Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence Commons^™

Autonomy, Intimate Partner Violence, And Maternal Health-Seeking Behavior: Findings From Mixed-Methods Analysis In Nigeria, Pooja Sripad, Charity Ndwiga, Charlotte E. Warren

Reproductive Health

Gendered norms and discriminatory practices often limit women’s decision-making power, which over time can lead to social norms that systematically subordinate women. Aspects of empowerment were explored in a global evaluation of Demographic and Health Survey data that measured how gendered social norms influenced maternal health-seeking behaviors. Analysis specifically explored associations of women’s autonomy and acceptability of intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) on antenatal care use and facility delivery in 63 low- and middle-income countries. Service utilization is positively associated with increased autonomy and negatively associated with increased acceptability of IPVAW, but variability exists across countries and regions. In …

Prevention Of Violence Against Children: A Systems Readiness Assessment In Côte D’Ivoire, Marie-Kaye Soletchi Seya-Sery

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Violence against children (VAC) is a global problem with significant consequences. Recognizing the need to better understand the problem of VAC in Côte d’Ivoire (CI), the government of CI recently completed a survey on violence against children. The recent data will support an evidence-based national action plan for the prevention of VAC. Research shows that initiatives tackling specific problems will only be as successful as the community’s readiness to take action. This study applied the community readiness model to assess the readiness of the multisectoral task force (MSTF) to implement the national action plan in CI. Eight MSTF participants’ interview …

Lifetime Economic Burden Of Intimate Partner Violence Among U.S. Adults, Cora Peterson, Megan C. Kearns, Wendy Likamwa Mcintosh, Lianne Fuino Estefen, Christina Nicolaidis, Kathryn E. Mccollister, Amy Gordon, Curtis Florence

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: This study estimated the U.S. lifetime per-victim cost and economic burden of intimate partner violence.

Methods: Data from previous studies were combined with 2012 U.S. National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey data in a mathematical model. Intimate partner violence was defined as contact sexual violence, physical violence, or stalking victimization with related impact (e.g., missed work days). Costs included attributable impaired health, lost productivity, and criminal justice costs from the societal perspective. Mean age at first victimization was assessed as 25 years. Future costs were discounted by 3%. The main outcome measures were the mean per-victim (female and …

Depression, Anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And A History Of Pervasive Gender-Based Violence Among Women Asylum Seekers Who Have Undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Retrospective Case Review, Hazel Lever, Deborah Ottenheimer, Jimmitti Teysir, Elizabeth Singer, Holly G. Atkinson

Publications and Research

We sought to evaluate the frequency of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and any experiences of violence in women who had undergone Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) and were seeking asylum in the United States. We undertook a retrospective qualitative descriptive study of FGM/C cases seen in an asylum clinic over a 2-year period. Standardized questionnaires provided quantitative scores for anxiety, depression and PTSD. Clients’ personal and physician medical affidavits were analyzed for experiences of violence. Of the 13 cases, anxiety and depression were exhibited by 92 and 100% of women, while all seven women screened for PTSD had symptoms. Qualitative analysis revealed …

Pornography As A Public Health Issue: Promoting Violence And Exploitation Of Children, Youth, And Adults, Elisabeth Taylor

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The pornography industry is expanding exponentially as a result of ongoing technological advances. The ability to stream videos over the internet and the ubiquity of the smart phone have meant that pornography producers are able to use algorithms to target potential consumers, to cultivate new sexual tastes and to deliver content to a more diverse audience over mobile devices. The advent of virtual reality pornography with interactive sex toys and sex robots imbued with artificial intelligence promises to unleash a further step-change in the extent to which pornography influences ‘real-world’ sexual culture. The critical analysis of pornography undertaken over decades …

Family Impact Seminar 2018: The Kids Are Not All Right: Policy Options To Address Youth Trauma In Massachusetts, Denise Hines, Laurie Ross Ph.D, Marianne Sarkis Ph.D

Mosakowski Institute for Public Enterprise

Family Impact Seminars are a series of annual seminars, briefing reports, and discussion sessions that provide up-to-date, solution-oriented research on current issues for state legislators and their aides. The seminars provide objective, nonpartisan research on current issues and do not lobby for particular policies. Seminar participants discuss policy options and identify common ground where it exists.

The Kids are NOT All Right: Policy Options to Address Youth Trauma in Massachusetts is the ninth Massachusetts Family Impact Seminar. Today’s seminar is designed to emphasize a family perspective in policymaking on issues related to early intervention in childhood trauma, sex trafficking and …

Investigating A Potential Relationship Between Sibling Gender Composition And Health Behavior Indicators In Young Adult And Adolescent Males, Taylor N. Goss

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The presence of siblings during childhood and adolescence has a significant impact on the behaviors and perceptions of adults later in life. Effects of mixed-gendered sibling dyads on delinquent behavior, gender typing, and romantic and sexual relationships are of interest. These behaviors can lead to notable health disparities, making it imperative to gain insight into factors associated with such behaviors in young adult and adolescent males. This project explored possible correlations between gender composition of siblings and health behavior indicators for violence, competition and risk, and sexual and romantic relationships. Analysis of these variables was performed using data from the …

Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (Agep): Endline Results—Executive Summary, Population Council

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Adolescent girls in Zambia face a range of risks and vulnerabilities that challenge their healthy development from girls into young women, and they often lack the social, health, and economic assets that are necessary to mitigate these risks. The issues that confront vulnerable girls—high rates of gender-based violence, unsafe sex that puts girls at risk for unwanted pregnancies and HIV infections, school dropout, lack of economic resources and income-generating options, and lack of agency and participation—are interdependent and have similar causes. The vulnerabilities confronting Zambian adolescent girls formed the basis for designing the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP), which 1) …

Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Literature Review, Shailynn Shipley

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Intimate partner violence (IPV) and domestic violence have devastating effects on the health and well-being of people exposed to abuse. It is known that up to 75% of IPV episodes occur after a woman leaves her abuser, and women who seek help are most likely to suffer aggravated assaults or murder when trying to leave an abusive relationship (Cook & Nash, 2017). IPV screening has been well-studied as evidenced by the prolific research literature, however a synthesis of primary care actions that support the safety and well-being of women experiencing IPV is lacking. This systematic review compares traditional primary care …

Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (Agep): Sexual And Gender-Based Violence, Karen Austrian, Erica Soler-Hampejsek, Natalie Jackson Hachonda, Paul C. Hewett

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Acceptability and experience of sexual and gender-based violence is alarmingly high among adolescent girls in Zambia. Even more striking is the very young age from which notions of violence are ingrained and experience with violence begins. This brief summarizes the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Program (AGEP) evaluation which demonstrated that in the Zambian context, a program focused on changing norms among girls themselves is not enough to impact attitudes toward and experience of violence. Social and cultural norms are shaped by households, schools, communities, and all of the adults that girls interact with in these places—even the mentors of their own …

Expanding The Evidence Base And Networks For Sexual Violence Response In East And Southern Africa—Completion Report For The Period May 2014–February 2018, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This is the final report of the Expanding the Evidence Base and Networks for Sexual Violence Response program, which, over the years, has enabled regional partners to collectively test and document experiences in tackling violence against children and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in humanitarian contexts. To foster SGBV prevention and ensure that responses to SGBV are effective, the program has targeted a range of stakeholders, including influential regional bodies; the health, education, and justice sectors; and children and refugees—as survivors as well as members of communities where prevention is being promoted. The program has helped to change the way …

“Well, Don’T Walk Around Naked... Unless You’Re A Girl”: Gender, Sexuality, And Risk In Jamtronica Festival Subcultural Scenes, Kaitlyne A. Motl

Theses and Dissertations--Sociology

The purpose of this study was to explore emerging issues surrounding gendered fear, threat, and violence perpetration at music festivals – particularly events that feature a synthesis of jam band and electronic dance music acts – a genre termed jamtronica by its fans. Though gendered violence perpetration and prevention have been widely studied within other party-oriented settings (i.e., sexual violence perpetration on college campuses), very little research exists to address how wider disparities of gender and sexuality permeate a community whose members frequently claim the scene’s immunity from external inequalities.

In this three-year multi-sited ethnography, I incorporate participant observations, group …

Why Women Suffer Domestic Violence In Silence: Web-Based Responses To A Blog, Salima Farooq, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Yasmin Parpio, Nasreen Lalani, Muecke Marjorie

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background & Aim: Domestic violence (DV) is a global socio-cultural concern faced by a majority of women. DV has a negative impact on women’s social, physical, and psychological wellbeing. Objective was to explore perceptions regarding contributing factors to domestic violence among women.
Methods & Materials: A qualitative descriptive exploratory method was applied for the study. Purposive sampling was used to select participants through emails to respond to the web based blog created for the study. 41 worldwide participants shared their perceptions through the blogs in the study. The data were collected using a web-based discussion forum on the Urban Women …

Sex Work And Compromised Health: Health Conditions And The Barriers To Accessing Treatment Services In Pelourinho, Salvador, Amelia Fox

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Sex workers remain one of the most marginalized populations in Brazilian society, both coming from and living within realities defined by poverty and poor health. Through partnership with Força Feminina – an organization located in Salvador, dedicated to aiding local sex workers– I explored the day-to-day health complications sex workers encounter and the impact these problems have on quality of life. I then questioned how discrimination and stigma impact a woman’s willingness to prioritize her health and seek out healthcare services. To pursue these questions, I utilized participant observation, interviews with 4 staff members – a pastoral educator, financial coordinator, …

The Public Health Harms Of Pornography: The Brain, Erectile Dysfunction, And Sexual Violence, John D. Foubert

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

No abstract provided.

Community Living Integration Club For Women In Recovery From Sex Trafficking, Toni Thompson

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Sex trafficking is one form of human trafficking, a heinous human rights violation that transcends international borders. People who have been trafficked often present with complex neurobehavioral, psychological, emotional, physiological, sensory, and developmental difficulties. The United Nations developed the international 3 p protocol to guide governmental agencies, non-governmental groups, and individuals in developing programs and legal actions of trafficking prevention, protection, and prosecution. Protection encompasses the recovery of trafficking survivors and community integration has been identified as an essential foundation for successful recovery. Measurable components of community integration include safe housing, stable employment, and vocation-focused education. This Capstone describes the …

Rape Crisis Center Professionals' Perception Of Sexual Violence Policy: A Qualitative Analysis, Stephanie Manieri

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

The purpose of this study is to collect information about the perceptions of rape crisis center professionals regarding the current policies surrounding sexual violence crimes that victimize people over the age of 18. This research aims to gather information about effective and ineffective policies from professionals who are first- responders to sexual assaults.

Training Locally Elected Representatives To Act As Change Agents To Promote Egalitarian Gender Norms: Lessons Learned From The Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore Programme—Policy Brief, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This policy brief describes an intervention, the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project in Patna district, India that sought to train locally elected representatives to act as change agents to promote egalitarian gender norms among men and women in their communities, and the effects of exposure to the project among members of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs, local self-governance bodies) and men and women from the community. The project was undertaken by the Population Council, together with partners, the Centre for Catalysing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and with support from …

Empowering Women And Addressing Marital Violence Through Self-Help Groups: Evidence From Rural Bihar—Policy Brief, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In recognition of the need to reverse gender disparities, India has instituted numerous policies, laws, and programs intended to empower women and to protect women from violence. However, evidence on what works and what does not work to change notions of masculinity and femininity, reverse the widespread acceptability of marital violence at community level, and reduce women’s experience of intimate partner violence remains limited in the country. The Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) was implemented among married women who were members of self-help groups (SHGs) and their husbands. The Population Council together with partners implemented the …

Feasibility Of Screening And Referring Women Experiencing Marital Violence By Engaging Frontline Workers: Evidence From Rural Bihar, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya, Santosh Kumar Singh, A.J. Francis Zavier, Neelanjana Pandey, Rajib Acharya, Komal Saxena, Aparajita Gogoi, Madhu Joshi, Sandeep Ojha

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council, together with partners, the Centre for Catalyzing Change, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with support from UKaid, implemented the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project in rural areas of Patna district in Bihar, India. The project engaged frontline workers (FLWs) to screen women for their experience of marital violence, inform them about their options in case of such an experience, and provide basic counseling and referral to women reporting the experience. Overall, the findings from the implementation of the Do Kadam program have been encouraging. They suggest that interactions …

Reducing Violence Against Women And Girls In India: Lessons From The Do Kadam Programme, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

A key challenge underlying the gap between policy and program commitments in India and the reality of women’s lives is the dearth of evidence on what works and what does not work to change notions of masculinity and femininity, reverse norms at the community level that condone marital violence, and reduce women’s experience of intimate partner violence. The Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) program aimed to fill this evidence gap. Do Kadam was implemented by the Population Council, the Centre for Catalyzing Change, and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, with support from the …

The Effects Of School Violence On Education In Malawi, Stephanie Psaki, Barbara Mensch, Erica Soler-Hampejsek

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In response to a global policy effort to increase school enrollment, in 1994 Malawi became one of the first low-income countries to eliminate primary school fees. Since then, Malawi has achieved nearly universal primary enrollment, however enrolling young Malawians in school has not translated into keeping them in school. This policy brief describes the nature and consequences of school violence in rural Malawi—a common experience for both girls and boys. There is little evidence that school violence disrupts schooling as expected, with the exception of sexual violence experienced at school by boys. Violence at home is also common, and may …

The Effect Of A Gender Transformative Life Skills Education And Sports-Coaching Programme On The Attitudes And Practices Of Adolescent Boys And Young Men In Bihar, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, Rajib Acharya, Neelanjana Pandey, K.G. Santhya, A.J. Francis Zavier, Santosh Kumar Singh, Komal Saxena, Aparajita Gogoi, Madhu Joshi, Sandeep Ojha

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The importance of starting young to change youths’ attitudes and behaviors—especially of young boys—has been widely acknowledged, but a key challenge has been the limited evidence on the kinds of programs that have succeeded in making such changes. In order to fill this gap, the Population Council, together with partners, the Centre for Catalysing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and with support from UKaid, implemented the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project among boys. Implemented in rural areas of Patna district, India this project sought to promote, among adolescent boys and …

Characteristics Of Married Adolescent Girls In Egypt [Arabic], Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, May Gadallah, Doaa Oraby

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

Despite increases in the average age at marriage in Egypt, and laws mandating minimum marriage age, early marriage remains an issue, particularly in rural areas of the country where up to 33 percent of women marry before the age of 18. This brief describes characteristics of married adolescent girls, including health implications of early marriage on pregnancy and childbirth, risk of dangerous complications, and increased exposure to domestic violence.

Adolescent Health: Priorities And Opportunities For Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram, Sapna Desai

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Government of India in 2014 signaled its commitment to adolescent health through introduction of a national strategy, Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK). Targeting adolescents aged 10–14 and 15–19, the program aims to ensure universal coverage of health information and services for all adolescents—those in and out of school, married or unmarried, and in vulnerable groups. Envisaged as a paradigm shift to address adolescent health beyond sexual and reproductive health, RKSK spans six domains: nutrition, sexual and reproductive health, mental health, injuries and violence including gender-based violence, substance misuse, and non-communicable diseases. This policy brief presents evidence on adolescent health …

Empowering Women And Addressing Violence Against Them Through Self-Help Groups (Shgs), Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya, Rajib Acharya, A.J. Francis Zavier, Neelanjana Pandey, Santosh Kumar Singh, Komal Saxena, Shilpi Rampal, Sharmistha Basu, Aparajita Gogoi, Madhu Joshi, Sandeep Ojha

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

This report details results of a program implemented by the Population Council, together with the Centre for Catalyzing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine: Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality). The primary objective of the program was to test whether strengthening existing village-level self-help groups (SHGs); orienting members on violence against women and girls, and supporting them in prevention activities; and helping women who experience violence had changed their gender-role attitudes and reduced the experience of marital violence. On the whole, findings show that the program was acceptable and effective in many ways. …

Enabling Adolescent Boys To Adopt Attitudes That Espouse Gender Equality And Oppose Violence Against Women And Girls: Evidence From Rural Bihar—Policy Brief, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, K.G. Santhya

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

More than a decade after the enactment of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, violence against women and girls remains widespread in India, and patriarchal norms and attitudes continue to underpin gender roles. While programs that focus on empowering women and girls are necessary, they are not sufficient in themselves to prevent violence; men and boys are key players, and violence prevention programs must include them. This brief describes an intervention, the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project, implemented among boys and young men ages 13–21 who were members of youth clubs that …

Feasibility Of Screening And Referring Women Experiencing Marital Violence By Engaging Frontline Workers: Evidence From Rural Bihar—Policy Brief, K.G. Santhya, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) project sought to support frontline health workers (FLWs) to screen women for their experience of marital violence, inform women about their options in case of such an experience, and provide basic counseling and referral, as appropriate, to women reporting the experience. The Population Council together with partners, the Centre for Catalyzing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, with support from UKaid, implemented the project in one district (Patna) of Bihar. This brief describes the intervention and presents evidence on its acceptability and feasibility from the perspective …

Married Adolescent Girls In Rural Assiut And Souhag: Limited Choices And Unfulfilled Reproductive Health Needs, Nahla G. Abdel-Tawab, Doaa Oraby, Omaima El-Gibaly, Manal Darwish, Mirette Aziz, Amira Elgazzar, Heba Mahmoud

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

According to the Survey of Young People in Egypt 2014, a significant proportion of young women residing in rural Upper Egypt were reported to be married before 18. Early marriage deprives a girl of education and employment opportunities and places her at risk of early and repeat pregnancy, gender-based violence, and sexually transmitted infections. The present study examines the sexual and reproductive health needs of married adolescent girls (MAGs) in rural Upper Egypt and identifies key contextual and cognitive factors that could mitigate or exacerbate the effects of early marriage on their sexual and reproductive health. The report finds that …

Modifying Behaviours And Notions Of Masculinity: Effect Of A Programme Led By Locally Elected Representatives, Shireen J. Jejeebhoy, A.J. Francis Zavier, K.G. Santhya, Rajib Acharya, Neelanjana Pandey, Santosh Kumar Singh, Komal Saxena, Aparajita Gogoi, Madhu Joshi, Sandeep Ojha

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The Population Council, together with the Centre for Catalyzing Change and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and with support from UKaid, implemented the Do Kadam Barabari Ki Ore (Two Steps Towards Equality) program. The project, situated in Patna district, India aimed to orient and engage locally elected leaders—namely, members of Gram Panchayats and Gram Kachehris—in changing community norms relating to the acceptability of violence against women, and preventing violence against women as well as one factor closely associated with the perpetration of such violence, namely alcohol abuse. Specifically, it assessed: 1) the feasibility of sensitizing and training …