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Where Are We Losing Them? An Exploration Of Barriers To Buy-In Of Higher Education Responsible Employee Policies, Danielle Snow

Honors Theses

Sexual violence is a pervasive issue on college campuses across the U.S. In order to address this issue, the U.S. federal government has implemented certain acts and guidance to prevent violence and promote campus safety. One of the most controversial pieces of guidance is the responsible employee policy. In theory, this reporting system would allow students to have better access to victim support services and allow campuses to have more accurate data as to the reality of sexual violence happening on their campuses. In practice, however, this has not been the case for many individual institutional policies. Instead, many institutional …

An Evaluation Of Domestic Violence Shelter Programs And Research Best Practices, Katherine Brown

Masters Theses

Domestic violence is a prevalent social problem occurring all over the world. The numerous ways society addresses domestic violence programs varies causing further complications. This study aims to better understand some of the domestic violence research best practices, programs, and policies available through a national study examining innovative residential shelter programs. A content analysis of interviews, tour photos, shelter pamphlets/websites, and training materials suggested four themes. The main finding, however, suggested trauma-informed care should be implemented within safe housing for survivors of domestic violence.

Interpersonal Dependency And Self-Efficacy On Intention To Return To A Domestically Violent Relationship Among Low-Income Women, Erin N. Jenkins

Dissertations

An interesting and often puzzling aspect of violent relationships is its cyclical nature. Despite the high probability of future victimization, many victims of domestic violence often leave and return multiple times. A considerable amount of research reports that although a woman might leave her abusive partner with the intention of not returning, after some time, she returns (Aizer, & Dal Bo, 2009; Anderson, 2003; Choice & Lamke, 1999; Drigotas & Rusbult, 1992; Gordon et al., 2004; Lerner, & Kennedy, 2000; Pape & Arias, 2000; Rhatigan, Street, & Axsom, 2006; Rusbult, & Martz, 1995; Strube, 1988; Strube & Barbour, 1983, 1984; …

A Prospective Investigation Of Behavioral Risk Factors And Sexual Victimization Outcome In College Females, Tara E. Casady

Dissertations

The current study was a prospective examination of the potential predictors of sexual victimization in women with and without sexual victimization histories. Utilizing a longitudinal design, we investigated sexually risky behavior, sexual sensation seeking, and substance use disordered behavior with regard to the later experience of sexual victimization during 2-­‐‑, 6-­‐‑, and 12-­‐‑month follow-­‐‑up periods. As reported previously, Time 1 data suggested that women with victimization histories were more likely to engage in sexually risky behaviors, engage in substance use disordered behavior, and were more likely to endorse higher scores of sexual sensation seeking. A statistically significant relationship was not …

Mandatory Arrest Policy Implications And Domestic Violence, Stephanie Smith

Honors Theses

I chose to do my honors thesis on the mandatory arrest policy regarding domestic violence. I will explore the history of domestic violence, the theoretical and ideological underpinnings of the policy, the research evidence that has been put forth regarding the policy and then offer my critical evaluation regarding the topic.

Cross-Reporting Of Interpersonal Violence And Animal Cruelty: The Charlotte Project, Dennis D. Long, Shanti J. Kulkarni

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The overlapping nature of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty is well established, however historically each issue has been addressed by distinct and separate protective systems. An innovative community-based project is described that utilized crosstraining as a mechanism to foster collaboration between human services and animal control agencies. Findings are useful for professionals and community stakeholders interested in facilitating the cross-reporting of interpersonal violence and animal cruelty.

Dating Violence Policy: Making The Grade, Richard Hoefer, Beverly Black, Mashooq Salehin

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Dating violence rates affect an unacceptably high percentage of youth. This paper tests a model to understand the considerable variation in state dating violence policy comprehensiveness. Independent variables in the model are state political culture, partisan control of political institutions, prevalence of dating violence, and median household income. Bivariate results show partial support for preliminary hypotheses. Regression analysis indicates that strength of Democratic Party control of governmental institutions is the only variable in the model that achieved statistical significance. Implications and recommendations for future research are provided.

The Feminization Of Social Welfare: Implications Of Cultural Tradition Vis-À-Vis Male Victims Of Domestic Violence, Ronald E. Hall

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

As pertains to feminization of social welfare, the inability to acknowledge male victims of domestic violence is attributed less to personal preference and more to cultural traditions of the Western patriarch. Yet, according to scholarly literature, men in the U.S. are equally as likely to be the victims of domestic violence by women as are women by men. Solutions to cultural tradition aimed at eliminating male victims of domestic violence must necessarily begin with acknowledgement of the characteristic warning signs and symptoms. Moving beyond the feminization of social welfare as pertains to domestic violence can be accomplished by the recognition …

Systematic Sexual Violence By U.S. State Agencies: A Victimology Approach, Sarah Brightman

Dissertations

Women experience sexual violence at the hands of the United States military, police, corrections officers and border patrol agents. The study of state crime has been expanding rapidly in criminological research, however there has been little attention paid to its victims, particularly women, and especially to women's sexual victimization. The purpose of this research is to expand current research to develop a gendered analysis of state crimes in the context of sexual violence against women. This research applies Kauzlarich, Matthews and Miller's (2001) six propositions of a Victimology of State Crime to four cases of sexual victimization by U.S. agencies. …

Preventing Violence In Low-Income Communities: Facilitating Residents' Ability To Intervene In Neighborhood Problems, Mary L. Ohmer, Barbara D. Warner, Elizabeth Beck

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The violence found in low-income communities, including areas of concentrated poverty, is often extensive and can involve illegal drugs, juvenile delinquency, and even homicide. A large body of research has emerged which points to the positive effects of informal social control and social capital in preventing violence in lowincome communities, including neighbors taking leadership roles by intervening themselves. This article contains a description of an exploratory study ofa pilot training program the authors developed to facilitate residents' ability to intervene in neighborhood problems in a low-income community in Atlanta, Georgia. The training incorporated concepts from restorative justice, peacemaking criminology, and …

Women's Rights=Human Rights: Pakistani Women Against Gender Violence, Filomena M. Critelli

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Gender-based violence constitutes a major public health risk and is a serious violation of basic human rights throughout the world. Counter to many Western images of Muslim women as passive victims, women's groups in Pakistan have begun to organize to respond to these conditions. This study is based upon in-depth interviews conducted with the founders and senior staff of Dastak (Knock on the Door), a shelter for women in Lahore, Pakistan that uses a human rights framework to provide services and advocate for public support for women's rights to safety and security. The study explores how Pakistani women are taking …

"Like A Prison!": Homeless Women's Narratives Of Surviving Shelter, Sarah L. Deward, Angela M. Moe

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Relying on field observation and twenty qualitative interviews with shelter residents, this article examines how the bureaucracy and institutionalization within a homeless shelter fits various tenets of Goffman's (1961) "total institution," particularly with regard to systematic deterioration of personhood and loss of autonomy. Women's experiences as shelter residents are then explored via a typology of survival strategies: submission, adaptation, and resistance. This research contributes to existing literature on gendered poverty by analyzing the nuanced ways in which institutionalization affects and complicates women's efforts to survive homelessness.

An Evaluation Of A Sexual Assault Education Program, Angela P. Hatcher

Dissertations

Sexually aggressive behavior, especially on college campuses, is an issue of major concern. Previous research has found that 54% of college women report being sexually victimized (Koss, Gidycz, & Wisniewski, 1987). Given the scope of this problem, effective prevention strategies are necessary. Sexual assault prevention programs have included those targeting a mixed gender audience as well as gender specific programs. Research examining the effectiveness of these programs, at both post-intervention and follow-up, have provided mixed results.

The goal of the current study was to examine the effectiveness of a video-based sexual assault education program in decreasing rape myths, increasing victim …

Women's Experiences Of Victimization And Survival, Margaret Severson, Judy L. Postmus, Marianne Berry

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

In an effort to more fully understand the experiences and aftermath of girlhood and adult woman physical, sexual and psychological victimization, research was undertaken that explored the prevalence and the consequences of such victimization, and the survival strategies women activate at various points in their lifespan in the aftermath of that violence. Women participants were recruited from five different communities; three urban, one rural and the only correctional facility for women in a Midwestern state. These venues were selected as ideal sites in which to secure a racially, ethnically and geographically diverse sample of women age 18 and older. Findings …

Domestic Violence Rights Movement In Tanzania: An Exploration, Flora Peter Myamba

Dissertations

In Tanzania, the involvement of a social movement to addressing domestic violence is fairly recent (early 1990s) (Green, 1999; Hirsch, 2003; Michau, 2002; TAMWA, 1999). As has historically been the case in most African countries, domestic violence has remained largely invisible, being considered a normal custom, practice and tradition (Green, 1999; The New York Times, 2005; TAMWA, 1999). Efforts to address it have been regarded as shameful and pointless (TGNP, 1993). Indeed, cultural mores remain very contentious with regard to the activities of the Tanzanian domestic violence rights movement (DVRM). It is this conflict between the movement's efforts to educate …

Prevalence And Correlates Of Adolescent Dating Violence In Bangkok, Thailand, Penchan Pradubmook-Sherer

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study explored the incidence and severity of violence in dating relationships, and identified variables that explain dating violence perpetration by Thai youths. The sample consisted of 1,296 adolescents from high schools, vocational schools, and out-of-school adolescents, between the ages of 14 and 19. Findings indicate that Thai youths maintain very intensive dating relationships. The out-of-school adolescents hold the highest dating violent behaviors. While males' dating violence scores were higher, the females were involved in all types of dating violence, exceeding the males on verbal/emotional violence. The results provide useful information about cultural influences on dating violence, and have practical …

Long-Term Tanf Participants And Barriers To Employment: A Qualitative Study In Maine, Sandra S. Butler, Janine Corbett, Crystal Bond, Chris Hastedt

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Although welfare rolls have declined dramatically since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA) in 1996, many of those parents still receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) face multiple barriers to employment. In response to a proposed state bill increasing work requirements and imposing stricter time limits, the authors conducted focus groups and interviews in order to learn about the experiences of long-term recipients of TANF in Maine. Domestic violence, children's disabilities, and health issues for the mother emerged as key obstacles to meeting TANF work requirements for the 28 women participating in the …

Unwanted Sexual Experiences: Preliminary Development And Validation Of A Behavioral Analog Measure For Risk Perception, Response Appraisal, And Response, Robin M. Carter-Visscher

Dissertations

Based on research findings indicating that sexual victimization is a prevalent problem on college campuses and has significant consequences for victims, researchers have examined the effectiveness of sexual assault education programs on reducing incidents of sexual victimization and have found programs to be unsuccessful. Other researchers have begun to investigate behavioral factors associated with risk for sexual victimization in order to better understand mechanisms of sexual victimization and revictimization before developing and implementing interventions. One hypothesis that has received increased attention in recent years is that women with a sexual victimization history may have deficient risk perception and effective responding …

Emotion Recognition And The Propensity To Engage In Sexually Coercive Behaviors: A Study With College Males, Beth J. Dietzel

Dissertations

Several variables have been investigated over the past years as risk factors for sexual aggression. Among them, substance use/abuse, family environment, attitudes towards women, and lack of empathy. Although researchers have identified several risk factors, predicting aggressive behaviors continues to be a difficult task. One variable that has received less attention in the literature is men's emotion recognition skills. Do men's emotion recognition skills affect their propensity to aggress?

The purpose of this study was to investigate emotion recognition skills/deficits and how such skills predict propensity to engage in sexually coercive behavior. There were two main goals of this study. …

Interpersonal Violence And Animals: Mandated Cross-Sector Reporting, Dennis D. Long, Joan H. Long, Shanti J. Kulkarni

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Research indicates an association between interpersonal violence and animal cruelty. This article examine the virtues and limitations of creating statutory authority requiring professionals to report substantiated abuse, neglect, and cruelty across service delivery systems (e.g. child and adult protect services and humane societies). Such a legislative approach authorizes and legitimizes "mandated crosssector reporting." The probative and research value of this type of initiative is examined as well as ethical and political considerations.

Domestic Violence And Human Rights: Local Challenges To A Universal Framework, Karen Morgaine

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Over the past 15-20 years there has been a dramatic increase in transnational social movements including the movement to eradicate violence against women. This paper examines the development of the transnational women's movement and the prioritizing of violence against women (VAW) as a universal women's agenda using the United Nations (U.N.) human rights conferences as a focal point. As one form of VAW, domestic violence (DV) has been placed into the human rights context by many organizations globally. The implications and possible limitations of universalizing a framework for DV are explored using salient examples from various areas of the world. …

Economic Well-Being And Intimate Partner Violence: New Findings About The Informal Economy, Loretta Pyles

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of this research was to explore the relationship between intimatep artnerv iolence (IPV) and women's participationin the informal economy (both legal and illegal) and their impact on economic well-being. This research was part of a National Institute of Justice (NIJ) study that was concerned with women's survival of childhood and adult abuse. For the 285 women that were in this sample, there were positive, medium correlations between IPV and various types of informal economic activity. Illegal informal economic activity, institutionalized informal economic activity, incarceration and physical abuse negatively impacted women's economic well-being.

The Protective Order Process As A Victim Empowering Response To Domestic Violence: An Investigation In A Rural Iowa Setting, Traci L. Ketter

Masters Theses

This research began its evolution as i began with an interest in societal responses to domestic violence. I was curious about protective orders, as they seem to be relied upon heavily by our legal system. As one of the primary responses to domestic violence, I wanted to know whether this type of response was meeting the needs of petitioners. As I read the literature and formed research questions, it became clear that in order to answer the questions I had, I would need to go to the victims themselves. They would be the best source of information on the role …

How Has The Violence Against Women Act Affected The Response Of The Criminal Justice System To Domestic Violence?, Hyunkag Cho, Dina J. Wilke

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This study uses an interrupted time series design to examine the association between the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) and several different dimensions of the criminal justice system's involvement in violence against women. These include examining the domestic violence incidence rate, and rates of police notification, arrest, and judicial authorities' involvement. Data from the National Crime Victimization Survey from 1992 to 2003 is used. Results suggest that overall the incidence of domestic violence has decreased while police notification and perpetrator arrest have increased over time. Further, victim involvement with judicial authorities significantly increased after enactment of the VAWA. …

Hate Crimes Against The Homeless: Warning-Out New England Style, Sandra Wachholz

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article reports on the hate crime victimization experienced by thirty individuals over the course of their homelessness in a New England city. Indepth interviews were conducted with the participants in order to provide a detailed, contextual account of the nature and forms of their hate crime victimization in public and semi-public spaces. Central to the article is the argument that hate crimes against homeless people function as informal social control mechanisms that impose spatial constraints, not unlike the character and objectives of the warning-out laws that were used to exclude homeless people from the public and private space of …

Intergenerational Power Exchange Model: Meta-Analysis Of Male Batterers’ Intervention Programs, Suzanne Van Weelde

Dissertations

Domestic violence is an ongoing social problem. Many women have suffered from the abuse of spouses and boyfriends. A number of children have been victims, or witnesses of, this particular form of violence. The consequences of abuse are: preventable crimes, victims and witnesses becoming abusers themselves, escalating health and mental costs. Domestic violence has touched every community within the United States. It is not a social problem that sociological researchers can afford to minimize.

Sociological literature has documented the growth of the social problem of domestic violence. As a result of the awareness of domestic violence as a serious social …

Intimate Partner Violence And Use Of Welfare Services Among California Women, Rachel Kimerling, Nikki Baumrind

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The current study is a population-based investigation of the association between past-year exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) and current welfare use, while also accounting for the effects of other violence experienced in adulthood and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These data indicate that acute exposure to intimate partner violence is significantly over-represented among women currently on welfare. However, it appears to be a woman's cumulative exposure to interpersonal violence and associated symptoms of PTSD that are uniquely associated with welfare participation. These data highlight the prevalence of violence against women and its consequences for this population. Results suggest …

Battered And On Welfare: The Experiences Of Women With The Family Violence Option, Judy L. Postmus

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Noting the incidence of battered women on welfare, lawmakers passed the Family Violence Option (FVO), which allows states to offer waivers from welfare program requirements. Assumptions were made that many women would seek relief under the FVO. However, reports indicate that less than 5 percent of welfare recipients are receiving waivers. This paper presents the findings from a qualitative study that sought to explore the experiences of 29 battered women with the welfare system and the FVO in New York State. Their experiences suggest that changes in FVO screening process are necessary to fully implement the program in the way …

The Social Construction Of Rape Research: Exploring Epistemologies And Evaluating Methods, Edith M. Fisher

Dissertations

The most widely known national study of rape found that one in four college-age women has been the victim of rape or attempted rape. Conservative writers have criticized that study for overestimating the possible prevalence of rape in the U.S. My research uses more sensitive instruments and administration techniques, seeking to estimate the prevalence of rape in the lives of women at a large midwestern public university. I address questions about the validity of previous rape research and compare methods of collecting sexual violence information by questionnaire (322 mailed surveys and 300 interviewer-administered surveys). Additional interviews with 62 of the …

Controversial Maternal Roles Of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse Cases, Rhonda Elliott Mcgee

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Child Sexual Abuse case files, to determine which "maternal role": (a) protector, (b) co-victim, (c) co-perpetrator/conspirator, or (d) perpetrator was the most common in court cases studied in this research. The researcher also sought to find: (1) The most dominant maternal role in reference to percentage; (2) The effect, if any, of certain "role types"; (3) And the consequences and/or effects of selected variables (e.g. age, race, and gender) had in family court decisions and adjudications.

The target population consisted of forty-one cases of Child Sexual Abuse cases, adjudicated by the Family …