Perceptions Of Victims Research Articles

Teachers’ Perceptions of Bullying: A Focus Group Approach

The current qualitative study used a focus group approach to examine teachers’ perceptions of student aggressors and victims. Participants in the current study included 35 teachers from public elementary, middle, and high schools. Teachers’ responses to five questions about risk factors for aggression and victimization, adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies, and advice for victimized youth were analyzed using thematic analysis. Teachers frequently identified family factors as a risk factor for becoming an aggressor. Appearance-based factors, shyness, and emotional reactivity were commonly mentioned as risk factors for victimization. Teachers believed that strong displays of emotions, physical retaliation, and ignoring the situation were ineffective means for victims to respond to peer aggression. Reporting the aggression to an adult, appropriately standing up for oneself, and seeking support from friends were viewed as more effective strategies for responding to peer victimization. Directions for future research and implications for intervention are discussed.

Minimization of Male Suffering: Social Perception of Victims and Perpetrators of Opposite-Sex Sexual Coercion

Studies show equal impact of sexual harassment (SH) on men and women, whereas lay perceptions are that women suffer more. We identify the phenomenon of minimization of male suffering (MMS), which occurs when people assume that SH has less effect on men’s well-being and which results in the perpetrators of SH on men being evaluated less harshly. To verify whether these effects occur, we conducted two studies in which we presented stories describing acts of sexual coercion (SC, study 1) and SC or financial coercion (FC, study 2) and measured the perceived suffering of victims and the perception of the perpetrators. Both studies showed that female victims were perceived to suffer more from SC and FC and that perpetrators of both acts on women were evaluated more negatively. The results support our hypothesis that the suffering of male victims is minimized as they are perceived to suffer less than women.

An Assessment of the Prevalence, Perceived Significance, and Response to Dowry Solicitation and Domestic Violence in Bangladesh.

The current study focuses on the prevalence of two pervasive gender-related crimes in Bangladesh: dowry solicitation and domestic violence. We assess victim perceptions of how these two crimes rank in significance compared with other types of crimes experienced and the actions victim households took in response. Our research builds on prior qualitative studies by making use of nation-wide household survey data, collected by the World Bank, to examine dowry and domestic violence in the context of all legal conflicts experienced by households in every administrative region of the country. The analyses show that both dowry solicitation and domestic violence rank in the top five most common crimes, including violent and non-violent crimes. Women report more experiences of dowry solicitation and domestic violence, with urban females most frequently disclosing both. Among the households that experienced multiple types of violent and non-violent crimes, 55.9% of dowry and 70.8% of domestic violence victims reported another crime ranked higher in significance. Of the households that considered these two crimes the most serious they experienced, 56.1% of dowry and 32.5% of domestic violence households took no action at all in response. Among the households that took action, most eschewed both police and state judicial institutions. Choosing to act alone or with the help of family members was the most frequent response. The findings illustrate the need for governance reforms in Bangladesh and may inform state and non-state improvement initiatives.

A small constellation: risk factors informing police perceptions of domestic abuse

ABSTRACTPolice in the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) now routinely use risk assessment tools to identify common risk factors for re-abuse and lethality when responding to domestic abuse. Nevertheless, little is known about the extent to which officers understand and perceive the importance of factors commonly included on risk assessment tools for predicting future abuse. This study attempts to shed some light into this area of research by exploring the responses of 720 British and American police officers to questions regarding how important and how essential various risk factors are for evaluating the level of risk or harm a victim of domestic abuse may face in the future. Findings indicated that British and American officers were largely in agreement about a small constellation of risk factors that they considered integral to the risk assessment process: using or threatening to use a weapon; strangulation; physical assault resulting in injury and escalation of abuse. The results revealed that officers’ country of employment, rather than their demographic characteristics or experience policing domestic abuse, was a particularly influential predictor of their perceptions, and that both the situational context and the victim's perception about risk are important in domestic abuse risk assessment.

An examination of parents’ and preschool workers’ perspectives on bullying in preschool

ABSTRACTParents (n = 141) and preschool workers (n = 81) completed a survey regarding their perspectives towards: (a) the existence of bullying in preschool, (b) interpretations of bullying, (c) the roles of bullies and victims, and (d) gender differences. Findings suggest that both groups largely believe that bullying occurs in preschool. Excluding others from play, conditional threats, and the victim's perception of being bullied were the three conditions most likely to be associated with bullying. Parents were significantly more likely than workers to hold a negative view of bullies and believe that bullying differs with regard to gender. Whereas most participants felt that bullying could occur in a single incident, only one in four agreed with the notion that children's actions must be intentional to be considered bullying. The study raises questions about whether current interpretations of bullying in the literature are suitable for children in the context of preschool.

“Seeing” Hate Crime in the Community: Do Resident Perceptions of Hate Crime Align With Self-Reported Victimization?

Hate crimes undermine tolerance and social inclusion by conveying an “outsider” status of the victim and other group members to the broader community. Yet, limited research considers whether non-victims recognize hate crime incidents when they occur. Using census and survey data for 4,000 residents living in 145 communities, we ask whether local residents “see” hate crime when it happens in their neighborhood and whether the neighborhood context influences the association between residents’ perceptions of hate crime and self-reported hate victimization. We find that residents’ perceptions are positively related to victim self-reports; however, this relationship weakens in ethnically diverse and disadvantaged areas. This suggests that residents’ perceptions of hate crime may be more dependent upon the community context than non-hate crimes.

Treatment seeking behavior of the dog bite patients in Himachal Pradesh, India: a qualitative study

Background: Rabies is a practically 100% fatal zoonotic disease. A person is bitten every 2 seconds, and someone dies from rabies every 30 minutes. In this regard perception of victim and their attitude towards treatment forms an important role for prevention against rabies. It is noted that in Himachal Pradesh the less knowledge of people about rabies, impact of traditional healers and unavailability of the RIGs and ARVs especially in the primary health centers affect the treatment seeking behavior of the patients. Methods: A qualitative study was done in the three districts of Himachal with effect from 1 st June 2014 to 30 th May 2015. Thematic and simple proportional analysis of the data was done for the interpretation of the results. Results: Males were more victims as compared to females. Most affected age group was 0-15 years. 56.93% of the patients immediately washed the wound, 43.38% of the patients opted the rational treatment where as 57.62% used both traditional as well as rational treatment. Delay and drop out was seen in 69.24% and 21.53% of the patients respectively. Conclusions: Treatment seeking behaviour of the patients affected by the number of factors. Awareness among people about rabies and ensuring the availability of RIGs and ARV at all the levels of health care centers is necessary.

Cyber Victimization and Depressive Symptoms in Sexual Minority College Students

This study investigated the relations between sexual orientation, cyber victimization, and depressive symptoms in college students. Study aims were to determine whether sexual minority college students are at greater risk for cyber victimization and to examine whether recent cyber victimization (self-reported cyber victimization over the last 30 days) predicts depressive symptoms beyond traditional victimization and perceptions of high school cyber victimization. Findings from 634 college students (ages 18–22) across 25 U.S. states demonstrated significant relations between sexual minority status, particularly homosexual identification, and cyber victimization. The highest levels of depressive symptoms were reported by participants with high levels of both high school and recent cyber victimization and participants who reported high levels of both recent traditional victimization and recent cyber victimization. Findings should be used as a foundation for interventions geared to the sexual minority population.

The Effects of Obesity Myths on Perceptions of Sexual Assault Victims and Perpetrators' Credibility.

This study investigated the effects of obesity myths on blame attribution and the perceived credibility of both an alleged sexual assault victim and her perpetrator. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three sexual assault scenarios (in which either the victim or the perpetrator was described as obese and one in which both were described as obese) and responded to questions measuring the blame attribution and perceived the credibility of both individuals. A main effect of scenario was found on the perpetrator's credibility, indicating that participants rated the obese perpetrator as more credible when the victim was obese in comparison with when the victim was nonobese. However, no main effect of scenario was found on the victim's credibility and blame attribution, denoting that the victim's or perpetrator's weight did not influence participants' perceptions of the victim's credibility or blame attribution. The belief in obesity myths was the most significant predictor of victim blaming. However, differing patterns of the effects of obesity myths were found on the victim's credibility and the perpetrator's credibility. The belief in obesity myths was a significant predictor only when the victim was obese, whereas it was not a significant predictor in the scenarios where both the victim and the perpetrator were obese or the perpetrator was obese and the victim was nonobese. As for the perpetrator's credibility, the belief of obesity myths was not a significant predictor. Instead, the scenario was a significant predictor. Implications of obesity-myth endorsement in relation to sexual assault are discussed.

Rape Myth Consistency and Gender Differences in Perceiving Rape Victims

An overview discusses feminist analyses of oppression, attitudes toward rape victims, and previously studied predictors of individuals' attitudes toward rape victims. To better understand such attitudes, this meta-analysis examines the moderating influences of various rape victim, perpetrator, and crime characteristics' rape myth consistency on gender differences in individuals' perceptions of rape victims (i.e., victim responsibility and blame attributions and rape minimizing attitudes). Consistent with feminist theoretical predictions, results indicated that, overall, men perceived rape victims more negatively than women did. However, this sex difference was moderated by the rape myth consistency within the rape vignettes. Implications for research are discussed.

Clergy Perceptions of Sexual Assault Victimization.

Although congregants often turn to clergy for help in dealing with personal difficulties, including marital problems, substance abuse issues, and mental illness, survivors of sexual assault do not commonly turn to clergy for support or guidance. This study utilized a mixed-methods approach, online survey, and semi-structured interviews to determine how clergy perceive sexual assault victimization. The results of this study showed that more blame was assigned to the victim as the relationship with the perpetrator became closer, with the exception of marital rape. This study also found that hostile sexism was a predictor of negative attitudes toward rape victims.

A qualitative investigation of the perceptions of female dog-bite victims and implications for the prevention of dog bites.

Preventing dog bites is an increasingly important public health and political issue with implications for both human and animal health and welfare. Expert opinion is that most bites are preventable. Intervention materials have been designed to educate people on how to assess the body language of dogs, evaluate risk, and take appropriate action. The effectiveness of this approach is rarely evaluated and the incidence of dog bites is thought to be increasing. Is the traditional approach to dog bite prevention working as well as it should? In this novel, small scale qualitative study, the perceptions of victims regarding their dog bite experience were explored in-depth. The study recruited 8 female participants who had been bitten by a dog in the past 5 years. In-depth, one-to-one interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings indicate that dog bites may not be as easily preventable as previously presumed, and that education about dog body language may not prevent some types of dog bites. The reasons participants were bitten were multifaceted and complex. In some cases, there was no interaction with the dog before the bite so there was no opportunity to assess the situation and modify behavior around the dog accordingly. Identifying who was to blame, and had responsibility for preventing the bite, was straightforward for the participants in hindsight. Those bitten blamed themselves and/or the dog owner, but not the dog. Most participants already felt they had a theoretical knowledge that would allow them to recognize dog aggression before the dog bite, yet participants, especially those who worked regularly with dogs, routinely believed, “it would not happen to me.” We also identified an attitude that bites were “just one of those things,” which could also be a barrier prevention initiatives. Rather than being special to the human-canine relationship, the attitudes discovered mirror those found in other areas of injury prevention. A new approach to dog-bite prevention may now be required, drawing on other injury prevention strategies including awareness-raising and minimizing the damage caused by a bite when it happens.

Peace vision and its socio-emotional antecedents: The role of forgiveness, trust, and inclusive victim perceptions

The present study conceptualized peace vision as the view of peace as desirable, feasible, and requiring substantial concessions by both parties and examined the social-emotional factors contributing to its endorsement among Israeli Jews ( N = 400). In line with our theorizing, we found that trust in Palestinians and inclusive victim perceptions (the view that both conflicting groups have suffered due to the conflict) were significantly and positively associated with peace vision endorsement both directly and indirectly, through facilitating forgiveness. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these results in terms of the sustainability of peaceful coexistence between conflicting groups.

Let's talk about it: Peer victimization experiences as reported by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder experience high rates of peer victimization; yet, their personal experiences and perceptions of such victimization are not well understood. In this qualitative investigation, responses to questions about bullying and teasing were examined to gain insight into the perception of peer victimization as reported by adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. While the majority of participants provided examples of peer victimization, their situations differed from items typically assessed on bullying questionnaires. Participants were also able to provide explanations for why they believe they are targets and descriptions of their reactions to bullying. Findings from the interviews are used to provide suggestions for the development of more informative bullying assessments and prevention programs for students with autism spectrum disorder.

An empirical investigation of the enablers in humanitarian supply chain management in India

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the perception of stakeholders, i.e. disaster victims, volunteers and managers, who were involved in relief activities, toward the enablers in humanitarian supply chain management (HSCM) with special emphasis on heart wrenching and deadliest disaster, that occurred in the Uttarakhand (a northern state in India) on June 14, 2013. Design/methodology/approach – A detailed case study of the recently disaster, that occurred in the Uttarakhand has been carried out to investigate the enablers associated with the HSCM and the data were collected from published literature and newspaper articles, semi-structured interviews with academic experts and practitioners, hypothesis were formulated and tested using analysis of variance. Findings – The findings of the study indicate that, there is no significant difference in the perception of disaster victims, volunteers and managers toward the enablers in HSCM in India. There is a strong need for more effective and efficient monitoring of over-exploitation of the mountainous regions, Geographic Information Systems mapping of the state and a separate disaster communication network. Research limitations/implications – The scope of study is limited to flash floods that occurred in the Uttarakhand. Extending the research on other types of disaster could be considered as the scope for further research. Practical implications – The paper investigates some of the enablers of HSCM and discusses some of the emerging issues and lessons learned from the disaster that occurred in the Uttarakhand, in managing future disasters in India and the other world. Originality/value – This paper presents the first attempt in India with its combination of field-based qualitative research and survey analysis to investigate the enablers of HSCM in India.

Perspectiva de las mujeres acerca de la violencia basada en género, como factor de empobrecimiento

Objetivos: Determinar la perspectiva de las mujeres acerca de la violencia basada en género, como factor de empobrecimiento en las familias de la Provincia de Huánuco. Diseño: Estudio no experimental, de tipo descriptivo, correlacional, explicativo. Instituciones: Fiscalía de la Familia, Centro Emergencia Mujer,Comisaría de la Policía y ONG Paz y Esperanza. Participantes: Mujeres víctimas de violencia familiar. Intervenciones: Entre agosto y diciembre 2008, se utilizó una guía de entrevista, cuestionario y ficha de recolección de datos en una muestra de 200 mujeres víctimas de violencia familiar. Los métodos utilizados fueron el inductivo–deductivo, el análisis y la síntesis. Principales medidas de resultados: Maltrato físico. Resultados: El maltrato físico se presentó en 78% de los casos; 39% se dedicaba a las labores del hogar (amas de casa), lo que refleja que eran dependientes económicamente. El machismo imperante en nuestra sociedad y el autoritarismo de las parejas constituyeron condicionantes para que ocurrieran hechos de violencia (51%); asimismo, los problemas económicos que afrontaba la familia (27%). Las mujeres víctimas de violencia percibían que la pobreza es no tener dinero para cubrir las necesidades básicas de alimentación, estudios y vivienda (89%). La percepción de las mujeres víctimas de violencia para dejar de ser pobres fue que tendrían que ponerse a trabajar (29%). Asimismo, afirmaron que, debido a los maltratos que recibían, se encontraban imposibilitadas de trabajar (17%) y padecían constantemente de diversas enfermedades (9%). Conclusiones: La violencia es un factor de empobrecimiento que conlleva a un deterioro de capital humano, pues por efectos de la primera las mujeres tienen disminuidas sus capacidades para ingresar al mercado laboral, tienen su autoestima destruida y se sienten incapaces de afrontar el abuso.

Students’ Perceptions of Their Own Victimization: A Youth Voice Perspective

This article investigates the perceptions of 156 students who were victims of both traditional and cyberbullying (117 female, 45 male), ages 10 to 17 years, as to which form of bullying was more hurtful. Overall, students perceived traditional victimization to be more hurtful than cyber victimization. Reasons identified in the data to explain the different perceptions of victims were categorized and found to relate to: the bully, the bystanders, the bullying incidents, the emotional impact on the victim, and the victim’s ability to respond. The perceptions of these students challenge a number of suppositions presented in the literature that attempt to explain why cyberbullying is associated with more negative outcomes than traditional bullying. The implications for antibullying programs to address these issues are discussed.

Perceptions of Former Child Soldiers and LRA Victims With Posttraumatic Stress Among Health Professionals and Lay People in Northern Uganda

In the aftermath of the war in northern Uganda, former soldiers from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) face many challenges reintegrating into their communities. Former LRA soldiers often return home with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which may exacerbate the social stigma of being in the LRA. Health professional and lay community members’ ( N = 119) attitudes toward former LRA soldiers with symptoms of PTSD were examined and compared with attitudes toward civilian victims with the same symptoms, both depicted in vignettes. It was hypothesized that there would be a greater negative bias toward former soldiers due to the dual stigma of involvement with the LRA and mental illness, particularly among lay participants who lacked education regarding the prognoses and treatment of the mentally ill. Contrary to our hypotheses, there was no significant difference in participants’ attitudes toward the vignettes of LRA soldiers and civilian victims. Lay participants were less stigmatizing than health professionals and trainees on both measures of stigma: social distance and skill assessment. These findings suggest that the relationship between health education and stigma is complex in Uganda and different from what is found in most western research. Implications for research, treatment, and reintegration are discussed as Uganda moves forward.

Supplemental Material for Perceptions of Former Child Soldiers and LRA Victims With Posttraumatic Stress Among Health Professionals and Lay People in Northern Uganda

Supplemental Material for Perceptions of Former Child Soldiers and LRA Victims With Posttraumatic Stress Among Health Professionals and Lay People in Northern Uganda

Pratiques numériques, perception de la violence en ligne et victimation chez les étudiants

La recherche en éducation sur la violence entre pairs au moyen des technologies d’information et de communication, ou cyberviolence, se développe depuis plus d’une décennie à l’étranger, et plus récemment en France. Le public étudiant demeure peu étudié malgré une continuité du risque apparente. Cet article2 s’attache à évaluer l’ampleur de la victimation3 en ligne chez des étudiants français en lien avec leur utilisation des technologies et leur propre opinion sur ces thématiques. Les résultats tendent à confirmer le risque chez les étudiants d’être concernés par la cyberviolence notamment au regard de leurs pratiques numériques. Par ailleurs, des écarts de représentation entre conceptualisations scientifiques et perception des sujets enquêtés ressortent et entrent en résonnance avec les débats sémantiques et méthodologiques indissociables de cet objet de recherche.