Survivors Of Violence Research Articles

Across landscapes and lifespan: causes and solutions of gender-based violence from survivors of sexual violence against women and girls (VAWG)

ABSTRACT Violence Against Women and Girls has become a focus of sexual violence prevention policy, but how do survivors relate to this framing? This study listened to 13 survivors across 3 focus groups in one UK region. Questions focused on sexual violence terminology, settings and perceptions of safety. Challenges around reporting and policy revisions were discussed. Thematic analysis highlighted a discrepancy between how survivors experience sexual violence and how policy frames it, notably around structural gender inequality drivers and the scope and span of sexual harassment. Participant's solutions focused on prevention through education across institutions, targeting boys and men. Clear evidence of a justice gap was illustrated through lived experience of reporting, many felt their own vulnerability made them both a target and a less credible victim. Survivors outlined what they needed from reporting mechanisms recognising the span of gender-based violence across the landscapes and lifetimes of these survivors. PRACTICE IMPACT STATEMENT This qualitative study speaks to the accounts of a small group of sexual violence survivors who felt their experiences should be addressed through a wider structural gender inequality lens. They felt prevention through education should focus on males and span institutions. Their experiences of all-encompassing, lower-level harassment should be captured through supportive and compassionate reporting mechanisms but the police need to earn back trust.

Sexual Violence and Hazardous Drinking: Exploring Associations With PTSD Symptoms and Gender Among Adults With Probable PTSD and Hazardous Drinking.

Sexual violence is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but relatively less research has explored whether it is associated with hazardous drinking. PTSD symptoms may indirectly influence the association between sexual violence and hazardous alcohol use. This association may be moderated by gender. The aim of the current study was to cross-sectionally test whether sexual violence is indirectly associated with hazardous drinking through PTSD symptoms and explore whether gender moderates this association. Hypotheses were tested among 631 adults (Mage = 38, 56% men, 78.6% White) with probable PTSD and hazardous drinking who completed online self-report surveys. Results indicated sexual violence, compared with other trauma types, was associated with more severe hazardous drinking. There was a significant indirect effect of PTSD symptoms in this association. There was no evidence of a moderating effect of gender. PTSD symptoms may drive hazardous drinking among sexual violence survivors. Results also underscore associations between sexual violence and alcohol use, regardless of gender. Future work should continue to investigate these associations prospectively.

Healing Structures: Sociotechnical Mechanisms for Centering Survivors of Domestic Violence within US-Based Marginalized Communities

Domestic violence (DV) survivors from marginalized communities face serious challenges when seeking governmental services and community resources. Current resources often overlook victim-survivors' needs, neglecting their choices and autonomy. Through studying the context of DV within the US-based Muslim community and embracing a Survivor-Centered Transformative Justice approach, we introduce healing structures, structures promoting justice for victim-survivors and their communities, where healing is promoted by tackling harmful practices and discriminatory laws and fostering collective and survivor-centered interventions. Through focus groups, design concepts, and expert evaluations, we unveil three sociotechnical processes that establish healing structures for survivors and their communities when implemented collectively and simultaneously. The processes are: 1) Survivor advocacy, ensuring safety, empowerment, informed decision-making, and care continuity. 2) Community accountability, encouraging reparation and behavioral change of abusers through communal intervention and support. 3) Institutional transformation, reshaping broader conditions perpetuating abuse through preventive measures and structural reform. We conclude by reflecting on healing structures and discussing their design implications and potential tensions.

Feminist approaches to promoting researcher well-being through collective and organizational care

Researchers working in the field of violence against women and children are often tasked with listening to highly distressing personal accounts of violence and subsequent trauma. Without proper attention and mitigation strategies, this exposure can lead to vicarious trauma and related symptoms with significant impact on researchers’ well-being. As women are often leading and carrying out violence research, they also experience a disproportionate burden of risk of vicarious trauma symptoms. This case study highlights seven collective care strategies for research implemented by Healing and Resilience after Trauma (HaRT), a feminist organization dedicated to holistic healing among survivors of human trafficking and gender-based violence, whose team is entirely composed of women. Further, it explores how creating and integrating collective care into research protocols can help prevent vicarious trauma and enhance researchers’ emotional well-being as well as positively influence research quality. Qualitative data from researchers involved in the study on these strategies and how they affected their well-being are included. The piece concludes by discussing potential recommendations for other research teams and organizations seeking to mitigate the risk of vicarious trauma.

Seeking balance between contradictory experiences - therapists treating survivors of sexual violence

ABSTRACT With the prevalence of sexual violence in most countries and its increase in Sweden, it is important to understand the development of secondary traumatic reactions among professionals who work with sexually violated clients. The aim of this study was to describe the meaning of therapists’ personal experiences when treating survivors of sexual violence. We conducted a qualitative interview study of therapists in Sweden (N = 11) using thematic analysis and adding a phenomenological openess towards the phenomenon. The participants were all women, with different professional backgrounds and with further education in areas such as psychotherapy, sexology, trauma treatment, and forensic nursing. The essential meaning of their work could be described as a continuum where therapists were seeking balance between contradictory experiences, further described in four themes. They experienced their work as highly meaningful, and the use of self-care strategies helped to maintain protective boundaries. However, the incomprehensible violence they were indirectly exposed to, challenged their protective boundaries, thus causing negative reactions for the therapists. Increased understanding of the impact of work on therapists’ professional and private lives is crucial, and the need for therapists to have a model or framework of meaning and explanation for sexual violence that ties contradictory experiences together.

Insights into perceptions, responses, and challenges experienced by women and girls’ survivors of sexual violence and their communities in rural Guinea, 2020

Insights into perceptions, responses, and challenges experienced by women and girls’ survivors of sexual violence and their communities in rural Guinea, 2020

Adult Experience of Pregnancy and Childbirth in Survivors of Underage Sexual Violence

Objective: Ms. A, who was a victim of sexual violence as a minor, spoke about pregnancy and childbirth as an adult and revealed her thoughts on the medical treatment and care she received. Methods: Semi-structured interview was conducted on zoom using an interview guide about Ms. A's thoughts on pregnancy and childbirth. The contents of the interview were coded using NVivo version 1.6.1, a qualitative data analysis support software. Content analysis was performed on 62 coded data and categorized them. Results: Seven categories were generated: resistance, disgust, pain, flashbacks, childbirth, positive emotions, and children. "Flashbacks" and "resistance," "pain" and "disgust," and "children" and "childbirth" were related. Discussion: It became clear that pregnancy and childbirth are experiences that are connected to past sexual violence victims. Consideration is required for everyone, even if it is supportive care, such as the medical treatment and care that pregnant women receive on a routine basis, or the situation where they touch the female genitals. Even if appropriate support is not available during pregnancy, it is necessary to continue to provide support during the child-rearing period so that pregnancy and childbirth can be viewed in a positive light.

Revising the Original Antonovsky Sense of Coherence Concepts: A Mixed Method Development of the Sense of Meaning Inventory (SOMI)

Trauma recovery research requires the development of instruments that capture gender-based violence (GBV) survivor recovery phases. The salutogenic concepts in Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence (SOC) (manageability, comprehensibility, and meaning) could help capture trauma recovery stages, but the factorial structure of the SOC-13 has remained problematic. Moreover, most SOC revisions generally abandon the original intent of the SOC-13, developing scales that capture essential but different aspects of positive psychology. This study used mixed methods to develop the Sense of Meaning Inventory (SOMI), preserving the original concepts but updating the language, removing cultural idioms, and revising the response scales to stabilize the subscales. The qualitative phase evaluated and updated the items of the scale while retaining the original concepts. The quantitative phase conducted a two-sample psychometrics reliability and validity evaluation of the new scale with GBV survivors, finding a three-factor solution. This scale may be more amenable for international research and theory testing in GBV and other health conditions.

‘Worthy survivors’ of domestic violence in the eyes of the Beijing courts

AbstractThis article builds on Paige Sweet's conceptualization of ‘worthy survivors’ in the United States context and adds a consideration of judicial discretion to define who were considered worthy survivors of domestic violence in the eyes of the Beijing courts in 2021 and 2022. After analysing judges’ decisions in civil judgments and civil orders, the article concludes that worthy survivors were those who described how their abusers challenged legal authorities or disturbed public order, submitted multiple external documents with a clear description of the domestic violence, or mentioned children as direct survivors of physical child abuse committed in public. By contrast, survivors with limited capacity for civil conduct (generally due to schizophrenia) were marginalized and treated as ‘unworthy’. This article contributes to our understanding by addressing how crafting stories in line with mainstream ideology in the specific society helped survivors to achieve institutional recognition.

Beginning the Healing Journey

Storytelling is a pathway to healing for youth, families, and communities impacted by gun violence. It allows survivors to re-story the devastation and trauma into narratives that re-member the person lost and find purpose and meaning from the painful experience. Tree of Life is a group storytelling intervention developed in Southern Africa and rooted in narrative traditions that is emerging as a powerful starting point for addressing the traumatic impact of homicide in Chicago. This case study weaves together the narrative of the first author in her work at Chicago Survivors with research on gun violence, homicide bereavement, and Tree of Life in order to make an argument for its relevance in treating survivors of community gun violence in the United States. We contend that Tree of Life has potential to work across systems levels as youth and families find purpose through the pain generated from violent loss. We encourage social work clinicians to bring narrative practices and the Tree of Life approach into their practice and challenge social work researchers to develop partnerships with community organizations such as Chicago Survivors to develop a research base for this promising approach.

Strategies for primary healthcare in Ukraine: An integrated response to gender-based violence

Abstract Issue/problem Survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Ukraine face significant challenges in accessing appropriate healthcare services. Despite governmental commitment, acknowledgment and regulatory frameworks, including the ratification of the Istanbul Convention, gaps persist in integrating comprehensive GBV/CRSV services into primary healthcare (PHC) settings, exacerbated by the ongoing conflict with Russia. Description of the problem An analysis of healthcare providers’ knowledge has revealed deficiencies in effectively supporting GBV/CRSV survivors. Barriers include workload pressures, lack of inter-sectoral cooperation and case-management protocols, and insufficient training opportunities on survivor support. In collaboration with the World Health Organization, the global Clinical Management of Rape (CMR) guidelines was adapted for Ukrainian context. Among findings from CMR trainings attended by 443 PHC providers in 2022-2023 (213 participants in 2022 and 230 participants in 2023), the results underscore gaps in PHC workers’ basic knowledge and readiness to effectively support survivors during the war. Results Data from WHO training sessions underscored significant gaps in knowledge among healthcare professionals regarding legal protocols, available resources, and best practices in PHC service delivery. Identified barriers emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions to enhance PHC workers’ capacity in GBV/CRSV response. Lessons Recommendations focus on systemic enhancements including revising regulatory frameworks, developing standardized protocols, and institutionalizing and providing comprehensive training programs. Innovative approaches like online courses, mentoring programs, and integrated service models are crucial for addressing multifaceted challenges. Key messages • A holistic GBV/CRSV response is an essential component in PHC. • This intersectoral survivor-centered approach provides safe spaces that can be adapted to other contexts in Europe.

Post-Traumatic Growth Promoting and Inhibiting Factors Among Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: A Systematic Review.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a traumatic experience that is universally present across the globe. Undeniably, there are expected adverse outcomes. However, it is also conceivable that IPV survivors might see, feel, and experience a hopeful, positive future after their IPV experience. Notably experienced by IPV survivors is post-traumatic growth (PTG). PTG is a type of positive psychological change that occurs following the struggle with a traumatic experience. The changes are then reflected across five domains. As more studies on PTG among IPV survivors continue to rise, there must be a better understanding of the process. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol, this systematic review consolidated findings from existing literature guided by the research questions: (a) What areas of PTG do IPV survivors most experience positive psychological growth? (b) What factors are associated with PTG among IPV survivors? A total of 22 studies met the criteria and were included. Spiritual growth and new possibilities domains were experienced the most by adult IPV survivors. Contributing and inhibiting factors toward PTG were identified and categorized as interpersonal, contextual, or intrapersonal. Targeted interventions aiding the process toward PTG for IPV survivors were also identified, including commonly maladaptive coping strategies. This systematic review contributes to the literature by increasing knowledge that can be used for more effective support, interventions, and policies that promote PTG for adult IPV survivors.

Lessons to learn from pilot studies in clinical trials: The example of a trauma‐focused treatment for female survivors of intimate partner violence

AbstractBackgroundResearch on pilot studies is scarce, despite their importance for the development of effective clinical trials. There is a lack of work addressing the process, limitations and strategies derived from these studies. This gap is even more evident in research studying targeted populations, such as victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), who present specific difficulties, such as high dropout rates, or require the application of challenging treatments, such as trauma‐focussed exposure therapy.AimThis paper describes a pilot study (PS) implemented as a preliminary step in the development of a clinical trial (CT), in which a trauma‐focussed treatment for survivors of IPV with post‐traumatic symptomatology was applied. The problems identified in the PS and the solutions that were implemented in the CT are described. Additionally, comparisons between the PS and CT with respect to participant adherence to treatment and satisfaction, as perceived by the participants and the therapist, are analysed.ResultsResults indicate that satisfaction with the treatment was high in both studies; dropouts showed a significant decrease in the CT (25% in CT vs. 75% in the PS; p = .028), while group cohesion increased.ConclusionsIt is concluded that conducting pilot studies allows adapting treatments to the study population, which seems to increase the quality of clinical trials, subsequently improving the evidence of psychological interventions.

Exploring the Relationship Between Experiences of Violence and Subjective Wellbeing: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among School Teachers in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp in Tanzania.

Experiences of violence have been reported to be associated with lower levels of subjective wellbeing (SWB). However, little is known about this association in conflict settings and among forcibly displaced populations. In this study we exploit data from a representative sample of refugee teachers from Nyarugusu Refugee Camp collected as part of a larger study, to examine the association between demographic characteristics and SWB, and between experiences of violence and SWB. Three cross-sectional surveys of primary and secondary school teachers were conducted, collecting data on lifetime experience of violence (physical and sexual) and SWB (measured by life satisfaction and current happiness, on 1-5 Likert scales). Linear mixed models were used to estimate the associations between violence and SWB accounting for teacher and school clustering, unadjusted and adjusted for main factors associated with SWB. The 3 surveys included 1,666 responses completed by 885 teachers. Country of origin and number of meals consumed per day were strongly associated with SWB. Individuals who experienced physical violence reported on average, 0.13 lower life satisfaction scores (95% CI [-0.23, -0.02], p = .016) compared to those who did not experience physical violence, while survivors of sexual violence reported on average, 0.24 lower happiness scores ([-0.43, -0.05], p = .014) compared to those who did not experience sexual violence, after adjusting for confounders and clustering. We found an important negative association between past experience of violence and SWB in a refugee camp setting. These findings contribute to the evidence that violent experiences are likely to have a long-lasting impact on people's wellbeing. There is a need for improved mental health and psychosocial support in humanitarian settings.

Feasibility Evaluation of a Parenting Group for Latina Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive concern among Latina women that requires accessible and culturally appropriate services for survivors, including programs to support parenting in the context of IPV. Evaluations of such programs are sparse, limiting understanding of how agencies can best serve Latina survivors who are parents. We conducted a feasibility study of a parenting group for Latina IPV survivors that included an analysis of administrative data, focus groups with program participants (n = 17), and interviews with facilitators (n = 4). Findings center on demand, acceptability, implementation, and recommendations. Overall, the program was well received, and results include suggestions to enhance the program.

The impact of Covid-19 on recovery after sexual violence and abuse: Voices of help-seeking survivors and those individuals working within specialist support services in England

We examined the impact of Covid-19 on service delivery within specialist sexual violence services and the healing journeys of survivors of sexual violence and abuse through the experiences of 22 professionals and 221 service users in England. The pandemic posed challenges across all sectors and economies across the globe, but practices and innovations that emerged at that time could enhance future services and user experiences. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes within the data. Overall, the negative impacts of Covid-19 outweighed the positive changes: survivors reported increased feelings of depression, anxiety, and worry, exacerbated by isolation and lost connections with friends and family, and access to strategies for managing their mental health. Difficulties/delays in accessing support, service provision, and disruptions to rapport, trust, and safety were widespread in participants’ reports. Conversely, for some, requirements to remain at home provided safety from the world, and space for healing, and even prompted survivors of non-recent abuse to seek help. Remote service delivery was beneficial where clients could be ‘at a distance’ in discussing sensitive issues. Together with insights from professionals about their own isolation, blurred boundaries, and concerns regarding client confidentiality and engagement, this research highlights an agile sector responding to an unprecedented situation. Moving forward, survivors’ preferences for flexible/remote support must be integrated into everyday delivery.

Predictors of Trauma-Related Self-Blame in Male Survivors of Sexual Violence

ABSTRACT Survivors of adult sexual assault and child sexual abuse – together encompassing sexual violence (SV) – experience a number of adverse consequences. High rates of self-blame can lead to increased symptomatology and treatment resistance. There has been a paucity of studies of men who have experienced SV, particularly about self-blame. For this study, 179 cisgender male survivors of SV completed an online survey to explore the relationships among 10 variables, including trauma-related self-blame, rape myth acceptance, tonic immobility, disclosure experiences, sexual arousal, and substance use. Multiple regression analyses and t-tests were used to test the study hypotheses. Results indicate that 93% of the sample reported some level of self-blame. However, only rape myth acceptance was strongly associated with self-blame. Additionally, participants who used substances within 12 hours prior to their SV had higher rates of self-blame, as did participants who had not previously disclosed their abuse. Exploratory analyses also found a significant difference in self-blame between those who experienced SV in childhood and adulthood versus those who only experienced SV in either childhood or adulthood. The findings of this research highlight the high rates of self-blame and how imperative it is to provide psychoeducation about the variables discussed in this study and to normalize these experiences, especially for less well-known phenomena such as physiological sexual arousal and TI.

Penal Protection Orders and Intimate Partner Violence in the Netherlands: An Application of the Empowerment Process Model.

This study analyzed the experiences of 20 survivors of violence by partners with penal protection orders (POs) issued against them to explore the extent to which, how, and when POs (dis)empower. The results show that the extent to which POs result in survivors' enhanced sense of safety and ability to move on with their lives is dependent on specific circumstances and the PO impact on their sense of self-efficacy, including whether they obtain PO-related knowledge, report violations, refrain from contact with the ex-partner, and expect and received support from the criminal justice system and others. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

From sleep to sip? Examining a daily model of sleep and trauma-related drinking among sexual violence survivors.

Alcohol misuse is common among women who have experienced sexual violence and is often attributed to the self-medication model of alcohol use to alleviate posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Despite the proximal theorized role of PTSD symptoms, less attention has been given to daily associations between PTSD symptoms, trauma-related drinking to cope (TRD) motives, and ensuing alcohol use by survivors. Moreover, despite indications that poor sleep impacts affective functioning and may exacerbate daily PTSD symptoms, the role of sleep duration and quality in drinking to cope with PTSD symptoms is not well understood. This study examined an integrated model testing whether shorter sleep duration and poorer sleep quality predict greater daily PTSD symptoms and, in turn, greater alcohol use later that day through TRD motives. Participants were 82 cisgender women (Mage = 22.8, 73.2% White, 13.4% Hispanic/Latina, 56.1% heterosexual, 30.5% bisexual) who had experienced sexual violence. Participants completed ecological momentary assessment measures and wore actigraphs for 3 weeks. Contrary to hypotheses, shorter-than-usual sleep duration did not predict greater alcohol use quantity via daily PTSD symptoms and TRD motives. However, poorer-than-usual sleep quality predicted greater PTSD symptoms that day, which in turn predicted greater same-day TRD motives. Findings underscore the importance of sleep quality in heightened PTSD symptoms but suggest survivors did not drink more to alleviate trauma-related distress. Future research should examine other drinking motives among survivors to inform proximal interventions to prevent alcohol misuse. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Gender-based violence and its determinants among refugees and internally displaced women in Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundGender-based violence is a serious public health concern and affects a large number of women and girls in humanitarian emergencies. Despite this, there is a dearth of the summary data to address the issue. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the estimated pooled magnitude and factors associated with gender-based violence among refugees and internally displaced women in Africa.MethodsPubMed/MEDLINE, Google Scholar, African Journals OnLine, PsycINFO, and EMBASE were among the databases that were used to search the primary articles. The reviewed papers were articles that evaluated the prevalence and contributing variables of gender-based violence against refugees and internally displaced women in Africa. We extracted the data using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, which we exported into Stata version 14 for further analysis. The I2 test was applied to identify statistical heterogeneity. We used a random effect meta-analysis methodology because of the heterogeneity. A funnel plot and Egger’s weighted regression test were used to examine publication bias.ResultsThis systematic review and meta-analysis reviewed 17 primary studies with a total of 6,161 refugees and internally displaced women in Africa. The findings of this study revealed that the estimated pooled prevalence of gender-based violence among refugees and internally displaced women was determined to be 48.20% (95% CI: 39.28, 57.12). Young age (AOR = 3.68, CI: 2.63, 5.14), alcohol consumption (AOR = 2.53, CI: 1.56, 4.11), and having no social protection (AOR = 3.21, CI: 2.22, 4.63) were factors significantly associated with gender-based violence.Conclusions and recommendationsThe present study showed that almost half of refugees and internally displaced women residing in Africa were survivors of gender-based violence. Younger women, alcohol users, and those without social protection were more likely to experience gender-based violence. Therefore, it is recommended that accessible information about the consequences of gender-based violence and early intervention for survivors be provided, taking these factors into consideration.