Journal of Interpersonal Violence current issue

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services: Historical Concerns and Contemporary Challenges

Macy, R. J., Giattina, M. C., Parish, S. L., Crosby, C. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

More than 20 years ago, concerns were raised about whether domestic violence and sexual assault agencies need for stable funding would conflict with the values that initiated these respective movements. Since then, the movements have evolved considerably. Therefore, it is timely to investigate the challenges domestic violence and sexual assault agencies face today. This exploratory study used focus groups and interviews to identify the challenges facing North Carolina domestic violence and sexual assault movements from the perspectives of agency directors and funding staff. Using an open-coding approach, seven challenges were identified including funding, sustainability, community norms, tension between grassroots versus professional service providers, lack of attention to sexual assault, the need for welcoming services for all survivors, and the need for comprehensive services to help survivors with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance abuse problems. The findings also pointed to recommendations for ways to address these challenges.

Attachment Anxiety as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Interpersonal Trauma and Posttraumatic Symptomatology Among College Women

Sandberg, D. A., Suess, E. A., Heaton, J. L. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

The identification of variables that mediate the relationship between traumatic life events and posttraumatic symptomatology could help elucidate underlying causal mechanisms and improve therapeutic intervention offered to individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress. The authors examined whether adult attachment, as measured by Brennan, Clark, and Shaver’s Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory, mediates the relationship between a broad range of traumatic life events and posttraumatic symptomatology. Participants were 224 ethnically diverse college women. Path analysis indicated that attachment anxiety partially mediated the link between intimate partner violence and posttraumatic symptomatology, as well as the link between adolescent or adult sexual victimization and posttraumatic symptomatology. Attachment avoidance, although associated with posttraumatic stress, did not mediate the relationship between traumatic life events and PTSD symptoms.

An Investigation of School Violence Through Turkish Children's Drawings

Yurtal, F., Artut, K. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

This study investigates Turkish children’s perception of violence in school as represented through drawings and narratives. In all, 66 students (12 to 13 years old) from the middle socioeconomic class participated. To elicit children’s perception of violence, they were asked to draw a picture of a violent incident they had heard, experienced, or witnessed. Children mostly drew pictures of violent events among children (33 pictures). Also, there were pictures of violent incidents perpetrated by teachers and directors against children. It was observed that violence influenced children. Violence was mostly depicted in school gardens (38 pictures), but there were violent incidents everywhere, such as in classrooms, corridors, and school stores as well. Moreover, it was found that brute force was the most referred way of violence in the children’s depictions (38 pictures). In conclusion, children clearly indicated that there was violence in schools and they were affected by it.

Duration of Exposure and the Dose-Response Model of PTSD

Kaysen, D., Rosen, G., Bowman, M., Resick, P. A. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

A dose-response model underlies posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and posits a relationship between event magnitude and clinical outcome. The present study examines whether one index of event magnitude—duration of exposure—contributes to risk of PTSD among female victims of sexual assault. Findings support a small but significant contribution of event duration to clinical status in the immediate aftermath of trauma but not at 3-month follow-up. The opposite pattern is obtained for subjective appraisals of threat. These findings add to a growing literature that suggests that a simple application of the dose-response model to objective event characteristics may be insufficient to explain the risk of PTSD.

An Examination of Whether Coordinated Community Responses Affect Intimate Partner Violence

Post, L. A., Klevens, J., Maxwell, C. D., Shelley, G. A., Ingram, E. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

This study tests the impact of coordinated community response (CCR) on reducing intimate partner violence (IPV) and on modifying knowledge and attitudes. The authors conduct hierarchical linear modeling of data from a stratified random-digit dial telephone survey (n = 12,039) in 10 test and 10 control sites, which include 23 counties from different regions in the United States, to establish the impact of a CCR on community members’ attitudes toward IPV, knowledge and use of available IPV services, and prevalence of IPV. Findings indicate that CCRs do not affect knowledge, beliefs, or attitudes of IPV, knowledge and use of available IPV services, nor risk of exposure to IPV after controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, income, and education. Women in communities with 6-year CCRs (as opposed to 3-year CCRs) are less likely to report any aggression against them in the past year. These results are discussed within the context of evaluation challenges of CCRs (e.g., IPV activities in comparison communities, variability across interventions, time lag for expected impact, and appropriateness of outcome indicators) and in light of the evidence of the impact of other community-based collaborations.

Does It Make Any Difference if She Is a Mother?: An Interactional Perspective on Intimate Partner Violence With a Focus on Motherhood and Pregnancy

Vatnar, S. K. B., Bjorkly, S. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

The authors report on the impact of motherhood and pregnancy on interactional aspects of intimate partner violence (IPV) among help-seeking women. Is having children a protective or a risk factor for IPV severity, injury, duration, frequency, and mortal danger, controlling for sociodemographics? Regarding interactional aspects of IPV, do survivors who experience IPV during pregnancy differ from those who do not? Is IPV during pregnancy characterized by different severity, injury, frequency, and mortal danger? A representative sample of women was interviewed. Motherhood increased the risk for longer duration of physical, psychological, and sexual IPV, even controlling for duration of partnership. Combinations of main categories of IPV during pregnancy were different from when not pregnant. Duration of physical and psychological IPV was the only variable increasing the likelihood of experiencing IPV during pregnancy. All physical IPV variables were significantly lower during pregnancy. For psychological IPV, all variables but frequency were lower. Only mortal danger was significantly lower in the sexual IPV main category.

Sexual Violence Prevention: The Role of Stages of Change

Banyard, V. L., Eckstein, R. P., Moynihan, M. M. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

Increasing numbers of empirical studies and theoretical frameworks for preventing sexual violence are appearing in the research- and practice-based literatures. The consensus of this work is that although important lessons have been learned, the field is still in the early stages of developing and fully researching effective models, particularly for the primary prevention of this problem in communities. The purpose of this article is to discuss the utility of applying the transtheoretical model of readiness for change to sexual violence prevention and evaluation. A review of this model and its application in one promising new primary prevention program is provided, along with exploratory data about what is learned about program design and effectiveness when the model is used. The study also represents one of the first attempts to operationalize and create specific measures to quantify readiness for change in the context of sexual violence prevention and evaluation. Implications for program development and evaluation research are discussed.

Correlates of Violent Response Among Peruvian Women Abused by an Intimate Partner

Gelaye, B., Lam, N., Cripe, S. M., Sanchez, S. E., Williams, M. A. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

The authors sought to identify correlates of violent response among women exposed to intimate partner violence (IPV) in Lima, Peru. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information on exposure to IPV and women's physical violent reaction towards their abuser. Women who were sexually abused by their partners, as compared with women who experienced emotional abuse only, were more than twice as likely to respond in a violent manner to the abuse (OR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.14-4.74). Similarly, women who reported being physically abused, were 4 times as likely than those who experienced emotional abuse only to retaliate in a physically violent manner (OR = 4.04, 95% CI = 2.68-6.11). Women's educational status, history of witnessing parental violence as a child, and type of IPV are significantly associated with women's violent response. Community support networks and culturally appropriate intervention programs designed to prevent and mitigate the impact of IPV are needed.

Personal and Interpersonal Correlates of Bullying Behaviors Among Korean Middle School Students

Lee, C.-H. — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:37:05 PST

This study simultaneously investigates personal and interpersonal traits that were found to be important factors of bullying behavior using data collected from 1,238 randomly selected Korean middle school students. Using a modified and expanded definition of bullying based on a more culturally sensitive approach to bullying, this study categorizes bullies into three groups: Type I (minor-covert-nonchronic bullying), Type II (moderate-covert-chronic or severe-overt-nonchronic bullying), and Type III (severe-overt-chronic bullying). In addition, this study empirically tests several factors for the first time. Those factors are fun-seeking tendency, teachers’ attitude toward bullying, teachers’ effectiveness of intervention, teachers’ moral authority, power dynamic, and pseudofriendship. The comparison across three groups provided unique findings that different factors were differently related to different groups of bullies. Specifically, teachers have influence on bullying only for the moderate group (Type II), and parents have influence on bullying only for the minor group (Type I). The most important and constant factors across all different groups were prior bullying victimization experience and fun-seeking tendency.