Victim Support Research Articles

여성폭력 및 여성폭력방지기본법 개선 모색

Types of violence against women are wide and varied. Among various types of violence, the current acts are “segmentally” legislated on domestic violence, sexual violence, and prostitution, and are divided into legislation to punish perpetrators and protect victims. The need for an integrated support system for victims of violence against women and comprehensive legislation continued, and after intense debate in our society, the 「Framework Act on Prevention of Violence Against Women」 was enacted in December 2018 and implemented in 2019. The Act is a comprehensive act that comprehensively regulates violence against women, which had previously been individually regulated and takes into consideration the expansion of violence against women by reflecting a new type of violence against women. It clarifies the responsibility of the state for the prevention of violence against women and protection and support for victims, stipulates the promotion of violence against women policies, and supports victims of violence against women by reflecting the specificity of violence against women and establishing consistent statistics with the victim support system. It was intended to increase the effectiveness of the policy. In the process of enacting this Act, there was a conflict of opinions for and against it, and discussions on the need for revision are still being conducted. This paper aims to propose a supplement to the current 「Framework Act on Prevention of Violence Against Women」, and to this end, introduces a legislative example of Spain, which may be unfamiliar to us. Spain has enacted and implemented the 「Organic Act 1/2004 of 28 December on Integrated Protection Measures against Gender Violence」( 「Ley Orgánica 1/2004, de 28 de diciembre, de Medidas de Proteccióon Integral contra la Violencia de Género」). In Spain, this Act was enacted under the awareness that domestic violence was frequent in the past, that women's rights, which had been neglected, should be strongly protected through legislation, and that an equal power structure between men and women should be formed. This Act is for responding to cases of gender violence, reporting to the police after an incident occurs, providing medical support to victims, and providing social welfare services, women's shelters, and counseling services. In September 2022, Spain also made amendments to the Criminal Code that strengthened the punishment of sexual violence crimes and the protection of victims. Examining Spain's legislative examples can give an idea for revising or responding to our 「Framework Act on Prevention of Violence Against Women」. In particular, the victim protection order system is worth introducing in the 「Framework Act on Prevention of Violence Against Women」. This paper reviews the rights of victims of violence against women, types of violence against women, legislative examples related to support for violence against women in Spain, and major contents, criticisms of the current 「Framework Act on Prevention of Violence Against Women」 and measures for improvement which were sought. This paper emphasizes efforts to make up for deficiencies through the expansion of the definition of violence against women and victims of violence against women, the clarification of secondary victim damage terms, the expansion of prohibition of disadvantageous treatment, and the establishment and revision of provisions.

The Nurses' Second Victim Syndrome and Moral Distress.

The increasing prevalence of moral distress in the stressful environment of the intensive care unit (ICU) provides grounds for nursing error and endangers patients' health, safety, and even life. One of the most important reasons for this distress is the treatment team's second victim syndrome (SVS), especially nurses, following errors in the treatment system. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between moral distress and SVS in ICUs. This cross-sectional study involved a sample size of 96 ICU nurses working in hospitals affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in the 2021-2022 period, who were selected via a simple random sampling method. Data were collected using the Demographic Questionnaire, the second victim experience and support tool (SVEST) and Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R). Descriptive statistics (percentage, frequency, mean, and SD) and analytical tests (Spearman correlation coefficient test, independent t-test, and ANOVA) were employed for data analysis. This study used a sample size of 96 intensive care unit nurses working in hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences selected by simple random sampling. The study obtained research ethics approval, and all participants were informed of the voluntary and anonymous nature of their participation. The results showed that 59.4% of nurses suffered a low level of moral distress, and 40.6% suffered from a moderate level of moral distress. The SVS score of 86.5% of the nurses was moderate. There was no significant and direct correlation between moral distress and SVS in nurses; however, there was a significant and inverse correlation between the moral distress intensity and SVS (p = 0.011). Despite no significant correlation between moral distress and SVS, these variables were at moderate levels. Accordingly, it is suggested to provide a proper ground for expressing morally stressful situations, counseling and training strategies to deal with moral distress, creating support resources for those suffering from SVS, and implementing empowerment programs.

Assessing the Extent of Post-traumatic-stress Disorder from Kidnapping Experience of 5 Victims and their Significant others in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna State, Nigeria

Purpose: Kidnapping has become a huge problem in parts of Nigeria such that residents of Kaduna metropolis who have become victims with their significant others are left to suffer varying levels of mental trauma. The study assessed kidnapping experiences and the Post-Traumatic experiences on the victims and their significant others in Kaduna Metropolis, Kaduna, Nigeria.
 Methodology: A survey research design with snowball sampling method was utilized. A total of 10 male and female residents were participants in this study. Post-traumatic distress scale was used and interviews were conducted to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. The quantitative data was analyzed testing the hypothesis by way of independent T-test. The Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic narration .The hypothesis tested for the association between kidnap experience and PTSD of victims and their significant others in Kaduna metropolis, Kaduna State.
 Findings: The study found that victims and their significant others suffered varying symptoms of PTSD stemming from the kidnap experiences in Kaduna metropolis, having PTSD scores ranging from (1.5– 3.7) on the PTSD scale as a result of kidnap experiences. Since all the p-values are greater than 5% level of significance, we therefore accept the hypothesis that there is no significant difference in the PTSD of kidnapped victims and significant others in Kaduna metropolis by way of the PTSD scale. Qualitative analysis revealed that the victims went through much traumatic experiences which had left them with trust issues and phobias, having changed their perspective on life as they once knew it.
 Recommendation: The victims of kidnap and their significant others are in dire need of counseling therapy, psychological and or psychiatric intervention to limit disability as rehabilitation is vital. There is much needed social and financial support for victims, economic recovery schemes by federal and state governments are needed to minimize security issues.

Vicarious trauma and posttraumatic growth among victim support professionals

Vicarious trauma and posttraumatic growth among victim support professionals

Emotion Regulation and Impulse Control of Child Victims of Sexual Harassment in Makassar City

This study aims to describe the regulation of emotions and impulse control in child victims of sexual abuse. This research is a qualitative research with a case study approach. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, unstructured observation and documentation to 10 informants consisting of child victims of sexual abuse, families of child victims of sexual abuse, P2TP2A officers, and health workers in Makassar City. Content analysis is used to identify topics or categories in data. The results showed that child victims of sexual abuse can regulate their emotions and control impulses well if they get help from their surroundings, especially their families. Child victims of sexual abuse are able to be optimistic and never give up because they have a desire to make their parents happy and reach their dreams in the future. It was concluded that emotional support and social support for child victims of sexual abuse play an important role in the formation and improvement of emotional regulation and impulse control in children victims of sexual abuse in the future.

The impact of post-encoding alcohol consumption on episodic memory recall and remember-know responses in heavy drinkers.

People often consume alcohol following trauma, particularly in response to distressing memories. To date, little is known about how post-encoding alcohol consumption influences episodic memory recall for negative events. Understanding these effects may help to improve support for trauma victims - for example, witnesses and victims of crimes. We tested 60 participants who self-described as heavy drinkers. After watching an analog trauma film, half were allocated to consuming a moderate dose of alcohol (Alcohol-Exposed group), while half received a placebo drink (Placebo-Control group). Immediately and after a one-week delay, participants recalled the event via free and cued recall tasks. Participants also gave remember-know responses and confidence ratings, elucidating alcohol's effect on experiential memory. Free recall performance was similar for the Alcohol-Exposed group and the Placebo-Control group during Sessions 1 and 2. The Alcohol-Exposed group benefitted more from the delayed repeated retrieval attempt. For the cued recall task, the Alcohol-Exposed group provided more "Do not Know" responses compared to the Placebo-Control group in both sessions. For the Alcohol-Exposed group only "Correct Know" responses increased from Session 1 to 2. Although memory performance improved across sessions, confidence levels decreased from Session 1 to 2 in the Alcohol-Exposed group. Post-encoding alcohol consumption appears to impact immediate episodic memory retrieval; however, this effect is only temporary in nature. No evidence was found that alcohol primarily reduces remembering responses. Much like previous findings focusing on pre-encoding alcohol consumption (Hagsand et al., 2017), current findings suggest that providing individuals who drank alcohol after witnessing an incident with a delayed repeated retrieval attempt can lead to more complete and accurate testimonies.

The Suicidal Ideation of Disaster Victims: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Various natural and human made disasters occur worldwide. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting suicidal ideation in victims of disasters such as typhoons, heavy rainfall, fires, and earthquakes. Data were obtained from a long-term survey on life changes among disaster victims conducted in 2019 by the National Disaster Management Research Institute. The study included 2234 victims of natural and social disasters occurring in Korea between 2012 and 2018. Suicidal ideation was assessed using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview developed by the World Health Organization. The participants' demographic characteristics, disaster-related characteristics, physical characteristics, psychological characteristics, and social characteristics were analyzed as the influencing factors. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test, t-test, and logistic regression. Of the 2234 subjects in this study, 32 were disaster victims who had experienced suicidal ideation, accounting for 1.4%. The results showed that the factors affecting suicidal ideation included disaster-related injury/disease, depression, and social support. The odds ratio of suicidal ideation was higher when there was injury/disease (OR=1.89, 95% CI=0.07-0.48), with higher depression levels (OR=1.31, 95% CI=1.18-1.47) and with lower social support (OR=0.94, 95% CI=0.90-0.99). This study identifies the significant influencing factors of suicidal ideation in disaster victims, which were as follows: disaster-related injury or disease, depression, and social support. Our study's findings would contribute to screening high-risk groups of suicidal ideation and developing effective support, interventions, and suicide prevention programs for disaster victims. Furthermore, to prevent suicide and promote the healthy recovery of disaster victims, mental health care services aimed at suicide prevention should be reinforced and the victims should be provided with psychological support and treatment without financial burden.

Sharing Experiences and Seeking Informal Justice Online: A Grounded Theory Analysis of Zoombombing Victimization on Reddit

ABSTRACT During the COVID-19 pandemic, Zoombombing emerged as a new form of online disruption/harassment characterized by unintended and unsolicited virtual visits by both strangers and known individuals via Zoom. The current study utilizes a grounded theory-based qualitative analysis of over 1,000 posts on Reddit to explore discussions around Zoombombing victimization incidents. This paper reveals how Zoombombing victimization subreddits function as communities for sharing victimization stories, user perceptions, and support while further developing a space that promotes informal justice online. The implications include an enhanced understanding of how Zoombombing occurs and the role of online forums and cyberpolicing tools in preventing and discussing victimization.

Child Sexual Abuse and Employment Earnings in Adulthood: A Prospective Canadian Cohort Study

Child sexual abuse remains a worldwide concern with devastating consequences on an individual's life. This longitudinal study investigates the associations between child sexual abuse (official reports versus retrospective self-reports) and subgroups by perpetrator identity (intrafamilial and extrafamilial), severity (penetration/attempted penetration, fondling/touching, noncontact), and chronicity (single, multiple episodes) and employment earnings in adulthood in a cohort followed for over 30 years. The Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children database was linked to child protection services (official reports of sexual abuse) and to Canadian government tax returns (earned income). The sample included 3,020 individuals in Quebec French-language school kindergartens in 1986/1988, followed until 2017, and assessed with retrospective self-reports at age 22 years. Tobit regressions were used for associations with earnings (ages 33-37 years), adjusting for sex and family socioeconomic characteristics in 2021-2022. Individuals who experienced child sexual abuse had lower annual earnings. Those with retrospective self-reported sexual abuse (n=340) earned $4,031 (95% CI= -7,134, -931) less annually at ages 33-37 years than nonabused individuals (n=1,320), with pronounced differences for those with official reports (n=20), earning $16,042 (95% CI= -27,465, -4,618) less. Individuals self-reporting intrafamilial sexual abuse earned $4,696 (95% CI= -9,316, -75) less than those who experienced extrafamilial sexual abuse, whereas those self-reporting penetration/attempted penetration earned $6,188 (95% CI= -12,248, -129) less than those who experienced noncontact sexual abuse. Earnings gaps were highest for severest child sexual abuse (official reports, intrafamilial, penetrative). Future studies should investigate the underlying mechanisms. Improving support for victims of child sexual abuse could yield socioeconomic returns.

Environmental drivers of delays in reporting crimes

PurposeExtensive literature studies the causes of crime and crime reporting behaviour. In contrast, there is hardly any scholarship on delays in reporting a crime and what drives them. Understanding delays in reporting crimes is important for various reasons, for example, because they could decrease the likelihood of an arrest or lead to an issue with the statute of limitations. This paper is the first to analyse the delay in reporting crimes and environmental drivers of these delays.Design/methodology/approachThe authors construct a novel data set combining all crimes reported in New York City from 2006 to 2020 (N = 2,442,288) with station-level data on weather variables (temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, visibility and wind speed) and four types of air pollutants (carbon monoxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide). Matching these three data sets using the geolocation occurs at an hourly frequency. Importantly, the crime data provided by the NYPD allows us to control for several other factors that could potentially affect crime reporting behaviour.FindingsThe authors show that 30 percent of reported crimes in New York City were reported with a delay. The average reporting delay was 10.79 days. Carbon monoxide influences for delays in reporting violent crimes and rainfall affects delays in reporting property crimes. Relative humidity, as a driver of wet bulb temperature, affects delays in reporting violent crimes as well.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors present novel facts about delays in reporting crimes and how these are related to weather and air pollution. The authors’ findings have implications for government regulation of air pollution as well as for real-time crime forecasting. They should also aid victim support groups in providing services.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to analyse the impact of environmental factors on the delay in reporting crimes.

Experience and perpetration of intimate partner violence and abuse by gender of respondent and their current partner before and during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020: a cross-sectional study in 13 countries

BackgroundIntimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) includes controlling behaviours, psychological, physical, sexual and financial abuse. Globally, surveys and emergency services have recorded an increase in IPVA since restrictions were imposed to limit COVID-19 transmission. Most studies have only included heterosexual women.MethodsData from the Global Drug Survey (an annual, anonymous, online survey collecting data on drug use) Special Edition were analysed to explore the impact of COVID-19 on people’s lives, including their intimate relationships. Five relationship groupings were created using respondents’ lived gender identity: women partnered with men (46.9%), women partnered with women (2.1%), men partnered with men (2.9%), men partnered with women (47.2%), and partnerships where one or both partners were non-binary (1%). Self-reported experience and perpetration of IPVA in the past 30 days before (February) and during COVID-19 restrictions (May or June) in 2020 (N = 35,854) was described and compared for different relationship groupings using Fishers Exact Tests. Changes in IPVA during restrictions were assessed using multivariable logistic regression.ResultsDuring restrictions, 17.8 and 16.6% of respondents had experienced or perpetrated IPVA respectively; 38.2% of survivors and 37.6% of perpetrators reported this had increased during restrictions. Greater proportions of non-binary respondents or respondents with a non-binary partner reported experiencing or perpetrating IPVA (p < .001) than other relationship groupings. 22.0% of respondents who were non-binary or had a non-binary partner, 19.5% of men partnered with men, 18.9% of men partnered with women, 17.1% of women partnered with women and 16.6% of women partnered with men reported experiencing IPVA. Respondents with higher psychological distress, poor coping with pandemic-related changes, relationship tension and changes (increases or increases and decreases) in alcohol consumption reported increased experience of IPVA during restrictions.ConclusionsThis study confirmed that IPVA can occur in all intimate relationships, regardless of gender of the perpetrator or survivor. Non-binary respondents or respondents with non-binary partners reported the highest use and experience of IPVA. Most IPVA victim support services have been designed for heterosexual, cisgender women. IPVA support services and perpetrator programmes must be tailored to support all perpetrators and survivors during the pandemic and beyond, regardless of their sexual or gender identity.

Violence against Women during the COVID-19 Pandemic: From Children to the Elderly

Women of all ages can be exposed to violence both within and outside of the home, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to analyze violence against women (VAW) before and during the first year of the pandemic in Portugal. Crimes perpetrated against female victims from 17 years old and younger to 65 years old and older were analyzed by comparing requests for help in 2019 and 2020. A total of 12,045 requests for help for VAW were received by the Portuguese Association for Victim Support and analyzed in the current study. The findings reveal a 16% increase in requests for help in 2020 and a 95% increase when the lockdown was implemented. That said, the most reported, intimate partner violence (IPV), showed a decrease of 5% in 2020. Furthermore, compared to 2019, requests for help concerning criminal offenses involving psychological violence in non-IPV contexts increased 79% in 2020, especially for victims 17 years old or younger (116%), and attempted femicide/femicide requests for help increased 53%. We are still in the early stages of understanding how the pandemic will affect this situation. Future directions concerning support of female victims during the pandemic are outlined.

MeTooOT: Sexual Harassment Experiences of Occupational Therapy Academics and Recommendations for Systemic Change.

Sexual harassment is pervasive in academic health fields. Although a predominantly female profession, early career academics and trainees in occupational therapy (OT) remain vulnerable to sexual harassment. We aimed to describe experiences of sexual harassment of female-identifying academic OT practitioners. We conducted surveys and interviews using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis to examine participants' experiences. Ten participants completed the survey and/or interview. Experiences ranged from inappropriate comments to persistent sexual assault. Four themes (blurred lines, unbalanced consequences, "how did I get here?" and "we don't talk about it") were generated based on participant responses. Power dynamics and the cultures and values of the OT profession were underlying elements of all themes. The consequences of sexual harassment were severe and affected personal and professional growth. For OT research and education to thrive, stronger support for victims and consistent, appropriate consequences for perpetrators are necessary to minimize negative outcomes for victims.

Two-stage stochastic formulation for relief operations with multiple agencies in simultaneous disasters

The increasing damage caused by disasters is a major challenge for disaster management authorities, especially in instances where simultaneous disasters affect different geographical areas. The uncertainty and chaotic conditions caused by these situations combined with the inherent complexity of collaboration between multiple stakeholders complicates delivering support for disaster victims. Decisions related to facility location, procurement, stock prepositioning and relief distribution are essential to ensure the provision of relief for these victims. There is a need to provide analytical models that can support integrated decision-making in settings with uncertainty caused by simultaneous disasters. However, there are no formulations tackling these decisions combining multiple suppliers, multiple agencies, and simultaneous disasters. This article introduces a novel bi-objective two-stage stochastic formulation for disaster preparedness and immediate response considering the interaction of multiple stakeholders in uncertain environments caused by the occurrence of simultaneous disasters. At the first stage, decisions related to the selection of suppliers, critical facilities, agencies involved, and pre-disaster procurement are defined. Resource allocation, relief distribution and procurement of extra resources after the events are decided at the second stage. The model was tested on data from the situation caused by simultaneous hurricanes and storms in Mexico during September of 2013. The case is contrasted with instances planning for disasters independently. The results show how planning for multiple disasters can help understand the real boundaries of the disaster response system, the benefits of integrated decision-making, the impact of deploying only the agencies required, and the criticality of considering human resources in disaster planning.

Firearm Injury: An Escalating Health Crisis.

Firearm Injury: An Escalating Health Crisis.

Teachers' bullying-related cognitions as predictors of their responses to bullying among students.

Teachers may play a key role in reducing bullying by responding to incidents among students. Inspired by the theory of planned behaviour, several studies have investigated teachers' bullying-related cognitions as predictors of their responses to bullying. This study investigated whether six teachers' bullying-related cognitions (i.e., perceived seriousness, empathy, attitudes, self-efficacy and attribution of the bullying) predicted five student-perceived teachers' responses (i.e., Non-Intervention, Disciplinary Methods, Victim Support, Mediation and Group Discussion) over time. By examining this objective, more insight into student perceptions of teachers' responses to bullying could also be provided. In total, 999 upper elementary school students (Mage = 10.61 at Wave 1, SDage = .90; 53.6% girls) and their 59 teachers (Mage = 39.61 at W1, SDage = 11.60; 79.7% female) participated. A bullying questionnaire was administered in three waves to assess students' perceptions of the teachers' responses. Teachers reported bullying-related cognitions in the first wave. Multilevel analyses were used to investigate the relative contribution of the predictors on the teachers' responses over time. None of the teachers' bullying-related cognitions significantly predicted the teachers' specific responses. The findings suggest that teachers' bullying-related cognitions are not reflected in their responses to bullying as perceived by students. Moreover, the findings indicate that students' perceptions of teachers' responses vary widely within classrooms and over time. Student- and teacher-reported teachers' responses might differ, and these possible differences should be taken into account.

Not if – but how – to defund the police: Response to our critics

Not if – but how – to defund the police: Response to our critics

Single-Centre Retrospective Cohort Study of Demographic Characteristics and Perinatal Outcomes in Pregnant Refugee Patients in Toronto, Canada.

Pregnant refugee patients are especially vulnerable to adverse perinatal outcomes. Detailed characterization of this heterogenous population will identify risk factors and thus guide contextualized initiatives for improved patient care. A retrospective cohort study of obstetrical refugee patients at a tertiary-care hospital in Toronto, Ontario. Of 196 pregnant refugees, 48% were fluent English speaking, 57% had poor social support, and 42% lived in a shelter. Eighty-seven percent started prenatal care after the first trimester, which was associated with delivery of a large-for-gestational-age infant (p = 0.043). Sixteen percent experienced family violence, which was associated with poor fetal aggregate outcomes (p = 0.03). There were significantly higher rates of pre-eclampsia and Cesarean sections in refugee versus non-refugee patients (p < 0.05). Pregnant refugees are at risk for psychosocial challenges and experience significantly worse obstetrical outcomes compared with non-refugees. Quality improvement initiatives should focus on access to early prenatal care, stable housing, and support for victims of family violence.

Providing the right support and care for male victims of domestic abuse.

This article seeks to update and expand on earlier work published by the author on the subject of domestic violence against men almost 15 years ago. Since 2008, the language associated with domestic abuse has moved on, with most documents such as the newly enacted Domestic Abuse Act 2021 using either gender-neutral or gender-inclusive pronouns. However, men who experience domestic abuse continue to feel stigmatised and ignored by a discourse and framework that are still largely female oriented and driven. The article proposes approaches that the nurse can use to support men who experience domestic abuse.

Reacting to Non-Prototypical Victims: Blame, Empathy, and Willingness to Label Sexual Assaults of Men and Sexual Minority Victims.

Sexual assault is prevalent in the U.S. society, with an estimated 16% of women and 8% of men experiencing some form of sexual violence during their lifetime (Breiding, 2014). Sexual violence crosses all identity lines; however, legislation, cultural representation, and academic scholarship on sexual violence has historically been limited to assaults against women perpetrated by men. This dominant analysis of sexual assault focuses on the impact of sexism on sexual violence, neglecting the impact off other forms of oppression and attitudes related to sexuality and gender. This dominant representation leaves non-prototypical victims, such as men, people of other genders, and sexual minorities of all genders, less visible and less understood. This underrepresentation may lead to negative reactions toward these victims including blame, exoneration of the perpetrator, and reluctance to acknowledge assaults. In the current study, I explored the impact of both victim gender and sexual orientation on reactions to a hypothetical intimate partner sexual assault victim. Results indicated that perpetrators who assaulted a man were blamed less than those who assaulted a woman. Furthermore, study participants had more empathy for women who were assaulted than they did for men. There were no differences in participants' negative reactions to victims by sexual orientation. Results suggest that, while some advances have been made in public support for sexual assault victims, these advances may not extend yet to men as victims.