Social Work Commons^™

Right Of Adoption For Same-Sex Parents, Youjia Chen

Lesley University Community of Scholars Day

The gay right has been one of the hot topics in the world, especially when the same-sex marriage legalized, there are few controversial topics still cannot be solved. I mainly discussed do same-sex parents have the right to have children or to be the adoptive parents. I have read several articles and research about how the same-sex parents affect their children, would their sexual orientation will affect the children etc. the result was the influence for children who grow in a homosexual family is same as heterosexual family, in conclusion, the same-sex parents definitely have the right to have children. …

"They Chase Us Like Dogs": Exploring The Vulnerabilities Of "Ladyboys" In The Cambodian Sex Trade, Jarrett D. Davis, Glenn Miles

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

While the vulnerability of women and girls continues to be the subject of research and concern among social service providers, few attempts have been made to understand the vulnerabilities and lived experiences of transgender persons in the sex industry. Among the studies that have been done, most have focused on sexual health and their likelihood to contract or spread HIV/AIDS, often ignoring other potential vulnerabilities. This study aims to provide a broad baseline of data on the perspectives and experiences of transgendered persons in the sex trade in Phnom Penh, allowing for a more nuanced understanding of their needs, and …

Child Abuse, Mental Health And Sleeping Arrangements Among Homeless Youth: Links To Physical And Sexual Street Victimization, Kimberly A. Tyler, Rachel Schmitz

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Physical safety is a primary concern among homeless youth because they struggle to secure basic necessities and a permanent place to live. Despite this, studies have not fully examined the numerous linkages that might explain risk for victimization within the context of material insecurity. In this study, we examine multiple levels of both proximal and distal risk factors at the individual (e.g. mental health), family (e.g. child abuse), and environmental levels (e.g. finding necessities) and their associations with physical and sexual street victimization among 150 Midwestern homeless youth. Results from path analyses show that child physical abuse is positively associated …

The Imprint Of Childhood Abuse On Trauma-Related Shame In Adulthood, Joan A. Reid

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Research has consistently linked residual trauma-related shame among child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors to sexual revictimization, health risk behaviors, and poorer response to mental health treatment. However, questions remain regarding the imprint of childhood maltreatment on trauma-related shame including which CSA characteristics or types of childhood maltreatment contribute to residual shame in adulthood. Using data drawn from a prospective study of 174 primarily African American women with histories of CSA and a matched comparison group, this study explores whether specific characteristics of CSA (familial CSA, CSA with penetration, force used by CSA perpetrator), repeat sexual victimization in adolescence, childhood physical …

The Relationship Between Black And Gay Community Involvement And Hiv-Related Risk Behaviors Among Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Black gay men must navigate identities and stigmas related to being gay and Black, and report higher HIV incidence relative to their White male counterparts although they report lower rates of drug use and risky sexual behaviors. This study examined whether closeness to the gay or Black community correlated with HIV-related risk and protective behaviors. Data were drawn from uConnect, a population-based cohort study of young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) on Chicago's South Side. The sample consists of 618 Black MSM ranging in age from 16 to 29. Cross-sectional measures for this study include Black and …

Project Ngage: Results Of A Randomized Controlled Trial Of A Dyadic Network Support Intervention To Retain Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men In Hiv Care, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

HIV-positive young black MSM (YBMSM) experience poor outcomes along the HIV care continuum, yet few interventions have been developed expressly for YBMSM retention in care. Project nGage was a randomized controlled trial conducted across five Chicago clinics with 98 HIV-positive YBMSM aged 16–29 between 2012 and 2015. The intervention used a social network elicitation approach with index YBMSM (n = 45) to identify and recruit a support confidant (SC) to the study. Each index-SC dyad met with a social worker to improve HIV-care knowledge, activate dyadic social support, and develop a retention in care plan. Each index and SC also …

"No Other Choice": A Baseline Study On The Vulnerabilities Of Males In The Sex Trade In Chiang Mai, Thailand, Jarrett D. Davis, Elliot Glotfelty, Glenn Miles

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Social and cultural norms often assume men and boys to be inherently strong and/or invulnerable to sexual exploitation. As a result, sexual violence against men and boys is often ignored in programs and policy, with the efforts of organizations providing for the needs of male victims often left under-supported. Among the studies that have been conducted on males, most have primarily focused on sexual health, seeing males as agents of their own lives and careers, and largely ignored holistic needs and vulnerabilities. This study attempts to take a holistic approach to understanding the needs and vulnerabilities of young males working …

The History And Rationale Of Swedish Prostitution Policies, Sven-Axel Månsson

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

This article analyses the history and rationale behind “the Swedish model” of regulating prostitution. The most controversial and debated part of this model is the 1999 ban on purchases of sexual services. To be fully understood the ban and the comprehensive policy regime of which it is a part, the new model has to be placed within a broader framework of policy areas such as gender, sexuality, and social welfare. Thus, the contemporary policy regime will be traced back to the mid-1970s when gender norms and sexual mores were renegotiated in Sweden, which in turn led to a radical reconsideration …

Growing Up With Porn: The Developmental And Societal Impact Of Pornography On Children, Gail Dines

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

The Global Supply Chain Of Sexual Exploitation And The Necessity Of Combating The Demand For Commercial Sex, Lisa L. Thompson

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Twisting Masculinity: Harms Of Pornography To Young Boys And Men, Gabe Deem

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Book Review: Prostitution Narratives: Stories Of Survival In The Sex Trade, Edited By Caroline Norma And Melinda Tankard Reist, Abigail Bray

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Adolescent Girls Offered Alternatives To Commercial Sexual Exploitation: A Case Study From The Philippines, Christopher A. Bagley, Susan Madrid, Padam Simkhada, Kathleen King, Loretta Young

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Background: Up to 2% of adolescents and young women are subjected to commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) in the Philippines, an economically poor country that earns considerable revenue from “sex tourists.” Earlier research, in the 1990s in Metro Manila, described the living conditions of adolescents whose CSE was influenced by family poverty, their so-called “sex work” becoming a major source of income for families left behind in rural and provincial areas of Luzon. Recent research (up to 2014) indicates that conditions for adolescents experiencing CSE have, if anything, worsened.

Methods: Following the original study, the researchers were able to offer scholarships …

The Role Gender Plays For Heterosexual Single Parents Interacting With Social Workers, Andreanna Royelle King

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers interact with a variety of individuals in the field. In their profession social workers are to adhere to a Code of Ethics that ensure every client is treated equally. There are some under-represented populations that do not receive the same services when they interact with social workers in various systems; heterosexual single fathers are amongst this group. This study was conducted to identify if there was a gender bias amongst social work students working with heterosexual single parents. The researcher hypothesized that the participants in the study would favor single mothers and inadvertently offer more services to them. …

A Longitudinal Analysis Of Antiretroviral Adherence Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Purpose: Young black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) experience poorer antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication adherence relative to their white counterparts. However, few studies have longitudinally examined factors that may correlate with various classifications of ART adherence among this population, which was the primary aim of this study. Methods: Project nGage was a randomized controlled trial conducted across five Chicago clinics from 2012 to 2015. Survey and medical records data were collected at baseline and 3- and 12-month periods to assess whether psychological distress, HIV stigma, substance use, family acceptance, social support, and self-efficacy predicted ART medication adherence among …

Book Review: When Technology Hurts. How Pornography Harms: What Today's Teens, Young Adults, Parents, And Pastors Need To Know By John Foubert, Walter S. Dekeseredy

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Black Girlhood: Reshaping The Identity And Improving The Well-Being Of African American Girls, Karla La'toya Sapp Ed.D

National Youth Advocacy & Resilience Conference

The identity and overall well-being of African American girls tends to be influenced, both positively and negatively, by the following factors: mass media, gender roles, and environmental factors. Black Girlhood examines the identity development of African American girls utilizing the relational developmental systems theory framework. Black Girlhood also explores the role that mass media, gender roles, and environmental factors shape how African American girls view themselves, while providing interventions that can allow the reshaping of their identity and improvement in their overall well-being.

"I Play Golf With My Kids, Not My Colleagues": Politicians, Parenting, And Unpaid Work As A Choice?, Cheryl Najarian Souza

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Through in-depth interviews with thirty women and men politicians, this paper investigates their unpaid work as parents and their paid work. Using Goffman’s (1959) concepts of “front stage” and “back stage” performances, the author argues that the women and men developed strategies to do this work. Decisions about whether or not to run for their first job in politics were gendered. Another finding was that the experiences of their families and the making of public policies were gendered. The women organized their “village” while the men saw their fathering roles in terms of scheduling dad time. Finally, there were differences …

A Right To Motherhood? Race, Class, And Reproductive Services In The Jim Crow South, Cynthia Edmonds-Cady

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This research examines birth control and sterilization practices aimed at low-income black women in the United States from 1939-1950, within the framework of specific race- and class-based constructions of motherhood in the Jim Crow South. How these social services aimed at reproductive health were grounded within differential ideals about family, childbirth, and motherhood for White versus African American women is explored. Evidence is presented from archival collections containing records for Planned Parenthood’s Negro Project, The Association for Voluntary Sterilization’s programs, and The American Social Health Association’s public health programs. Birth control services in the South were delivered within a framework …

The Inaugural Issue Of Dignity, Donna M. Hughes

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Black Women's Search For Meaning: An Existential Portraiture Study On How Black Women Experience The 4 Existential Givens, Tamiko Lemberger-Truelove

Language, Literacy, and Sociocultural Studies ETDs

The purpose of the phenomenological, qualitative study was to explore how select Black women experience the four ultimate concerns of existence, including freedom, isolation, meaninglessness, and death. Existential psychology, from which the four existential givens emerge, is deeply grounded in existential philosophy, which rarely connects key principles and tenets of existentialism to the experiences of Black women. The existential givens have been posited as a universal framework and yet because Black women are faced with multiple forms of marginalization the current study operates from the assumption that universal experiences are filtered through patently Black experiences. To explore how the existential …

Welcome To Dignity, Donna M. Hughes

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Readiness To Exit Commercial Sexual Exploitation Among Women In India And The U.S., Bincy Wilson, Thomas H. Nochajski

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

Exiting commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) is a difficult and prolonged process. This study examines the predictors of readiness to exit CSE, using the stages of change model as an underlying framework, among women in India (n=163) and the U.S. (n=87). Constructs such as years of schooling, residence, unemployment, age of entry, causes of entry, types of exploitation, addictions, presence of perpetrator, culture – individualistic and collectivistic, stigma, social support, empowerment, and current involvement in CSE were assessed. Results of a multi-group analysis indicated significant differences in the relationships between readiness to change and the predictor measures. For the Indian sample, …

The Relationship Between Life Stressors And Drug And Sexual Behaviors Among A Population-Based Sample Of Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men In Chicago, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Younger Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) have the highest rates of HIV incidence in the U.S. and are also exposed to high life stressors (e.g., unemployment, incarceration, and exposure to communality). This study assessed whether life stressors were related to drug use and sexual risk behaviors among a representative sample of YBMSM. The South Side of Chicago and selected adjacent suburbs represents the most populous contiguous Black community in the U.S. Over 10% of the estimated YBMSM population in this geographic region were sampled. Major findings indicated that higher life stress was significantly associated with greater odds …

Teen Pregnancy Among Latinas: A Literature Review, Kathleen E. Keogh

21st Century Social Justice

The overall decline of teen birth rates in the U.S. is problematized by persistent racial disparities in these rates. Latina teens are especially affected, as they have the highest teen birth rate of any racial or ethnic group. High teen birth rates among Latinas even persist in locales where the overall teen birth rate is below the national average, such as Suffolk County, NY. Socioeconomic, racial, and cultural factors contribute to the birth rate for Latina teens. Traditional strategies for teen pregnancy prevention, such as comprehensive sexuality education and increased healthcare access, inadequately address Latino cultural values that normalize teen …

Marijuana Use Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men And The Hiv Care Continuum: Findings From The Uconnect Cohort, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

Background: Young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) are at highest risk for HIV seroconversion in the United States. Successful movement through the HIV care continuum is an important intervention for limiting onwards HIV transmission. Objective: Little data exists on how substances most commonly used by YBMSM, such as marijuana, are related to the HIV continuum, which represents the primary aim of this study. Methods: A cohort of YBMSM (n = 618) was generated through respondent-driven sampling. Frequency of marijuana use and marijuana use as a sex-drug were assessed across the HIV care continuum using weighted logistic regression …

Tradition And Transition: American Orthodox Jewish Women Preparing And Becoming Sexually Active Within Marriage, Shoshannah D. Frydman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project is to expand knowledge about the lived experience of married Orthodox Jewish women’s preparation and transition into sexual activity in marriage. When Orthodox women get married, they are undergoing a significant shift, for many, this is their first experience having a sexual relationship. In addition to the prohibition of premarital sexual behavior, the Orthodox Jewish community has a number of rituals, laws, and practices specifically related to menstruation and sexual relations within marriage. These laws, taharat hamishpacha, or family purity, are a set of laws and practices that regulate sex within marriage for both …

Multiple Dimensions Of Stigma And Health Related Factors Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

This study is among the first to examine the association between multiple domains of HIV-related stigma and health-related correlates including viral load and medication adherence among young Black men who have sex with men (N = 92). Individual logistic regressions were done to examine the hypothesized relationships between HIV-related stigma and various health and psychosocial outcomes. In addition to examining total stigma, we also examined four domains of HIV stigma. Findings revealed the various domains of stigma had differential effects on health-related outcomes. Individuals who reported higher levels of total stigma and personalized stigma were less likely to be virally …

Psychological Distress, Drug Use, Sexual Risks And Medication Adherence Among Young Hiv-Positive Black Men Who Have Sex With Men: Exposure To Community Violence Matters, Dexter R. Voisin

Faculty Scholarship

In the USA, Black males are disproportionately affected by community violence and HIV. The aim of this study was to assess whether exposures to community violence are related to psychological distress, drug use, sexual risk behaviors, and medication adherence among a sample of HIV-positive young Black men who had sex with men (YBMSM). Data are from 98 YBMSM ages 18–29 years recruited from Chicago who completed measures on demographics, exposures to community violence, psychological distress, drug use, condomless anal intercourse, and medication adherence. Rates of exposure to community violence were high and youth reported victimization and witnessing numerous types of …

Defining The Problem Of Consent Education In High School Across The United States, Julia Read

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

Sexual education is generally thought of as something that is mentioned once in middle school, and possibly addressed in more depth in high school. Many recall a “scared straight” approach, involving an STI and STD slideshow, and countless statistics about the ineffectiveness of birth control. Some picture a more liberal approach, involving things like learning to put condoms on bananas, or learning how to obtain birth control and STD testing at Planned Parenthood. However, when many people think about their high school and middle school sex education, they do not necessarily recall explicit consent training. Why is that? Is it …