Victims Of Interpersonal Violence Research Articles

Changes in interpersonal violence and utilization of trauma recovery services at an urban trauma center in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective, comparative study

Purpose: This study investigated changes in interpersonal violence and utilization of trauma recovery services during the COVID-19 pandemic. At an urban level I trauma center, trauma recovery services (TRS) provide education, counseling, peer support, and coordination of rehabilitation and recovery to address social and mental health needs. The COVID-19 pandemic prompted considerable changes in hospital services and increases in interpersonal victimization. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted between September 6, 2018 and December 20, 2020 for 1,908 victim-of-crime patients, including 574 victims of interpersonal violence. Outcomes included length of stay associated with initial TRS presentation, number of subsequent emergency department visits, number of outpatient appointments, and utilization of specific specialties within the year following the initial traumatic event. Results: Patients were primarily female (59.4%), single (80.1%), non-Hispanic (86.7%), and Black (59.2%). The mean age was 33.0 years, and 247 patients (49.2%) presented due to physical assault, 132 (26.3%) due to gunshot wounds, and 76 (15.1%) due to sexual assault. The perpetrators were primarily partners (27.9%) or strangers (23.3%). During the study period, 266 patients (mean, 14.9 patients per month) presented before the declaration of COVID-19 as a national emergency on March 13, 2020, while 236 patients (mean, 25.9 patients per month) presented afterward, representing a 74.6% increase in victim-of-crime patients treated. Interactions with TRS decreased during the COVID-19 period, with an average of 3.0 interactions per patient before COVID-19 versus 1.9 after emergency declaration (P<0.01). Similarly, reductions in length of stay were noted; the pre–COVID-19 average was 3.6 days, compared to 2.1 days post–COVID-19 (P=0.01). Conclusions: While interpersonal violence increased, TRS interactions decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting interruption of services, COVID-19 precautions, and postponement/cancellation of elective visits. Future direction of hospital policy to enable resource and service delivery to this population, despite internal and external challenges, appears warranted.

The investigation of sleep patterns in relation to interpersonal violence victimization and mental health in adolescent girls.

The aim of the current study was to identify distinct patterns of sleep problems to understand how they are associated with interpersonal violence victimization and key mental health outcomes, namely dissociation and emotional dysregulation. Latent class analyses were conducted on a sample of 706 adolescent girls aged 14-18 (88% of Canadian descent), who completed an online survey. Three classes of sleep were identified: poor-, moderate-, and high-quality sleep. Controlling for posttraumatic stress disorder, classes were found to differ regarding childhood sexual abuse, community violence, and emotional abuse. In addition, exposure to community violence was associated with dissociation only among girls in the poor-quality sleep class, indicating a moderation effect of sleep. The findings of this study, while awaiting replication with a more diverse sample, highlight the continued need to understand the interplay between interpersonal violence and sleep quality, which can help to inform trauma-focused clinical interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for The Investigation of Sleep Patterns in Relation to Interpersonal Violence Victimization and Mental Health in Adolescent Girls

Supplemental Material for The Investigation of Sleep Patterns in Relation to Interpersonal Violence Victimization and Mental Health in Adolescent Girls

Path Analysis of Factors Related to Burnout for Campus-Based Victim Advocates

Abstract Campus-based victim advocates provide support and assistance to victims of interpersonal violence in the college context. In this study of professional campus-based victim advocates, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess the direct and indirect effects of factors related to burnout. A total of 208 full-time victim advocates employed at four-year college campuses across the United States participated in an online survey in the summer of 2021. SEM analysis found that secondary traumatic stress and organizational support had significant direct effects on the level of burnout in this population. Also, organizational support served as a mediating factor between perceptions of leadership and burnout, and secondary traumatic stress served as a mediating factor between organizational support and burnout. Higher education institutions can make changes at the organizational level to address burnout of victim advocates through manageable work hours, control over workload, fair compensation, and increased sense of community investment in interpersonal violence response.

Investigating the Adequacy of Counterpart Information in Routine Registration of Victims of Interpersonal Violence: A Study in an Emergency Department of Tertiary care Hospital Hyderabad

Objective: To assess the thoroughness of information regarding the counterpart during the routine registration of victims of interpersonal violence in the emergency department. Methodology: A study conducted at the emergency department of Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad and Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, LUMHS Jamshoro from January 2022 to December 2022, spanning a year, documented a total of 700 victims who reported injuries. In accordance with the World Health Organization's definition, Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) was identified. Victims were classified as IPV victims if they reported their injuries as resulting from IPV. Data collection was from the emergency department, and only the initial contact for each incident was recorded. Results: A total of 700 victims of violence were recruited, with 474 (67.7%) cases attributed to family violence, 185 (26.4%) cases to community violence, and 41 (5.9%) cases lacking information regarding the source of violence. The majority of violent incidents occurred over weekends (Friday to Sunday) across all categories (p<0.001). Family violence predominantly occurred in domestic settings, while community violence was more common in outdoor areas. Domestic violence was notably prevalent among cases with no available information (p<0.001). Conclusion: The study emphasizes the significance of reliable information about the counterpart in distinguishing between various forms of interpersonal violence, such as family violence and community violence, enabling analysis, monitoring, evaluation, and the formulation of appropriate preventive strategies or interventions against violence.  

The completeness of routine registration of the counterpart in deliberate interpersonal violence in an urban emergency department

Most studies of violence from the health care system lack reliable information about the counterpart, which is important for distinguishing between different types of violence. Since 2014, the emergency department at Odense University Hospital in Denmark has routinely registered information about the counterpart. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the completeness of registering information about the counterpart during routine registration of victims of interpersonal violence in the emergency department. We included 11,200 victims treated at the emergency department 2014–2021. Using the patient registration data, we estimated the proportion of missing information on the counterpart, stratified by age group and gender of the victim as well as type of incident and severity of injury. Information about the counterpart was registered in 91.5 % of all cases. In 43.1 % (CI: 42.2–44.0) of the cases, the counterpart was unknown to the victim, in 24.3 % (CI: 23.5–25.1) the counterpart was an acquaintance, in 10.5 % (CI: 10.0–11.1) the counterpart was a partner, and in 4.2 % (CI: 3.8–4.5) the counterpart was another family member. The proportion of cases with no information about the counterpart varied with gender, age group, time of violence, place of violence, weapon use, and severity of injury. Half of the victims injured with firearms (46.2 %, CI: 30.1–62.8) and one-fourth of the victims injured with knives (25.9 %, CI: 21.9–30.2) did not reveal information about the counterpart. The majority of the victims revealed information about the counterpart, making it possible to analyse different types of violence separately.

Analysis of Injury Characteristics in Victims of Interpersonal Violence: Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit Perspective in a Tertiary Care Centre

Analysis of Injury Characteristics in Victims of Interpersonal Violence: Clinical Forensic Medicine Unit Perspective in a Tertiary Care Centre

Associations between Sexual Minority Identities, Heterosexism, Identity Concealment, and Depression in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Emerging Adults: Adjusting for the Effects of General Stressors.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience stressors distinctively tied to their sexual identities, such as externalized and internalized heterosexism and identity concealment, which are correlated with increased psychological distress, including depression. The present study examined the variance in depression scores resulting from heterosexism, LGB identity concealment, and minority sexual identities, after adjusting for race/ethnicity and interpersonal violence victimization experiences. Participants were 277 LGB emerging adults 18 to 29 years old (mean 25.39, standard deviation 2.77; 46 lesbian women, 71 gay men) recruited from an online platform. Nearly 41% reported moderate to severe depression symptoms. A two-step hierarchical regression model examining the effect of sexual minority stressors, heterosexism, LGB identity concealment, and minority sexual identity on depression after controlling for childhood maltreatment and face-to-face intimate partner violence types was significant. Bisexual women (vs gay men), those with greater exposure to heterosexism, and those with a greater degree of identity concealment experienced significantly higher scores on depression. In addition, being a person of color (including identifying as Hispanic), exposure to childhood maltreatment, and experiencing psychological intimate partner violence significantly predicted increases in depression scores. Findings emphasize the importance of assessing minority stressors and taking them into account when providing clinical interventions to LGB individuals.

Racial Discrimination and Interpersonal Violence in Asian American Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic

PurposeRacial discrimination targeting Asians in the United States has increased sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite a well-established link with mental/physical health outcomes, little is known about how racial discrimination relates to interpersonal violence, particularly in adolescents. To address this gap in knowledge, we examined cross-sectional and longitudinal (1-year follow-up) associations between racial discrimination and interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization in Asian American adolescents in a large US city. MethodsData from Waves 3 (2020) and 4 (2021) of a randomized clinical trial of a school-based violence prevention program were examined. We limited our sample to participants who identified as Asian American (n = 344; 48.3% female; Meanage = 14.6 years at Wave 3). ResultsAt Wave 3, 26.5% of the adolescents reported experiencing some form of racial discrimination, including 18.3% experiencing verbal harassment due to race and 16.0% reporting inequitable treatment due to race. Relative to their nonvictimized counterparts, adolescents who experienced racial discrimination were more likely to report being a victim of bullying and teen dating violence cross-sectionally and being a bullying victim longitudinally. Moreover, those who experienced racial discrimination reported more bullying and teen dating violence perpetration concurrently, as well as more dating violence perpetration 1 year later. DiscussionIn the understudied population of Asian American adolescents, we found that experiencing racial discrimination contributes to both interpersonal violence victimization and perpetration. Youth violence prevention could include strategies addressing racial discrimination.

Recovery Services for Interpersonal Violence Victims on Healthcare Use at a Trauma Center

IntroductionTreatment of interpersonal violence (IPV) patients is often complicated by social and mental health comorbidities. New American College of Surgeons (ACS) requirements include provision of psychosocial support services for recovery after injury. We aim to describe utilization and patient outcomes after provision of Trauma Recovery Services (TRS) at our institution for the IPV population. These services include assistance with food, housing, criminal justice, and advocacy. MethodsIPV patients were identified between September 6, 2018 and December 20, 2020. Demographic information was collected. TRS utilization and specific services rendered were identified. Primary outcome measures included initial length of stay (LOS), number of subsequent emergency department (ED) visits, and outpatient visits within 1 y after the initial injury. Statistical analyses included t-tests, Chi-squared tests, and multivariate regression analyses. ResultsA total of 502 patients were included in the final cohort, and 394 patients (78.5%) accepted the utilization of TRS services after initial interaction. Patients were on average 33.4 y old, and 59.4% were females. Patients who were older (P < 0.001) and homeless (P = 0.004) were more likely to use TRS, while victims of sexual assault (P < 0.001) and single patients (P = 0.041) were less likely. Patients who utilized TRS had longer initial LOS (P < 0.001), more ED visits (P < 0.001), and more outpatient visits (P = 0.01) related to the initial complaint, independent of potential confounders on multivariate linear regression. Food and housing service utilization associated with LOS (P = 0.01), ED visits (P < 0.001), and outpatient visits (P < 0.001). Additionally, transportation services were associated with longer LOS (P = 0.01) while patient advocacy services were associated with more ED visits (P = 0.03). ConclusionsTRS was extensively utilized by IPV patients, and associated with more follow-up appointments, ED visits, and longer LOS. Emphasis on injury mechanisms, baseline demographics, and social features may further characterize patients in need who tend toward utilization.

Interpersonal and Intimate Violence in Mexican Youth: Drug Use, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have increased interpersonal and intimate violence, harmful use of alcohol and other drugs (AODs), and mental health problems. This study uses a valid path model to describe relationships between these conditions of young Mexicans during the second year of the pandemic. A sample of 7420 Mexicans ages 18 to 24-two-thirds of whom are women-completed the Life Events Checklist, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test, the Major Depressive Episode Checklist, the Generalized Anxiety Scale, and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Checklist. Young Mexicans reported higher rates of victimization and perpetration of interpersonal and intimate violence and mental health symptomatology than those noted pre- and in the first year of the pandemic. The harmful use of AOD rates were similar to those reported by adolescents before. The findings suggest asymmetric victimization and perpetration of intimate violence by gender (with women at a higher risk). More men than women have engaged in the harmful use of AODs (except for sedatives, which more women abuse). More women than men were at risk of all mental health conditions. The path model indicates that being a victim of intimate violence predicts the harmful use of tobacco, alcohol, cocaine, and sedatives, depression, anxiety, and specific PTSD symptoms (such as re-experimentation and avoidance symptoms). Being a victim of interpersonal violence resulted in severe PTSD symptoms (including avoidance, negative alterations in cognition-mood, and hyperarousal signs). The harmful use of sedatives predicted depressive symptoms. Men's victimizing intimate violence model contrasted with that of women, which included being the victim of interpersonal violence and severe PTSD symptoms. The high school youth model had three paths: victimizing intimate violence, victimizing interpersonal abuse, and sedative use, which predicted depression. Our findings could serve as the basis for future studies exploring the mechanisms that predict violence to develop cost-effective preventive programs and public policies and to address mental health conditions during community emergencies.

Shared social identity and media transmission of trauma

When an individual or group trauma becomes a shared public experience through widespread media coverage (e.g., mass violence, being publicly outed), sharing a social identity with a targeted individual or group of victims may amplify feelings of personal vulnerability. This heightened perceived threat may draw people to engage with trauma-related media because of increased vigilance for self-relevant threats, which can, in turn, amplify distress. We studied this possibility among two U.S. national samples following the 2016 Pulse nightclub massacre in Orlando, FL (N = 4675) and the 2018 Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Judge Brett Kavanaugh Supreme Court Senate hearings (N = 4894). Participants who shared LGBT or Hispanic identities with Pulse massacre victims reported greater exposure to massacre-related media and acute stress. Participants who shared Dr. Blasey Ford’s identities as a victim of interpersonal violence and a Democrat reported more hearings-related media exposure and acute stress. Indirect effects of shared single identity on acute stress through self-reported event-related media exposure emerged in both studies. Results for sharing dual identities with victims were mixed. These findings have implications for media use and public health.

Victim Service Agency Perspectives on the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Victim service agencies felt widespread impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic on their staff, organizational practices, and client populations. This study offers a qualitative exploration of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across a broad spectrum of victim service settings, including court-based, mental health, medical, child welfare, interpersonal violence, and advocacy agencies. An electronic survey was completed by Ohio agency workers (N = 170) serving child and young adult victims of trauma. Codebook thematic analysis was used to identify agency and staff experiences, client needs, and changes to service delivery during the pandemic. Results revealed victim impacts in six categories: increases in mental/behavioral health needs, challenges resulting from school closures, safety concerns for victims of interpersonal violence, higher levels of crisis needs, isolation/stress, and service access issues. Agency-level impacts focused on the transition to virtual services, challenges with staffing and resources, worker burnout/stress, and resilience and flexibility. Implications are discussed for organizational staffing and trauma-informed training needs, burnout prevention and mitigation, and client service gaps. Future research should continue exploration of system- and organizational-level adaptation in response to the pandemic, as well as the long-term implementation of trauma-informed organizational practices as a strategy to enhance victim service worker satisfaction and retention.

Characteristics of Victims of Interpersonal Violence Presented to Emergency Department, Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya

Characteristics of Victims of Interpersonal Violence Presented to Emergency Department, Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya

Patterns of Mandibular Fractures through Human Aggression: A 10-Year Cross-Sectional Cohort Retrospective Study.

The World Health Organization considers the victims of interpersonal violence to be a medical priority. In order to provide services at the highest level, we aimed to evaluate the patterns of maxillofacial fractures caused by interpersonal violence, in order to treat, counsel and guide these patients. This retrospective study was conducted in 478 patients with mandibular fractures caused by interpersonal violence over 10 years in a university clinic. The most affected were male patients (95.19%), 20-29 years of age (46.86%), under the influence of alcohol (83.26%) and without education (43.9%). The majority of mandibular fractures were displaced (89.3%) and intraorally open (64.0%). The most frequent location was the mandibular angle (34.84%). The most frequent soft tissue lesions were hematomas (45.04%) and abrasions (34.71%), being associated frequently with closed (p = 0.945/p = 0.237), displaced (p = 0.001/p = 0.002), single angle fractures (p = 0.081/p = 0.222). Educating the population and fighting alcohol consumption would decrease the occurrence of mandibular fractures through aggression. Clinical diagnosis should be made, keeping in mind that the severity of associated soft tissue lesions is directly proportional to the pattern and number of underlying fracture lines.

Dating Violence, Sexual Violence, and Bullying Victimization Among High School Students -Youth Risk Behavior Survey, United States, 2021.

Experiences of teen dating violence (TDV), sexual violence, and bullying during adolescence are all forms of interpersonal violence victimization (IVV) and are associated with health and behavioral issues during adulthood. Data from the nationally representative 2011-2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys were used to estimate the 2021 prevalence of IVV reported by U.S. high school students. IVV included past-year sexual TDV, physical TDV, sexual violence by anyone, electronic bullying, being bullied on school property, and lifetime forced sex and was analyzed by demographic characteristics and sex of sexual contacts. This report also explored trends in IVV over this 10-year period among U.S. high school students. In 2021, a total of 8.5% of students reported physical TDV, 9.7% reported sexual TDV, 11.0% reported sexual violence by anyone (with 59.5% of those also reporting sexual TDV), 15.0% reported bullying on school property, and 15.9% reported electronic bullying victimization during the past 12 months; 8.5% also reported experiencing forced sex in their lifetime. Disparities were observed for each form of IVV assessed for females and for most forms of IVV among racial and ethnic minority students; students who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning, or other (LGBQ+); and students who reported their sexual contacts as same sex only or both sexes. Trend analyses indicated that physical TDV, sexual TDV, any physical or sexual TDV, and both physical and sexual TDV victimization decreased from 2013 to 2021 (although sexual TDV increased from 2019 to 2021). Any bullying victimization decreased from 2011 to 2021. Lifetime forced sexual intercourse decreased from 2011 to 2015, then increased from 2015 to 2021. Being bullied on school property was unchanged from 2011 to 2017, then decreased from 2017 to 2021. Sexual violence by anyone increased from 2017 to 2021. This report highlights disparities in IVV and provides the first national estimates among Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander youths. Findings, including trend analyses indicating recent increases in certain forms of IVV, point to the continued urgency of violence prevention efforts for all U.S. youths and especially those who are disproportionately affected by IVV.

History repeats itself: Impact of mental illness on violent reinjury and hospital reencounters among female victims of interpersonal violence.

Violence-related reinjury impacts both patients and health care systems. Mental illness (MI) is prevalent among violently injured individuals. The relationship between pre-existing MI and violent reinjury among women has not been fully characterized. Our objective was to determine if risk of hospital reencounter -violent re-injury and all-cause - was associated with pre-existing MI at time of index injury among female victims of violence. All females (15-100 + yrs) presenting to a level I trauma center with violent injury (2002-2019) surviving to discharge were included (N = 1056). Exposure was presence of pre-existing MI. The primary outcome was hospital reencounters for violent re-injury and all-cause within one year (through 2020). The secondary outcome was the development of a new MI within one year of index injury. Odds of reencounter and development of new MI for those with and without pre-existing MI were compared with multivariable logistic regression, stratified for interaction when appropriate. There were 404 women (38%) with pre-existing MI at time of index injury. Approximately 11% of patients with pre-existing MI experienced violent reinjury compared to 5% of those without within 1 year (P < 0.001). Specifically, those with MI in the absence of concomitant substance use had more than three times the odds of violent reinjury [aOR 3.52(1.57,7.93), P = 0.002]. Of those with pre-existing MI, 64% had at least one reencounter for any reason compared to 46% of those without (P < 0.001). Odds of all-cause reencounter for those with pre-existing MI were nearly twice of those without [aOR 1.81(1.36,2.42), P < 0.0001]. Among female victims of violence, pre-existing MI is associated with a significantly increased risk of hospital reencounter and violent reinjury within the first year after index injury. Recognition of this vulnerable population and improved efforts at addressing MI in trauma patients is critical to ongoing prevention efforts to reduce violent reinjury. Original research; Prognostic/Epidemiological, Level III.

Interpersonal violence in a city of Paraná: a study about the epidemiological profile of victims and characterization of dental trauma

The socioeconomic context and population vulnerability are directly associated with violence in the country. In Brazil, the Criminal Code provides the illicit act and punishes the aggressor who offends the physical aggression from a person. Interpersonal violence is an illegal act and is associated with the vulnerability of victims. Therefore, the study of the epidemiological profile of victims of interpersonal violence is needed to alert the population about their susceptibility. The present study aimed to design the epidemiological profile of victims of bodily injury from interpersonal violence in the region of Maringá, in the state of Paraná, and to study the characterization of dental injuries in terms of permanent weakness and deformity. Four thousand nine hundred sixty-two reports performed between 2018 and 2020 were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Data collected included: sex, age, marital status, the region affected by the bodily injury, type of dental trauma, and responses to “weakness” or/and “permanent deformity”. During the period studied, there was a prevalence of female victims (57.8%), white skin color (80.2%), aged between 21 and 30 years (24.9%), single (54.9%), and the most affected region was the upper limbs (32.1%). Regarding bodily injuries with dental involvement, 67 cases were reported, male victims were prevalent (60.3%), and dental fracture was highlighted with 54.4% of examined injuries. The implementation of the Forensic Dentistry Centre took place in August 2019 at the Medico-Legal Institute of Maringá. Also, with the interruption of expert activities in 2020 - due to the COVID-19 pandemic – relevant outcomes regarding permanent weakness were observed. The epidemiological profile of victims is characterized by the female sex, white skin color, the age group from 21 to 30 years old, and singles. Regarding dental trauma, male victims, and dental fractures were prevalent. Furthermore, there was an increase in the classification of "permanent weakness", as well as a slight increase in cases of "further assessment required" for permanent deformity.

(Un)Acknowledgment of Men as Victims of Intimate Partner Violence.

Some victims of interpersonal violence do not acknowledge or label their experience as criminal. This study aims to explore men's experiences as victims of intimate partner violence and identify the key elements that contribute to their (un)acknowledgment and needs. We interviewed 10 Portuguese male victims in heterosexual relationships who requested formal help. A thematic analysis was performed using NVivo 11. Social gender discourses and expectations prevented men from acknowledging their intimate victimization and created barriers to seeking help. Participants struggled to achieve the social status of the victim and to gain access to intervention measures. These findings reflect the invisibility and insufficient social awareness of intimate partner violence against men and enhance our understanding of the need of those men.

Precipitating Circumstances Associated With Intimate Partner Problem–Related Suicides

In 2020, suicide was the 12th leading cause of death among adults in the U.S. Previous research has shown that one common precipitating circumstance among adult suicide decedents is experiencing intimate partner problems (IPPs), such as divorce, separation, romantic break-ups, arguments, conflicts, and intimate partner violence. This study examines how precipitating factors differ between IPP- and non-IPP-related suicides. In 2022, this study analyzed National Violent Death Reporting System data from adult suicide decedents in 48 states and 2 territories between 2003 and 2020. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare precipitating circumstances between IPP- and non-IPP-related suicides, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics. Of the 402,391 suicides, 20% (n=80,717) were known to be IPP-related. Circumstances that significantly increased the odds of IPP-related suicides included a history of suicidal thoughts and attempts and mental health problems (depressed mood, alcohol problem, mental health diagnosis), life stressors (interpersonal violence perpetration and victimization, arguments, financial problems, job problems, family problems), and recent legal problems. Non-IPP-related suicides were more likely to occur among older individuals and to be precipitated by a physical health problem or crime. The findings can inform prevention strategies that build resiliency and problem-solving skills, strengthen economic support, and identify and assist people at risk for IPP-related suicides. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Suicide Resource for Action and Intimate Partner Violence Prevention resource packages highlight the best available evidence for policies, programs, and practices related to preventing suicides and IPP.