Types Of Sexual Violence Research Articles

Prevalence and Formal Reporting of Sexual Violence among Undergraduate Student-Athletes: A Multi-State Study.

Sexual violence (SV) is a serious problem on college campuses, and student-athletes are one group of college students at risk for experiencing SV. The administrative context and close-knit bonds of college teams introduce opportunities and structures for responding to SV and delivering uniquely tailored prevention programming, but there is limited research about formal reporting of SV among student-athletes. The current study examines the prevalence of SV and SV reporting history and perceptions among a multi-state sample of undergraduate student-athletes. Student-athletes at 10 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I institutions across the US participated in an online survey about their experiences of SV victimization, formal reporting of SV, knowledge of resources, and perceptions of responses to SV at their institutions. Among 1004 student-athletes who completed the survey, 29% experienced some type of SV since enrolling at their university, with higher prevalence of SV among student-athletes on women's teams (36%) compared to men's teams (13%). About one fifth of student-athletes felt very or extremely knowledgeable about where to make a report of SV, and only about 10% felt very or extremely knowledgeable about what happens when a student reports SV. Only 9% of participants who experienced SV filed a formal report at their institution. Perceptions about whether campus officials would take the report seriously or would conduct a fair investigation were most positive for students who experienced and formally reported SV. Further research with student-athletes about their decision to formally report and barriers to reporting is needed to build a more comprehensive understanding of the unique experiences of SV among student-athletes. Our results highlight the importance of including and targeting student-athletes in campus SV prevention efforts to build knowledge and trust in hopes of ultimately decreasing the prevalence and adverse consequences of SV.

Sexual and gynecological health in women with a history of sexual violence: the role of the gynecologist

Objectives: Sexual violence is defined as any sexual act, attempt to commit a sexual act or unwanted sexual comment or action which, by means of force or coercion, is directed against a person’s sexuality, regardless of the relationship with the victim. The global prevalence of sexual violence all over the world is 35.6%; 30% partner-related and 7.2% non-partner sexual violence, being the prevalence of sufferers from both types of sexual violence 1.6%. Sexual violence against girls and women is a global public health problem of epidemic proportions. As a violence free life constitutes a basic human right, actions to prevent sexual violence and to treat and follow-up its victims have to be undertaken. Mechanism: A multidisciplinary approach on these cases should be mandatory to help women in all the potential short-, mid- and long-term consequences, which need to be evaluated. Finding in brief: Consequences after sexual violence can be both physical and psychological, including a potential impact on gynecological, reproductive, obstetric and sexual issues of the individual. For this reason, gynecologists should play an important role in the follow-up of girls and women who have suffered sexual violence. Conclusions: Gynecologists have to participate in both the immediate attention and the follow-up of patients who have suffered sexual violence. Gynecologists have the gold opportunity to introduce sexual health care in their clinical practice and their visits should be the place where the discussion of sexual concerns is permitted and also where the identification, support and treatment of women with sexual violence is provided.

Perlindungan Hukum Perempuan Korban Pelecehan Seksual Dalam Sistem Peradilan Pidana Indonesia Ditinjau Dalam Prespektif Viktimologi

The lack of literature and understanding of law enforcement agencies regarding victimology in Indonesia is an important question of how so far legal protection for women victims of sexual harassment in the criminal justice system. Several internal policies regarding how to handle women's cases in each agency have been made, but they need to be reviewed regarding their implementation of the rights of women victims of sexual harassment. Victimology as a comprehensive and in-depth study of victims needs to be the foundation of the Indonesian criminal justice system. In this study, we want to see to what extent victimology is used in the Indonesian criminal justice system in looking at the cases of women victims of sexual harassment. The research is a social legal research with a descriptive analytical approach. The results of the study indicate that sexual harassment as a type of sexual violence in Indonesia has not fully used victimology studies. For example, it has not been regulated through valid legal policies, law enforcement has not had a perspective on women, and the results of court decisions against victims of sexual harassment have not fully protected women's rights.

Sexual Violence Associated With Sexual Identity and Gender Among California Adults Reporting Their Experiences as Adolescents and Young Adults

Disproportionate levels of violence exist in lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, asexual, and other sexual identity (LGBQA+) communities, often starting in adolescence and young adulthood, but little research exists on the range of sexual violence (SV) experiences. To assess risk of experiences of sexual violence among California LGBQA+ adults during adolescence and young adulthood. This survey study analyzed data from Cal-VEX 2020, a state-representative survey of California residents aged 18 years and older, to assess associations between LGBQA+ identification and types of SV experienced in adolescence (ages 13-17 years) and young adulthood (ages 18-24 years) using gender-stratified adjusted logistic regression. Forms of SV included verbal, cyber, and coercion or physically aggressive sexual harassment; homophobic or transphobic slurs; and forced sex. Sexual identity. The outcome of interest was experiences with any 5 forms of sexual violence (verbal sexual harassment, homophobic or transphobic slurs, cyber sexual harassment, sexual coercion or physically aggressive sexual harassment, and forced sex) during adolescence or young adulthood. A total of 2102 contacted individuals (response rate, 26.2%) completed the Cal-VEX survey and were included in these analyses. Among these, the mean (SD) age was 46.6 (17.7) years, 1149 identified as female, 953 identified as male, and 214 respondents (9.6%) identified as LGBQA+. Compared with heterosexual individuals, LGBQA+ individuals had significantly higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs (women: AOR, 14.65; 95% CI, 5.14-41.77; men: AOR, 14.17; 95% CI, 6.96-28.86) and forced sex (women: AOR, 5.35; 95% CI, 2.74-10.43; men: AOR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.01-7.10) in adolescence. LGBQA+ women also had higher odds of having experienced verbal and coercion or physically aggressive sexual harassment in adolescence (AOR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.30-4.19). In young adulthood, LGBQA+ individuals also had higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs (women: AOR, 18.58; 95% CI, 7.12-48.49; men: AOR, 16.73; 95% CI, 8.26-33.92) in young adulthood. LGBQA+ men also had higher odds of having experienced homophobic or transphobic slurs (AOR, 16.73; 95% CI, 8.26-33.92); verbal (AOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 1.44-7.53), cyber (AOR, 6.32; 95% CI, 1.50-26.52), and coercion or physically aggressive (AOR, 5.54; 95% CI, 2.08-14) sexual harassment; and forced sex (AOR, 21.26; 95% CI, 5.63-80.35) in young adulthood. This survey study found that adult LGBQA+ individuals were at increased risk for having experienced SV across the continuum during adolescence and young adulthood, consistent with prior research. Multifold solutions are needed to support LGBQA+ youth, including altering social norms accepting SV and homophobia, creating safer schools and other institutional environments, and supporting healthy sexual and romantic partnerships.

Contribution of Islamic Law to the Draft Law on the Elimination of Sexual Violence

Cases of sexual violence are like an iceberg. Whereas human rights in the constitution have been contained, and mandated protection for the people of Indonesia. Especially with the Covid-19 pandemic, cases of sexual violence in Indonesia have increased drastically. In Indonesia's positive law has also contained love and obscenity. However, this still does not cover all the problems or types of sexual violence that occur. To cover all aspects of violence, Komnas Perempuan formed a bill on the Elimination of Violence. This bill is expected to examine the existing laws in Indonesia so far. Assessing that the majority of the Indonesian population is Muslim. So, the contents of the bill must not conflict with Islamic law. The research method used is normative juridical. With data sourced from literature on the internet. The PKS Bill is very urgent to ensure the safety of victims and other weak people who have the potential to become victims of sexual violence. However, this bill contains elements of sexual violence in the domestic sphere where a husband who forces him to have sex will be threatened with a crime. It should be noted, this coercion on what basis. The reason why the wife according to Islamic law must be clear according to the rules. During menstruation or when you are sick, it is permissible to refuse.

PROFILE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE CASE AGAINST WOMEN EXAMINED AT GENERAL HOSPITAL LANGSA IN 2019-2020

Background: Sexual violence against women is any attack of a sexual nature against women, whether sexual intercourse has occurred or not, and regardless of the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. The types of sexual violence that can occur are sexual violence and sexual harassment. Statistically, the number of cases of sexual violence continues to increase in the world and in Indonesia. Method: This research is a cross sectional study with total sampling method. Data collection was carried out using secondary data, namely all data on women who were examined at the Forensic and Medicolegal Installation of Langsa Hospital on Victims who experienced Sexual Violence in 2019 - 2020 and the data listed variables that matched the variables to be studied based on age, occupation, status marriage, the relationship of the victim with the perpetrator and the type of sexual violence. Conclusion: The results showed that there were 35 cases of sexual violence against women examined at Langsa Hospital in 2019 to 2020. This number of cases increased from 2019 as many as 13 victims to 22 victims in 2020. The number of cases of sexual violence against women by age, the highest were in the adolescent age group awa1 2-16 years as many as 20 victims with a percentage of 57.14%. The lowest number of cases was in the age group > 36 years (late adult age, early elderly, late elderly and elderly age group) as many as 0 victims, who experienced cases of sexual violence based on work, the highest was students with 31 victims, with a percentage of 88.57 % while the lowest number of cases was not working as many as 4 victims with a percentage of 11.43%. The number of women who experienced cases of sexual violence based on marital status, as many as 35 victims, namely with unmarried marital status, with a percentage of 100%. The number of women who experienced cases of sexual violence based on the relationship between the victim and the perpetrator, the highest as many as 34 victims were people who were known to the victim with a percentage of 97.14%, and the lowest as many as 1 victim was a person who was not known to the victim with a percentage of 2.86%. cases of sexual violence based on the type of sexual violence, the highest was in cases of sexual harassment as many as 22 victims with a percentage of 62.86% and the lowest was incases of rape as many as 3 victims with a percentage of 8.57%,

EDUCATION AND TRAINING THROUGH MINIMOVIE MEDIA AS A PREVENTION OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN

Introduction: Cases of violence against children in Indonesia have a high number. Particularly the sexual abuse against children which has increased in the society. Lack of sexual education in children can affect the child’s emotional maturity and knowledge in assessing the deviates situation in surrounding environment. As a consequence, the child could not find ways in handling the violence behaviour. The Aim of this community services were to increase emotional maturity and knowledge about prevention of sexual violence.Methods: The activities used in this community service program are in the form of education and training using minimovie media at PPTQKids Darul Quran Surabaya for 30 elementary students of grade 1 and 2. The Topic of education about types of sexual violence against children, methods of prevention, what to do if a foreigner commits sexual violence.Results: Darul Quran PPTQKids students who take part in community service activities are very enthusiastic, both for day 1 related to providing information through minimovie and day 2 when providing training with the demonstration method. The results of the post-test showed that some respondents had a high level of knowledge as many as 27 students (90%). 22 respondents had a high level of emotional maturity (73.33%).Conclusion: Community service activities through minimovie media with education and training can increase knowledge and emotional maturity as an effort to prevent sexual violence. Minimovie media can be applied as one of the effective media in providing health education for school-age children.

A Feminist Analysis: Sexual Violence in the Bosnian War (1992-1995)

Throughout history, war violence has disproportionately affected women, especially in patriarchal societies. Wartime rape, which is the most common and destructive type of conflict-related sexual violence, is the clearest example of these effects. This study clarifies the sexual violence experiences of Yugoslavian women during the Bosnian War, which had lasted between the years 1992-1995, with an anti-militarist feminist perspective. The first part of the article includes hypotheses of feminist theory about conflict-related sexual violence. The second part handles types of sexual violence such as wartime rape, forced prostitution, and forced pregnancy that had affected women in Yugoslavian conflict areas between 1992-1995. The last part of the study describes the numerical dimensions of the sexual violence used in the Bosnian War and its ef-fects on Yugoslavian women. Throughout history, war violence has disproportionately affected women, especially in patriarchal societies. Wartime rape, which is the most common and destructive type of conflict-related sexual violence, is the clearest example of these effects. This study clarifies the sexual violence experiences of Yugoslavian women during the Bosnian War, which had lasted between the years 1992-1995, with an anti-militarist feminist perspective. The first part of the article includes hypotheses of feminist theory about conflict-related sexual violence. The second part handles types of sexual violence such as wartime rape, forced prostitution, and forced pregnancy that had affected women in Yugoslavian conflict areas between 1992-1995. The last part of the study describes the numerical dimensions of the sexual violence used in the Bosnian War and its effects on Yugoslavian women.

Sexual Victimization and Mental Health in Female University Students.

Although sexual assaults on female university students are a public health concern, studies that have examined this issue have not used behaviorally specific definitions of the various types of sexual victimization. Furthermore, hardly any data exists on female Spanish university students. The objectives of this study were to analyze the prevalence of different forms of sexual assault against female Spanish university students, determine the risk factors associated with sexual assault, analyze the association between sexual victimization and mental health problems, and determine the differential risk of more serious types of sexual assault. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample of 871 students from the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) (mean age 20.7 years, SD = 2.8). The current study assessed various types of sexual violence (i.e., unwanted sexual contact, attempted coercion, coercion, attempted rape, rape), as well as rates of depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, substance abuse, suicide risk, and suicide attempts. Of the female students surveyed, 28.5% had suffered some form of sexual violence during the previous year, 22.3% reported unwanted sexual contact, 8.8% attempted coercion, 6.5% coercion, 10.4% attempted rape, and 7.9% had been raped. Lower risk was associated with having a partner and being heterosexual. Being 18 years of age and prior experiences of sexual victimization were associated with higher risk. Being the victim of attempted coercion was associated with a higher risk of depression, while victims of attempted rape were at higher risk for substance use. Rape victims were at the highest risk for all mental health conditions studied, with the exception of suicide attempts. Due to the high rates at which Spanish female university students experience sexual violence, planning and resources are needed to address their mental health needs, especially those who are victims of rape.

Factors predictive of sexual violence: Testing the four pillars of the Confluence Model in a large diverse sample of college men

This article focuses on the characteristics of sexually violent men who have not been convicted of a crime. The objective of this study was to test the four key interrelated pillars of the Confluence Model. The first key pillar posits the interaction of Hostile Masculinity and Impersonal Sex as core risk predictors. The second pillar entails a "mediated structure" wherein the impact of more general risk factors is mediated via those specific to aggression against women. The third pillar comprises a single latent factor underlying various types of sexual violence. The fourth pillar expands the core model by including the secondary risk factors of lower empathy, peer support, extreme pornography use, and participation in alcohol parties.An ethnically diverse sample of 1,148 male students from 13 U.S. colleges and universities completed a comprehensive survey that assessed the hypothesized risk factors and self-reported sexual violence, which included noncontact sexual offenses, contact sexual coercion, and contact sexual aggression.A series of multiple regression analyses were conducted before testing structural equation models. The results supported the integration of the four pillars within a single expanded empirical model that accounted for 49% of the variance of sexual violence.This study yielded data supporting all four key pillars. These findings provide information about non-redudant risk factors that can be used to develop screening tools, group-based and individually tailored psychoeducational and treatment interventions.

Sexual violence in medical students and specialty registrars in Flanders, Belgium: a population survey

BackgroundSexual violence has globally been recognized as harmful to young people’s health. In medical school, which is a highly competitive environment, the risk is supposedly even bigger. In this study we firstly aimed to investigate the magnitude and precipitating factors of sexual violence in medical students and specialty registrars in Flanders, Belgium. Secondly, we wanted to assess the reactive behaviours as well as the knowledge of possible types of bystander reactions as well as potential support resources for victims of sexual violence.MethodsThis study was initiated and coordinated by the Flemish medical student representation organisation (VGSO). A survey containing demographic and behaviour-specific questions based on the UNMENAMAIS and SAS-V questionnaire was sent to all undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students of the 5 medical schools in Flanders. Participants were asked to limit their responses to internship-related events. Further questions concerning reactions to sexual violence, assailants, bystander reactions and general knowledge concerning support after sexual violence were asked.ResultsWe received 3015 valid responses to our survey, obtaining a response rate of 29% in the potential target population. Within the total study population, 1168 of 3015 participants (38,73%) reported having been victim of at least one type of sexual violence as explored by our survey. This percentage was the highest in GP specialty registrars (53%), followed by specialty registrars (50%) and master students (39%). Assailants of sexual violence varied, most often they were medical staff members, students or patients. In most types of sexual violence, nobody reacted to this behaviour. Women (57.3%) talked about what happened afterwards more often than men (39.7%). When asked about their knowledge of possible bystander reactions and support services for sexual violence, 60% of the respondents did not know about their existence.ConclusionsSexual violence is still a relatively frequent issue in medical students and specialty registrars. Patients form an important part of the assailants. In a third of reported sexual violence cases, nobody reacted. In addition, male victims seem to underreport. There is still much need for sensitisation on support mechanisms and centres for victims and witnesses of sexual violence.

Estado del arte sobre el acoso sexual callejero: un estudio sobre aproximaciones teóricas y formas de resistencia frente a un tipo de violencia basada en género en América Latina desde el 2002 hasta el 2020

El acoso sexual callejero es una forma de interacción que se da en lugares públicos y comprende exhibicionismo, persecuciones, acoso expresivo, físico y verbal de contenido sexual y no correspondido. Este estudio indaga las aproximaciones teóricas e iniciativas sociales sobre el acoso sexual callejero como un tipo de violencia de género en Latinoamérica. Para ello, se desarrolló una búsqueda en fuentes de información utilizando ciertos criterios, tales como: espacio público, ciudadanía sexual, violencia y ciudades seguras. A partir de los textos encontrados se hace una conceptualización del acoso como término y como un tipo de violencia; además se clasifica de acuerdo con sus modalidades y su diferencia con otros tipos de acoso según las relaciones de poder, el anonimato, el contexto público, el consentimiento y la connotación sexual. Se concluye que el acoso es un tipo de violencia sexual que afecta el uso del espacio público en condiciones de igualdad.

Entre la Coacción y el Consentimiento: Un Estudio sobre la Violencia Sexual Masculina en las Relaciones de Pareja Heterosexuales

Objective: We present an analysis of the main characteristics of male sexual violence in partner relationships (types of sexual behaviour, male coercion methods and women’s reactions) as well as their prevalence. Method: The sample consisted of 110 women who attended public specialist support centres for women over 12 months. For the study, the women were grouped according to whether or not they mentioned partner violence (PV or NPV respectively), in an ex post facto design. Semi-structured interviews were used for the Exploration of Sexual Violence (ESV). Results: Descriptive, statistical and comparative analysis of the information showed no statistically significant differences in the types of sexual violence, that the most common method of coercion used is physical force, and that the most significant reactions are explicit refusal in the case of the PV group and active participation and feigning enjoyment in the NPV group. Conclusions: Our data shows that, when it is explored, both the PV and the NPV groups describe the male sexual violence exerted by their partners.

The Impact of Avoidant/Disengagement Coping and Social Support on the Mental Health of Adolescent Victims of Sexual Violence in Eastern Congo.

IntroductionEastern Congo has been affected by armed conflict for decades while the rampant use of sexual violence has left many women and girls dealing with a wide range of consequences of sexual violence. For adolescent victims the psychosocial impact of sexual violence is devastating. However, the role of avoidant/disengagement coping and family support on the mental health impact of sexual violence remains unclear.MethodsThe study design was a cross-sectional, population-based survey in which 1,305 school-going adolescent girls aged 11 to 23 participated. Mental health symptoms (IES-R and HSCL-37A), family support (MSPSS), avoidant/disengagement (Kidcope), war-related traumatic events (ACEES), experiences of sexual violence, daily stressors, and stigmatization (ACEDSS) were administered through self-report measures. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was carried out with mental health outcomes as dependent variables for different types of sexual violence. Finally, several ANCOVA models were defined to explore possible interaction effects of avoidant/disengagement coping and family support with stigmatization, daily stressors and war-related traumatic exposure.ResultsFor girls who did not report sexual violence, avoidant/disengagement coping has a direct negative effect on all psychological symptoms. For victims of sexual violence, when high levels of stigma were reported, avoidant/disengagement coping possibly served as a protective factor, as shown by the interaction effect between avoidance/disengagement coping and stigmatization on mental health outcomes. In victims of sexual violence however, high levels of daily stressors combined with avoidant/disengagement strategies showed a strong increase in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Interestingly, the mental health impact of sexual violence was not mitigated by support by family members. For girls who reported a nonconsensual sexual experience without labelling it as rape and at the same time testified to have a lot of family support, there was a positive association between stressors (daily stressors, stigma, and war-related trauma) and posttraumatic stress symptoms.ConclusionsThese results of this study underwrite to the importance of looking beyond the straightforward negative impact of avoidant/disengagement coping strategies on mental health in adolescent victims of sexual violence. While avoidant/disengagement coping can have a negative impact on psychosocial well-being on adolescent victims of sexual violence, in case of high levels of stigmatization it can as well protect them from posttraumatic stress or anxiety. Furthermore these findings speak to the importance of exploring the diversified relationship between risk and protective factors, such as avoidant/disengagement coping strategies and family support, that shape the mental health impact of sexual violence in adolescent victims.

The Association Between Gender Inequality and Sexual Violence in the U.S.

Few societal-level factors are established as risk or protective factors for sexual violence. Traditional gender norms and gender inequality are linked to sexual violence, but much of this research was conducted internationally or is becoming outdated and may not reflect current norms in the U.S. This study expands on previously published research by examining gender inequality's association with state-level sexual violence. Using state-level prevalence estimates published in the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 2010-2012 State Report and the Gender Inequality Index, Pearson correlations were examined to investigate the relationship between state-level gender inequality and lifetime victimization for various types of sexual violence among U.S. female and male adults. The analysis was conducted in 2019. Findings indicate that states with a high degree of gender inequality also report higher prevalence estimates among women for rape using physical force. Gender inequality was also negatively correlated with noncontact unwanted sexual experiences among women and men. In addition, an exploratory analysis of the relationship between individual indicators of gender inequality and violence outcomes suggest that the adolescent birth rate, female government representation, and labor force participation demonstrate an association with certain state-level violence outcomes, although the patterns were inconsistent. Although this study relied on cross-sectional data, collectively, these findings suggest that gender inequality may represent an important societal-level factor associated with sexual violence among women and men. However, this relationship appears complex and requires further research. These findings have potential to inform population-level violence prevention approaches.

Profil Kasus Kekerasan Seksual di Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat Dr. M. Djamil Padang Periode 2012 - 2016

Background Forensic medicine plays an important role in solving the case of sexual violence. The objective of this study was to determine the profile of cases, victims and perpetrators of sexual violence who were examined in Dr. M. Djamil general hospital of Padang. Method The design of the study was descriptive. Data were obtained from medical records of sexual violence cases in Dr. M. Djamil general hospital from 2012 to 2016. Results. The highest number of sexual violence incident was in 2015 and the lowest was in 2013. The highest type of sexual violence was rape (39.3%). Children were the most frequent victims (76.4%). Most of the victims were junior high school students (22.9%). Most of the victims were not pregnant (92.1%) while hymen remains intact was about 17.1% , old torn (54.3%), new torn (10%) and 1 cases requires medical treatment (0.7%). We were conducted anal examination in 6 cases and found redness of anal in 1 case. We were conducted sperm and semen analysis and found sperm in 9 vaginal swab of the victims (6.4%). We found redness of external genitalia (15%), laceration (5%), and abrasions (9.3%) and no injuries (70.7%) There were 9 cases that show the signs of violence, bruises in 5 victims (3.6%), abrasions in 2 victims (1.4%), and laceration in 1 victim (0.7%). The age of most perpetrators in this study was adults (59.3%). Closefriend is probably the perpetrators of sexual violence (27.1%). Conclusion In this study rape is the most sexual violence cases and the majority of victims were children. Signs of violence were found in most cases and most perpetrators were closefriends.
 Keywords: sexual violence, rape, forensic

Risk Factors for Sexual Violence Among College Students in Dating Relationships: An Ecological Approach.

College students in dating relationships are vulnerable to sexual violence given that nine out of 10 acts of sexual violence are perpetrated by acquaintances, friends, or dating partners. Although past research has explored the risk factors for sexual violence, few studies have considered multileveled factors associated with sexual violence. This study uses the ecological model to investigate the risk factors for sexual violence among college students in dating relationships. Domains of individual, interpersonal, community, and societal levels were examined for their associations with sexual victimization. A prevalidated survey was conducted among 361 undergraduates in dating relationships from a public university in the south central United States. Chi-square tests and negative binomial regression analysis were conducted. Approximately 35% of the college students reported experiencing some form of sexual violence perpetrated by their dating partner including attempted and completed rapes. College women reported having experienced significantly higher rates of sexual violence in comparison with college men. On the contrary, this study documents the significant higher prevalence of sexual violence among heterosexual students than among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer college students for experiencing at least one type of sexual violence or unwanted sexual contacts in a dating relationship. Sexual victimization is associated with gender, sexual assertiveness, the frequency of hookups, peer deviance, parental involvement, and perceived discrimination. Participants' gender, frequent hookups, and lower sexual assertiveness are positively associated with risk of sexual victimization across all types of sexual violence. Multilevel prevention programs and strategies are needed on campuses to reduce sexual victimization among college students in dating relationships.

Exploring the relationships between sexual violence, mental health and perpetrator identity: a cross-sectional Australian primary care study

BackgroundResearch supports the association between adult sexual violence (SV) and poor mental health. However, most studies focus on rape and physical sexual assault. Little is known about how more subtle forms of SV affect women’s well-being. Furthermore, evidence for the impact of the perpetrator’s identity is mixed. There is also little data from clinical populations to help health practitioners identify SV. This paper addresses these gaps by exploring the associations between different types of adult SV, perpetrator identity, and women’s mental health in the Australian primary care setting.MethodsWe conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study in general practice clinics. Adult women completed an anonymous survey while waiting for the doctor. Measures included PHQ-9 (depression), GAD-7 (anxiety) and PCL-C (post-traumatic stress disorder). SV was measured using items from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey and categorised into three groups (rape/sexual assault; coercive behaviours and/or reproductive control; and unwanted sexual contact).ResultsWe found significant associations between rape/sexual assault and poor mental health, and between coercion and/or reproductive control and higher PTSD and anxiety scores, compared to women with no SV experiences. SV perpetrated by an intimate partner was associated with significantly higher mean PTSD scores than SV perpetrated by a stranger, and significantly higher depression scores than SV perpetrated by another known person.ConclusionFindings suggest that associations between SV and mental health are mediated by type of SV and perpetrator identity. Health practitioners should enquire about different types of SV beyond stranger rape as a cause of poor mental health, and about perpetrator identity to inform them about the likelihood of ongoing symptoms.

The health-related impacts and costs of violence against women and girls on survivors, households and communities in Ghana.

Past research on violence in Ghana primarily discusses domestic violence and some types of sexual violence, but lacks a comprehensive analysis of violence against women and girls (VAWG) and its wider costs and impacts. Our study on the social costs of VAWG is a unique contribution, which aims to fill that gap. Through indepth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) with adult women and men, we explored the health impact of VAWG and the resulting social and economic consequences on survivors, their families and their communities. The research, which took place in the Eastern, Central, and Greater Accra regions of Ghana, points to several physical and mental health outcomes among survivors including physical injuries and disability, as well as impacts on mental health such as anxiety and suicidal ideation. Many VAWG survivors also experience stigma and social isolation. Our findings also reveal that survivors’ families can bear various social and economic costs. Lack of public and private service provision and shelters for survivors heighten these impacts. Without institutional support for survivors, families and communities absorb these costs of VAWG.

The Association between Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) During Pregnancy and Birth Weight

Introduction: Intimate partner violence is referred to actual or threatened abuse by an intimate partner. These abuses are including sexual, physical, psychological, or emotional which can cause indirect adverse fetal health effects including low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. The results of some studies explain that the violence during pregnancy can affect the birth weight. The purpose of this research is therefore to examine Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and low birth weight. Materials and Methods: This is a correlation-descriptive analytical study. It was performed on 843 females that they were victims of violence (physical, psychological, and sexual) in Zahedan in south-east of Zahedan, Iran, in 2008-2009. The sampling method was multistage randomquota sampling. The inclusion criteria were singleton pregnancy, full-term (37-42 gestational weeks), passing four hours after childbirth, and exclusion criteria included a history of medical diseases, smoking, and violence by someone other than the husband. All data were entered in SPSS for Windows (Version 18.0, SPSS Inc., Evenston, Illinois) and analyzed using statistical tests such as Chi-square, t-test by statistician. Results: The results indicated that some types of psychological violence such as “threatening to divorce” and “disrespecting and swearing among other people” and some types of sexual violence like “oral or rectal intercourse” and “any other sexual violence by the husband” associated with birth weight, but physical violence and birth weight had not significant relationship (P>0.05). Conclusion: The psychological violence was the most frequent type of violence in Zahedan that it associated with birth weight in Zahedan.