Violence Prevention Initiatives Research Articles

Examining the role of religious organizations in trauma support and healing within gun violence prevention efforts

This scholarly examination explores the critical role of religious organizations in providing trauma support and facilitating healing within gun violence prevention initiatives. Through a rigorous, interdisciplinary analysis of diverse faith-based approaches, the research investigates how religious institutions strategically leverage their distinctive theological frameworks and deeply rooted community connections to address trauma resulting from gun violence. The study conducts an in-depth exploration of successful trauma-informed religious counseling programs, examining innovative interfaith collaboration models and healing practices that synthesize spiritual wisdom with contemporary therapeutic methodologies. Critically, our research unveils the nuanced advantages religious organizations possess in trauma support, demonstrating their capacity to integrate spiritual guidance with evidence-based mental health interventies. Empirical findings reveal that faith-based trauma interventions consistently achieve higher community engagement and more sustainable outcomes compared to secular alternatives, while simultaneously illuminating the complex challenges inherent in this emerging interdisciplinary field. This research contributes significant scholarly insights into faith-based trauma intervention strategies, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding how religious organizations can enhance comprehensive gun violence prevention efforts and improve trauma support services across diverse community contexts.

Violence and hegemonic masculinities in Timor-Leste – on the challenges of using theoretical frameworks in conflict-affected societies

ABSTRACT Research on men, masculinities, and of men’s violences has multiplied recently, as have violence-prevention initiatives, especially in conflict-affected societies. Drawing on my experiences of working on violence prevention as well as of conducting research with men in violence-prone groups in post-conflict Timor-Leste, I reflect on the practical and conceptual challenges of this work. Key concepts from Critical Studies of Men and Masculinities (CSMM) were helpful in part but were challenged by the lived realities and narratives of the men I interviewed. Common conflations of violence and hegemonic masculinity proved less-than straightforward. Perhaps inevitably, this work carried with it an element of epistemic violence, of outside concepts being imposed by a privileged me upon my research subjects through my interpretation of their lives. Given how central engaging with ‘violent masculinities’ should be to gender-transformative peacebuilding, these challenges speak to broader questions of the possibilities of social change and ethical questions involved.

Taking Back Curriculum

This paper maps key factors that activate adult stakeholders in Ontario to support curriculum pertaining to consent and non-violence in K-12 education. The paper draws from a study that used three qualitative approaches: (1) the design of an original media literacy curriculum module for Ontario youth ages 13-15; (2) curriculum assessment of the module by diverse stakeholders in Ontario K-12 education (n=20); and (3) analysis of archival documents pertaining to consent education and media literacy in Ontario, including official curriculum and media reports. Four key factors united stakeholders in supporting K-12 curriculum pertaining to consent and non-violence in Ontario. Firstly, stakeholders are intrigued by media-based pedagogies that can facilitate consent education that is “culturally relevant” (Ladson-Billings 1994; 1995) for diverse learners in Ontario. Stakeholders are also more likely to support consent and violence prevention initiatives if accompanied by professional development and teaching tools. Educator collectives and political organizing also allow for more feminist and social-justice pedagogies in the classroom, including consent education. Finally, parent councils and community groups are essential places for activism and knowledge sharing that can meet the needs of community members, while addressing stakeholders’ attitudes and behaviours that gatekeep violence prevention initiatives in education.

Employers' Perception and Practice of Workplace Violence Prevention at Healthcare Facilities Questionnaire: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

Workplace violence prevention initiatives are undeniably lacking in healthcare facilities. The aim of this study was to validate a newly developed questionnaire and assess employers' perceptions and practices towards workplace violence prevention at healthcare facilities. A cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2021 to November 2021 by recruiting 333 employers at healthcare facilities in Kelantan, Malaysia. The original draft of the Malay version of the questionnaire comprised 62 items constructed under two domains (perception and practice). A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to evaluate construct validity and internal consistency using R software. The final model for the perception and practice domain of the questionnaire consisted of 13 factors and 56 items. The factor loadings for all items were above 0.6. The fit indices used for confirmatory factor analysis in the final model were as follows: χ2 = 2092.6 (P < 0.001), standardised root mean squared residual (SRMR) = 0.053, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.042, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.928 and Tucker Lewis index (TLI) = 0.920. The construct reliability for all factors was reliable, with Raykov's rho coefficients above 0.70. The newly developed questionnaire demonstrated excellent psychometric properties and adequate validity and reliability, confirming that this instrument is reliable and valuable for evaluating employers' perceptions and practices towards workplace violence prevention at healthcare facilities.

Hospital-based violence prevention programmes in South Wales Emergency Departments: A process evaluation protocol.

Addressing violence related harm is a global public health priority. While violence is primarily managed in the criminal justice system, healthcare supports and manages those injured by violence. Emergency Departments (EDs), the primary destination for those seriously injured, have emerged as a candidate location for violence prevention initiatives. There is limited evaluation of ED-based violence prevention, and a lack of guidance for the implementation and delivery of them. Nurse-led Violence Prevention Teams (VPTs) have been developed and implemented in two EDs in Wales, UK. This protocol describes methods used in the process evaluation of these VPTs. To understand how VPTs function, how they were implemented, and mechanisms of impact, as well as the exploration of wider contextual factors influencing their function. Adopting a critical realist approach and informed by the Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance for process evaluations, the process evaluation will employ qualitative methods to collect and analyse data: a scoping review of evidence of effectiveness that considers the causal mechanisms underpinning violence; a documentary analysis to determine operational considerations concerning the development, implementation and delivery of the VPTs; a descriptive analysis of routine ED data to characterise the prevalence of violence-related attendances in each ED; interviews with professional stakeholders (N = 60) from the violence prevention ecologies in which the VPTs are embedded. This protocol outlines a process evaluation of a novel, nurse led violence prevention intervention. Findings will be used to inform policy makers' decision making on whether and how VPTs should be used in practice in other EDs across the UK, and the extent that a single operational model should be adjusted to address the local characteristic of violence. To the authors knowledge, this is the first process evaluation of a UK-based, nurse led Emergency Department Violence Prevention Team. Protocol registration ISRCTN: 15286575. Registered 13th March, 2023.

Biased and Nonbiased Victimization at School: Perceived Impacts Among Victimized Youth in a National Sample

ABSTRACT A vast literature examines the negative effects of school victimization. However, there are few studies comparing the impacts of biased and nonbiased victimization. Extant research also rarely assesses the impacts of experiencing multiple types of biased victimization. This study used nationally representative U.S. data (N = 2,241) to examine the perceived negative effects of biased and nonbiased victimization on victims’ physical health, self-esteem, social relationships, and schoolwork. Compared to nonbiased victimization, biased victimization was associated with increased odds of experiencing all four perceived impact types. Odds of the perceived impacts increased as the number of bias types involved in the victimization increased. These findings imply that schools should place greater emphasis on prejudicial victimization as a component of their violence prevention and anti-bullying initiatives.

Integrating trauma-informed services in out-of-school time programs to mitigate the impact of community gun violence on youth mental health

Community gun violence disproportionately impacts youth in low-income urban neighborhoods. Integrating trauma-informed mental health care in community-based out-of-school time (OST) programs is an innovative method of service delivery for these youth. This article provides justification for integrating evidence-based, trauma-informed services in OST programs within communities characterized by high rates of violent crime to minimize the impact of violence exposure on youth mental health. We describe the initial feasibility of a model program, the Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Initiative, implemented in a small city in southeastern Pennsylvania. Within the first six months of the VIP Initiative, 95 community residents (90% under age 18; 51% Hispanic) received intervention services, primarily through single-session and short-term weekly group intervention in OST programs, and 80% of OST youth development staff participated in at least one trauma-informed professional development training. Recommendations to enhance and expand the delivery of trauma-informed services in the novel setting of OST programs are provided.

Implementing Evidence-Based Workplace Violence Prevention Education to Support Frontline Staff at Risk for Workplace Violence.

Prior studies assessing workplace violence educational interventions have found positive outcomes including increased frontline staff confidence and reduced restraint utilization. An electronic, evidenced-based educational module was provided to frontline staff across a large healthcare system in response to a gap found during analysis of workplace violence prevention initiatives. This quality improvement project found that education can be feasibly implemented across large healthcare organizations to improve frontline staff vigilance and awareness of workplace violence risks.

Training needs in dating violence prevention among school staff in Québec, Canada

IntroductionSchool staff play a central role in youth sexual health education (SHE), making them critical actors in dating violence (DV) prevention initiatives. However, since most school staff do not benefit from specific training on SHE, they often report feeling challenged in their roles as sex educators. The mention of a lack of self-efficacy to prevent DV is a concern as self-efficacy is associated with the motivation of adopting new behaviors. To optimize the scope of actions used to prevent DV, the SPARX program team sought to identify priority training needs using a mixed-methods design.MethodsIn the quantitative component of this study, 108 school staff completed an online survey regarding their sense of ease, self-efficacy and barriers faced in regard to DV prevention. For the qualitative component, 15 school staff participated in an individual semi-structured interview, sharing their experiences preventing DV. Descriptive analyses were conducted on the survey data, while direct content analysis using the self-efficacy theory concept was conducted on the interviews.ResultsTo feel confident, school staff members need to learn about DV and healthy relationships and clarify their role in DV prevention. Turnkey activities, preformulated answers to adolescents’ questions, and strategies to reassure reluctant parents can strengthen staff’s sense of self-efficacy. Members of the school staff also want to feel supported and encouraged by their colleagues and school administration in their efforts to prevent DV.DiscussionThe results highlight the importance of providing training beyond acquisition of knowledge, which can improve attitudes toward DV prevention and a sense of self-efficacy used to transmit content and intervention.

Lessons Learned from a Mixed-Method Pilot of a Norms-Shifting Social Media Intervention to Reduce Teacher-Perpetrated School-Related Gender-Based Violence in Uganda

Background: Violence against children (VAC) is a global epidemic rooted in gender norms. One of the most common forms of VAC is school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV). Research has shown the promise of social media to shift norms underlying abusive behaviors, but, to-date, no studies have reported on social media norms-shifting interventions to prevent SRGBV by teachers. This study describes lessons learned from a pilot social-media intervention to shift social norms among Ugandan teachers to promote gender equity and reduce SRGBV. Methods: We extracted information on group size, posts, engagements, and teachers’ comments from intervention Facebook and WhatsApp social media groups and conducted mixed-methods data analysis. The study and program team met weekly to review findings and adjust the approach. Results: We found many teachers voiced social norms and attitudes upholding SRGBV in online groups, highlighting the need for intervention. Social media groups were largely acceptable to teachers, reached many teachers throughout Uganda, and often promoted active discussion. The program team carefully monitored online engagement, identified needed shifts, and performed mid-course adjustments in response to emerging challenges. Lessons learned included focusing on positive norms instead of harmful norms, engaging peer-influencers to shift norms, and including educational resources to inform behavior change. Conclusions: This study offers learnings on application of social and behavior-change communication and social norms principles to future online violence prevention initiatives.

A Latent Transition Model of the Effects of a Youth-Led Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative on Victimization and Perpetration Trajectories Over Time

Latent transition analysis was used to characterize transitions over time in profiles of victimization and perpetration of sexual and related forms of violence (i.e., bullying, dating violence, sexual harassment) over a 2.5-year period among middle and high school students. We also examined how profiles of violence varied as a function of participation in a youth-led sexual violence prevention initiative (Youth Voices in Prevention [Youth VIP]). Participants were 2,528 youth (53.3% female, average age= 13.73years) who completed a survey at five points (every six months) over three academic years (fall 2017-fall 2019). Participation in Youth VIP was tracked by researchers and took place from summer 2018 to fall2019. Four classes (i.e., low violence class, victimization only class, sexual harassment class, mixed violence class) best captured patterns of victimization and perpetration experiences. The latent transition analysis showed that the least severe class had the highest stability, with the fewest students transitioning out of this class over time. Results also demonstrated that, overall, participation in at least one Youth VIP event, compared to not participating in any Youth VIP events, related to positive transitions over time to less severe classes. Violence experienced by youth is not homogenous, although classes of violence among youth are generally stable over a 2.5 period. Results also provide further evidence that Youth VIP is a promising approach to prevent sexual and related forms of violence and appears to promote transition into less severe classes of violence over time.

Diffusion effects of a sexual violence prevention program leveraging youth-adult partnerships.

The purpose of the current study was to examine the diffusion effects of a youth-led sexual violence prevention program (i.e., Youth Voices in Prevention [Youth VIP]). Specifically, social network analysis was used to measure the extent to which Youth VIP changed behaviors for 1172 middle and high school youth who did not attend program events but were friends with Youth VIP participants and completed the first and final survey (approximately 2 years apart). Findings suggest that there was considerable interpersonal communication about Youth VIP among the students generated by program participation. Specifically, youth with friends who participated in Youth VIP were more likely to report hearing their friends talk about Youth VIP and reported talking to their friends about Youth VIP compared with those not connected to Youth VIP participants. However, there were no diffusion effects found for behavioral outcomes (i.e., bystander intervention behavior, violence victimization, and perpetration). Given the mixed findings, further research is needed to determine the extent to which youth-led sexual violence prevention initiatives lead to changes in broader community-wide changes in youths' behaviors.

Improving Adolescent Violent Trauma Outcomes With a Hospital-Based Violence Prevention Initiative.

Violent trauma results in significant morbidity/mortality in Black/Hispanic males aged 15 to 24 years. Hospital- and community-level interventions may improve patient and community outcomes. To determine if a hospital-based violence prevention intervention using community outreach workers was associated with improved violent trauma patient postdischarge follow-up and reinjury rates. This is a retrospective, single-center, cohort study of admitted violent trauma patients to a public hospital in the Bronx, NY. Data were collected from a convenience sample of patients aged 15 to 24 years admitted with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, codes for gunshot wound, stab wound, or physical assault from August 2014 to April 2018. The exposure variable was documentation of intervention team evaluation during admission. The outcome variables included attending >50% scheduled postdischarge follow-up visits, and subsequent violent reinjury (gunshot wound, stab wound, blunt assault) during the study time period. Multivariable regression models were used to determine the association between the exposure and outcome variables. A total of 535 patients were evaluated and were primarily male (92.5%), Black (54%)/Latino (36.4%), with mean age of 19.1 years. Patients in the exposure group had increased odds of attending >50% of scheduled clinic postdischarge follow-up visits (odds ratio, 2.29; 95% confidence interval 1.59-3.29) and decreased odds of subsequent violent reinjury presentation (odds ratio, 0.41; 95% confidence interval 0.22-0.75) 3 months after hospital discharge. A hospital-based violence prevention intervention may be associated with decreased odds of violent reinjury and increased odds of postdischarge scheduled appointment adherence in admitted pediatric violent trauma patients.

Adolescent Gun Violence Shows an Age Group to Focus Trauma Prevention

Gun violence continues to escalate in America's urban areas. Peer groups of gun wound victims are potential targets for violence prevention initiatives; identification of this cohort is pivotal to efficient deployment strategies. We hypothesize a specific age at which the incidence of penetrating trauma increases significantly in adolescence, below which should be the focus on future trauma prevention. Adolescent trauma patients with gunshot wounds seen from July 2011 through June 2021 at a well-established, urban, academic level 1 trauma center were reviewed retrospectively and grouped by age. A linear regression and repeated measured analysis of variance evaluated the change in gunshot wound victims over this time, grouped by age. Demographics were extrapolated, and standard statistical analysis was performed. A total of 1304 adolescent trauma patients were included. Those aged 15 y and under had an unchanged incidence of gunshot wounds. However, those aged 16 y and more experienced the majority of increased gun violence; 92% were Black and 90% were male with a mortality of 12%. Adolescents aged 15 y and below were 95% Black and 84% male, with a mortality of 18%. Primary prevention efforts to mitigate gun violence should be focused on adolescents below 16y of age. Prevention of gun violence should include community outreach efforts directed toward middle school-aged children and younger, hoping to decrease the incidence of injury due to gun violence in older adolescents in the future.

Insights from law enforcement personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic: a focus on violence reduction and prevention initiatives and firearm violence

ABSTRACT In the United States (U.S.), elevated levels of firearm violence following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in late March 2020 drew attention to efforts taken by law enforcement to reduce and prevent firearm violence through policing innovations. However, it is not well-understood how operational changes in policing during this time impacted these efforts. Our study is the first to consider the perceptions and experiences of law enforcement personnel during the pandemic as it relates to violence reduction and prevention initiatives (VRPIs) and firearm violence, more broadly. By leveraging partnerships between an academic research team and law enforcement practitioners, our action research approach is well-positioned to offer recommendations to support policies and practices that are responsive to emerging crises. While our study is based within the U.S., our focus on the impact of a global phenomenon on firearm violence is of international interest. To this end, an anonymous and voluntary online survey was distributed to both sworn and civilian personnel of the Detroit Police Department (Detroit, Michigan) in August 2020 to understand how the department’s VRPIs and related routine police operations were impacted during the pandemic, and identify potential community and criminal justice system drivers of firearm violence during this time. Our focus on the city of Detroit represents a unique opportunity to explore these connections given the city’s volume of firearm violence, as well as the severity and scope of challenges faced in cities of color. We discuss how our findings can be applied to guide the construction of systems that are more robust against and responsive to external and internal pressures. We also provide several recommendations to guide future research in this area.

Congress Passes First Significant Gun Safety Bill in Decades

Congress Passes First Significant Gun Safety Bill in Decades

‘Inoculate Boys Against Toxic Masculinity’: Exploring Discourses of Men and Masculinity in #Metoo Commentaries

This article examines what discourses and assumed subject positions have emerged about men and masculinity in #MeToo debates. Using feminist critical discourse analysis and an exploratory approach to analyze 163 media articles, five key framings are noted: men are victims of masculinity requiring intervention, men are positioned as inherently ‘good’ or ‘bad’, boys and men are lost and need to be found, men are performative in their ‘awakenings’, and men’s take up of protector or allyship roles may in fact be attempts to be false heroes. The findings of this work note several tensions and contradictions that highlight an overall lack of coherency and agreement regarding men’s engagements with, and roles in, the #MeToo movement. These contradictions and tensions have implications for thinking about gender equality and gendered violence prevention initiatives.

Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (DOJ)

Federal Grants & ContractsVolume 46, Issue 11 p. 5-5 Grants alerts Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (DOJ) First published: 01 May 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/fgc.32355Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume46, Issue115 May 2022Pages 5-5 RelatedInformation

Attendance at a Community-Based, After School, Youth-Led Sexual Violence Prevention Initiative.

Sexual violence (SV) among adolescents is a pervasive public health concern. Research on community-based prevention programs that seek to reach youth outside of school hours is less developed, but suggests positive effects. In the current paper, we examine attendance at community events and overnight retreats for a youth-led SV prevention initiative, Youth Voices in Prevention (Youth VIP) using survey (n = 2539) and short-answer (n = 1177) data from a broad sample of youth in a small urban district in the Great Plains (United States), where Youth VIP took place. Multivariate logistic regression models using multiple imputation sampling were tested for retreat and community event attendance (respectively). The model of retreat attendance found that those with past SV victimization had significantly higher odds of attending retreats and each additional extracurricular activity youth participated in was associated with increased odds of attendance. The model of event attendance found that male youth had significantly lower odds of attending an event and that odds of attending increased with each additional extracurricular activity reported. Age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and bystander denial were not significant predictors of attendance. Short-answer questions, coded with content analysis, found that youth report being more likely to attend if events feature fun activities with their friends, money, or other incentives; in survey questions, youth report lack of time and lack of interest as the most common reasons for non-attendance. Findings suggest that programming that blends social time and recreational activities with SV content may improve youth attendance; additional recruitment may be needed to engage male youth and youth who are less involved in extracurriculars. This study provides important insight into youth attendance-who attends, who does not, and why-that can be leveraged by others when seeking to engage youth in SV prevention.

Expert Stakeholders’ Perspectives on How Cisgender Heterosexual Boys and Young Men Navigate Sex and Intimacy in Australia: A Case for “Heterosexual Intimacies” in Policy and Practice

IntroductionCisgender heterosexual boys and young men in Australia may experience or perpetuate a range of harms in their romantic and sexual encounters with women due to expectations that they adhere to problematic ideals and norms concerning masculinity and heterosexuality. This paper explores expert stakeholders’ perceptions on these key issues, and their broader implications for policy and practice.MethodsUsing inductive thematic analysis techniques, this paper draws on semi-structured interviews from 23 expert stakeholders working across sectors of gendered violence prevention, sexual health, relationships and sexuality education, sport, and emotional and physical wellbeing.ResultsFindings note several key concerns, including (1) hesitation and lack of adequate information regarding relationships with women; (2) the potential negative influence of pornography; (3) the lack of opportunities to be engaged in sexual health promotion initiatives; and (4) limited opportunities to have meaningful conversations about dating, sex, and intimacy.ConclusionsExpert stakeholders note several important gaps in policy and practice that need to be addressed to better support cisgender heterosexual boys and young men, and to confront gendered violence and sexual violence.Social and Policy ImplicationsUnderstanding these gaps is vital for policymakers, content and program creators, and service providers working with cisgender heterosexual boys and men. We advocate for thinking about a strategy that is centred around “heterosexual intimacies”, in which addressing boys and young men’s sexual health and wellbeing is brought together with gendered violence prevention and sexual violence prevention initiatives.