Digital Commons Network^™

The Violence Against Women Act: A Double-Edged Sword For Native Americans, Their Rights, And Their Hopes Of Regaining Cultural Independence, Mary K. Mullen

Saint Louis University Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Leaving "The Life:" Exploring Services For Women Exiting Prostitution, Katherine A. Cascio

Theses and Dissertations--Educational, School, and Counseling Psychology

Women in prostitution (WIP) are significantly more likely to experience mental health issues and trauma than the general population (Farley, 2003; Ling, Wong, Holroyd, & Gray, 2007; Rössler et al. 2010; Roxburgh, Degenhardt, & Copeland, 2008). Previous research addressing the mental health of WIP emphasizes treating trauma to help women exit, both trauma that predated entry into prostitution and trauma experienced during prostitution (Carter & Dalla, 2006; Farley, 2003). Very little research is available on services for WIP, leaving psychotherapists with limited guidance on providing effective mental health treatment. Although programs exist exclusively to assist women leaving prostitution, little is …

Challenging Gender In Single-Sex Spaces: Lessons From A Feminist Softball League, Erin E. Buzuvis

Faculty Scholarship

This Article explores transgender inclusion within adult recreational women’s leagues by using the example of the Mary Vazquez Women’s Softball League (MVWSL), in Northampton, Massachusetts. A MVWSL policy addressing transgender inclusion became necessary due to a noticeable increase in gender-identity diversity. The resultant policy respects the league’s core lesbian constituency by providing individuals with the freedom to acknowledge openly a gender identity that has or is evolving from lesbian to something else, and reflects the league’s founding feminist principles by refusing to define for others the suitability of a women’s community.

The Author demonstrates the successful creation of a policy …

Perceptions Of Women Receiving Services From Domestic Violence Advocacy And Counseling Programs, Lisa Yvette Proby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine domestic violence victims' perceptions of advocacy and counseling programs that provide women with safe refuge, prevention education, mental health treatment, and other services. Many women in the United States are victims of intimate partner violence. Review of existing literature found that little is known about the extent to which the needs of these victims are met from available advocacy and counseling services. The health belief model was used to theorize victims' perceptions of services and risk factors for re-abuse. A phenomenological design was used to answer research questions, and in-depth …

Reproducing Gender And Race Inequality In The Blawgosphere, Jane C. Murphy, Solangel Maldonado

All Faculty Scholarship

The use of the Internet and other digital media to disseminate scholarship has great potential for expanding the range of voices in legal scholarship. Legal blogging, in particular, with its shorter, more informal form, seems ideal for encouraging commentary from a diverse group of scholars. This Chapter tests this idea by exploring the role of blogging in legal scholarship and the level of participation of women and scholars of color on the most visible academic legal blogs. After noting the predominance of white male scholars as regular contributors on these blogs, we analyze the relative lack of diversity in this …

Domestic Violence Among Asian Indian Immigrant Women In The United States, Teuta Peja

Master's Theses

This study looks at how domestic violence is conceptualized by the research studies on

Asian Indian immigrant communities in the United States through different periods of time, and

how sociocultural factors are associated with domestic violence. Using the meta-synthesis

descriptive method, I analyzed and interpreted the findings of four research studies conducted

between 1995-2016 that included in-depth interviews with Asian Indian immigrant women who

experienced domestic violence. The analysis focuses on changes of the patterns of abuse, helping behavior, and leaving the abusive marriage as an option. The changes in U.S. domestic

violence legislation and policy regarding immigration and domestic …

Lived Experiences And Coping Styles Of Alaskan Women With Opioid Use Disorders, Faith May Golden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Death caused by opioid abuse has increased in recent years, and women in the state of Alaska have been significantly impacted by this opioid crisis. Previous researchers have indicated a possible connection between opioid use and sub-clinical PTSD criteria. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to develop a theory regarding the presence of PTSD diagnostic criteria in this population, to identify patterns in past traumas and other life stressors, and to investigate coping strategies in 43 Alaskan women who sought treatment for opioid use. Archived data in the form of therapy notes were analyzed using grounded theory techniques …

Bad Girls In Corsets: Women And The Transgressive Body In The Nineteenth Century, Colleen Warwick Green

Open Access Dissertations

Women, and their bodies, posed an increasing anxiety for Victorian society. Culturally and outwardly, the Victorian era strove to maintain a level of decorum that, increasingly, the nineteenth-century woman were, rebelling against. The urge for women to break through social barriers and constraints binding them to the century created a divergence in thought from the traditional mores of the past, in turn affecting the ways in which womens’ bodies were portrayed, displayed and manipulated by the authors and artists of the century.

As women entered actively entered into spaces once closed to them, they furthered the rift of uncertainty and …

Sexual Assault Among Utah Women, Susan R. Madsen, Tiffany Turley, Robbyn T. Scribner

Marketing and Strategy Faculty Publications

Nearly one in two women in the U.S. will experience some form of sexual violence victimization in her lifetime (broadly defined), and Utah has the same overall rate. According to the most recent Utah Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice report, when considering more specific definitions, one in three Utah women has been sexually assaulted, and one in six women report having been raped. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, rape occurs in Utah at a rate higher than the national average. Hence, sexual assault is a serious problem within the state.

Innocent Suffering: The Unavailability Of Post-Conviction Relief In Virginia Courts, Kaitlyn Potter

University of Richmond Law Review

This comment examines actual innocence in Virginia: the progress it has made, the problems it still faces, and the possibilities for reform. Part I addresses past reform to the system, spurred by the shocking tales of Thomas Haynesworth and others. Part II identifies three of the most prevalent systemic challenges marring Virginia's justice system: (1) flawed scientific evidence; (2) the premature destruction of evidence; and (3) false confessions and guilty pleas. Part III suggests ways in which Virginia can, and should, address these challenges to ensure that the justice system is actually serving justice.

Behold, She Stands At The Door: Reentry, Black Women And The Black Church, Kathryn V. Stanley

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry (2014-2023)

This paper examines the African American church’s response to the special problems of African American women who reenter the community post-incarceration. The first portion of the paper examines the impact of criminal justice policies on women of color and the attending problems of reentry which resulted. It then surveys the black church’s response to returning citizens, especially women. It concludes by proposing shifts in perspectives and theologies which create barriers to successful reintegration into the community at large, and the church in particular. The intended audience is individuals and faith communities who seek to work effectively with returning women.

Self-Defense; An Intervention Technique To Empower Victims Of Domestic Violence, Ashley Mendez Ruiz

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

Self-defense plays a significant role in domestic violence cases. In the domestic violence context, self-defense can be defined as a set of survival skills that combine: awareness, verbal confrontation techniques, safety and survival strategies, as well as physical exercises that will enable the victim to escape from a violent situation. An effective self-defense training combines physical and nonphysical strategies to empower the victim. In those cases where a domestic violence victim uses self-defense as a survival technique, a remarkable difference can be noticed regarding the power self-defense gives the victim to overcome the abuse.

Strategies For Improving The Prevention Of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women In Burma, Rebecca L. Murray

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

This research combines an understanding of gender in Burmese society with contemporary techniques for preventing intimate partner violence (IPV). It is designed to provide individuals and groups with a comprehensive understanding of intimate partner violence in Burma as well as strategies to best improve programs dealing with this form of violence. To understand the current state of gender relations in Burma, interviews were conducted with 24 college students in Yangon, Burma. These interviews were used as a context for creating strategies which would best aid interested organizations in preventing intimate partner violence. These strategies include program development, legislation, social gender …

The Global Strategy For Women's, Children's And Adolescents' Health (2016-2030): A Roadmap Based On Evidence And Country Experience., Shyama Kuruvilla, Flavia Bustreo, Taona Kuo, Marleen Temmerman

Obstetrics and Gynaecology, East Africa

The Global strategy for women’s, children’s and adolescents’ health (2016–2030) provides a roadmap for ending preventable deaths of women, children and adolescents by 2030 and helping them achieve their potential for and rights to health and well-being in all settings.1 The global strategy has three objectives: survive (end preventable deaths); thrive (ensure health and well-being); and transform (expand enabling environments). These objectives are aligned with 17 targets within nine of the sustainable development goals (SDGs),2 including SDG 3 on health and other SDGs related to the political, social, economic and environmental determinants of health and sustainable development.

Like the SDGs, …

The Impact Of Intimate Partner Violence On Mental Health Well-Being Among Women Seeking Help From A Police Station, Cecilia Mengo

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

Studies have examined the relationship between IPV and mental health. However, there is limited knowledge on women who seek help from police stations because many studies have used samples of women residing in domestic violence shelters and medical clinics. The purpose of this dissertation is to understand self-reported mental health symptoms among women seeking help from a police station. Evidence shows that there are many variables that affect the link between IPV and mental health. This dissertation specifically explores the impact of demographic risk factors, type and number of IPV incidents, victim referral needs, and protective factors (social support, coping …

African American Female Offender's Use Of Alternative And Traditional Health Services After Re-Entry: Examining The Behavioral Model For Vulnerable Populations, Carrie B. Oser, Amanda M. Bunting, Erin L. Pullen, Danelle Stevens-Watkins

Sociology Faculty Publications

This is the first known study to use the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations to predict African American women's use of three types of health services (alternative, hospitalization, and ambulatory) in the 18 months after release from prison. In the multivariate models, the most robust predictors of all three types of service utilization were in the vulnerable theoretical domains. Alternative health services were predicted by ethnic community membership, higher religiosity, and HIV/HCV. Hospitalizations were predicted by the lack of barriers to health care and disability. Ambulatory office visits were predicted by more experiences of gendered racism, a greater number …

Less Than Agency: Religious Agency And The System Of Disability, Jasmyn Kopcsandy

Senior Capstone Theses

In the following essay, I will attempt to extend the understanding of disability as a
constitutive system – based on the social model of disability proposed by Mike Oliver – to the discussion of religious agency. I will first ground this theoretical application in a literature review with two areas of focus: (1) the dichotomy of modernity/secularism and religion, and (2) conceptualizations of agency. Specifically, my research question will be: how can “disability” as a category of analysis serve as a lens through which to analyze Western perceptions of religious agency in reference to Muslim women, and how does ableism …

Queer Anthropology And The Mapping Of “Human”, Markeeta Holmes

Senior Capstone Theses

This research examines the many actors and ideological movements at the intersection of sexuality,　agency, and power that influence lalas to create their identities. Critiquing notions of sex, gender, and sexuality via Chinese lala experience not only reveals fissures and discontinuities in the "reality" of these categories, but also de-essentializes Western notions of the normal queer. Rather than being an extension of the queer movement in the West, the tongzhi movement in China is unique and although Western imaginings construct its own queerness as the first and only in the world, these struggles have always been forthcoming in other parts …

Jesus’ Command To “Go And See” In Mark 6:30–44 And Its Significance For Creating Gender-Responsive, Trauma-Informed Care For Women In The Criminal Justice System: Gathering The Gifts And Meeting The Hungers Of All God’S People, Pamela Chaney

Masters Essays

No abstract provided.

Ballin In The Boardroom: Changing The Social Context Of Sexual Harassment, Todd J. Clark

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

No abstract provided.

Examining Gender Specific Treatment Programs In Women's Prisons, Marieta Ilieva-Petkova

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The female offender population has been the fastest growing segment of the correctional population. Historically, victimization and trauma are highly correlated with substance abuse and dependency that are known to have a significant impact on females' pathway toward criminal lifestyle, incarceration, relapse, and recidivism. Due to feminists' research, today we know that females offenders' pathways toward substance abuse, criminal behavior, and recidivism differ from those of males. As a result, a discussion about the development and implementation of gender-specific substance abuse treatment programs has been initiated. The purpose of this study is to discover if research recommendations proposed, have been …

Born Too Soon Or Simply Born Black? Implications Of Preterm Birth Among African American Women, Nisha Hodge

Theses & ETDs

Preterm birth (PTB) is the birth of an infant less than 37 weeks old. It is the leading cause of death for children under the age of 5. In the US, 9.6% of all births are preterm, but for African Americans the risk for having a preterm birth is 16-18%. The disproportionate rates of PTB among African American women have both biological and social influences. African American women’s distinctive vaginal biomes and predisposition to infection and pro-inflammatory response reveal genetic influences for determining increased risk for PTB. Genomic sequencing and methods of elucidating DNA methylation sites associated with preterm birth …

Preventing Reincarceration Of Women With Mental Illness, Anne M. Dolmovich

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Since deinstitutionalization of state hospitals began almost 50 years ago, there has been an increase in the population with mental illness seen in the prison system. A combination of factors were looked at when studying causes behind incarceration, including active symptoms of mental illness, socioeconomic status, social support systems, history of trauma, history of drug abuse, police education on mental illness, and public perspective on mental illness. This study is a literature review focusing on people with mental illness in the prison system, with particular attention to women.

It is costly to house inmates for any extended period of time. …

Debunking The Myth Of Universal Male Privilege, Jamie Abrams

Scholarly Articles in Law Reviews & Journals

Existing legal responses to sexual assault and harassment in the military have stagnated or failed. Current approaches emphasize the prevalence of sexual assault and highlight the masculine nature of the military’s statistical composition and institutional culture. Current responses do not, however, incorporate masculinities theory to disentangle the experiences of men as a group from men as individuals. Rather, embedded within contestations of the masculine military culture is the unstated assumption that the culture universally privileges or benefits the individual men that operate within it. This myth is harmful because it tethers masculinities to military efficacy, suppresses the costs of male …

Outcast Women: Crime, Gender And The Politics Of Respectability In Fremantle, 1900 To 1939, L Straw

Arts Papers and Journal Articles

Esther Warden was described in court in 1912 as ‘a dangerous woman’ and ‘an incorrigible nuisance’. By 1939, when she was in her late sixties, Esther had notched up over 200 criminal convictions, mostly for drunkenness and being an idle and disorderly public nuisance. In Fremantle she was one of the most notorious criminals of the early twentieth-century and known as the ‘terror’ of the West End. Western Australia’s Police

Act had been enacted in the late nineteenth century as a means to monitor and punish criminal behaviour—mainly such offences against good order as drunkenness, vagrancy and loitering. But it …

Using The Nfl As A Model? Considering Zero Tolerance In The Workplace For Batterers, Deseriee A. Kennedy

University of Baltimore Law Review

"Domestic abuse is a workplace issue. '

The impact of domestic violence can increasingly be felt in the workplace, and it can adversely affect the safety and productivity of employees. Legislators and employers have begun to recognize the effect of domestic violence on employment, and many have adopted policies to protect the interests of domestic violence survivors. This article suggests that wider adoption of domestic violence policies are needed and these policies should be broadened to directly address batterers in the workplace. The article argues that employer based sanctions would increase batterer accountability and workplace safety. It uses the newly …

Coping With Incarcerated-Related Stress : A Study Of Coping Responses By Women Romantically Involved With Incarcerated Men, Jaleesa I. Myers

Theses, Dissertations, and Projects

Research related to coping responses of women romantically involved with, or married to, incarcerated men has been unexamined in social work literature. This study examined how women romantically involved with, or married to, incarcerated men cope with economic, social and emotional stress associated with their partners ’ incarceration by examining their use of problem-focused, emotion-focused and avoidant-focused coping styles. The study answered to what extent do women romantically involved with, or married to, incarcerated men utilize adaptive coping responses, especially paying close attention to experiences of African American women. Using quantitative methods, the Brief COPE —a 28-item inventory—was administered to …

The Incremental Retributive Impact Of A Death Sentence Over Life Without Parole, Michael L. Radelet

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

In this paper, the author takes a closer look at retribution, which is the primary justification for the death penalty today in the United States and the main component of the additional punishment imposed by the death penalty over and above life imprisonment without parole (LWOP). While all criminal punishments, to varying degrees, punish both the inmate and his or her family, this paper argues that the death penalty’s added punishment over LWOP often punishes the family just as much as the inmate, and after the execution the full brunt of the punishment falls on the family. This added impact …

Women In Prison: Liberty, Equality, And Thinking Outside The Bars, Debra Parkes

All Faculty Publications

This article considers the potential of rights-based advocacy to respond to the troubling reality of a growing women's prison population, and it makes an attempt to sketch out an approach to advocacy and scholarship that seeks both liberty and substantive equality for criminalized and imprisoned women. It proceeds in four parts. First, it documents some of the legislative and policy changes made to sentencing and penal law in the last decade. Next, it identifies some of the ways that these changes have an impact on women and on particular groups of women. It then suggests some ways that academics, lawyers, …

Justice, Reconciliation, And The Masculinist Way: What Role For Women In Truth And Reconciliation Commissions?, Penelope Andrews

Articles & Chapters

During periods of armed conflict, women and girls are frequently subjected to violence because of their gender. National governments have attempted to address this issue through transitional justice mechanisms like truth and reconciliation commissions. The record of women’s input and participation in these processes, however, is rather poor. In this article, I highlight the role of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (SATRC) and the opportunity the SATRC missed in failing to comprehensively confront andexamine the systemic nature of violence against women under apartheid. Many transitional justice mechanisms, the SATRC being one of the more vivid examples, have adopted a …