct. Our findings raise concerns about the widespread implementation of MRPs and highlight the need for future research on their impact on student-survivor reporting and access to remedies and resources. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Not Just Non-Consensual Pelvic Exams

Not Just Non-Consensual Pelvic Exams

Sexual Harassment in International Law

Sexual harassment within the realm of international law is a multifaceted and intricate matter, impacting numerous individuals worldwide annually. This article seeks to examine and assess the difficulties and potential advancements in safeguarding those affected by sexual violence on a global scale. By conducting a comprehensive examination of diverse international legal instruments, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Convention on Human Rights, various regional agreements, and UN resolutions, the authors highlight the pivotal role that international organizations play in combatting sexual harassment. The article also underscores the legal enforcement challenges and the accountability of sexual harassment perpetrators at the international level. The lack of uniformity in the definition and punishment of sexual misconduct across different countries, along with restrictions on victims' access to the legal system, pose hindrances to effectively addressing this issue. Nonetheless, despite these obstacles, the article presents optimistic prospects concerning the advocacy efforts of civil society and the growing global awareness of the problem of sexual harassment. In transcending national borders, international initiatives aimed at addressing sexual harassment are gaining increasing significance to establish a safe and violence-free global environment.

Socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy in Papua New Guinea: a decomposition analysis

BackgroundTeenage pregnancy is a global public health issue, and it poses a serious threat to the health and socioeconomic status of mothers and their newborn children. Although Papua New Guinea has recorded one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates among Asia-Pacific countries, few studies have conducted research on the related inequality in the country. Therefore, this study aimed to assess socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy and its contributing factors in Papua New Guinea.MethodsData for this cross-sectional study were obtained from the 2016–2018 Papua New Guinea Demographic and Health Survey. The analytical sample consisted of 2,864 girls aged 15–19 years. We employed Erreygers normalized concentration index (ECI) and concentration curves to measure and depict socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy. Decomposition analysis was likewise performed to identify the contributions of determinants to the observed inequality.ResultsWeighted ECI for teenage pregnancy was − 0.0582 (P < 0.001), thereby indicating that teenage pregnancy in Papua New Guinea is disproportionately concentrated among poor girls. Decomposition analysis suggested that education level (65.2%), wealth index (55.2%), early sexual debut (25.1%), region (8.5%), and sex of household head (4.1%) are the main determinants explaining the pro-poor socioeconomic inequality in teenage pregnancy.ConclusionsA pro-poor socioeconomic inequality of teenage pregnancy was present in Papua New Guinea. This inequality may be alleviated by such interventions as ensuring that teenage girls receive education; implementing poverty alleviation projects, eliminating child, early, and forced marriages; strengthening promotion for household head to support teenagers in accessing sexual and reproductive health education; improving geographical accessibility to health facilities on contraceptive services, and taking necessary precautions and responses to sexual misconduct.

Title IX, Campus Sexual Misconduct, and the Criminalization of a US Civil Rights Law

Title IX, Campus Sexual Misconduct, and the Criminalization of a US Civil Rights Law

Gender based violence among LGBTQ+ health students

Abstract Background Although there has been increased attention to campus gender based violence,(GBV) much of that attention should be focused on victimization of LGBTQ+. The aim was to evaluate the risk of LGBTQ+ ob being exposed to GBV. Methods An anonymous online survey among health students was performed in a French university. Self-questionnaire included socio-economic characteristics: age, gender and LGBTQ+ status (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, nonbinary, queer and other). The CES-D 8 score was used to measure depression levels. Five GBV were collected 1-Damage to the image with a sexual connotation on social networks; 2-Sexist remarks and behavior; 3-Comments with sexual connotations; 4-Sexual assaults; 5-Rape or attempted rape Results Overall 1152 students filled the questionnaire The mean age was 20.8 years (SD = 2.26), 82.6% of students were women (non binary 0.4%) and 14.7% were LGBTQ + (16.4% in men et 14.0% in women). Since the beginning of their study, respectively the non-LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ+ students were exposed to GBV1: 3.1% and 7.6 % (p = 0.005), GBV2 35.8% and 45.9% (p = 0.01); GBV3 37.0% and 32.9% (p = 0.10); GBV4 6.0% and 13.5% (p &amp;lt; 0.001) and GBV5 1.2% and 5.3% (p &amp;lt; 0.001). The CEDS-8 score was 15.3 for non-LGBTQ+ students and 17.1 for LGBTQ + (p &amp;lt; 0.001). After logistic regression, LGBTQ+ health students have a higher risk of being exposed to GBV than non LGBTQ+ students AOR=2.01 CI95% [1.41-2.87]. Conclusions LGBTQ+ health students have twice as likely to be exposed to GBV than non LGBTQ+ students. Four on the five GBV are more frequent among LGBTQ+ students. These negative outcomes may be exacerbated by minority stress due to discrimination and oppression in institutions and communities. Policy changes could help more affirming environments for LGBTQ+ students to reduce the disproportionate prevalence and impact of GBV on them. It could be include LGBTQ+ student examples in campus sexual misconduct policies. Key messages • LGBTQ+ health students have twice as likely to be exposed to GBV than non LGBTQ+ students. • Sexist remarks and behavior is the more frequent GBV among health students.

SBDN launches investigation into sexual misconduct in dentistry

SBDN launches investigation into sexual misconduct in dentistry

Sexual misconduct in surgery ‘calling it in’ – together we can shift culture

Sexual misconduct in surgery ‘calling it in’ – together we can shift culture

Multi-Purpose IoT-Based Women Safety System Design and Development

Women nowadays deal with a variety of security issues in society. Despite the fact that numerous technologies have been developed specifically for women, abduction, and sexual misconduct still happen in our nation. An automated detection system that establishes an alarm message with the location of the IOT when women are in unsafe circumstances is necessary to safeguard their safety. This project proposes the implementation of a multipurpose women’s safety system based on IoT. It consists of sensors like IR and GPS, a microcontroller, and a Wi-Fi module. When a woman feels threatened in the present situation, she must grasp onto the device’s trigger. When the gadget is turned on, it uses the GPS (Global Positioning System) to track the present location and transmit an emergency notice to the IoT application and consensus mail ID. The Internet of Things (IoT) feature is employed to continually track the location and update the website. A cloud website called BLYNK monitors and provides updated information to the user.

What are the precise reasons for the disparity in referrals to fitness to practise between international and UK medical graduates?

To discover the precise reasons for referring a doctor to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service, and whether there are any disparities between referrals of international medical graduates and UK graduates. Further to consider whether understanding the precise reasons would provide insight into the nature of referrals. We collected and analysed the data from the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service website over a period of 12 months. There were 228 cases of which 142 (62%) were international medical graduates and 86 (38%) were UK graduates. More international medical graduates were referred for professional misconduct, poor performance and lack of adequate English language. The common reasons for professional misconduct were providing sub-optimal care, sexual misconduct and dishonest behaviour. More UK graduates were referred following convictions due to offences related to alcohol intake and financial dishonesty. There is paucity of good quality information to identify the exact reasons for the disparity. More international medical graduates were referred to the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service than UK graduates. There was disparity in the nature of the referrals and we hope our findings will inform employers and the regulatory bodies to understand that comprehensive induction, inclusion, mentoring and adjustments are needed to support international medical graduates to mitigate the risks of failure and help them to meet the required professional standards.

Examining the prevalence of experiencing sexual misconduct and reporting to Title IX and counseling services across student race/ethnicity: Findings from the 2019 Association of American Universities survey

Examining the prevalence of experiencing sexual misconduct and reporting to Title IX and counseling services across student race/ethnicity: Findings from the 2019 Association of American Universities survey

An analysis of the portrayal of dentistry in modern popular film from a dentist's perspective.

Dentists have been portrayed negatively in many forms of media, including in film. These portrayals may affect the public perception of the profession. This study aimed to quantify the proportion of modern popular films which depicted dentistry in a negative light and to evaluate the common themes arising in films containing dental professionals.Popular films containing references to dentistry or dental treatment were identified from previous publications, and by searching plot summaries of the top 100 films released during each year 1980-2019. All films identified were watched, relevant dialogue was transcribed and pertinent details from scenes with dentists were documented.A total of 60 films that had the potential to influence public perception of dentistry were included in the analysis. Many portrayals were negative (50%), with very few positive depictions (5%), and 30 films contained scenes of clinical dentistry, which were often medically inaccurate (30%). In total, 57% of patients in clinical scenes were distressed or physically harmed. Conscious sedation is frequently abused. Dentists are most commonly portrayed by white men, whereas women may be cast as hygienists. Common themes include sexual misconduct, crime and an unfavourable comparison with medicine.The portrayal of dentistry in film is largely negative and frequently inaccurate.

Political orientation and moral judgment of sexual misconduct

In a series of studies in the U.S. (total N participants = 4,828) using both news articles (Studies 1-2) and constructed scenarios (Studies 3-4), we investigated how judgments of responsibility, blame, causal contribution, and punishment for alleged perpetrators and victims of sexual misconduct are influenced by (1) the political orientation of media outlets, (2) participants’ political orientation, and (3) the alleged perpetrators’ political orientation. Results indicated that participants’ political orientation, and the interaction between participants’ and alleged perpetrators’ political orientation, predicted moral judgments. Conservative participants were generally more likely inculpate and punish alleged victims in all four studies. Both conservative and liberal participants judged politically-aligned alleged perpetrators more leniently than politically-opposed alleged perpetrators. This political ingroup effect was ubiquitous across all tests of the dependent measures for conservative participants; whereas it was muted and unreliable for liberal participants. The findings collectively demonstrate that moral judgments about sexual misconduct are politicized at multiple psychological levels, and in ways that asymmetrically affect victims.

Sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape by colleagues in the surgical workforce, and how women and men are living different realities: observational study using NHS population-derived weights.

This observational study, paired with National Health Service (NHS) workforce population data, examined gender differences in surgical workforce members' experiences with sexual misconduct (sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape) among colleagues in the past 5 years, and their views of the adequacy of accountable organizations in dealing with this issue. This was a survey of UK surgical workforce members, recruited via surgical organizations. Some 1704 individuals participated, with 1434 (51.5 per cent women) eligible for primary unweighted analyses. Weighted analyses, grounded in NHS England surgical workforce population data, used 756 NHS England participants. Weighted and unweighted analyses showed that, compared with men, women were significantly more likely to report witnessing, and be a target of, sexual misconduct. Among women, 63.3 per cent reported being the target of sexual harassment versus 23.7 per cent of men (89.5 per cent witnessing versus 81.0 per cent of men). Additionally, 29.9 per cent of women had been sexually assaulted versus 6.9 per cent of men (35.9 per cent witnessing versus 17.1 per cent of men), with 10.9 per cent of women experiencing forced physical contact for career opportunities (a form of sexual assault) versus 0.7 per cent of men. Being raped by a colleague was reported by 0.8 per cent of women versus 0.1 per cent of men (1.9 per cent witnessing versus 0.6 per cent of men). Evaluations of organizations' adequacy in handling sexual misconduct were significantly lower among women than men, ranging from a low of 15.1 per cent for the General Medical Council to a high of 31.1 per cent for the Royal Colleges (men's evaluations: 48.6 and 60.2 per cent respectively). Sexual misconduct in the past 5 years has been experienced widely, with women affected disproportionately. Accountable organizations are not regarded as dealing adequately with this issue.