Understanding Of Intimate Partner Violence Research Articles

Media Portrayals of Female Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

Preventing intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health priority. An important component of designing prevention programs is developing an understanding of how media portrayals of health issues influence public opinion and policy. To better understand the ways in which media images may be informing our understanding of IPV, this study content analyzed portrayals of IPV in news media articles. Stratified media outlets were used to obtain a representative sample of daily newspapers based on their designated market areas. Researchers created constructed months using weeks from each season across a 2-year period. The first part of the study investigated quantitative differences in the coverage of female and male perpetrators (n = 395) and identified several areas where coverage differed. The second part of the study qualitatively examined coverage of female perpetrators (n = 61) to provide a richer description of such coverage. This study contributes to our understanding of female perpetrators and how these portrayals may contribute to the larger gender symmetry debate surrounding female aggressors. Implications for public health policy and research are discussed.

Managing Dissonance: Implications for Therapeutic Practice With Partner Violence

In the United Kingdom, “domestic violence” services are predominantly segregated and therapeutic interventions offered mainly to either female “survivors/victims” or male “perpetrators.” Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 20 U.K. practitioners with the aim of deconstructing their understandings and approach to therapeutic practice using a thematic analysis. Their practices were found to be mainly informed by the gender paradigm, reflecting assumptions that men’s abusive behavior was instrumental and chosen, whereas women behaved aggressively primarily in retaliation or defense. When negotiating sensitive, potentially dilemmatic issues, such as women revealing abusive behavior or men speaking about victimization, participants differed in the extent to which they experienced, or showed awareness of, cognitive dissonance. Those participants who took a gender perspective tended to scapegoat male “perpetrators” and excuse the behavior of female “victims,” whereas those who took a gender-inclusive approach were more likely to speak about the motivation of both partners and other contributory factors maintaining the problem. The findings support the view that domestic violence services in the United Kingdom have been slow to respond to calls by researchers to bring more psychological theory and relational awareness to understandings of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its practices.

Under the RADAR: Assessing and Intervening for Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV), a major public health threat, affects millions of adult Americans each year, the majority of whom are women. This article describes a strategy to enhance advanced practice nurses' (APNs) understanding of IPV and to introduce RADAR, a clinician-focused strategy for IPV assessment and intervention, as part of routine care. Vignettes illustrating the use of RADAR by APNs in clinical settings are provided. While dealing with suspected or confirmed IPV is difficult for clinicians, introducing strategies, such as RADAR, into routine clinical practice can have dramatic and even life-saving effects.

Emergency healthcare experiences of women living with intimate partner violence

To explore healthcare experiences of Australian women living with intimate partner violence (IPV) and consider how these influence their understanding of IPV and sense of self. Despite international campaigns condemning violence against women, IPV remains a worldwide problem and recent Australian community attitudes demonstrate ongoing beliefs condemning women in abusive relationships. Women experiencing IPV are over-represented in healthcare-seeking populations; however, they are rarely identified as experiencing abuse and are often not provided care directed towards achieving ongoing safety. While women seek empathetic healthcare, disclosure of abuse often results in being judged negatively or blamed. A grounded theory study drawing on Clarke's (Sage Publications, London, 2005) analytic approach of situational analysis. Semi-structured interviews conducted with seven women. Data was analysed using NVIVO 8 software within a Situational Analysis framework. Four major categories were identified: Accessing healthcare: challenges and barriers; Care women need vs. care women receive; Discourses of IPV and constructions of self; and Acknowledging IPV: moving on and re-constructing self. Women faced significant challenges in accessing emergency healthcare and healthcare then often lacked empathy. Women created an understanding of self from a world dominated by an abusive partner and needed assistance re-labelling their experiences as IPV. Healthcare professionals who provided empathetic care were instrumental in assisting this process, enhancing women's abilities to explore options for limiting abuse and assisting them to enhance their self-efficacy and reconstruct a positive sense of self. Healthcare is one of the few avenues women living with IPV have to receive emotional and physical support. Healthcare that ignores psychosocial issues further damages women's sense of self. Women require timely information and empathetic support from healthcare professionals to assist them in understanding and labelling their experiences as IPV. This enhances women's ability to feel deserving of, and ideally achieve, a life without violence.

Nursing student's perceptions and understanding of intimate partner violence

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant health issue in the Australian population and nurses have a role in assessment, intervention and support of families. World Health Organization Statistics indicate that as many as 61% of women, under the age of 50 have been physically abused by their partners. As nurses are in a unique position to identify, assist and support women living with IPV a greater understanding of student nurse's knowledge and attitudes may assist undergraduate programs to ensure better preparation of nurses for this role. A nurse's readiness to manage IPV may be influenced by their knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors, largely related to their self-efficacy in identifying these women (i.e. via screening procedures) and providing effective interventions. Students from all levels of the undergraduate program of an Australian regional university were invited to participate in focus groups and a subsequent survey that explored their perceptions, attitudes and knowledge of IPV. The results showed students had limited and stereotypical beliefs regarding what constitutes IPV and who perpetrates it. They indicated that they were under prepared to deal with IPV situations in clinical practice but did identify communication as a core skill required. Nursing students may not understand the significance of the issues of IPV nor fully understand the social, economic and health impacts at an individual and societal level. This may result in further under detection of the problem. The results of this study indicate a number of important implications for undergraduate nursing education curricula.

Condemning violence without rejecting sexism? Exploring how young men understand intimate partner violence in Ecuador

Background: This study aims to explore young men's understanding of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Ecuador, examining similarities and differences between how ordinary and activist young men conceptualize IPV against women.Methods: We conducted individual interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) with 35 young men – five FGDs and five interviews with ordinary young men, and 11 interviews with activists – and analysed the data generated using qualitative content analysis.Results:Among the ordinary young men the theme ‘too much gender equality leads to IPV’ emerged, while among the activists the theme ‘gender inequality is the root of IPV’. Although both groups in our study rejected IPV, their positions differed, and we claim that this is relevant. While activists considered IPV as rooted in gender inequality, ordinary young men understood it as a response to the conflicts generated by increasing gender equality and women's attempts to gain autonomy.

Making sense of intimate partner violence in late life: comments from online news readers.

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into public awareness of intimate partner violence (IPV) in late life by how individuals respond to incidents of IPV reported in the newspaper. Using grounded theory techniques, online news items covering 24 incidents of IPV in late life, and the reader comments posted to them were analyzed. The news items were examined for incident details, story framing, and reporting style. An open coding process (Charmaz, K. [2006]. Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.) was used to generate a comprehensive understanding of themes and patterns in the comments posted by readers. Few posters indicated that incidents were episodes of IPV. As many posters struggled to make sense of incidents, they attempted to remove guilt from the perpetrator by assigning blame elsewhere. Comments were influenced by personal assumptions and perspectives about IPV, relationships, and old age; reporting style of the news items; and comments posted by other posters. Altering public views of IPV in late life requires raising awareness through education, reframing the ways in which information is presented, and placing greater emphasis on the context of the violence. By engaging interactive news media, reporters, participatory journalists, and policymakers can enhance public recognition and understanding of IPV in late life.

Victims’ Perceptions of Police Response to Intimate Partner Violence

Police officers have historically been criticized for ignoring the seriousness of intimate partner violence (IPV) and for dismissing victims’ needs. Many jurisdictions in the United States have implemented policies encouraging or mandating the arrest of IPV offenders in an attempt to address these shortcomings. However, a more aggressive police response has not necessarily changed victims’ perceptions of officers or improved victim–officer interactions. In this article, using both qualitative interview data and data from existing literature, I examine the victims’ understandings of IPV, particularly in the context of mandatory and preferred arrest policies, and consider how these understandings likely shape victims’ interactions with police officers. I also discuss implications for the future policing of IPV.

Instructional Curriculum Improves Medical Staff Knowledge and Efficacy for Patients Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

This study assesses Veterans Affairs mental health providers' understanding of intimate partner violence (IPV) and the perception of patient benefit of routine inquiry and service referral. The impact of an instructional curriculum was also examined following an interactive training. An evidence-based curriculum was offered to Veterans Affairs mental health providers. The curriculum utilized didactic methods, case scenarios, and resources regarding referrals and statutes regarding crimes related to violence and abuse. The participants completed pre- and post-training surveys to assess their perceptions about IPV and to evaluate the training. Seventy-three individuals completed the training. Fifty-four of the participants were female, and thirty-three were over the age of 45 years. Fifty-one individuals completed both surveys. There were no differences between participants' views of the seriousness of IPV in the community or their practices before or after the training. However, participants scored significantly higher on the knowledge and efficacy measures after the training (p < 0.001). Following an educational intervention, providers demonstrate more knowledge and efficacy regarding routine inquiry and referral for IPV. Barriers to universal implementation still warrant attention.

Forging Violence Against Women: Documents, Regimes of Family and Intimate-Partner Abuse

This article examines how legal texts can be read to broaden our understanding of intimate-partner violence in the United States. Documents, as repositories of the way institutions remember for the public, can provide insight into how people, and in this case, female victims and state actors, define this particular type of violence against women. These documents demonstrate how kin, household and family are both involved and implicated in this highly gendered and targeted aggression. The data presented should factor into new definitions of intimate-partner abuse, because they illustrate how the surrounding network of family members, along with providing help to women that are victimized, may also be at risk of being harmed by men that batter their wives and girlfriends.

Intimate Partner Violence Control Scale: Development and Initial Testing

Although control has long been considered central to understanding intimate partner violence (IPV), there continues to be a notable lack of validated scales measuring control (e.g., Strauchler et al. Journal of Family Violence, 19(6), 339–354, 2004). The purpose of this study was to develop and empirically validate a brief assessment tool, the Intimate Partner Violence Control Scale (IPVCS), designed to measure control in the context of IPV. Data from a sample of male undergraduate and graduate students (n = 436) were used to examine the scale’s properties. After reviewing theoretical conceptualizations and measurement issues of control, psychometric properties of the IPVCS and results of exploratory hypotheses tests are presented. The availability of a brief and reliable measure of control offers a tool for professionals in the judicial system, for IPV victims’ advocates, and for human services workers in practice settings to adequately assess for control and fills a gap in this area of research and practice.

Cultural considerations of trauma: Physical, mental and social correlates of intimate partner violence exposure.

There has been an increased appreciation for the need to understand the cultural lenses of survivors and the ways that these lenses may influence both the experience of intimate partner violence and the recovery process following violence. The need for trauma researchers and practitioners to attend to the sociocultural realities of survivors has been advocated by traumatologists of varying theoretical orientations. The Trauma and Violence among Diverse Populations Research Study Group, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Emerging Scholars Interdisciplinary Network, conceptualized the call for authors for this Special Issue. The primary objective of the Issue is to examine and explore the cultural context of intimate partner violence. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses, a greater understanding of intimate partner violence in the lives of African American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, Latina, and White survivors is gained. While centralizing the voices of ethnically diverse survivors of intimate partner violence, this Special Issue also sheds light on the experience of intimate partner violence from the perspective of women who have traditionally been marginalized in the literature in other ways, specifically women who are impoverished, pregnant, homeless, HIV-positive, and sex workers. The studies in this Special Issue provide clinical and research recommendations aimed at improving the care provided to culturally diverse intimate partner violence survivors.

Is there gender symmetry in intimate partner violence?

‘Gender symmetry’ is one of the most topical and controversial debates in the contemporary domestic violence literature. National survey data, particularly from the USA, has been utilized to support the concept of gender symmetry of violence between intimate partners. Both these statistics and the reliability of the methodologies used to obtain this data have been the focus of fierce criticism in the domestic violence literature. These debates have spread into the general media and now influence social workers' and students' understanding of violence between intimate partners. Recent work, however, has suggested helpful typologies for a better understanding of intimate partner violence (IPV), and research has explored their validity. A comprehensive understanding of the implications of these debates is important for safe social work interventions as assessments and interventions must be based on an accurate understanding of the aetiology, dynamics and consequences of violence between intimate partners. It is important that practitioners are aware of the background to and complexity of these debates and the ongoing work on typologies of violence, as such understanding will enhance assessments and thereby ensure more appropriate social work interventions. This paper traces the debates and outlines the new developments, which can enhance assessments and understanding of IPV.

Academic Apartheid: Segregation in the Study of Partner Violence

The study of men’s violence against their intimate partners is segregated from the study of other forms of violence. Comparing intimate partner violence (IPV) to other violence, however, allows one to examine whether the motivation and the legal response are similar. I examine whether men’s assaults on partners are particularly likely to have a control motive, whether women’s assaults on partners are particularly likely to be motivated by self-defense, and whether intimate partner violence is less likely to be reported to the police and legally sanctioned. The evidence casts doubt on the feminist approach, which has dominated the study of IPV. I suggest that a theory of instrumental violence provides a better understanding of IPV. Such an approach recognizes a variety of motives and emphasizes the role of conflict in intimate relationships, sex differences in strength and violence, and the importance of chivalry. Finally, I suggest that social scientists who study IPV should be more careful in their descriptive terminology.

Wife abuse prevalence and predisposing factors in women.

Spouse abuse so called intimate partner violence (IPV) is a common problem in the world. This survey was conducted to identify IPV prevalence and related factors in district health centers in Hamadan, western Iran, in hope that, by identifying risk factors, preventive guidelines could be understood. In this descriptive analytic cross sectional study, 600 married women from six district health centers in Hamadan, western Iran were randomly enrolled in 2007. For gathering information we used a questionnaire which included demographic and specific questions about IPV, based on WHO guidelines. For increasing validity of results, questionnaires were nameless and participants were ensured about concealment of their identities. Finally data analyzed by SPSS software (version15). Wife abuse was identified in 34.2% of participants. For understanding IPV risk factors, we used logistic regression method and 27 variables were enrolled in the equation and finally 4 variables were statistically significant to wife abuse (P< 0.05). These variables were: weak religious believe of men, history of wife abuse in participant's mothers, men's criminal history and finally men's alcoholic abuse Wife abuse was prevalent in this survey, so that 1 from 3 women was abused by their husbands. Other similar investigations in different countries also verify this result. Because of so many women who disclaim violence due to cultural texture and religious believe, it is believed that, intimate partner violence is more than those being reported.

Does the Situational Couple Violence- Intimate Terrorism Typology Explain Cohabitors’ High Risk of Intimate Partner Violence?

This study examines M. P. Johnson's assertion that violence in marital unions is more likely to be intimate terrorism (IT) and violence in cohabiting unions is more likely to be situational couple violence (SCV). Having overcome limitations of the data on which Johnson based his assertion, the results show that cohabiting and married victims of violence are equally likely to report experiencing SCV and IT. Moreover, cohabitors have higher odds of experiencing SCV and IT compared to their counterparts living in a marital union. These marital status differences are explained by selection and relationship factors theorized to account for them. Although the SCV- IT typology does appear to shed light on gender differences, the results of this study suggest that, where relevant, researchers using this typology should not neglect risk factors derived from theories for understanding intimate partner violence (IPV).

Standardized Patient Oriented Teaching (SPOT)

OPEN ACCESSDecember 26, 2008Standardized Patient Oriented Teaching (SPOT) Douglas Ander, MD, Joshua Wallenstein, Debra Houry, Sheryl Heron, Tammie Quest, Dahlia Hassani Douglas Ander, MD Emory University School of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author , Joshua Wallenstein Emory University School of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author , Debra Houry Emory University School of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author , Sheryl Heron Emory University School of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author , Tammie Quest Emory University School of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author , Dahlia Hassani Emory University School of Medicine Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.1136 SectionsAbout ToolsDownload Citations ShareFacebookTwitterEmail AbstractDelivering bad news is a difficult task for medical practitioners. Whether this is a diagnosis of cancer, miscarriage, losing one's eyesight or death disclosure, it occurs on a daily basis for almost all practicing clinicians. Concerning is the fact that the majority of practicing physicians have received little or no formal training in communicating bad news. In work done at our institution using a standardized patient model to teach death disclosure, only 17 of 37 students reported prior teaching on how to deliver a death disclosure. There currently exist societal and organizational mandates to provide medical students with an education on communication skills, deliverance of bad news, counseling skills, training in recognizing and treating societal problems all in the context of a multi-cultural world.This resource is designed to instruct fourth-year medical students on how to deliver bad news to patients, and provide counseling to victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). In learning how to deliver bad news, students engage in a standardized patient experience where they have to deliver news to a patient injured in a bicycle collision. Students attend a PowerPoint presentation on how to provide counseling for IPV victims that is accompanied by a quiz. Educational Objectives By the end of this session, learners will be able to: Describe the importance of understanding intimate partner violence (IPV).Cite the statistical estimates for IPV.Describe how to assess, manage, and treat cases of IPV.List IPV resources.Define the public health approach.Differentiate between primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention.Define the three “E's” of injury prevention.Discern why communication of “bad” news is important.Articulate the 6-step protocol for delivering bad news. Sign up for the latest publications from MedEdPORTAL Add your email below FILES INCLUDEDReferencesRelatedDetails FILES INCLUDED Included in this publication: SPOT Lecture.ppt SPOT Case.doc To view all publication components, extract (i.e., unzip) them from the downloaded .zip file. Download editor’s noteThis publication may contain technology or a display format that is no longer in use. CitationAnder D, Wallenstein J, Houry D, Heron S, Quest T, Hassani D. Standardized Patient Oriented Teaching (SPOT). MedEdPORTAL. 2008;4:1136. https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.1136 Copyright & Permissions© 2008 Ander et al. This is an open-access publication distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike license.KeywordsBad NewsAbuseTruth Disclosure Disclosures None to report. Funding/Support None to report. tabs.loading

An historical perspective on family violence and child abuse: Comment on Moloney et al, Allegations of Family Violence, 12 June 2007

This comment discusses the historical development of social attitudes, social science research, and approaches in the justice system towards allegations of spousal and child abuse. Until relatively recently, victims of child abuse and spousal violence were largely ignored by the justice system, mental health professionals and social science researchers, and these victims rarely disclosed. In the late twentieth century, heavily influenced by feminist advocates and researchers, spousal violence and child sexual abuse were ‘discovered’; there was growing understanding and support for victims, and a great increase in reporting of child and spousal violence. The increase in reporting by genuine victims was accompanied a less frequent but serious problem – cases of false and exaggerated allegations. While a gendered basis analysis of issues of spousal and child abuse remains valuable, there is a need for development of more sophisticated and differentiated understandings of intimate partner violence and child abuse.

Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration and Problem Drinking Among College Students: The Roles of Expectancies and Subjective Evaluations of Alcohol Aggression

The present research examined the effect of alcohol aggression expectancies and subjective evaluations of alcohol's effects on aggression in intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among college students. We were interested in determining the extent to which these relationships differed across gender. A total of 780 (57.3% female) incoming heavy drinking college freshmen who were between the ages of 18 and 25 years completed self-reported measures of IPV perpetration, alcohol use and problems, and alcohol aggression expectancies and subjective evaluations of those expectancies as part of the baseline assessment for a larger social norms alcohol intervention study. Analyses evaluated the effect of alcohol aggression expectancies and subjective evaluations of those expectancies on IPV perpetration. Results indicated that problem drinking was positively associated with IPV perpetration for those who were lower (beta = .32, p < .001) versus those who were higher (beta = .07, p = ns) in alcohol aggression expectancies. Among men, there was a significantly stronger relationship between problem drinking and IPV perpetration among those who evaluated alcohol's effects on aggression more favorably (beta = .41, p < .001) versus less favorably (beta = .11, p = ns). Among women, there was not a significantly stronger relationship between problem drinking and IPV perpetration at less favorable (beta = .17, p < .05) versus more favorable (beta = .11, p < .06) evaluations of alcohol's effects on aggression. Findings suggest that, in understanding IPV perpetration, it may not be sufficient to evaluate expected alcohol effects without also including whether those effects are viewed as good or bad. Findings also suggest that the relationship between alcohol problems and IPV perpetration may be stronger and more straightforward for men than for women.

Child Welfare Practice with Families Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

This paper reports data from a research study that had as its specific goals to improve our understanding of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among a protective service population. The sample was drawn from a large California county and consisted of 445 children chosen at random from among all children who had a newly substantiated abuse case. Forty-three percent of children came from families with an indication of IPV. The IPV victims were more likely than families without IPV to have new referrals for abuse. Findings suggest that either the chronic nature of IPV makes new referrals for abuse more likely because mandated reporters intervene with IPV, or that families experiencing IPV represent a subgroup among CPS families with particularly severe problems.