Rape Research Articles

Exposure to violence and psychosocial trauma among Sudanese survivors

Purpose This paper aims to investigates the experiences of violence among Sudanese survivors and the associated mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders. It highlights the variety, frequency and severity of political violence exposure and its impact on psychological trauma. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional quantitative study used data from 324 Sudanese youth exposed to violence. A self-rated 17-item questionnaire assessed violence exposure types and frequency. The General Health Questionnaire and the Davidson Trauma Scale evaluated mental health. Findings High levels of PTSD and poor general mental health were found in 60% of the youth. Exposure included brutal beatings (47%), physical torture (17%) and sexual violence (2%), with 47% enduring hours of torture. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and self-reported data may introduce biases. Future studies should use longitudinal designs and consider cultural factors to better understand the long-term effects of political violence. Practical implications The study highlights the need for systematic trauma screening and targeted psychosocial support programs for Sudanese youth, particularly for underrepresented young adult males, to address significant trauma effectively. Originality/value This research provides novel insights into the mental health impact of political violence on Sudanese youth, offering valuable evidence to inform policies and programs aimed at supporting this vulnerable population.

Associations between violence in childhood, depression and suicide attempts in adolescence: evidence from a cohort study in Luwero district, Uganda

BackgroundMany studies have documented an association between violence victimisation and poor mental health. However, few studies use longitudinal data from low- and middle-income countries with attention to how associations differ by experiencing specific types of violence or alongside different contexts of peer and family support. In this study, we quantify the association between experiences of violence in early adolescence and depression and suicide attempts in late adolescence and explore whether this association is modified by family and peer connectedness.MethodsData came from the Contexts of Violence Against Children (CoVAC) cohort study in Luwero District, Uganda, involving 2773 participants aged 11–14 years at Wave 1 (2014) and 15–18 years at Wave 2 (2018). Physical, sexual, and emotional violence were measured at Wave 1. Mental health outcomes, depression symptoms in the past two weeks, and lifetime suicide attempts were measured at Wave (2) We used logistic regression models, stratified by sex, to estimate adjusted odds ratios with an interaction term to test for effect modification by peer and family connectedness at Wave 1.FindingsAt Wave 1, the prevalence of any violence from any perpetrator was 90% (physical violence: 87%, physical violence excluding caning: 68%, sexual violence: 6.3%, emotional violence: 56.8%). At Wave 2, 13.3% of participants had scores indicative of depression and 4.3% reported ever attempting suicide. Physical violence excluding caning, emotional violence, and sexual violence during early adolescence increased the odds of depression and attempting suicide in late adolescence for both boys and girls. Experiencing any violence (including caning) in early adolescence was not associated with depression in late adolescence, including in sex-stratified models. Childhood experience of any violence was associated with a suicide attempt violence in early adolescence (aOR: 2.60; 95%CI: 1.08, 6.27). High peer support mitigated the effect of any violence and physical violence on depression.ConclusionsFindings highlight the importance of efforts to prevent violence and improve access to response and support services for violence and mental health for young people. Findings also underscore the important role friends and peer networks can play in mitigating the effects of violence as young people grow up.

Building a research agenda on preventing and addressing sexual assault and intimate partner violence against trans people: a two-stage priority-setting exercise

BackgroundTransgender (trans) people experience high rates of sexual assault (SA) and intimate partner violence (IPV) and seldom receive the care and supports they need post-victimization. However, there is little to no research that aids in the development or improvement of related interventions. We undertook a study to build a novel Canadian research agenda on SA/IPV against trans people to guide future work and address these profound gaps in knowledge.MethodsGuided by the Child Health and Nutrition Research Initiative (CHNRI) method for research priority-setting, we developed and circulated two consecutive surveys to a multi-stakeholder group of government decision makers; mental health, health and social service providers, researchers and trans communities, among others, who proposed research questions related to preventing and addressing SA/IPV against trans persons. The initial survey launched March 2021 garnered responses from 213 stakeholders. These items were cleaned and collated into 20 final questions that fell within seven thematic areas. The refined research questions were evaluated in August 2021 on predefined criteria for answerability, feasibility, impact and equity by 79 of 95 survey 1 respondents who agreed to participate in the second survey (response rate = 83.2%). The questions were ranked using a research priority score calculated by dividing the sum of all the answers for each question across the four criteria by the number of answers received.ResultsAll questions were highly rated on each individual criterion and each had an overall research priority score of above 80%, with the most highly ranked question falling within the theme, “improving quality and implementation of education and training: How can training (e.g., for university/college students, educators, nurses, physicians, social workers, police, lawyers, security guards) be improved to better support trans survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence?”.ConclusionsThese questions form Canada’s first research agenda on SA/IPV against trans people. Together, they reflect the insights of stakeholder groups who have been historically excluded from research priority-setting processes and will guide future and much-needed work on the topic. Actionable information on preventing and addressing SA/IPV against trans persons will help reduce negative outcomes associated with being victimized.

Power Through Anonymity: Exploring Barriers to Reporting Sexual Assault Through Analysis of Reddit Data

In 2018, Dr. Christine Blasey-Ford's accusations of sexual assault against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and sexual assault convictions of Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein prompted questioning of why sexual assault victims do not report incidents of sexual violence to law enforcement. A hashtag movement, #whyididntreport was started wherein people began sharing their stories of sexual violence and the reasons they didn’t report. Even though research investigating barriers to reporting sexual violence exists such open, voluntary accounts have not existed before nor have been studied. This study used data from a social media website Reddit to capture barriers to reporting sexual assaults. A qualitative thematic analysis was used to identify six themes through the lens of feminist and social control theories. These findings indicate that even with more readily available knowledge about sexual assault, understanding of consent is still lacking. In addition, the current political climate is adding to fear of consequences when reporting sexual assaults. The implications of these findings for social workers indicate the necessity of social worker's role not only in reporting and clinical work, but also in advocacy and policy work relating to sexual assault.

Gender-based violence among women and girls in conflict-affected areas of Northeast Amhara, Ethiopia

BackgroundGender-Based Violence (GBV) is one of the major problems that women and girls encountered during the conflict between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). However, there is a gap in evidence regarding gender-based violence resulting from the ongoing conflict in these areas. Therefore, this study assessed the prevalence of GBV and its contributing factors in the conflict-affected northeastern Amhara region of Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 7th to September 30th, 2023, among 597 women and girls who lived in the three most conflict-affected districts (Wadla, Lay-Gaynt, and Meket) in northeastern Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. GBV was assessed using the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence against women questionnaire, which has 13 items and measures three violence domains (emotional, physical, and sexual). A binary logistic regression analysis was conducted. We used Adjusted Odds Ratios (AOR) with their respective 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) and a p-value of <0.05 to identify statistically significant factors.ResultsThe overall prevalence of gender-based violence was 39.0% (95%CI: 35.2–43.6); 36.7% were experienced emotional, 15.4% physical, and 8.9% sexual violences. The burden is higher among individuals who are divorced, substance users, have low social support, or have participated in the war.ConclusionsTwo-fifths of women and girls in conflict-affected areas of the northeastern Amhara region experienced violence. Thus, collaboration between healthcare providers and policymakers is needed to enhance care for victims, including the provision of social support and substance use mitigation.

Psychological Distress and Relational Intimacy following Sexual Violence: A Longitudinal Study

Increasing evidence shows how distress following sexual violence might spill over to victims’ romantic relationship functioning. However, studies investigating the reverse spillover between relationship functioning and psychological distress following sexual violence are lacking. The current study therefore aimed to investigate the bidirectional association between victims’ psychological distress (posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety and stress) and emotional and sexual intimacy using a three-wave yearly survey study of a community sample of sexual violence victims (N = 274, 89% women, 3% men and 8% trans persons, Mage = 32 years, SD = 10.7). Results show evidence for spillover effects for posttraumatic stress and stress on emotional intimacy and for anxiety on sexual intimacy. In addition, reverse spillover effects for emotional intimacy were found on all indicators of psychological distress and for sexual intimacy on depression and anxiety. These results suggest that victims’ individual and relational functioning is bidirectionally associated. In addition, results suggest that targeting intimacy levels within romantic relationships might improve victims’ individual functioning and vice versa. Future research that includes dyadic assessment could enhance our understanding of the bidirectional associations between individual functioning and couple functioning following sexual violence.

Efectividad de una intervención escolar parala prevención del abuso sexual infantil

(analytical)Child sexual abuse prevention programs that focus on developing self-protective behaviors among children are highly significant as they address potential psychosocial impacts and the prevalence of sexual violence. There is also scientific evidence that supports their effectiveness. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 57 sixth-grade students to evaluate an intervention that involved educational workshops on the topics of sexual and reproductive rights, self-awareness, boundary setting and identifying dangerous situations. The Prudence Test was employed to verify the intervention'seffect. A significant difference was found between the different groups (U = 805.000, p < .001; rbis = 0.983) and between pre- and post-intervention measures (W = 1.500, p < .001, rbis = -0.992) within the experimental group. These findings confirm the effectiveness of the intervention. Keywords: Childhood; sexual abuse; prevention; child protection; school intervention.

Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Against Women with Schizophrenia: A Scoping Review

Background: Globally, 641 million women are touched by intimate partner violence (IPV), establishing it as the most prevalent form of violence affecting women. Women, who are already disproportionately affected by sexual and IPV, face an elevated risk when dealing with severe mental illnesses (SMI) compared to the general population. Schizophrenia, classified as an SMI, poses numerous obstacles that impact women’s ability to maintain employment, good health, and sustain stable relationships. Nevertheless, limited data exists on IPV against women with schizophrenia and its impact. Aims: The objective of this scoping review was to summarize the available literature on sexual and IPV against women with schizophrenia and underlie future avenues of research. Methods: We conducted an electronic search using keywords in the following databases: APA PsychInfo, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. The search yielded a total of 6,099 articles. Upon title and abstract review, 97 articles were retained for full-text reading, after which 7 articles were included in this review. Results: The available articles reveal an association between sexual and IPV against women with schizophrenia. Younger women diagnosed with schizophrenia, especially those with low income or unemployed, are at a higher risk of experiencing sexual and IPV. This victimization increases the likelihood of suicide and exacerbates psychopathology. Conclusion: Research should examine care-setting interventions for women with schizophrenia, who are at increased risk of sexual and IPV, aiming to prevent severe harm. Implementation of preventive measures is essential for enhancing healthcare and societal transformation.

Implementation of Restorative Justice Regarding Child Violence Cases in Law Enforcement in the Police

Objectives: This study examines the implementation of restorative justice, as outlined in police regulations, in handling cases of child sexual violence in Indonesia. It explores how restorative justice is applied to juvenile cases, prioritizing relationship restoration and social harmony over formal judicial processes. Theoretical Framework: Restorative justice is presented as an alternative justice approach that focuses on repairing harm among offenders, victims, and communities. In cases involving minors, this approach aims to safeguard children’s rights, reduce stigma, and support their reintegration into society through diversion processes. Method: The research adopts an empirical juridical approach, analyzing the practical application of laws in society. Data collection involves a juridical review of legal frameworks and qualitative data analysis through reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing. Results and Discussion: The study finds that while restorative justice emphasizes dialogue, reconciliation, and accountability, its application often overlooks the psychological needs and holistic recovery of child victims. Sectoral egos and limited law enforcement capacity hinder effective implementation. Reoffending by offenders eliminates the option for restorative justice, necessitating formal legal proceedings. Despite offering amicable resolutions, victims retain the right to pursue further legal actions if justice remains unmet. Research Implications: This study underscores the need for enhanced training and support for law enforcement to fully integrate restorative justice principles and ensure victims’ holistic recovery. Inter-agency collaboration is critical to addressing implementation challenges. Originality/Value: The research offers insights into the limitations and potential improvements of restorative justice in addressing child violence cases, emphasizing the need for victim-centered approaches in Indonesia’s policing framework.

Childhood Trauma and Sexual Violence Perpetration in Adolescence: Mediating Effect of Temperament

Childhood Trauma and Sexual Violence Perpetration in Adolescence: Mediating Effect of Temperament

Misperceptions of Sexual Intent in Women: Exploring Possible Correlates and Their Relationships with Sexual Coercion Compared to Men

ABSTRACT Little research has examined women’s misperception of sexual intent (MSI) from men, despite research showing this does occur. We used a hypothetical scenario design to explore potential sexual coercion correlates (e.g. rape myth acceptance, self-control) that may also relate to MSI among both male and female college students (N = 1013), and whether these factors differ among samples of college men and women. Results indicate MSI occurred among both male and female students, but different sets of significant correlates of misperception were found. We discuss implications for future research on the role of misperception as a correlate of sexual coercion.

Improving the Likelihood of Positive Outcomes for Survivors of Sexual Violence, Considering Intersections Between Justice, Gender, and Trauma

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the complex impacts of childhood abuse on survivors, emphasising how these experiences shape both individual and societal outcomes. It acknowledges the extensive and enduring effects of abuse, which extend beyond immediate physical and psychological harm to broader social and economic repercussions. The paper critically examines the difficulties of holding perpetrators accountable within the criminal justice system, where low reporting rates, high attrition, and re‐traumatization are significant challenges. Using a gendered lens, the analysis situates these issues within a broader social, cultural, and historical context, highlighting how abuse, particularly sexual abuse, is perceived and managed. A key focus is on the issue of disclosure, essential for survivors to access support and justice. However, disclosure is often hindered by fears of disbelief, stigma, and retaliation, which are exacerbated by socioeconomic factors. Even when support systems are available, low conviction rates and ongoing re‐victimisation significantly impede justice and healing, undermining the criminal justice system and support structures. The paper also discusses the wider implications of childhood abuse for public health, social services, and education. The trauma affects not only survivors' mental and physical health but also their ability to engage fully in society, impacting relationships, employment, and educational outcomes. These personal challenges lead to broader societal costs, including increased demand for healthcare and lost productivity. The paper advocates for an integrated approach that improves prevention, enhances safeguarding, and develops effective support systems, addressing both the immediate needs of survivors and systemic barriers to recovery and justice.

Exploitation and Trafficking of Women and Girls for Forced Marriage in India

ABSTRACT Trafficking of women and girls for forced marriage in India is a growing phenomenon. Acute poverty, dowry practices, and precarious family socioeconomic conditions after the COVID-19 pandemic in India have resulted in evidence that young girls are being sold and lured through false promises of employment and good quality of life for the purpose of exploitation. Studying the experiences of 34 Indian trafficking victims, this paper explores and analyses the dynamics of human trafficking for the purpose of marriage and to describe their experiences and health conditions (physical and mental) during the trafficking. Findings revealed that victims were forced to marry before reaching the legal marriage age (18 years), and were subjected to multiple forms of violence, including verbal abuse, threats, physical and sexual violence, which co-occurred in diverse contexts at work and resulted in a wide range of physical health consequences, from head injuries to broken bones and mental health problems. The study concluded on the need for strong implementation of law enforcement in the region to stop the trafficking for forced marriage, including a highly needed intensive awareness program to eradicate patriarchal attitudes and practices on the commoditisation of women, dowry practices, and curb the trafficking network.

Prevalence of domestic violence against pregnant women living in rural areas: systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundMany studies have demonstrated that pregnant women living in rural areas are more likely to experience domestic violence (DV). Systematic reviews on the prevalence and risk factors of DV among...

SOSIALISASI PENCEGAHAN KEKERASAN SEKSUAL PADA SMK PGRI 16 JAKARTA

The purpose of this community service activity is to provide socialization of sexual violence prevention at SMK PGRI 16 Jakarta. The benefits of this socialization are that students gain insight into acts of sexual violence, and the impacts of sexual violence, and receive assistance in preventing sexual violence and solutions to prevent acts of sexual violence in the school environment. The implementation methods we use are observation, socialization, and evaluation. We provide this socialization by giving a direct understanding of acts of sexual violence, the impacts of sexual violence, and solutions to prevent acts of sexual violence in the school environment. After the socialization, students of SMK PGRI 16 Jakarta showed increased awareness regarding the impacts of sexual violence. They showed positive changes in attitudes regarding the importance of protecting themselves from acts of sexual violence.

Youth Violence in Urban Ethiopia: Forms, Risk Factors and Preventive Mechanisms in Hawassa and Shashemene Cities

Youth violence negatively impacts physical, emotional, and social well-being, hindering development, decision-making, learning, and relationships. Holistic and interdisciplinary approaches are needed to mitigate this issue. This research aims to investigate forms, risk factors, and preventive mechanisms of youth violence in Hawassa and Shashemene cities. The research utilized a cross-sectional descriptive design with a mixed-method approach. The study included 400 survey respondents, 16 focus group discussants across two sessions, and 7 in-depth interviewees. As the findings reveal, youth involvement in violence spans from perpetration to victimization. Among the total respondents, 289 self-reported that they have perpetrated various forms of physical, verbal, sexual, economic, and media violence within the past 12 months. The primary reported risk factors for youth violence include attitudes that condone violence (64.25%), insufficient parental control (59%), elevated rates of unemployment (67.25%), and a fragile rule of law (81.25%), which respectively represent the leading factor from the individual, relational, community, and societal risk domains as per the social-ecological model. The findings indicate that institutional and community-based efforts to address and mitigate the issue remain in their early stages. The study areas lack nearly all essential elements of youth violence prevention and intervention programs. The study concludes that youth violence is a more visible issue that affects both society and the youth in the study areas. Without preventive efforts, the highlighted risk factors may further increase the likelihood of youth engagement in violence. Thus, the study recommends the establishment of integrated and inclusive programs and strategies to effectively address the problem such as community awareness campaigns, parental counselling services, school-based interventions, and strengthening the capacity of relevant institutions among others

The role of arts-based methods in supporting safe and participatory research addressing sexual violence with young people

Background: The use of participatory visual methods in humanities, health, education and social science research to study ‘sensitive’ subject matter with children and young people is growing. Such approaches have been widely – though sometimes uncritically – celebrated for contributing to safe data elicitation, promoting participant influence and strengthening research dissemination and impact. Some authors have pointed to their political contributions – challenging the traditional politics of representation and fostering critical consciousness and thinking. Methods: This article explores these claims, reflecting on a study using creative and participatory methods to explore the concept of ‘resistance’ among young people affected by sexual violence. It begins by outlining the background, rationale and use of creative methods in the project, moving from plans to utilise ‘Photovoice’ methods to a more diverse and responsive set of creative methods. Findings: The paper presents evidence for the contribution of such methods to creating safety and fostering participation while developing new conceptual thinking among researchers and participants. Conclusion: In this project, the success of creative methods is rooted in the dynamics of what we term spaciousness and playfulness which support dialogical practice. These dynamics are critical to enabling a safe participatory culture that bridges divides between stakeholders of different status, identity and ownership.

Semiotic Analysis in Barbie Film by Charles Sanders Peirce's Theory

This research discussed the meaning of the signs in the Barbie (2023) film. This research aimed to find the signs contained in the film based on the types of signs in Charles Sanders Peirce's semiotic and to interpret the meaning of these signs based on the semiosis process which involved the relationship between representamen, object, and interpretant. In this research, researchers used qualitative methods and data was collected by marking and sorting with a semiotic approach. The researcher found 4 types of signs: icon show that every woman has the same opportunities and rights as other women and has equal gender roles as men in society, qualisign show the feminine side of women and the sexual violence that women often experience, symbol shows allusions to sexism and patriarchal culture, and index shows self-discovery. Based on 4 types of signs that have been analyzed through a semiosis process involving representamen, object, and interpretant, the researcher found the meaning of this film was about the position of women in society, the importance of gender equality without gender stereotypes, women also had the same rights in a career regardless of their physical appearance and skin color, women had ambition and dreams and be able to play an active role in society as well as the meaning about the importance of being yourself.

Parental Support in Psychological Rehabilitation of Child Victims of Sexual Violence: A Qualitative Study

Background: Sexual violence was the most common, Data from the Regional Technical Services Unit for the Protection of Women and Children (UPTD PPA) of Jember Regency showed that there were 75 cases of sexual violence against children in 2022 and 73 cases of sexual violence against children in 2023. This research aimed to analyse aspects of parental social support in the psychological rehabilitation of child victims of sexual violence in the Jember Regency. Methods: This research was qualitative research with a case study approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 3 main informants, which are parents of child victims of sexual violence with the age criteria of 7-18 years, 2 additional informants, which are family members or closest people from the victim's parents and 1 key informant, which the Regional Technical Services Unit for the Protection of Women and Children (UPTD PPA) of Jember Regency. Informants of this research are based on the willingness of informants to be interviewed in accordance with an ethical review of the confidentiality of informant information. Results: The results showed that parents had provided emotional support to child victims of sexual violence by reporting to the police; providing affection, instrumental support by fulfilling daily needs, informative support by giving advice to children, and providing appreciation support by accepting the child's condition, providing support to children to undergo rehabilitation so as not to experience prolonged trauma. Conclusion: Providing aspects of parental social support has been given to their children who are victims of sexual violence.

HIV Infection Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Sub-Saharan Africa: Philosophical Perspectives of Sociostructural Risk Factors

Background and Objective Sociostructural risk factors influence human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection outcomes among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15–24 in Sub-Saharan Africa. The philosophical perspectives on sociostructural risk factors can be helpful in reducing new HIV infections in this age group. This review aims to describe these perspectives to guide the development and implementation of targeted interventions at preventing new HIV infection among AGYW, while addressing age-gender inequalities in HIV infection risk reduction. Methods This literature review examined philosophical perspectives on sociostructural risk factors of HIV infection from June 1981 when improvements in HIV knowledge regarding clinical course and epidemiology began to November 2023. We utilized literature from peer-reviewed papers and books on HIV risk factors and infection outcomes among AGYW, gathered from search engines like PubMed, Google Scholar, and Medline. Results The philosophy of sexuality is linked to sociostructural tenets like seduction, early marriage, adultery, and prostitution. Ubuntu’s philosophy is influenced by Western culture, such as pornography and adolescent marriages. Realism is linked to sexual violence, HIV stigma, and unfavorable health policy decisions. The philosophy of health integrates natural and holistic phenomena to address HIV infection. Conclusion and Implications for Translation The literature reviews suggest that addressing philosophical issues like seduction, early marriages, adultery, prostitution, pornography exposure, sexual violence, and unfavorable policies are crucial for reducing new HIV infection among AGYW and recommend the Ministries of Health to review and adopt these considerations in their respective national HIV prevention guidelines.