Identifying Lifetime and Occurrence of Intimate Partner Violence among Women in Sweden Seeking Emergency Care

Background: Sweden is known for its strong views on equality between men and women. Nevertheless, if one scratches the surface, one will realize that intimate partner violence (IPV) is a problem meriting much closer attention. Emergency nurses have an important role in identifying women who have IPV experiences. Objective: To identify and investigate the occurrence of reported experienced IPV during their lifetime among women seeking emergency care. Design: An explorative and comparative design was used based on answers on the Abuse Assessment Screen questionnaire and some demographic data. The data was described and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21. Results: Of the 300 invited women visiting an emergency department in a small town, 234 completed the questionnaire. Of these 234, 82 (35%) reported having experienced emotional;physical or sexual violence and 31 (13%) reported to being afraid of their partner. Of the women 181 had one child or more and 58 (32%) of these reported having been abused. Of all women, with four or more children, 75% (15) reported to have been abused, while only 25% (5) reported no abuse. Of the 82 women who reported having been abused 12 (15%) reported being abused in the course of the year prior to pregnancy and 9 (11%) during pregnancy, often several times. The main abuser was the woman’s husband, boyfriend, cohabitating partner, ex-partner, or someone else who was seen as a relative, e.g., a parent. Conclusion: Using the questionnaire AAS may contribute to identifying victims of intimate partner violence and increasing health care practitioners’ attentiveness concerning the type of injury, frequency of care seeking and actions that may indicate such violence lead to changes of the woman’s situation.

Limitations and possibilities on health assessment to women in violence situation

The aim was to know how health assessment to women in violence situation is developed. Literature review on LILACS and MEDLINE databases was conducted in April 2013 with the descriptors: “domestic violence” and “women’s health”, on a 1994-2012 timeframe. Statistics characterization and content theme analysis of the scientific production were developed. Results showed that the assessment is permeated by institutional limitation and an approach strictly clinical that makes identification and diagnosis of violence difficult, reinforcing invisibility in health care. Professional assessment is influenced by socio-cultural and the naturalization of the phenomena, which is not considered a public health issue. Technical knowledge is insufficient, making the possibility of promoting violence cycle rupture difficult. However, we envisage reception as a possibility to assess female demands. We conclude the need to include the theme in health undergraduate courses and also the urgency of this learning experience to support a multidisciplinary and intersectoral work web. Thus, rethinking assessment as a way of (re)organizing how health care is structured in order to compose an assessment web to women and guarantee reception of their demands is needed. Else, constructing competence allied to coping public policy to the problem and guaranteeing a human and full assistance will stay only on the academic field, constituting itself as a limit on protecting life of these women and their families.

The changes on intimate partner violence against women in the health system in Portugal

In Portugal, over the last 20 years, we have seen great strides in addressing intimate partner violence against women by their male partners. Measuring and understanding progress, and achieving sustainable systems change is a major challenge and to achieve this aim we need to identify events, persons and settings that contribute for the critical factors that create long term transformations in the systems and the creation of new resources [1]. Since the healthcare system is one of the main actors of intervention with survivors, the goal of this project was to interview key stakeholders from the healthcare system in order to understand the main changes they perceive have happened over the past two decades. Based on interviews with key stakeholders, our study explores the evidences of the changes that occurred in the healthcare system, the intersections with other systems and their visions for the future.

Readiness to Screen for Domestic Violence against Women in Healthcare Uganda: Associations with Demographic, Professional and Work Environmental Factors

Aim: We assessed demographic, professional and work environmental determinants of readiness to screen for Intimate Partner Violence among healthcare practitioners in healthcare Uganda. Methods: The Domestic Violence Healthcare Provider Survey Scale and the Demand-Control-Support questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 376 health care providers (n = 279 valid responses) from Gulu, Anaka, Lacor and Iganga hospital situated in northern and eastern Uganda. Correlation tests, t-tests, ANOVA and Multiple Linear regression were used to analyse the data. Results: Male care providers were more likely than female peers to blame the victim for the occurrence of Intimate Partner Violence in a relationship. Participants from Lacorhospital graded a lower self-efficacy and a poorer support network with regard to screening for Intimate partner violence, and a higher propensity to blame the victim when contrasted with other hospitals. Doctors experienced a lower self-efficacy with regard to IPV screening than other professions. Blaming the victim for abuse was associated with a high work load and low support at work. In addition, with increasing work control and support, participants’ appraisal of system support and self-efficacy increased. Conclusion: Gender, profession, facility of work, work demand, control and support are important determinants of the readiness to screen for IPV in healthcare Uganda, and should inform strategy for the introduction and implementation of routine IPV inquiry in healthcare Uganda.

Is Intimate Partner Violence a Risk Factor for Cardiovascular Disease in Women? A Review of the Preponderance of the Evidence

This paper examines the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) experience in women and cardiovascular disease (CVD), and determines if there is a preponderance of literature evidence. Research is reviewed dealing with the different biopsychosocial factors affecting the relationship between IPV and CVD. As a result of our review, we propose a framework on the biopsychosocial pathway of IPV as a risk factor of CVD of women. Our proposed framework portrays how IPV experiences contribute to long-term biopsychosocial changes that increase the risk of CVD among female victims of IPV. These biopsychosocial changes include chronic inflammation and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction, metabolic or endocrine dysfunction, and mood symptomatology. In our framework, we also included strategies to prevent risks in developing CVD through the three levels of prevention. Because gender disparities exist when examining CVD risk and development, the correlation between IPV and CVD risk in women must be explored. This framework may provide a theoretical foundation for further research on the relationship between IPV and CVD among women.

The Characteristics of the Violence against Women in Mozambique

The purpose of this study is to identify the main characteristics of violence against women in the context of a) intimate partner relationships and b) non-partner relationships in Mozambique, using the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2);measure the occurrence during lifetime or the past 12 months, and examine the association between intimate partner violence (IPV)/non-partner violence (NPV) types and predictor variables (demographic, socio-economic and lifestyle factors). A total of 1200 women (aged 15 - 45?years) were recruited to participate in this study. Results show that in Mozambique, generally, the rates of IPV and NPV are higher compared to those of other Sub-Saharan Africa countries (except when it comes to sexual assault). It seems that there is more violence against women within intimate partner relationship than in non-partner relationship. Adolescent, single young adults and women who experience the financial strain or use frequently alcohol are more vulnerable to be abused.

Experience of, and Perception on Gender Based Violence (GBV) by Pregnant Women in South Eastern Nigeria

Background: Gender-based violence (GBV) is a common women’s sexual and reproductive right violation. Pregnancy could be associated with an increased risk of GBV. Objective: To determine the experience of, and perception on GBV by pregnant Nigerian women. Methodology: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study involving 250 pregnant women from six selected health facilities in Anambra, Southeastern Nigeria was conducted to elicit their experience of, and perceptions on gender based violence. Data analysis employed statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Statistical comparison of variables employed Chi-square test, with significance levels comprising of p Results: Only 80 (32.0%) of the respondents were aware of GBV while 17 (6.8%) and 20 (8.0%) had experienced it in the index and previous pregnancies respectively. Physical violence was the most commonly experienced 18 (58.1%), while marital quarrel and drunkenness were the most commonly perceived causes, 21 (26.3%) apiece. Up to 33.7% of the respondents would report GBV to the law enforcement agencies;22.5% would seek medical attention and only 2.5% would do nothing. The most common source of information on GBV was public lecture (32.5%) followed by media (26.3%). As high as 49 (61.3%) of the respondents that are aware of GBV (N = 80), thought that GBV could be prevented while up to 53 (66.3%) were aware of the strategies for its prevention. Conclusion: Awareness of GBV in this study is low (32.0%) while experience is even lower at 6.8%, and 8.0% for the index and previous pregnancies respectively. Information on prevention strategies for GBV is also low. The need to develop comprehensive reproductive health (RH) policy that incorporates GBV and its management, to be taught in educational institutions is highlighted. The importance of public health lectures and the employment of various media platforms as reproductive right enlightenment modalities, towards creating awareness on the prevention and combat of GBV are also highlighted.

Women’s Experiences with Gender Violence and the Mental Health Impact: Qualitative Findings

The purpose of this study was to describe women’s experiences with gender violence and the impact on mental health. The research was a qualitative observational study. Participants were n = 72 women clients of (02) Primary Health Centers at the University of Carabobo-Venezuela. The technique to gather the information was focus group discussion (FGD). The interpretation of data was an analytical process based on Mayring’s approach. The principal findings showed that, women clients of primary health centers experienced different levels of violence in everyday life. Physical violence was the most frequent abuse reported by victims. Death threats were the most frequent conduct used by the partners in terms of psychological violence. Women expressed being under the control of a dominant partner without physical aggression or threats, but they felt a lack of autonomy. Additionally, women who experienced different levels of abuse specified some symptoms that could suggest an impact on mental health. In conclusion, women naturalized dominance and control because they understood this kind of abuse as normal behavior between relationship partners.

Interpersonal violence:Serious sequelae for heart disease in women

Experiencing various forms of violence in either childhood or adulthood has been associated with cardiovascular disease,both shortly after the event and during follow-up,particularly in women.The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has heightened the risk of domestic violence with serious sequelae for mental and cardiovascular health in women,possibly due to several contributing factors,ranging from lockdown,stay at home regulations,job losses,anxiety,and stress.Accordingly,it remains paramount to enforce proactive preventive strategies,at both the family and individual level,maintain a high level of attention to recognize all forms of violence or abuse,and guarantee a multidisciplinary team approach for victims of interpersonal or domestic violence in order to address physical,sexual,and emotional domains and offer a personalized care.

Partition and Violence: Through Changing Political Scenarios Women Remain the Target

The British colonizers left India in 1947,after almost two hundred years of exploitation and oppression.But before they left the country,they did a permanent damage to the geographical as well as emotional mappings of the nation.They divided former India into two parts on the basis of religion.As a consequence,the Hindus who were the residents of East Pakistan had to forcefully migrate to India.On their way of exodus,they had to undergo severe physical and emotional tortures at the hands of the rioters.These are the issues that have been discussed so many times on so many occasions.In this paper I intend to focus on a particular aspect of the offspring of the partition-the tortures done to women and the attitude of the society regarding those rape victims.Prafulla Roy’s novels Keyapatar Nouko(The Boat of Keya Leaves)and its sequel Satodharay Boye Jay(Flowing in Hundred Streams)mostly focus on the sufferings that a girl had to endure both from her relatives and the society after she was raped by some brutal rioters.This paper also intends to probe into the parameters that led to such ruthless behavior by otherwise affectionate and loving elders of the families.

Culture, Violence, and the Female Body： The Practice of Nholowemwizana Custom as a Form of Cultural Violence Amongst the Kalanga Women of Mpalawali Area in Zimbabwe

This paper is based on the interviews that the author carried out between 2005 and 2006 on the Nholowemwizana custom in Plumtree, Zimbabwe. Here the author deploys the concept of cultural violence following the peace researcher Johan Galtung, who suggested speaking of cultural violence as aspects of culture that can be used to justify or legitimize direct or structural violence, and may be exemplified by religion and ideology, language and art, empirical science and formal science （Galtung, 1969, pp. 167-191）. Using the example of the Nholowemwizana custom among the Kalanga people, the paper will highlight the extent to which women in this society have been exposed to cultural, gender based violence and direct sexual violence. However literature on Nholowemwizana is scarce in Zimbabwe. As such the paper will borrow from literature on cultural violence in general. The paper also acknowledges the fact that not all culture is violent, and that in some certain aspects of culture that permit gender based violence especially in African societies. The starting point for this paper is the question of what role cultural arguments have played in the abuse of women through the Nholowemwizana custom.

Violence Against Women Under ISIS Occupation： A Critical Feminist Analysis of Religious and Political Factors that Commodify Women＇s Sexuality in the War Zone

Since the end of the 20th century the Middle East （ME） has witnessed increasing war and violence and proportionally more US intervention in the region. The growth of Islamic fundamentalism, A1-Qaeda and Intermediate System to Intermediate System （ISIS） would not happen without political and economic support, posing the crucial question of who benefits, both locally and globally, from the deconstruction and reconstruction of countries involved in war. US opposition toward the founding of an Islamic state obscures the economic and political benefits it gains from ongoing conflict in the region; the profitable conflict between the US and ISIS reinforces the hegemony of both powers and perpetuates Islamic fundamentalism and Salaflsm in the ME rather than promote non-patriarchal ideology. I argue that ISIS claims the purpose of war is creating an Islamic state in the region and question how this claim can be ontologically coherent with Qur＇an, the main resource of Islam. When ISIS occupies a region, destruction and sexual violence against women are the immediate results, and both are incoherent with a non-patriarchal reading of Qur＇an. In this article, I use a critical feminist perspective to explore how establishing an Islamic state goes against Qur＇an and is, therefore, un-Islamic in the way ISIS enforces its hegemony in ME. As a result, women＇s sexuality in particular has become a site of political economy, they are abused and/or sold in other markets for the use of ISIS soldiers. This specific religio-economic commodification of women is unique in the history of war, and the world is largely silent about it. There are brave Iraqi women, however, who use their potential and assets to support underprivileged women of the region. Their voices need amplification to gain support for their grassroots resistance to fundamentalist hegemony and political and economic disenfranchisement.

Women as Victims of Violence in German Films

This paper focuses on women as victims of violence as shown in films. Seven German films were selected for the analysis, namely Die Fremde （2010） by Feo Aladag, Die Frau des Polizisten （2013） by Philip Groning, Festung （2011） by Kirsi Liimatainen, Reeperbahn （2016） by Timo Rose, Schneeland （2005） by Hans W. GeiBendorfer, Der Brand （2010） by Brigitte Berteleund and L＇amour （2000） by Philip Groning. There were three main research questions： （1） What kinds of violence against women are represented in selected German films; （2） Why do the women in these films become victims of violence; and （3） How do the women in these films find solutions to the problem？ There are four forms of violence in the analyzed films： physical violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, and witnessed violence. Physical violence is found in all the films, however, witnessed violence appears only in two films with young female characters. The other two kinds of violence are also found in most of the films. The reasons why women become victims of violence are weakness, love, poverty and carelessness. All of these factors appear in different types of women. Furthermore, the female characters in the films react differently to violence. Some women flee from their abusers because they fear or cannot fight with them. In other cases, they accept the violence with patience, or they take revenge on their offenders to get justice or stop the violence.

Risk Factors with Intimate Partner Violence among Women Seeking Emergency Care

Background: Identifying women at risk for violence caused by intimate partner violence is difficult in connection with visits at emergency department. Aims and objectives: The aim of this study was to explore and describe risk factors of IPV reported by women in connection with seeking emergency care, Design: This study is part of a larger study using an explorative and comparative design. Method: Based upon data from a questionnaire and some demographic data, 82 women who reported to have experienced intimate partner violence answered the Danger Assessment Scale. Results: The results showed that the violence escalated in frequency and severity when a weapon such as a knife or gun was used to harm the women. When the abuser used narcotics and threatened the woman with a weapon, the risk of being injured increased. The odds for being threatened to death when the abuser was reported to use narcotics and illegal drugs was about thirteen times higher compared to the case when the abuser was not using narcotics. Other life threatening factors were discovered such as the man’s capability of killing the woman. Conclusion: By using a questionnaire about the violence, healthcare personnel can identify women who are at risk of being severely injured or killed. By identifying these women, one can take action to provide for their safety. Relevance to Clinical Practice: Using the Danger Assessment instrument can facilitate health care personnel’s ability at emergency departments to identify women at risk for lethal violence.

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.

“At Least Your Baby Is Healthy” Obstetric Violence or Disrespect and Abuse in Childbirth Occurrence Worldwide: A Literature Review

Obstetric violence or disrespect and abuse in childbirth is a worldwide phenomenon that takes on various forms, from absence of informed consent to physical harm. The objective of this review is to assess prevalence and root causes of obstetric violence in different countries, and potential solutions to address disrespect and abuse in childbirth. The review finds that obstetric violence is rooted in a patriarchal understanding of gender stereotypes and is exacerbated by power dynamics between health professionals and patients, especially for minorities. Obstetric violence has a long-lasting impact on women’s lives and can jeopardize subsequent decisions to access healthcare services.

Intimate partner violence:A loop of abuse,depression and victimization

Intimate partner violence has been recognized as a serious public health issue.Exposure to violence contributes to the genesis of,and exacerbates,mental health conditions,and existing mental health problems increase vulnerability to partner violence,a loop that imprisons victims and perpetuates the abuse.A recently described phenomenon is when male violence against females occurs within intimate relationships during youth,and it is termed adolescent or teen dating violence.In this narrative review,factors associated with intimate partner violence and consequences of exposure of children to parental domestic violence are discussed,along with possible intensification of violence against women with the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.Intervention programs with a multicomponent approach involving many health care settings and research have a pivotal role in developing additional strategies for addressing violence and to provide tailored interventions to victims.Prevention policy with a particular attention on healthy child and adolescent development is mandatory in the struggle against all forms of violence.

Epidemiological and Clinical Aspects of Domestic Violence in Senegal

Introduction: Despite being under-reported, domestic violence remains a significant challenge in Senegal. The aim of this study is to provide a descriptive analysis of the epidemiological and clinical factors characterizing domestic violence in Senegal. Methodology: A descriptive and retrospectively observational study was conducted. The data was collected from the court records of female victims of physical and/or sexual violence registered from 2006 to 2015. Female victims of physical and/or sexual violence at the hands of their husbands who had a court record at one of Senegal’s high courts during this period were also included. All records that met the inclusion criteria were selected for the study, and the data was analyzed using Epi Info 3.3.2. Results: According to the court records of 148 female victims of domestic violence, the average age of the victims was 30.6 ± 10.1 years. More than 3/4 (76.4%) of the victims were housekeepers, 82.4% of whom were uneducated. The average age of the perpetrators was 40.4 ± 11.4 years, and they were self-employed in the informal sector in 47.3% of the cases. Additionally, more than 3/4 (78.4%) of the perpetrators were uneducated. Eleven women (8% of the victims), were abused while pregnant. Physical violence was predominant (95.3%), while those associated with sexual assault accounted for 4.7% of cases. Of the 7 recorded cases of sexual violence, 3 were cases of unwanted sexual touching, and all cases of physical violence were cases of assault and battery. The violence took place at the home of the perpetrators in 81.8% of cases. In 84.7% of the cases, victims received treatment and care within 24 hours or less. Among the victims, 73% showed clinical lesions. Contusions, hematomas and penetrating wounds were most frequent, representing 23.1%;19.4% and 13.9% of cases respectively. Conclusion: Despite the low number of cases registered in the judicial system in the past ten years, much more violence is occurring without being denounced by the victims. Therefore, it seems appropriate to increase awareness within the community and break sociocultural barriers that hinder the recognition of women’s rights in the couple.