Victim Support Research Articles

Men’s Experiences of Gender Based Violence in Selected Compounds of Lusaka Urban

The study investigated men’s experiences of Gender Based Violence in selected compounds of Lusaka Urban. The study adopted an interpretivist perspective which seeks to understand participants’ lived experiences of Gender based Violence. The study was conducted in two compounds of Lusaka Urban. The study sites were chosen because of their high prevalence of Gender Based Violence as reported on social media. The study was premised on the following research objectives; to determine the nature of Gender Based Violence against men, to explore the factors that lead to Gender Based Violence against men and to investigate men’s reactions in the face of Gender Based Violence. The study sample consisted of fourty-six (46) participants, thirty four (34) of whom were men from both Garden and Matero Compounds, four (4) representatives from the Zambia Police Victim Support Unit and eight (8) Church leaders. Purposive and convenient sampling techniques were used. The findings of the study revealed that among the forms of Gender Based Violence perpetrated against men were emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical assault, financial abuse and verbal abuse. Other factors that led to Gender Based Violence against men were failure of a man to provide for family needs especially after change of economic status, alcohol abuse, retaliation to past mistreatment of wives by husbands, adultery and psychological disorders. Regarding men’s reactions in the face of Gender Based Violence, the study showed that few men reported cases of Gender Based Violence against them. This was attributed to the fact that men faced barriers such as societal view of battered men, police attitudes towards battered men and being ignored by the law enforcement bodies.

Psychosocial characteristics of bullying participants: A person-oriented approach combining self- and peer-report measures

Bullying represents a severe problem with possible short- and long-term consequences for bullying participants. However, the characteristics of these individuals are not entirely known and bullying roles are often ambiguous. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify latent subgroups of bullying participants by latent profile analysis, including both self- and peer-reports and to recognize the differences among the latent subgroups. The sample included 1,905 elementary school students (49.9 % boys, Mage = 12.8, SD = 1.2). The latent profile analysis revealed five profiles according to their degree of victimization and/or bullying behavior: uninvolved students, self-reported uninvolved students, bullies, victims, and bully-victims. Victims and bully-victims reported the lowest peer support; in addition, bully-victims reported the lowest teacher support and the highest level of anger-related problems. Bullies were perceived as the most popular; victims and bully-victims reported the lowest social self-concept among all groups. Uninvolved students and self-reported uninvolved students differed in perceived popularity, anger control, peer- and teacher support. The results highlight the need to tailor interventions according to the subgroup of bullying participants to minimize unwanted behavior or offer additional support for victims.

Victims of Transnational Terrorist Organizations Crimes

The publication of a book containing statistics on the victims of terrorism is essential for not only the study and analysis of terrorism and strategies to respond to it, but also for the support of victims of terrorism. One of the goals of initiating such a publication in the West («White and Black Book of Terrorism in Europe») is precisely to propel forward the adoption of a special European law on assistance to victims of terrorism. The paper supports the publication of a similar book in Russia, which itself has been a target for transnational terrorist organizations for many years, primarily the so-called Islamic State (hereinafter referred to as IS, ISIS), banned on the territory of the Russian Federation. The paper contains a description of the victims of the ISIS crimes, and the victims of not only its terrorist attacks, but also other crimes, among which the crime of genocide should be especially noted. The adoption and implementation of programs of psychological and other assistance to victims of terrorism in the states of Western Europe makes it relevant to take support measures in relation to these persons also in Russia. Among such measures is the development and adoption of a federal law on support for victims of terrorism.

Pelatihan Driver Ojek Online dalam Pelaksanaan Basic Life Support (BLS) di Wilayah RT 15 Kenali Besar Kota Jambi

First Aid in Accidents is first aid that must be given immediately to victims who get an accident or sudden illness quickly and right before the victim is taken to the hospital. The intended aid is providing basic life support to the victim before complete first aid is given by a doctor or other health worker. The problem that often occurs with online motorcycle taxis is that they are confused and do not know how to do the correct Basic Life Support (BLS) for accident victims due to lack of knowledge and skills, for that the most appropriate solution is to help train online motorcycle taxis to be able to perform basic life support The results obtained were 30 online motorcycle taxi drivers took part in BLS training activities which within 6 months were gradually implemented for the implementation of BLS management for pre-hospital assistance in the Jambi City area. From the evaluation results online motorcycle taxi drivers are able to understand material about BLS, There is an increase in knowledge between after being given training and assistance, able to practice BLS properly, Able to apply basic life support in providing pre-hospital assistance, Able to disseminate information that has been obtained to people closes.

Fear of Crime and Victimization: An Explorative Study

The fear of crime is a new dimension of crime. It is not only a burning issue in Bangladesh but also all over the world. Fear of crime was theorized to be related to experiences of victimization, but this assumption was soon to be disputed. This study is based on empirical data which are from quantitative and qualitative research methods and the research is exploratory in nature. This study finds that 38-47 years of age group 36% of them are highest victimized by fear of crime. And 71% of males and 29% of females are victimized by fear of crime. Fear of crime affects far more people in Bangladesh than the crime itself, and there are sound reasons for treating crime and fear of crime as distinct social problems. Every year a huge number of people are suffered from fear of crime. Fear of crime has a great impact on our education, economy, and infrastructure. Important links exist between fear of crime and causation of victimization, location of occurrences, time of victimization, presence of law enforcement agencies, and levels of knowledge of the victims about the victim support services. The study findings play an important role in policy making and also for the upcoming researcher in the criminological arena.

Motivations and Barriers to Help-Seeking Among Female Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Ghana.

This study used qualitative data from 30 women in three of Ghana's 16 administrative regions to explore motivations and barriers to help-seeking among victims of intimate partner violence. Results of the thematic analysis showed low reporting to formal support networks, such as the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit or the police, with higher preference for informal sources, such as family members and friends. Motivations to seek help included fatigue, severity of abuse, abusive partner's negligence in honoring marital obligations, and trust in family members. Barriers to help-seeking included: fear of divorce, stigmatization, lack of trust in formal support channels, sociocultural norms emphasizing gender role expectations, and family privacy.

Online Dating Scam Victims Psychological Impact Analysis

In an era of widespread mass marketing scams on the Internet, many victims have reported varying degrees of financial loss and psychological damage after encountering lottery scams and advance payment scams. Among them, the emotional damage to victims of online dating scams may be even more severe because the whole scam process involves mental attachment, sexual abuse, and relationship breakdown. There is little help and support for victims throughout the scam process and even after the scam is over, which not only makes it difficult for victims to get timely and professional assistance after experiencing online scams, but victims even run the risk of being scammed by criminals again afterward, so timely help and professional psychological treatment for victims is of positive significance. In previous studies, there are fewer reports summarizing and analyzing the psychological conditions of victims. In this paper, we will summarize the psychological problems of victims of online dating scams and compare the psychological treatment needed by victims of online dating scams who experience online aggression with the psychological treatment needed by victims who are actually violated in reality. For example, professional treatment for real victims of sexual assault has methodological merit for victims of online fraud, methods of privacy and psychological protection for victims of online romance fraud, criteria for measuring psychological status, and more. These are all measures to promote enhanced victim care and the prevention of online dating fraud throughout the industry.

Psycho-pedagogical recommendations for the re-education of people prone to criminality due to thermal stress (cold) and psycho-pedagogical support for potential victims

In this article are described deliquent behaviours caused by thermal stress ( the cold) and its influence upon human’s personality. The purpose of this publication is to give psychopedagogical recommendations for the specialists who teach people who are predisposed of committing acts of violence because of thermal stress and psychopedagogical support for potential victims.

Transnational comparison of ‘comfort women’ advocacy movements in Japan and South Korea

This article looks to history to describe and explain a gap emerging in the approach of ‘comfort women’ advocacy campaigners in Japan and South Korea. This gap arises out of competing understandings of the nature of the Japanese military ‘comfort women’ sexual slavery system. From the early 1990s, advocates in the two countries have continually campaigned for recognition, restitution, and reparation for victims of Japanese military sexual slavery in the China and Pacific wars between 1937 and 1945. In their tens of thousands, these ‘comfort women’ were trafficked out of poor villages into Japanese military brothels in Northeast and Southeast Asia, as well as the Southwest Pacific, and mainland Japan itself. While they were initially targeted in Japan and Japan's colonial territories of Korea, Taiwan, and Manchuria, others in occupied and invaded territories like China, the Philippines, and Indonesia were detained, abducted, and coerced in various ways for trafficking into military brothels in the 1940s. This article assesses the contemporary movement in support of victims, and seeks to explain differences arising in the campaigning approaches of advocates in Japan and South Korea on the basis of history. This examination is important to the future direction of the movement, which is currently unstable as it transitions to one no longer incorporating living survivors.

Detection of Location from Kits Set Up by Vulnerable People during Earthquake Disasters with Communication Blackout: Study Using YOLOv5 Algorithm

When an earthquake occurs, the larger the scale of the disaster, the harder it is to support the victims’ needs. In fact, even the most meager support for victims has become quite difficult. Furthermore, it is also known that the greater the damage, the more difficult it becomes to use cell phones, applications, etc. The authors have developed multiple reflectors observable by synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) satellites and differing backscattering coefficients. Using them, we have proposed a method for ascertaining the location and needs of victims during a large-scale earthquake disaster. In this study, we developed an object detection model using YOLOv5 to detect the reflectors from within SAR images. In addition, we constructed a method for managing setup locations in GIS by conferring latitude and longitude information on reflectors obtained through YOLO v5. Through analysis, a model of the proposed reflector detection and identification of setup locations via GIS was developed in this study.

Falls Suffered by Hospitalized Adult Patients: Support to the Nursing Team as the Second Victim

Objective: To describe the support received by the second victim in falls suffered by hospitalized adult patients from the nursing team’s perspective. Materials and Methods: This is an exploratory and descriptive study with a qualitative approach, conducted in a large general hospital in the southern region of Brazil. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews with 21 nursing professionals (seven nurses and fourteen nursing technicians) selected by random sampling, who worked in the inpatient units where falls occurred with a level of harm ranging from moderate to severe during March and May of 2020. The data were submitted to content analysis from July to August of the same year. Results: On the one hand, from the nursing team’s perspective, support for the second victim was considered incipient by the hospital institution. On the other, participants highlighted the support received by their families and peers in the work environment. The study followed the guidelines of the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ). Conclusions: An institutional flow of support for the second victim needs to be formalized to mitigate the repercussions on staff.

The role of the media as a parallel tool of justice for crimes against a civilian population

The objective of the study was to determine the forms of media involvement in justice for crimes against the civilian population. The research was conducted using the methods of systems approach, descriptive analysis, forecasting, systematic sampling and comparative method. The mass media as an institution of civil society have ample opportunities for active participation in justice, in particular, in the detection and documentation of crimes, social support to victims, coordination of efforts of governmental and non-governmental entities. The media is an active subject in justice for crimes against the civilian population. However, their functions are not of a legal nature; they are aimed at establishing the completeness and objectivity of the facts. It is concluded that the prospects for the development of media activities envisage the model, which focuses on the detection and documentation of crimes, in particular through the latest technologies; provision of social support and opportunities for victims to express their position while facilitating the coordination of efforts between governmental and non-governmental entities interested in justice for crimes against civilians.

Restoring victims’ confidence: Victim-centred restorative practices

Victimization, and in particular sexual violence, undermines victims’ confidence and self-esteem. Victims often feel guilty and blame themselves for what happened. Fearing negative reactions, victims of sexual violence are often reluctant to report the crime to police. When victims do report to the police, the criminal justice process is often difficult and most sexual violence cases do not end in a conviction. Restorative practices (hereafter RP) have been presented both as a possible alternative and a complement to the criminal justice process, which could improve victims’ experiences. However, there is also considerable resistance to the use of RP in cases of gender-based violence. Using a victim-centred lens, in which it is seen as a reaction to victimization that aims to address the needs of the victim and allow them to advance in their healing process, we examine RP. Based on semi-structured interviews with 18 victims of sexual violence in Canada who participated in RP, we explore the healing potential for victims. We conclude that for victims of sexual violence, victim-centred RP should be viewed as a tool for victim support and not only as another tool in the criminal justice toolkit.

Domestic violence screening in a public mental health service: A qualitative examination of mental health clinician responses to DFV.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Mental health clients experience higher estimated rates of domestic violence, yet mental health services are less likely to screen for domestic violence. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: This paper qualitatively explores the perspectives and experiences of mental health practitioners in inpatient and community teams in a publicly funded hospital and health service (i.e. public mental health service). Mental health practitioners described a lack of domestic violence training, as well as a lack of knowledge of domestic violence and support mechanisms for victims, when domestic violence is disclosed by clients. The paper highlights the unique difficulties and barriers experienced by clinicians in screening for domestic violence while also dealing with clients suffering a mental health crisis. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: The paper sheds more light on the issue of domestic violence in mental health in terms of screening, and identifies avenues for improvement in mental health services; particularly the need for staff training and education. ABSTRACT: Introduction Domestic violence is particularly prevalent within mental health client groups, though screening for domestic violence within mental health services is often overlooked. Aim To investigate the experiences and opinions of domestic violence screening by mental health clinicians in a publicly funded hospital and health service. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve clinicians working in publicly funded mental health services in Queensland, Australia. Transcripts were thematically analysed. Results Four main themes emerged from the data: staff training and experience; prioritizing domestic violence screening; attitudes to domestic violence; and victim support. Participants discussed a lack of training for, or expectations of, domestic violence screening in mental health services. They also highlighted a lack of resources enabling them to appropriately respond when domestic violence was identified. Discussion Education, attitudes and resources relating to domestic violence are major factors that should be addressed for the successful screening and treatment of clients in mental health. Implications for Practice This paper informs services of the gaps in knowledge and care around domestic violence and mental health. A less medicalized approach to the treatment of mental health should be adopted, and domestic violence training introduced for all healthcare practitioners, to improve client outcomes.

Improving the ‘victim journey’ when reporting domestic abuse cyberstalking to the police – A pilot project evaluation

Criminal justice responses to stalking in England and Wales have come under increased scrutiny following the Joint Criminal Justice Inspectorate report in 2017. In response, police forces throughout England and Wales attempted to improve their handling of stalking. In one UK police force, a project was developed to improve the identification, investigation and victim journey for domestic abuse cyberstalking offences. The project included a specialist investigation team along with a dedicated and co-located Independent Domestic Violence Advisor. This article draws on research conducted during the evaluation of the project and will evidence high levels of victim engagement, positive reports from victims and a 100% success rate in obtaining restraining orders. These findings highlight the valuable role of specialist teams with integrated, independent support for victims and suggest that the victim journey can be improved through collaborative projects between the police and specialist organisations.

Labor and domestic violence: an investigation from victim support groups on Facebook

Resumo As estatísticas revelam que existe uma correlação entre ser mulher e estar em situação de violência. A violência doméstica é uma das manifestações dessa combinação e tem como agravante o fato de ser perpetrada por homens que mantêm relação de afeto com a mulher e de ser considerada restrita à esfera privada. Além disso, as pesquisas evidenciam que as mulheres trabalhadoras têm maior probabilidade de serem vitimadas do que aquelas que não possuem emprego. Considerando esses dados, o objetivo deste estudo é analisar as adversidades enfrentadas pelas mulheres trabalhadoras em situação de violência doméstica, especialmente a relacionada com sua condição laboral e as relações de trabalho. Para tanto, utilizou-se a metodologia qualitativa, por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas. Os relatos das mulheres entrevistadas revelaram que os transtornos acarretados pela violência são tanto de ordem mais evidente (perda de performance no trabalho e de oportunidades de ascensão profissional, necessidade de se ausentar, adoecimento etc.) quanto menos aparente (externada pelo sentimento de perda). Destacamos, ainda, que o trabalho não é considerado por elas como pertencente à rede de apoio capaz de ajudá-las a se desvencilhar da violência sofrida.

Patterns of Victimization and Gender: Linking Emotion, Coping, Reporting and Help-seeking

This paper aims to systematically address the differing experiences of men and women across the process of victimization and to situate the findings in terms of gendered differences in coping behaviours. The significance of gender and related emotional responses across four stages of victimization—risk, reporting to the police, service use and satisfaction—are explored via a series of logistic multi-level models of Scottish Crime and Justice Survey ( n = 16,000) data, each one examining the impact of gender and emotional responses at subsequent stages in the process of victimization. Variables representing negative emotional responses to crime felt by respondents were included as proxy measures indicating poor or unsuccessful coping. These consisted of eight binary variables measuring anger, shock, fear, depression, anxiety, vulnerability, having difficulty sleeping and crying/being tearful. Findings demonstrate that men have significantly greater odds of personal crime victimization (excluding domestic and sexual violence) yet have lower odds of reporting their victimization to the police. They are also less inclined to take up victim support services than women and find services less helpful when they are in fact used. Also evident is the comparative importance of the emotional impact of crime and coping strategies on further involvement with the criminal justice system.

스포츠 폭력 억제를 위한 입법적 개선방안 모색

Government institutions such as the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, local governments and educational circles have developed various efforts so far to curb sports violence that occurs continuously. Athletic circles have also enhanced various institutional strategies for establishing ethicality of athletes and preventing sports violence among the whole members. However, despite such efforts, a criticism that sports violence is still rampant throughout athletic circles is prevail, and relevant accidents are becoming the talk of all media in reality. Thus, this study aimed to search for a legislative improvement plan for curbing sports violence after examining various types of sports violence that has become one of serious social problems recently, reality of occurrence, and legal·institutional strategies as a top priority plan to guarantee basic right to sports and human rights. As a result of study, the following plans are considered necessary as a legislative improvement plan for curbing sports violence. First, so-called ‘materialization and strictness of legal device for prevention of violence and guarantee of human rights’ that can include reasons for disqualification of instructors, education to prevent sports violence and support for victims must be made immediately through revision of the「National Sports Promotion Act」. Second, it is necessary to revise the「Fundamental Law of Sports」as the law is faced with criticism that the law, unlikely its intent of legislation, leans excessively to the promotion of sports lacking in contents for guarantee of basic rights that everyone is entitled to enjoy like human rights of sportsmen. And through the foregoing, it is also needed to specify details of human rights, basic rights, violence, sexual violence etc., and necessary to organize a system for active protection of and support for victims. Third, construction of a system for prevention of violence and protection of victims is necessary through enactment·revision of ordinances of local governments. As a plan for the foregoing, it is first necessary to revise ordinances of local governments related to promotion of sports for enabling sportsmen·athletes to be respected as a human being and their rights and interests be protected. And each local government need to supplement limits of「the Charter of Human Rights in Sports」and「Guideline for Human Rights in Sports」by enacting tentatively named「Ordinance on Protection of Human Rights in Sports」.

2020 Measures to Address Violence and Unrest in a Time of COVID-19

COVID-19 had a severe impact on the lives of South Africans. Despite lockdown measures, unrest and violence continued unabated. The South African Police Services’ crime statistics reveal that, in some instances, less violent crimes were committed. Inquiries into taxi, police, and defence force violence during lockdown were also conducted. The Khosa v Minister of Defence case is dealt with in more detail in this regard. Violent protests continued despite lockdown measures. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s assistance to victims of apartheid in relation to basic and higher education was increased. The Department of Correctional Services had to reassess its parole system to ensure that violent criminals released on parole do not commit additional crimes. Despite this, numerous prisoners were released to lessen the pressure on prisons in a time of COVID-19. The Constitutional Court also addressed the Judicial Inspectorate’s lack of resources to conduct its work properly. The establishment of a National Security Council and its functions is addressed. The Firearms Control Regulations’ amendments include provisions on the training and retraining of employees of official institutions in the handling of firearms. The note also discusses several cases in relation to the use of firearms. The provisions of the Victim Support Services Bill of 2019 published in 2020 are also investigated. The note also refers to lists of entities that the United Nationals Security Council identified in terms of the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorist and Related Activities Act. The note concludes that unrest and violence (institutionalised or not) still underpin the South African society. The COVID-19 lockdown revealed more of these transgressions and limitations within the systems of the police, defence force, and correctional services. This note focuses on the most important 2020 measures and is a continuation of the annual reporting in this regard.

Illiberal and Populist Political Narratives on Gender and Underreporting of Sexual Violence: A Case Study of Hungary

Sexual violence is underreported all over the world. In this article, I argue that democratic backsliding undermines the reporting of sexual violence even further. The author’s team conducted in-depth interviews (n = 15) with representatives of civil society organizations, victims’ services, clinical practitioners, and child and family welfare in Hungary in 2017 and 2018, in search of organizational and structural causes to why sexual violence remains vastly underreported in the country with the least reported case numbers in Europe. The small but diverse sample helped identify associations between the reporting of sexual violence and repressive, gender-related political decisions such as threatening the existence of civil organizations undertaking victim support roles and providing victim services, a family-centered political narrative, and confining women’s roles solely for reproductive purposes. It is not possible to maintain causation since there are other factors interfering the association. Thus, instead of discussing it as a single cause of underreporting sexual violence, I present the Hungarian case to illustrate the consequences of illiberal politics on reporting. Furthermore, utilizing Slovič’s risk-benefit model, I argue that recent products of illiberal politics such as politicizing “gender” undermine trust, a precondition of asking for help and providing support for victims of sexual violence.