Self-compassion and resilience mediate the relationship between childhood exposure to domestic violence and posttraumatic growth/stress disorder during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND Studies have indicated that childhood exposure to domestic violence is a common factor in posttraumatic growth(PTG)and posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD),but it is unclear whether PTG and PTSD share a common/different underlying mechanism.AIM To explore the common/different underlying mechanism of PTG and PTSD.METHODS Between February 12 and 17,2020,a nationwide cross-sectional online survey was conducted in China among 2038 university students,and a self-administered questionnaire was used for the data collection.The data included demographic characteristics,such as age,gender,and subjective social economic status,and childhood exposure to domestic violence scale that was selected from the Chinese version of revised Adverse Childhood Experiences Question,Self-compassion Scale,Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale,Posttraumatic Growth Inventory,and the Abbreviated PTSD Checklist-Civilian version.A structural equation model was used to test the hypotheses.RESULTS Exposure to domestic violence was significantly associated with PTG and PTSD via a 1-step indirect path of self-compassion(PTG:β=-0.023,95%CI:-0.44 to-0.007;PTSD:β=0.008,95%CI:0.002,0.014)and via a 2-step indirect path from self-compassion to resilience(PTG:β=-0.008,95%CI:-0.018 to-0.002;PTSD:β=0.013,95%CI:0.004-0.024).However,resilience did not mediate the relationship between exposure to domestic violence and PTG and PTSD.CONCLUSION PTG and PTSD are common results of childhood exposure to domestic violence,which may be influenced by self-compassion and resilience.

Men’s Perception of Domestic Violence, Rural Minia, Egypt

Background: Domestic violence is an important prevalent, yet hidden and ignored health concern with significant impact on women’s health and wellbeing. This research was guided by the belief that men could play a role in preventing domestic violence as the majority of domestic violence is perpetrated by men. Aim: To assess attitudes of men towards domestic violence and factors affecting violence supportive attitude. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based study conducted in a rural area, Minia District, 2015. A systematic random sample was used. An interview-administered questionnaire was used including questions related to violence supportive environments, and opinion of men of causes and existence of domestic violence within families. Gender equity score (GES) was applied. Results: A total of 440 males participated. 57.3% of the participants reported that domestic violence was sometimes justified and needed in certain cases, and nearly two third (69%) of them practiced violence against their wives mostly in the form of physical one (64%). Small proportion of males reported high support for gender equity (7%). The study identified reasons for domestic violence, as perceived by men: The commonest was marital disputes (48.9%), followed by financial problems (36.4%) and social and economic disparity between the spouses (12.7%). Regarding the effect of violence on families, 30.9% of males reported that it led to lack of proper education. Conclusion and Recommendations: There is a tendency to describe this community as abusive. There is a need for development of relevant and culturally sensitive domestic violence education/prevention program in rural Egypt.

Situations of Domestic Violence against Children and Adolescents in a Northeastern Brazilian Capital

Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of children and adolescents who are victims of domestic violence. Method: This is a cross sectional and descriptive study, following a quantitative approach, conducted from September to December 2013, at the SOS CHILD service, in the city of Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The research protocol was approved by CEP/UFRN under CAAE 0166.0.051.000-11. Results: In the analysis of 69 children, the results were presented from three points of view: 1) the victim—female (56.5%), aged one to 11 years old (66.7%) and lived with one of the parents (43.5%);2) the abuser—female (60.9%) in the 14 - 23 years old and 34 - 43 years old, with the same percentage (24.6%), history of alcohol use and abuse (42.0%), the mother was the one who attacked the most (34.7%);3) types of violence, among the physical ones, the most frequent were slaps (43.2%) and punches (18.9%);the prevalence, among the psychological violence, were curses (35.4%) and abuse (27.8%);negligence, omission of care (73.5%), deprivation of care for personal appearance (18.4%);among sexual violence: sexual caresses (57.1%) and forced sex (42.9%). Conclusion: Children and adolescents placed in an unfavorable social-economic context, under the care of mothers with a history of use and abuse of alcohol and other drugs, are more vulnerable to intra-domiciliary violence.

Domestic Violence against Elderly People: A Case Study of India

The present demographic scenario of the country shows the rising trend of adult population. According to census report 2011, there are 60.3% people belonging to 15 to 59 years of age group and the percentage of people above 60+ age is 8.6%. Our country fails to provide due respect, care, affection, security and health related facilities, which elderly people utmost require. A number of cases of adult abuses are reported in news papers as these people are easy victims of violence and criminal activities. The society comes to know about only those problems, which are reported, the innumerable cases of disrespect and neglect are not given any consideration. The situation becomes all the more worst when perpetrators are very near relatives and in some cases blood relatives also. This growing insensitiveness is a threat to our society. Sincere efforts are needed to tackle this alarming problem. The present paper describes the available data [1]-[3] on the old people, their dependence ratio, the problems being faced by them and suggestive measures to provide social and emotional security to them.

Analysis and Commentary:“Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence”

On May 11, 2011, 13 mem- bers of the Council of Europe signed a legally binding international in-strument, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, as part of a program to protect and aid women. The Convention aims to increase aware- ness and understanding among the general public of the different mani- festations of all forms of violence and their consequences on children,

Qinhuangdao Women Protected from Domestic Violence

Zhang Honglian （pseudonym）, 36, doesn＇t remember how many times her ill-tempered ex-husband beat her. But she knows her plight would definitely continue if women＇s organizations in her city, Qinghuangdao of Hebei Province, failed to step in to intervene on her behalf.

Patterns of Violence Experienced by Women Victims of Domestic Violence in Bengaluru City:A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction:Domestic violence has negative effects on the physical health and mental health of women.Domestic violence takes various forms:physical,psychological,sexual,and emotional abuse.Many organizations are working with women and their families to prevent and reduce instances of violence.The current study aimed to understand the various patterns of violence among women victims of domestic violence.Materials and Methods:The sample of 30 women approaching the women’s helpline,in Bengaluru was considered for the study using a cross-sectional design.The interview schedule for assessing patterns of violence was used.Descriptive statistics were used for analyzing the data.Results:The majority of the respondents(50%)were in the age group of 20-29 years,more than half(53.3%)were homemaker and the majority(70%)stayed in nuclear family structures.More than one-fourth reported severe physical violence such as pushing,slapping,and punching.Most of the respondents reported husbands to be perpetrators of violence,60%reported violence as a habit,and the majority reported dowry harassment as the reason for violence.Conclusion:Mental health professionals need to work on the root cause of habitual violence and dowry harassment perpetrated by the spouse and empower the victims.

Identifying a research gap in relation to family and domestic violence accommodation design within Victoria,Australia:A systematic review

Within Australia,domestic and family violence(DFV)is a major health and welfare issue that disproportionately impacts on women,children,and vulnerable segments of the population.This paper examines the results of a systematic literature review aimed at identi-fying the existing evidence base in relation to the nexus between accommodation design and the health and well-being of women seeking shelter within Victoria,Australia.The review focused on three primary questions:a.What literature currently exists in relation to the design of refuges?b.How does the design of DFV refuges impact on those within refuges?C.What methods and metrics have been used to assess the effectiveness of the design of housing inter-ventions to support and promote agency,and better health and wellbeing?The review found that there is a significant lack of research into housing interventions for those seeking refuge.Of the 6038 records screened,only 2 studies were identified that fit within the review criteria,both of which focused exclusively on refuges within the USA.Among the very limited research that exists,there is lttle interrogation of the design of the refuge,nor an intersectional and geographically contextualized examination of how experiences of DFV and the shelter environment impact on wellbeing outcomes.Despite literature that dem-onstrates the positive impacts of well-being centered design approaches,the application of such research to the evaluation and design of DFV refuges,both within Australia and globally,remains an area in need of further research.

Correlations between self-reported symptoms and psychosocial factors of perpetrators with domestic violence in China： a population-based sample

Background Domestic violence （DV） is not only a devastating societal problem, but also a severe medical and mental health problem worldwide. Our previous study has shown that perpetrators were with higher prevalence of self-reported symptoms than that of controls. This study based on our former large scale population-based samples is aimed to further explore the correlations between the symptoms and psychosocial factors of the perpetrators with DV. It was helpful to provide some insight into possible strategies for clinicians to reduce the symptoms of the perpetrators with DV in China.Methods From our former population-based epidemiological samples, 1098 households with a history of DV in preceding year, 318 perpetrators with DV were randomly selected. Face-to-face interviews were conducted. Symptom Checklist-90 （SCL-90） was administrated to check and classify the symptoms of perpetrators, Eysenck＇s personality questionnaire（EPQ）, trait coping style questionnaire （TCSQ）, life events scale （LES） and social supporting rating scale （SSRS） were administrated to evaluate the psychosocial factors of perpetrators. The correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationships between the symptoms and psychosocial factors of perpetrators of DV. Results The global and all subscale scores of SCL-90 were significantly positively correlated with EPQ-N, negative TCSQ and negative LES scores （P〈0.01）. The global score of SCL-90 was negatively correlated with both objective and subjective SSRS （P〈0.01）. The negative LES and negative TCSQ were significantly positively correlated with EPQ-N （P 〈0.01）. Negative TCSQ was significantly positively correlated with negative LES and negatively correlated with subjective SSRS （P〈0.01）.Conclusions The self-reported symptoms of perpetrators with DV were strongly correlated with their psychosocial factors, such as the neurotic personality, negative coping style, more negative life events and less subjective social supports. It suggested bio-psycho-socially oriented interventions were necessary to buffer the symptoms of perpetrators with DV.

COMBATING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE DURING COVID-19:WHAT DOES THE CHINESE EXPERIENCE SHOW US?

Previous evidence demonstrates that a public health crisis triggers and intensifies domestic violence,especially against women.The pandemic of COVID-19 supported this observation,as the world witnessed an increase in domestic violence.China has witnessed a similar trend.While the Chinese government is applying a stringent model of virus control measures over COVID-19 when compared to certain other countries,many questions remain:How is this impacting the situation of domestic violence in China?What has China done to combat domestic violence during COVID-19?What can we learn from the Chinese experience?This article intends to answer these questions by reviewing reports and media coverage and conducting interviews with stakeholders.First,it examines causes of domestic violence during COVID-19.Second,it analyses the types and features of domestic violence during COVID-19.Third,the article intends to discover the current difficulties in combatting domestic violence.Fourth,it presents good practices for specific local areas.Last,it concludes with recommendations for tackling domestic violence during public health crises,such as the COVID-19 pandemic,by understanding the Chinese experience.

Protection against Domestic Violence in Jordanian Law and International Conventions

Domestic violence is one of the most important obstacles to the promotion and protection of human rights in the regionally and globally,particularly given the nature of this phenomenon and the problems that accompany it,as well as the difficulty of disclosure,and the multiplicity of legal,social and economic causes that prevent prosecution in some cases.This situation necessarily entails the continuation of national,regional and international efforts to eradicate the scourge of domestic violence in all its forms and manifestations,from the basic understanding that practicing violence cannot be justified under any circumstances.Jordan,like other countries of the world,has undertaken a number of procedural,administrative,judicial and legislative measures to combat and eliminate the phenomenon of domestic violence.

Stop Domestic Violence Against Women

IN the beautiful autumn of 1995, women from all over the world gathered at the NGO Forum of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing to discuss the ugly topic of "women and violence." An American woman said angrily that domestic violence was "as common as giving birth to babies." She denounced the prevalence of the violent behavior that was hidden in families and called upon the participants to strive for women’s dignity and safety. The participants all recognized that domestic violence had become a

Relationship between Intimate Partner Violence and Quality of Life among Females Attending the HIV Clinic of a Teaching Hospital in North Central, Nigeria

Background: Intimate partner violence is a serious public health concern worldwide and is linked with serious mental and physical health consequences. Despite its commonality and attendant consequences, proper public healthcare intervention is rudimentary. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between quality of life associated with intimate partner violence among females attending the HIV Clinic at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos, Plateau, Nigeria. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design and data was collected from 174 female patients attending the HIV Clinic who met the inclusion criteria with the aid of a 73-item semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaire. This captured socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge and attitude towards intimate partner violence and their experiences of violence and quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Brief version (WHOQOL-BREF). Results: Almost half of the respondents, 85 (48.9%) rated their quality of life as good. Respondents experiencing IPV reported poorer quality of life compared to those not experiencing partner violence in all the domains and it was statistically significant in the physical health (p Conclusion: IPV is common among females attending the HIV/AIDS Clinic and those affected reported significantly poorer quality of life.

Domestic noir in Anglo-American Literature

In order to highlight the contribution of Literature to the study of Domestic Violence,this essay will reflect on the relevance of some Anglo-American literary works,integrated in the Domestic Gothic or Domestic Noir,a subgenre of the psychological thriller,distinguished by the peculiarity of representing a woman in danger as its main character.The family can be the most commonly considered luminous space of harmony,affection and quiet domesticity,but everything can turn upside down whenever this stereotype is reversed drastically.The so-called domestic noir,a new genre popularized in 2013,deals with these dualities,demonstrating that gothic fiction has always been interested in family conflicts and domestic violence in its most varied forms,turning them into sources of terror so relevant to our time.

Cognitive-Behavioral Group Treatment for Men Voluntarily Seeking Help for Violence towards Their Intimate Partners:The Impact of Treatment Components 4-7 Years after Therapy

Background: Even though domestic violence is a major problem, only a few studies have examined the long term sustainability of treatment for men who voluntarily seek help to stop their violent behavior towards intimate partners. Women are exposed to a much greater degree of serious violence and sexual abuse compared to men. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify which elements of the treatment program batterers found most useful four to seven years after program completion. Design: The participants consisted of a sample of men who had gone through anger management therapy four to seven years previously. Data on violence were collected through self-report before and four to seven years after treatment, using a modified version of the Conflict Tactics Scales. Results: The decrease in physical violence was statistically significant: t (36) = 8.43, p < 0.001 with a large effect size (eta squared = 0.66). Psychological violence also decreased significantly: t (36) = 9.21, p < 0.001 with a large effect size (eta squared = 0.7). The results indicate that the most important anger management techniques were extensively applied in former patients of the anger management treatment program. In total, about two out of three patients still used the techniques after ending treatment four to seven years earlier.

Socio-Psychological Factors of Rising Trend of Suicidal Ideation among Indigenous Workforce: Evidence from Himalayan Range

Apart from socio-economic disparities,indigenous people of the Himalayan range in Asia face an increasing trend of suicides.The tragic suicidal events usually go unaddressed,and no strategies are presently in place to mitigate suicides in the future.This study aims to explain the prevailing causes of suicidal ideation to come up with some policy recommendations.Through a preliminary survey,we identified social stigma,social isolation,lack of healthcare facilities,and domestic violence as the potential reasons for suicidal ideation.We identified individuals with suicide ideation for further data collection to test the relationships between the identified variables and suicidal ideation.A quantitative,explanatory and cross-sectional design was used to test the hypotheses.Inferential statistics were applied to the data containing 314 responses,and the results revealed that all the predictive variables influence the formation of suicidal ideation.The study uncovered some new dimensions of social stigma and social isolation that are common among the indigenous people.The results also indicate that some domestic violence is socially acceptable and considered a normal familial matter.Thefindings have theoretical and practical implications.We have identified new dimensions of social stigma,social isolation,and domestic violence that are new additions to the existing bank of literature.It provides insights to encourage public authorities,healthcare providers,and NGO managers to play their role in the right direction to mitigate the problem.This study opens further venues for researchers to investigate the complex issue of suicide more deeply.

Sociodemographic Background and Psychosocial Behaviors of Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence: A Hospital-based Retrospective Study

Background:Intimate partner violence(IPV)is a worldwide issue with a high prevalence rate seen inAsia.Aims and Objectives:To plan and implement preventive measures,it is important to understand the characteristics,background,and medico-legal significance,especially from the perspective of perpetrators.Materials and Methods:This study is a questionnaire-based retrospective study conducted among perpetrators of IPV who presented to a tertiary care hospital in Sri Lanka.Results:Out of 325 subjects,97.2%were males and 64.0%were aged 26–45 years.Most(80.9%)perpetrators were older than the victimized partner,with a mean age gap of 4.3 years.Only 2.8%had achieved higher education and 78.5%had been married to the victim for more than5 years.Alcohol and/or other substances were abused by 75.4%and 11.1%of them were diagnosed with a psychiatric illness.Perpetrators have been exposed to child abuse(CA)as minors(50.1%),with physical CA being the most common,whereas 42.5%had witnessed IPV during their childhood.Ill-treatment by the spouse(odds ratio[OR]=24[95%confidence interval(CI):5.6,99.9])and substance use(OR=22[95%CI:5.1,91.5])were significantly associated with perpetrating emotional violence.A victim having an extramarital affair was 5.1 times more likely to be subjected to sexual IPV,whereas previous IPV,parental deprivation,and affairs of perpetrator were proved to be protective factors.IPV had negatively affected the economy of 71.3%of families.Legal procedures were expected by 22.4%,whereas 60%wanted to negotiate with their spouses.Conclusion:Families having low income and alcohol/substance abuse should be targeted to plan preventive programs at the community level.Proper counseling and follow-up of victims of CA can be used as a primary preventive measure of IPV.

Factors Associated with Women＇s Attitude towards Spousal Abuse： The Case of Zambia

Gender based violence （GBV） is a worldwide scourge and spousal battering has been found to be a common form of GBV. The objective of this paper was to examine the attitudes of women towards spousal battering and to assess the association between women＇s attitudes and the likelihood of being abused. The paper utilizes secondary data from the 2007 Zambia Demographic Health Survey （ZDHS）. Results show that the younger women were more likely to justify wife beating when compared to older women （P 〈 0.05）. Women from urban areas （68%） with middle income background （71%） were more likely to agree that wife beating is justified compared to rural women （56%） and women with a higher income background （51%）. Women who had attained secondary level of education were 1.3 times more likely to report that wife beating was justified compared to those from higher levels of education. Women whose husbands drunk alcohol were 1.2 times more likely to report that wife beating was justified compared to those women whose husbands never drunk alcohol. The results from the analysis suggests that age, marital duration, place of residence, wealth index, partner＇s wife and husband＇s educational level, number of children and husband＇s alcohol consumption contributed to justification of spousal battering.

Exploring the Influence of Family Education on Children in Red Fin­ger

In recent years,cases of juvenile delinquency have gradually increased,mainly due to indulging in games to kill people;blindly pursuing grades,and committing suicide by jumping off buildings when the rates are unsat­isfactory;some divorced families do not care for their children and thus commit crimes,or some parents dote on their children.The child becomes a pervert and embarks on the road of crime.This article selects the novel Red Finger by the Japanese writer Keigo Higashino because the mother’s exces­sive doting has made the child lawless and embarked on the road of murder.Faced with such a result,the means adopted by the parents turned out to be throwing the corpse,helping the son to cover up the crime,and even forc­ing the son’s criminal behavior on the mother who has Alzheimer’s disease.The juvenile delinquency family is fundamental,and the parents want to raise a child with a good personality;it is necessary to create a harmonious family atmosphere.The social background of Red Finger is Japan in the 1990s.The economic crisis broke out in Japan.Fathers have to work very hard.However,the lack of communication between fathers and children at work for a long time has affected the children’s family happiness.The role of fathers is even just a figure in the mouth of mothers,and the company of parents to children.The education of children and the way of dealing with problems are subtly affecting children’s life values.This paper uses Satya’s family education theory to study the characters’personalities and the influ­ence of family education on children’s growth in the novel Red Finger.

Sexual Abuse and Mental Disorders:The Dark Side of Violence

Rape and sexual violence occur in all social classes and societies.In most cases,the sexual offenders are known to the victim and the majority of rapes happen in intimate relationships.Children are particularly vulnerable to sexual abuse,in particular,the female sex.The sexual abuse of minors is defined as“any sexual activities that an adult carries on or with a person under the age of consent.”Literature evidence that the prevalence of any type of violence among women with disabilities varies between 26.0%and 90.0%,compared to nondisabled women,showing that people with disabilities have an increased risk of suffering physical and sexual violence.Children with intellectual disabilities(ID)show a high risk of sexual victimization.The World Health Organization presently defines mental retardation as“a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn and apply new skills(impaired intelligence).This results in a reduced ability to cope independently(impaired social functioning),and begins before adulthood,with a lasting effect on development.”The aim of this study is to investigate the correct identification of sexual abuse and severe mental retardation through the collaboration of a team of experts(forensic pathologist,psychiatrist,psychologist,gynecologist,pediatrician,and social worker).We present a case of a 12-year-old female child,who suffers from severe mental retardation and was the victim of rape by a 79-year-old man.The study shows the difficulties in discovering episodes of sexual abuse among children affected by ID by evidencing the importance of adequate analysis through a multidisciplinary approach.The work focuses on the need to improve knowledge about medical and forensic investigations through proper protocols,for early recognition and appropriate management of these complicated cases.