Domestic Violence Research Articles

Exploring the child marriage practices and their impact on women's lives in Pakistan: A qualitative analysis.

The study aimed to qualitatively explore the relationship between intimate partner violence and early marriage, focusing on the psychological and physical health issues faced by married women in rural Pakistan. Specifically, it investigated how resilience moderates the effects of early marriage, physical health problems, intimate partner abuse, and psychological issues. Using an intrinsic qualitative approach, the research involved interviews with 20 household heads, 62 husbands, and 40 wives in Sindh province. The findings indicated significant differences related to early marriage, intimate partner abuse, physical health issues, stress, anxiety, and depression. The results align with other South Asian studies, highlighting early marriage as a major risk factor for physical health issues and intimate partner violence. Additionally, the study underscores the widespread nature of violence as a social problem affecting married couples' health in Pakistan.

Understanding the impact of domestic violence on children's mental health and exploring effective intervention strategies

Exposure to domestic violence in the home can have profound and long-lasting effects on children's mental health and development. An extensive body of research has demonstrated the links between witnessing domestic abuse and increased risks of psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder in affected children. However, not all children exposed to violence experience negative outcomes, and interventions can help mitigate harm. This research aims to synthesize what is known about the multifaceted psychological consequences of domestic violence exposure for children and identify effective support strategies. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken to understand prevalence rates, forms of abuse, and potential moderating and mediating factors. Key findings indicate that while abuse types, including physical, emotional, verbal, and financial violence, can all impact children's mental health, factors like age, gender, resilience characteristics, and social support networks influence outcomes. Trauma-focused therapies, parent-child interaction programs, play-based interventions, and school-based supports show promise as evidence-based approaches. Recommendations target collaboration between policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to strengthen legislation, implement multidisciplinary treatment, and conduct further longitudinal studies. The goal is to illuminate this critical issue and guide the development and evaluation of integrated systems of care focused on child wellness and family violence prevention.

Dissonance, Discordance, and Disparity: The Impact of Differences in Papers, Processes, and People on Justice for Domestic Violence Survivors in South Africa

This article explores the disparate and idiosyncratic implementation of the protection order (PO) process at magistrates’ courts in South Africa’s Western Cape, and the impact of this discordance upon survivors of domestic violence seeking assistance from the justice system. Drawing upon qualitative research undertaken by the authors from 1999 to 2022, we highlight crucial differences in PO papers, processes and actors across magistrates’ courts. Contrary to claims that the law is unified and standardized—offering the “maximum level of protection” for all survivors across the country—we illustrate that protection order applicants instead have widely differing experiences, dependent on the procedures, street-level bureaucrats and local legal cultures of their court. These differences have an inequitable and arbitrary effect which often deprives domestic violence survivors of access to justice while blaming those very same applicants for failing to “follow the process”.

Social worker as an implementer of solutions introduced by lex Kamilek

The Act of July 28, 2023 amending the Act – Family and Guardianship Code and certain other acts (Journal of Laws 2023, item 1606), in force since February 15, 2024, introduced new solutions aimed at increasing the protection of minors against harm. The changes covered several legal acts and apply to all institutions whose activities are related to the care of children, their education, upbringing, developing their interests or providing them with support. One of the entities performing tasks for a family raising a child is a social worker. Some of the legal solutions introduced by so called lex Kamilek are reflected in his daily work. First of all, as part of the procedure for ensuring protection for a child in the event of a threat to his life or health in connection with domestic violence, a social worker will be obliged, together with a police officer and a doctor, paramedic or nurse, to complete a questionnaire assessing the risk of threat to the child's life or health. Moreover, in the case of employment in institutions dealing with child care, the person must be verified in terms of information from the Register with limited access or in the Register of persons in relation to whom the State Commission for Counteracting the Sexual Exploitation of Minors under 15 years of age has issued a decision on entry in the Register and the National Criminal Register. It is also obliged to implement standards for the protection of minors.As an employee of a specific institution, he or she may be obliged to provide the Team of Experts for the Analysis of Events as a result of which a minor died or suffered serious bodily injury, certain information and documents without the obligation to maintain professional secrecy.

Domestic Violence against School Students with Reference to Physical Abuse

Domestic Violence against School Students with Reference to Physical Abuse

International human rights commitments to protect victims of domestic violence: Refugee recognition as the first step for an integrated approach under EU law in Case C-621/21, Intervyuirasht organ na DAB pri MS (women victims of domestic violence)

The judgment by the Grand Chamber of the Court of in Case C-621/21 Intervyuirasht organ na DAB pri MS case has already attracted significant attention for the finding of the Court that women victims of domestic violence can be considered as members of particular social group for the purposes of recognition of refugee status. This case note presents the facts of the case and analyses reasoning of the Court. It highlights the importance of the case both for its outcome, which has already guided subsequent findings of the Court on the refugee status of women of Iraqi origin identifying with the values of the EU, but also for placing the international human rights commitments of both the EU and its Member States at the core of the reasoning. At the same time, some contentious points of the judgment are also raised. These relate to the ‘hiding’ of the ECtHR case law in the reasoning of the Court and to the fragmented way in which international human rights obligations towards victims of domestic violence appear in other areas of EU law and case law.

The relationship between spousal violence, maternal functioning, depression, and anxiety among Iranian postpartum mothers: a prospective study

BackgroundViolence against women is a critical public health issue that adversely affects physical and mental health, contributing to injuries, chronic conditions, and mental health disorders. This study addresses the gap in understanding the relationship between spousal violence with maternal functioning and mental health in postpartum mothers.MethodsThis Prospective study was conducted on 316 postpartum women who gave birth in Al-Zahra and Taleghani Educational Treatment Centers in Tabriz, Iran, from June 2023 to October 2023. Participants were selected using convenience sampling and followed up for 6–8 weeks. The data were collected using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS), and the Barkin Index of Maternal Functioning (BIMF). A general linear model, adjusted for individual, social, and obstetric variables, was used to determine the relationship between domestic violence, maternal functioning, depression and anxiety.ResultsMost women (84%) experienced one or more types of intimate partner violence (IPV), including psychological, physical, or sexual abuse. About one-third (32.9%) reported psychological abuse, 21.2% physical violence, 49.4% sexual coercion, and 6.3% reported injuries. The adjusted general linear model showed that the mean depression score was lower in individuals without any experience of violence compared to those who had experienced any violence (β: -1.75; 95% CI: -3.40 to -0.10; p = 0.038). The mean depression score was significantly higher in homemakers compared to employed individuals (β = 3.53; 95% CI = 1.22 to 5.84, p = 0.003). The mean maternal functioning score was significantly higher in those who had not experienced mild physical violence compared to those who had (β = 2.94; 95% CI = 0.34 to 5.55, p = 0.027). The mean anxiety score was lower in individuals with high income (β: -3.38; 95% CI: -5.73 to -1.04; p = 0.005) and moderate income (β: -2.21; 95% CI: -4.35 to -0.07; p = 0.043) compared to those with low income.ConclusionThe findings reveal a high prevalence of violence, particularly sexual coercion, significantly affecting maternal functioning and mental health. Socioeconomic factors also play a crucial role in postpartum mental health. These results highlight the urgent need for enhanced prevention efforts and targeted interventions that consider the socio-economic context and specific forms of violence.

The effectiveness of domestic violence investigation: standards of the Istanbul Convention and the ECHR case law

The effectiveness of domestic violence investigation: standards of the Istanbul Convention and the ECHR case law

Domestic violence and abuse across the life course: Considerations for practice and research

Domestic violence and abuse across the life course: Considerations for practice and research

Risk Factors Affecting the Psychological Resilience of Adolescents in Institutional Care: A Systematic Review.

Psychological resilience is defined as the resilience capacity and the power to recover in the face of stressful life events. Adolescents in institutional care have different individual, familial, and environmental risk factors that negatively affect their psychological resilience. This study aimed to comparatively examine studies that detect the risk factors affecting the resilience of adolescents living in institutional care and make recommendations regarding initiatives or specific outcomes related to this. This study systematically reviewed national and international literature databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Medline, CINAHL, EBSCO host, Psychinfo, Cochrane Library, Turkish Ulakbim, Turkish Medical Directory, and Turkish Psychiatry Directory up to December 2021. Fourteen studies were included in this study. Many significant risk factors, such as adolescents' interpersonal relationships, self-confidence, self-esteem, self-efficacy levels, problem-solving skills, empathy skills, as well as parental abandonment, domestic violence, socioeconomic poverty, a history of abuse, peer rejection, lack of social support resources, and low academic performance, have been identified and discussed at individual, familial, and environmental levels. Adolescents in institutional care were more vulnerable and had more mental and behavioral problems than their peers. This systematic review found no studies evaluating preventive programs, interventions, or interventions designed to reduce the frequency and prevalence of future adverse events for children growing up in institutional care settings. Recommends the comprehensive inclusion and evaluation of preventive programs, practices, and assessments aimed at reducing the frequency and prevalence of risk factors affecting resilience.

Long-term impacts of socioeconomic status and childhood trauma on depression in older adults: social work strategies

ABSTRACT This study explores the impact of life course socioeconomic status (SES) and childhood trauma on depressive symptoms in Chinese middle-aged and older adults, while also examining the role of chronic diseases and implications for social work practice. Using data from 9,942 participants, structural equation was established to investigate these relationships. Results reveals that low childhood SES positively affects depressive symptoms through low SES in mid-to-late life (std. β = 0.168, p < .001), and domestic child abuse negatively impacts depressive symptoms through low SES in mid-to-late life (std. β=-0.020, p < .001). Additionally, experiencing peer bullying is directly associated with depressive symptoms (std. β = 0.145, p < .001). Exposure to domestic violence is directly related to depressive symptoms (std. β = 0.078, p < .001) and indirectly leads to more severe depressive symptoms through chronic disease (std. β = 0.023, p < .001). Social workers in healthcare settings can utilize these findings to better understand risk factors for depression and provide trauma-informed care and economic assistance across the life course. Additional training for social workers on the lasting impacts of childhood adversity is warranted. By intervening at both individual and policy levels, social work practitioners can help break cycles of poverty and poor health stemming from childhood.

Professionals' Readiness to Manage Violence Against Women.

Over recent years, community-based responses to domestic violence against women have become an important topic, and there is growing recognition that domestic violence requires a comprehensive response from agencies across a variety of community sectors. When reaching out for help, female survivors of domestic violence need to have access to a broad range of services, empowering professionals to manage violence against women, and coordinated community responses that promotes safety, autonomy, and integration. Since the early 1990s, Portugal has been gradually moving toward a community-based approach to domestic violence against women where local organizations and professionals are major stakeholders of this policy. Besides having had an increased network of services implemented, it is important to examine how prepared service providers are to respond effectively. The current study analyzed how ready professionals in Portugal are to deliver interventions targeting violence against women. A total of 585 professionals from different backgrounds completed a readiness survey. The results revealed that, despite their perceived readiness, professionals are not duly prepared to respond effectively to violence against women. They lack the appropriate knowledge and training to respond effectively to survivors. Hence, further efforts must be made to change professional practices and services to ensure that abuse is recognized, barriers are overcome, and interventions are more effective.

Help-seeking behavior of male victims of intimate partner violence in Japan.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is becoming a serious public health issue worldwide. This study sought to analyze factors affecting the help-seeking behavior of male victims of IPV using a web survey. Male IPV victims living in Japan were recruited to participate in a web-based questionnaire survey conducted on February 25 and 26, 2021. A total of 1466 men were divided into two groups: Group 1 (43 men) consisted of victims who sought help and Group 2 consisted of victims (1423 men) who had not sought help. The Domestic Violence Screening Inventory, a 20-item questionnaire regarding IPV exposure, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used, along with the questions regarding help-seeking behaviors for Group 1. Of the 43 victims, 28 victims (65.1%) used exclusively informal supports, eight victims (18.6%) used exclusively formal supports, and seven victims (16.3%) used both. Logistic regression analyses revealed that only physical violence was significantly associated with help-seeking behaviors among types of abuse/violence (odds ratio [OR] = 4.51, confidence interval [CI] = 1.95-10.50, P < .001). Of past experiences, "foregoing divorce to avoid adverse childhood experiences in their offspring" (OR = 3.14, CI = 1.45-6.82, P = .003) was the most significantly associated with help-seeking behaviors. In Japan, male IPV victims tend to seek help following physical violence, but males are less are likely to seek help for nonphysical victimization, highlighting the need for targeted support for victims of nonphysical abuse. To provide comprehensive aid to male IPV victims, consultation centers designed for men will be needed.

Практика розгляду судами справ про притягнення осіб до адміністративної відповідальності за вчинення домашнього насильства

The article analyses the practice of courts considering cases of bringing persons to administrative liability for committing domestic violence. As social conditions change, so do the forms of violent acts and the preconditions for their commission, as well as the practice of courts considering such cases. Domestic violence is behaviour in which physical and psychological coercion is used to establish and maintain control over a loved one, with whom the perpetrator is usually connected by common life or family ties. It is often a cyclical pattern of behaviour that escalates, endangering the life and emotional well-being of victims. The rights violated by domestic violence include basic fundamental rights protected by international law, such as the right to life and bodily integrity and freedom from torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The article identifies the penalties most often applied to persons brought to justice, including a fine, which is considered to be insufficiently effective because it may have an impact on the victim and because of the small amount of the fine. The problem identified is that the courts do not pay enough attention to clarifying all the circumstances of the case, and the justification for applying the type of penalty for domestic violence is insufficient. The problem of recording cases of domestic violence is equally problematic, as protocols are often drawn up in violation of the requirements of the Code of Administrative Offences. The problem of recognising children as victims in cases of violence committed in their presence remains. It is noted that the establishment of administrative liability for domestic violence is not a sufficiently effective means of combating domestic violence and preventing its recurrence.

Blunt force trauma in forensic radiology

Description of the main forensic radiological examination modalities and findings in blunt force trauma in living and deceased adults. Elaboration of the essential points based on the authors' own experiences and relevant literature. Injury-related consequences of blunt force are frequently observed in forensic radiological diagnostics, especially in the context of accidents and suicides, and less frequently in homicides. The method of choice for radiological imaging of blunt force in deceased persons is native postmortem computed tomography (PMCT). In principle, the radiological effects of blunt force in PMCT do not differ significantly from those in living persons. Postmortem magnetic resonance imaging (PMMRI) is very suitable for imaging blunt soft tissue injuries in the shorter postmortem interval. In the case of living individuals with the consequences of blunt force trauma, imaging is primarily indicated for clinical diagnostic reasons. Common indications are domestic violence, violence against the elderly, and disputes in public spaces. The choice of radiological examination method depends on the clinical history and symptoms, and the radiological examinations can be subjected to aforensic assessment.

Social Issues in Iraqi Newspapers Al-Sabah Newspaper as a Model: An Analytical Social Study

It is no longer hidden that the press plays a prominent role in political, economic, and sports fields, while it has taken a limited role in social aspects in some weekly and monthly magazines. Social journalism does not occupy enough space in our Iraqi society. However, it is considered one of the most major areas that should receive sufficient attention considering the developments and changes that Iraqi society is experiencing. Since social journalism concerns the community in general, both young and old, it is necessary to maintain this type of journalism as it is an important means of intellectual nourishment for human minds. It informs them about the most important daily issues in their lives and the social problems that members of the community face, aiming to find the best ways to address and resolve them. This research sought to identify the journalistic arts that Iraqi newspapers focused on in their treatment of social issues. This study is considered one of the descriptive-analytical social studies, starting with the content analysis methodology as the basis for the research, and the quantitative method as an auxiliary tool to count the frequencies and indications of the research data through content analysis, which focuses on the apparent and quantitative description of the content of social issues. In line with what has been mentioned, the research was divided into three sections: the first section (the methodological framework of the research), the second section (the theoretical framework of the research), and the third section (the practical framework of the research). The main findings of the research were: the category "Increase in cases of domestic violence, especially against women and children" had a percentage of 39%, the category "Increase in the number of drug users" had a percentage of 26%, the category "Spread of some unacceptable behaviors that conflict with societal values" had a percentage of 17%, and the category "Deterioration of the reality of many families due to lack of adequate healthcare" had a percentage of 14%. The research concluded with a set of results, the most important of which are: it was found that there are ten main categories of social issues, ranging from cases of domestic violence against women and children to the increase in the number of drug users, etc. As for the recommendations, the most important one is to pay attention to investigative journalism for its role in monitoring and analyzing various journalistic topics.

Social Issues in Iraqi Newspapers Al-Sabah Newspaper as a Model: An Analytical Social Study

It is no longer hidden that the press plays a prominent role in political, economic, and sports fields, while it has taken a limited role in social aspects in some weekly and monthly magazines. Social journalism does not occupy enough space in our Iraqi society. However, it is considered one of the most major areas that should receive sufficient attention considering the developments and changes that Iraqi society is experiencing. Since social journalism concerns the community in general, both young and old, it is necessary to maintain this type of journalism as it is an important means of intellectual nourishment for human minds. It informs them about the most important daily issues in their lives and the social problems that members of the community face, aiming to find the best ways to address and resolve them. This research sought to identify the journalistic arts that Iraqi newspapers focused on in their treatment of social issues. This study is considered one of the descriptive-analytical social studies, starting with the content analysis methodology as the basis for the research, and the quantitative method as an auxiliary tool to count the frequencies and indications of the research data through content analysis, which focuses on the apparent and quantitative description of the content of social issues. In line with what has been mentioned, the research was divided into three sections: the first section (the methodological framework of the research), the second section (the theoretical framework of the research), and the third section (the practical framework of the research). The main findings of the research were: the category "Increase in cases of domestic violence, especially against women and children" had a percentage of 39%, the category "Increase in the number of drug users" had a percentage of 26%, the category "Spread of some unacceptable behaviors that conflict with societal values" had a percentage of 17%, and the category "Deterioration of the reality of many families due to lack of adequate healthcare" had a percentage of 14%. The research concluded with a set of results, the most important of which are: it was found that there are ten main categories of social issues, ranging from cases of domestic violence against women and children to the increase in the number of drug users, etc. As for the recommendations, the most important one is to pay attention to investigative journalism for its role in monitoring and analyzing various journalistic topics.

Factors Militating against the Efficacy of the Mutual Agreement Procedure: A Comparison between South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana

The effective resolution of transfer pricing disputes has been identified as one of the primary challenges to eliminate double taxation and/or double non-taxation as well as to enhance the free flow of trade and investment. This article investigates the unique challenges faced by selected African countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, which militate against the use of the mutual agreement procedure (MAP) as a preferred Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) transfer pricing dispute resolution mechanism. The research used a qualitative legal review of existing literature in the selected regimes by comparing the domestic tax law framework in these countries. Transfer pricing manipulation is a significant source of illicit financial flows of capital as identified in the research by Global Financial Integrity on Africa, which drew from Ghana, Kenya and Uganda as case studies. South Africa and Kenya are considered as the gateways to Africa with many multinational enterprises (MNEs) taking residence in them before expanding to the rest of Africa. The article focuses specifically on a number of guidelines that should be in place for the effective use of the MAP in the resolution of tax treaty disputes. It also demonstrates how the absence of guidelines, or the lack of clarity thereof, discourages both taxpayers and revenue authorities from effectively using the MAP to resolve transfer pricing disputes. The absence of guidelines has resulted in many aggrieved taxpayers opting to approach the courts as opposed to using the MAP as a mechanism to resolve tax treaty disputes. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of how resolved transfer pricing disputes eliminates double taxation. The article recommends that the same benefits enjoyed under the domestic dispute resolution process be incorporated into the MAP. It also makes recommendations on how jurisdictions with a low tax treaty network can address this challenge to enable them to effectively use the MAP as a tax treaty dispute resolution.

Content Analysis of the Effects of Domestic Violence on Child Victims in the Movie Precious

Domestic violence is a dynamic phenomenon that can occur in all walks of life. Given the role of film as a tool to convey ideas and influence the audience, research on the effects of domestic violence in the movie Precious is interesting to do. The rampant news about domestic violence makes this research relevant because this movie can provide an overview of the destructive impact of domestic violence on children as victims. The aim of this research is to find out what the physical, psychological, sexual, and social effects are due to domestic violence experienced by the main character in the film Precious. This research uses a quantitative content analysis method with a descriptive approach. Data will be measured using a measurement table. The research population is the movie Precious with a duration of 1 hour 50 minutes, with a sample of scenes containing the effects of domestic violence. The results showed that Precious depicts various effects of domestic violence, such as loss of self-confidence, anxiety, lack of attention from parents, withdrawal from the family, use of harsh words, stress, depression, self-isolation, not given living expenses, embarrassment to meet others, problematic education, trauma, pregnancy, children replacing parental roles, loss of jobs, imagining the violence experienced, bruises, bumps on the body, and injuries.

All's fair in love &amp; war; except when that unfairness leaves domestic violence victims to pay the price

AbstractDivorces are an emotional battlefield requiring both parties to go to war over their fair share. With the addition of New York's ‘no‐fault’ divorce, the process was supposed to alleviate spousal disputes and help those who did not want to relive the trauma that got them there. Nevertheless, one group left behind through that reform is domestic violence victims. This Note explores the ramifications of courts not being required to consider a finding of domestic abuse during equitable distribution and proposes to amend the current pathways to clear the way for financial relief for victims looking to divorce their abusers.