Addressing Sexual Trauma in Girls Across Systems of Care.

Violence against nurses, particularly in emergency departments, poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems and can lead to numerous negative consequences for nursing staff. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of workplace violence against nurses in emergency departments of hospitals in Kirkuk, Iraq. This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2024 among 240 nurses working in emergency departments of hospitals in Kirkuk, Iraq, using a census sampling method. Data were collected through self-reported demographic and occupational forms, along with a workplace violence questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 12, employing descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression model. Findings revealed that 30.96% of participating nurses had experienced some form of violence in the past six weeks. The most common type was verbal violence (22.92%), with insults being the most frequent form. The primary perpetrators were patients' families/companions (53.95%), and most incidents occurred during evening and night shifts (88.61%). Sexual violence was reported by 4.62% of nurses, while 5.46% experienced racial violence. Notably, 65.38% of nurses did not report violent incidents. Multiple linear regression analysis identified significant associations between violence exposure and variables such as emergency department type, job satisfaction, and workplace relationships (P<0.05). The study highlights the high prevalence of violence against emergency nurses in Kirkuk, emphasizing the role of occupational and cultural factors. Recommendations include public awareness campaigns on nurses' roles, addressing patient/family needs and cultural differences, and implementing educational interventions, improved reporting systems, and organizational support to reduce violence in emergency settings.

Associations between mental health indicators and genital immune biomarkers among recent survivors of forced sex: A case-control analysis.

Interventions to prevent, reduce, and respond to violence against children and adolescents: a systematic review of systematic reviews to update the INSPIRE Framework.

ABSTRACT Background: Incarcerated women commonly report lifetime sexual violence victimization, have high rates of many physical and mental illnesses, and ultimately return to their communities with significant healthcare needs. Objective: This study qualitatively examined formerly incarcerated women sexual violence survivors’ health service utilization and perceived barriers to accessing health care – including primary care, mental health care, and substance use treatment services – three-to-five years post-release. Method: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews and administered self-report surveys with 65 women. Results: Interviews revealed some barriers that were consistent across healthcare service type, including health insurance coverage, healthcare costs, competing obligations, care interruptions, and intrapersonal factors; other barriers were unique to service type. Although women reported barriers to primary care engagement, most still reported engagement. However, relatively few were attending any form of specialty mental health care – ongoing psychiatric care was especially uncommon – despite that many participants were experiencing mental and/or behavioural health concerns. Very few had received evidence-based trauma therapy and treatment for sexual violence victimization specifically was rarely mentioned. Participants reported significant barriers to accessing therapy, including interpersonal factors and competing obligations that interfere with appointment attendance. Conclusions: This study reveals the need for behavioural healthcare – including treatment for sexual violence victimization – and healthcare navigation resources in the years following incarceration, as well as the need for new models of mental health care management, to improve healthcare access for this underserved population.

ABSTRACT Purpose In Sweden, one in four young women has experienced peer-perpetrated sexual violence. This kind of violence causes significant suffering, negatively impacting health and well-being. This study explores young women’s lived experiences of peer-perpetrated sexual violence, aiming to deepen the understanding of how recovery and well-being can be supported. Methods This phenomenological study is based on a reflective lifeworld research approach. Lifeworld interviews with 12 young women (17–25 years old) with a lived experiences of peer-perpetrated sexual violence were conducted. Results The essential meaning of the phenomenon is described as “living in an invaded existence where an existential void arises and where the movement of life is disrupted.” This is further described as: existing in a body constantly under attack, viewing the body as an object, fighting an inner battle—a struggle for survival, silence as armour, and navigating a dangerous world. Conclusions Sexual violence disrupts life, creates existential wounds, alters young women, and reshapes their views of themselves and the world. For health care professionals, it is important to apply an existential caring approach, in which existential awareness is central to the ability to encounter these women in a unique and meaningful way.

This study examines how patriarchal authority is linguistically constructed and contested across media coverage and courtroom registers in sexual violence cases. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Halliday’s transitivity framework, the researcher analyses 784 clauses from 25 online news articles and one courtroom case adjudicated at the Praya District Court in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. News reports were selected through purposive sampling, focusing on cases where perpetrators were socially significant figures such as father, lecture, and religious leader. AntConc software generated frequency and concordance lists, which were qualitatively coded in ATLAS.ti to identity patterns of agency, responsibility, and identity representation. Findings reveal that media discourse is dominated by material processes (70%), foregrounding acts of abuse and institutional responses, while relational processes assign social roles that frame cases within patriarchal and hierarchies. Courtroom discourse is characterized by relational, verbal, and mental processes, where defendant deploy relational clauses and conditional threats to normalize coercion, mask abuse as paternal care, and silence resistance. This study introduces the concept of discursive paternalism to explain how paternal identity functions as a linguistic resource that reframes coercion as moral duty. By connecting media framing and courtroom registers, the analysis demonstrates that justice is discursively produced across interconnected arena, with media narratives priming societal expectations and courtroom language either reinforcing or challenging them

Gender-based and sexual violence (GBSV) remains a pervasive problem in higher education, disproportionately affecting marginalized students and undermining their safety, well-being, and academic success. Post-secondary institutions (PSIs) increasingly rely on peer educators (PeerEds) to deliver prevention and response programs, leveraging their shared student experience to foster trust and engagement. This study explores the motivations and experiences of GBSV PeerEds in Canada and the United States, revealing how personal trauma, institutional critique, and allyship drive their involvement. Findings highlight the emotional labour, secondary trauma, and systemic constraints PeerEds face, alongside their contributions to campus culture and advocacy. The study critiques institutional reliance on marginalized students’ compassion and calls for trauma-informed practices, sustainable funding, and structural reform. Future research should examine PeerEds’ influence on campus subcultures, administrators’ complicity, and the broader legitimacy of peer-led GBSV initiatives. Meaningful change requires confronting institutional complicity and reimagining ethics of care.

This community service program aims to bolster the resilience of students at TPA At-Tauhiid, Metro Timur, through the reinforcement of body literacy and Islamic manners (adab). The initiative addresses the critical issue of children’s limited understanding of bodily boundaries and their vulnerability to potential sexual violence. Employing a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the program actively engages teachers, parents, and students in a collaborative learning process. The intervention methods include interactive storytelling, thematic role-playing to practice refusing strangers, and focused group discussions. Additionally, educational posters illustrating safe and unsafe touches were displayed, and a new regulation was implemented requiring students to return home immediately after sessions to ensure their safety. The results demonstrate a significant improvement in the children's awareness of maintaining awrah (modesty), their ability to distinguish between safe and unsafe touches, and their assertiveness in suspicious situations. Moreover, the program successfully heightened the awareness of parents and teachers concerning the urgency of early sexuality education within an Islamic framework. In conclusion, integrating body literacy into the TPA curriculum serves as an effective preventive strategy for child protection and self-defense education.

The high accessibility and interconnectedness of social media platforms have led to their increasing exploitation as tools for criminal activity. A notable example of such digital sexual offenses is the “Nth Room” case, in which sexually exploitative content and illegal recordings were unlawfully distributed on platforms such as X, Telegram, and Discord. Despite amendments to legislations, including the Sexual Violence Punishment Act and Youth Protection Act, aimed at preventing the recurrence of incidents, these crimes continue to persist. Perpetrators employ tactics such as the repeated creation and deletion of accounts, which complicate efforts to track and apprehend them. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop advanced cyber investigation technologies capable of effectively monitoring sexual crimes posted on social media. This study aimed to propose a novel cyber investigation technology designed to trace criminal organizations by collecting tweets related to sexual crimes from X, which is the most frequently used social media platform for such content in Korea, and subsequently constructing a knowledge graph. Slang terms commonly associated with sexual crimes on X were employed as search keywords to collect relevant tweets. The knowledge graph is then generated based on three key elements extracted from the tweets: hashtags, words, and URL/invite codes. This graph serves as a tool for tracking the criminal networks involved in the distribution of sexually exploitative content and unauthorized recordings. Furthermore, to enhance tracking efficiency, an optimization model was developed to generate knowledge graphs from various analytical perspectives. In this study, to evaluate the performance of the proposed technology, a dataset of 3387 tweets was collected using an X crawler. Knowledge graphs were generated and optimized through both single and combined analyses of the three key elements, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed technology in tracking criminal organizations engaged in sexual crimes.

Issues concerning refugees and asylum-seekers are very much on the minds of law and policy-makers worldwide. This article seeks to understand the way the concept of vulnerability is used in forced migration in the European Union. It does so by examining the experience of women asylum-seekers in Greece, to assess their vulnerability, especially regarding the social–legal–economical conditions that favour the commission of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against them. The article, therefore, examines the EU legal framework to understand the role vulnerability plays. Drawing from empirical fieldwork conducted by the authors in Greece, and an examination of the literature, the study examines the importance of the concept of vulnerability in the context of forced migration. The article examines how the notion of vulnerability is useful to indicate how women asylum-seekers are at greater risk of SGBV. It examines that vulnerability through the issues connected to organizational and structural issues in refugee camps and other types of accommodation used by these people, to indicate how these matters exacerbate their risk of various types of SGBV. The study argues that the notion of the vulnerability paradox ought to be used within an intersectional framework to ensure that such persons receive proper protection.

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is a systemic and complex problem rooted in unequal power relations and patriarchal social structures, which has now expanded into the digital realm through Online Gender-Based Violence (OGV). This study aims to analyze the context of the issue, the forms of violence, the root causes, the multidimensional impacts on victims, and the effectiveness of the applicable legal framework in Indonesia. The research method used combines qualitative and normative approaches to examine social norms, victims' experiences, and analyze laws such as Law No. 12 of 2022 concerning Criminal Acts of Sexual Violence (TPKS). The results show that GBV manifests in four main forms: physical, psychological, sexual, and economic, with a significant increase in cases each year. The impacts are multidimensional, including psychological trauma, social stigmatization, and economic impoverishment of victims. Although legal instruments are available, their implementation is still hampered by the gender bias of law enforcement officials and a culture that tends to blame victims. Therefore, prevention strategies require collaborative synergy between the government, non-governmental organizations, and public education to create substantive gender equality.

The development of digital technology has opened new spaces of interaction for children and adolescents, while simultaneously increasing their vulnerability to online sexual crimes such as cyber grooming, which is carried out gradually through emotional manipulation on digital platforms. Nationally, cases of sexual violence against children, including those occurring in digital forms, show an increasing trend, while in Surakarta the Yayasan KAKAK has recorded a rise in reports of cyber grooming among children aged 8–12 years. This study aimed to analyze the forms of protection provided by Yayasan KAKAK to victims and to examine the criminal act of cyber grooming from the perspective of Indonesian positive law and Islamic criminal law. The research employed a qualitative approach through interviews, a review of legal assistance practices conducted by Yayasan KAKAK, and an analysis of regulations related to child protection and sexual violence. The findings show that cyber grooming generally begins with seemingly normal communication that subsequently develops into psychological manipulation, resulting in anxiety and trauma for victims; Yayasan KAKAK responds through comprehensive assistance that includes emotional assessment, counseling, and preventive education via outreach roadshows. From the perspective of Indonesian positive law, cyber grooming can be prosecuted under child protection and sexual violence legislation, although law enforcement is often constrained by limitations in digital evidence. In Islamic criminal law, cyber grooming is positioned as a form of abuse involving non-physical ikrah (coercion), whereby victims are exempt from liability and perpetrators are subject to uqubah ta‘zīr (discretionary punishment) based on relevant Qur’anic verses and hadith. This study underscores the importance of synergy between regulatory strengthening, capacity building of support institutions, and systematic preventive approaches to protect children from the threat of digital sexual violence.

Developments in the field of information and communication technology have created great opportunities for online interaction, but have also increased the potential for sexual violence to occur on the internet. The aim of this research is to analyze how criminal law in Indonesia handles cases of sexual violence that occur online, examine the role of digital security policies in providing protection for victims, and evaluate how effective the regulations that have been implemented in the field are. Using a descriptive-analytical method, this study shows that legal instruments such as the Sexual Violence Crime Law, the Information and Electronic Transactions Law, and the Criminal Code have provided adequate normative foundations to ensnare perpetrators and protect victims. However, its effectiveness is still hampered by the limited ability of authorities to collect digital evidence, the community's low level of digital literacy, and a lack of coordination between the government, digital platforms and organizations assisting victims. Policies regarding digital security have a crucial role in prevention and recovery efforts, but their implementation is still not running optimally. This research emphasizes the importance of systemic strengthening through increasing apparatus capabilities, adaptive policy updates, cross-sector collaboration, and empowering victims to ensure comprehensive protection in the digital world.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a universal problem that exists in most countries of the world. Worldwide, one third of women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, mainly by intimate partner. IPV can affected on reproductive health and lead to serious injury and death of mother and baby. Current systematic review was conducted with the aim of determining the relationship between intimate partner violence, reproductive health and pregnancy outcome. Study performed based on "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses" (PRISMA) by PICO components. The literature review was conducted using the electronic medical databases were searched using the equivalent keywords without starting time limit, up to January 2024. Medical subject headings with Boolean operators, and the proportionate keywords as follows: (fertility OR pregnancy OR child bearing) AND (intimate partner violence OR domestic violence) in title, abstract and keywords of articles were used. Inclusion criteria were published observational studies and clinical trials in English language. Studies participants considered women with a history of IPV and fertility as an outcome. Data extracted according to a predefined checklist. Two investigators independently examined title, abstract, and full-text screening. The study selection, quality assess, and extraction of data were independently by two researchers. Inconsistencies resolved by a third researcher. A total of 1834 documents were retrieved that finally; 39 articles were reviewed. About 50% of the articles were related to the last five years. Relationship between IPV and intention to have children through "unwanted and unintended pregnancy", "contraception use", "contraception use and types of IPV and unmet need for contraception use" has a contradictory effect. Additionally, relationship between IPV and pregnancy outcomes through "maternal health", "pregnancy", "number of children and childbirth intervals" and "fetal outcomes" has a contradictory effect in different ways. According to the results, women subjected to violence may face an increased risk of pregnancy complications, abortion, stillbirth and infant death. Also, intimate partner violence may increase the incidence of induced abortion among women experiencing violence. According to this review study, intimate partner violence can affect the reproductive health, and pregnancy outcome. Therefore, violence against women by the husband should be given more attention and solutions should be considered at the social and individual level for improve the reproductive health and pregnancy outcome.

This study addresses the increasing prevalence of Online Gender-Based Violence (OGBV) in Indonesia, which continues to affect both women and men, although women remain the most vulnerable and disproportionately impacted. Focusing on the case of RK, a public figure whose explicit videos with her former partner were circulated online, this research highlights not only the fragility of privacy and consent in the digital era but also the ideological mechanisms maintained through the media’s framing and textual production. The study aims to analyze how media representation shapes public perception, moral judgment, and emotional engagement with RK’s case. Employing a qualitative approach and Sara Mills’ Critical Discourse Analysis framework, it examines multiple articles from *Idntimes.com* to uncover linguistic strategies, power relations, and gendered ideologies embedded in the narratives. The findings reveal consistent portrayals of RK as a passive, powerless, and morally suspect victim, reinforcing a culture of victim-blaming while simultaneously evoking limited empathy. These media constructions mirror broader social, cultural, and structural inequalities in Indonesia’s treatment of women involved in sexual scandals. Ultimately, this study calls for more ethical and gender-sensitive media practices that amplify victims’ voices and promote empathetic, equitable, and socially conscious public discourse on sexual violence.

This activity on anti-bullying and sexual violence was held at SMA N 1 CEPOGO with the aim of increasing students' understanding and awareness of risky behaviors that can occur in the school environment. Using a quantitative approach, this activity was conducted through direct material delivery by the resource person, supported by presentation media, and a question-and-answer session as a means of clarification and student interaction. This socialization, attended by 33 tenth-grade students, took place in several stages: opening, material presentation, discussion, and closing. Based on the implementation results, it was found that many students did not clearly understand the forms of bullying and sexual violence beforehand. However, after socialization, they showed an increase in knowledge and awareness regarding the impact, prevention, and importance of reporting adverse events. This socialization program is effective in fostering student understanding and creating a safer, more comfortable, and supportive school environment for the learning process.

Although Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the most studied cases of wartime sexual violence, reliable population-based data on such violence remain lacking. This study provides nationally representative prevalence estimates of direct, family-level, and community-level exposure to sexual violence nearly 30years after the 1992-1995 war, and reports descriptive associations with selected psychosocial indicators. METHODS: We conducted a face-to-face household survey of 2,059 adults in 2024 using stratified, multi-stage sampling. Personal, family, and community exposure to wartime sexual violence were measured as part of a module recording victimization experiences. To assess potential underreporting, we included list experiments as an indirect measure. RESULTS: Personal exposure to wartime sexual violence was reported by [Formula: see text] of respondents, while [Formula: see text] reported family exposure and [Formula: see text] indicated that someone in their community had been victimized. Family exposure varied sharply by ethnicity, with [Formula: see text] among Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim), [Formula: see text] among Croat, and [Formula: see text] among Serb respondents. List experiment results yielded comparable estimates: [Formula: see text] for personal exposure and [Formula: see text] for family exposure. Respondents reporting exposure exhibited lower well-being, poorer self-rated health, more frequent sleep disturbances, and higher levels of domestic violence. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide the first robust, nationally representative estimates of wartime sexual violence exposure in Bosnia and Herzegovina. They underscore the enduring social and health consequences of wartime sexual violence and highlight the need for sustained mental health and social support interventions to address its intergenerational legacy.

Objectives To conduct a preregistered analysis of the interactions between unwanted sex history, inflammation, and luteal phase in 76 healthy women. Methods Participants provided saliva samples analyzed for progesterone and inflammation markers and completed subjective ratings of their sexual and physical arousal, disgust, and anxiety pre/post watching a sexual film. Results Observed effect sizes were very small, and inferential results were generally non-significant. Conclusion Findings suggest that if there are significant interactions of unwanted sex history and inflammation on ovarian cycle-related changes in women’s emotional responses to sexual stimuli, these effects are modest and require large samples to reliably detect.

War has a profound impact on women, leading to gang rape, sexual violence, and the deliberate destruction of healthcare facilities, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive solutions. This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of socially isolated survivors of sexual assault during the war in North Wollo Zone, Amhara, Ethiopia. A qualitative research design with a phenomenological approach was used to achieve the study's objectives. Study participants were recruited using purposive sampling. A total of 25 participants were involved. Data was collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews. The data were transcribed, coded, organized, and then analyzed and interpreted using thematic analysis. The results of this study reveal that socially isolated women who survived sexual assault during wartime often experienced abuse, segregation, and demoralization. Furthermore, these survivors faced significant psychological and social challenges, including feelings of helplessness, isolation, loss of dignity, and diminished self-confidence. Coping strategies identified by the participants included placing trust in God, seeking guidance from religious leaders, sharing their experiences with friends, elders, and experts, and participating in coffee ceremonies as a means of communal support. The trauma of war-related sexual violence has led to significant psychological, physical, and health impacts. Survivors report high levels of isolation, degradation, and mistreatment. Given service disruptions, international support is crucial, and adopting successful approaches from other countries is recommended. Comprehensive rehabilitation services from governmental and non-governmental agencies are essential for supporting these vulnerable individuals.