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Date: November 25, 2024 Mon
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Results for family violence
376 results foundAuthor: Kingi, Venezia Title: Review of the Delivery of Restorative Justice in Family Violence Cases by Providers funded by the Ministry of Justice Summary: This report was commissioned to review the delivery of restorative justice in family violence cases. The objectives of the review were to describe the nature and extent of the delivery of restorative justice in family violence cases across the restorative justice programs operating at five sites including: how selection of cases occurs; assessment of appropriateness of each referral; how the consent of participants is obtained; detail of the restorative justices processes; safety of participants; and the outcomes for individuals (both victim and offender) from the processes. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Justice, 2008 Source: Crime and Justice Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 115781 Keywords: Family ViolenceRestorative Justice |
Author: Success Works Title: Review of the Integrated Response to Family Violence: Final Report Summary: Success Works was commissioned by the Department of Justice to review Safe At Home, the Tasmanian Government's integrated whole-of-Government response to family violence. This report constitutes the final report from this review. The purpose of this review has been to examine: the achievements or otherwise of Safe At Home to date, including the strengths of the approaches used by Safe At Home; whether the available resources are being appropriately aligned to achieve the objectives of the response to family violence; whether the current programs and activities provided under Safe At Home are delivering the intended results; whether there are any gaps in services or inefficiencies in the current system; how effective is the current state-wide, regional and local governance structure in the delivery and coordination of services and in addressing ongoing service delivery issues and improvements; opportunities for the further integration and better coordination of Safe At Home and other services; and relationships which should be developed between Safe At Home and other service providers to assist in the development of the response. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmania Department of Justice, 2009 Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 117369 Keywords: Family ViolenceTasmania |
Author: Paletta, Anna Title: Understanding Family Violence and Sexual Assault in Territories, First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples Summary: From the abstract: "research was completed on family and sexual assault offences in the territories using Crown Prosecutor files for the time period of January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2004. This study examines the relationship between the offender and the offender's personal history of violent abuse within the framework developed through the work of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and subsequent studies undertaken based on the RCAP findings. The findings provide evidence of a relationship between offence and offender's history abuse. This report also provides details of the family violence and sexual assault offences committed." Details: Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2008 Source: rr08-le Year: 2008 Country: Canada URL: Shelf Number: 114415 Keywords: AboriginalsFamily ViolenceIndigenous PeoplesSexual Assault |
Author: Taylor, P. Title: The Cost of Child Abuse in Australia Summary: In this report, the costs to the Australian economy and society of the abuse of children and young people aged 0 to 17 years are assessed, with five main types of child abuse covered -- physical, emotional and psychological, sexual abuse, neglect and witness of (or knowledge of) family violence. Details: Melbourne: Australian Childhood Foundation and Child Abuse Prevention Research Australia, 2008. 176p. Source: Year: 2008 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 113245 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentCosts of CrimeFamily ViolenceSexual Abuse |
Author: Fish, Ellen Title: Bad Mothers and Invisible Fathers: Parenting in the Context of Domestic Violence Summary: This discussion paper reviews research on mothering and fathering in the context of domestic violence. The paper draws on recent research from the United Kingdom, North America and Australia to illuminate how domestic violence affects women's abilities to mother a couple's children and how mothering in such situations can trap women in gendered violence. Details: Collingwood, VIC: Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre, 2009. 50p. Source: Discussion Paper No. 7 Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 116307 Keywords: Abused WivesDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Healey, Lucy Title: Researching the Gaps: The Needs of Women Who Have Experienced Long-Term Domestic Violence Summary: This report investigates the long term needs of Australian women who have experienced family violence for a considerable period of time, including during childhood. The research identified a major gap in policy in the service system. Further, it found that some women and their children are at high risk of experiencing continuing consequences of family violence and require long term support. Details: Collingwood, Vic.: Good Shepherd Youth and Familiy Service, 2009. 139p. Source: Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 118230 Keywords: Abused Wives (Services for, Victoria)Family ViolenceVictims of Family Violence (Services for, Victoria |
Author: Broadhurst, Roderic G. Title: Homicide Followed by Suicide in Hong Kong 1989-2001: A Report for the Hong Kong Lotteries Fund Advisory Committee Summary: Homicide followed by suicide is a rare but catastrophic event that typically involves the murder of family members and in Hong Kong accounts for a high proportion of all child homicides. This report describes the known characteristics of homicide by suicide events, both victims and offender, and notes that homicides followed in suicide in Hong Kong differed in a variety of ways from those reported in other jurisdictions but as elsewhere were usually a particular form of family or domestic homicide. Details: Hong Kong: Centre for Criminology, The University of Hong Kong, 2005. 114p. Source: Year: 2005 Country: Hong Kong URL: Shelf Number: 116379 Keywords: Family ViolenceHomicide (Hong Kong)Suicide (Hong Kong) |
Author: Kifer, Misty M. Title: To Protect and Serve: A Look at a Collaborative Effort to Address Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Summary: This is an evaluation of a collaborative project in Bingham County, Idaho. Since 1997, three agencies in Bingham County, Idaho have received STOP funding at one time or another. The Bingham County Sheriff's Office, the Bingham Crisis Center, and the Blackfoot Police Department (BPD) received grant money to develop and strengthen support services for victims of domestic violence as well as improving law enforcement strategies to convict perpetrators of violent crimes against women. The first agency to receive STOP funding was the Bingham Crisis Center. This set the course for a very innovative program designed to address domestic violence and sexual assaults. Funds received in 1997 helped to establish the Bingham County Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Task Force. This task force, comprised of thirteen key agencies, established a protocol in 1998 addressing each agency's responsibilities in cases involving domestic violence and sexual assaults. Task Force agencies include the Blackfoot Police Department, the Bingham County Sheriff's Office, the Bingham County Prosecutor's Office, 7th District Judicial Judges, local emergency room personnel, the Bingham Crisis Center and the Blackfoot City Prosecutors. The establishment of the task force allowed agencies to work together to identify problem areas, solutions, and opportunities for interagency training. In the following years, the Bingham County Sheriff's Office and the Blackfoot Police Department received funding for digital cameras and other recording devises to better document cases for prosecution. The Bingham County Sheriff's Office also received funding for a full-time domestic violence investigator. The Bingham Crisis Center received funding to provide victim services, such as individual and group counseling and bilingual/bicultural services for victims. Further, all three agencies participated in interagency training. This evaluation describes the project's genesis, its goals and structure, how it operated, the methods used to evaluate its success, and whether it met its goals. The majority of information provided in this evaluation is culminated from quarterly grant reports submitted by the three Bingham County subgrantees to the Idaho State Police Department of Planning, Grants and Research. These quarterly reports have consistently contained valuable information about project goals, objectives, and any obstacles or achievements reached by the program. Due to these self-evaluation efforts, resource and time restrictions, this report will utilize the data and information provided by these programs along with additional analysis of domestic violence offenses that have taken place within Bingham Countyand whether it met its goals. Information used in this report is taken from each project's quarterly program reports, the case management records of the Bingham Crisis Center and Bingham County Sheriff's Office, newspaper reports, as well as police reports submitted through Idaho's Incident-Based Reporting System (IIBRS). Details: Meridian, ID: Idaho State Police, Planning, Grants and Research Bureau, Statistical Analysis Center, 2008. 33p. Source: Accessed April 25, 2018 at: https://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/Research/documents/BinghamEvaluation6-24_001.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: https://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/Research/documents/BinghamEvaluation6-24_001.pdf Shelf Number: 117145 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Idaho)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual AssaultVictim ServicesViolence Against WomenViolent Crime |
Author: Lyon, Eleanor Title: Meeting Survivors' Needs: A Multi-State Study of Domestic Violence Shelter Experiences Summary: This study of domestic violence shelters in eight states was designed to help fill a gap in current knowledge about the range of services provided, the needs and experiences of survivors who have turned to shelters for help, and the types of help they received. Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice. 2008. 140p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 114598 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceSheltersVictims of Crime, Services for |
Author: Hindin, Michelle J. Title: Intimate Partner Violence among Couples in 10 DHS Countries: Predictors and Health Outcomes Summary: This report analyzes data from 10 recent Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS): Bangladesh (2004), Bolivia (2003/2004), the Dominican Republic (2002), Haiti (2005), Kenya (2003), Malawi (2004), Moldova (2005), Rwanda (2005), Zambia (2001/2002), and Zimbabwe (2005/2006). The first part of the report provides prevalence estimates of violence experienced by women within couples who were in marital or cohabiting partnerships at the time of the DHS survey. Next, the report uses characteristics of both women and their husbands/cohabiting partners and characteristics of their relationship, household, and community to evaluate which currently partnered women are most at risk. The final part of the report looks at health outcomes potentially related to women's experience of intimate partner violence. The report focuses on currently married or cohabiting women age 20-44. In addition, the correlates of violence analysis is restricted to couples in which both partners were interviewed; this restriction does not, however, apply to the section on the analysis of health outcomes. Details: Calberton, MD: Macro International Inc., 2008. 78p. Source: Internet Resource; DHS Analytical Studies No. 18 Year: 2008 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 113243 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: George, Christine C. Title: Analysis of Shelter Utilization by Victims of Domestic Violence - Quantitative Analysis. Final Technical Report Summary: This report addresses two primary issues: 1) The shelter and service utilization patterns and outcomes and housing needs of women who are domestic violence victims, and 2) the stages in the process by which they make changes in their situation. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2010. 206p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 118689 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Chicago)Family ViolenceSheltersVictims of Crime, Services forVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: Domestic Violence Incident Peaks: Seasonal Factors, Calendar Events and Sporting Matches Summary: This paper reports on a study about the possible relationships between reported domestic violence incidents and seasonal changes, calendar and football events. The study reviewed relevant international research to investigate claims around correlations between these variables. An analysis was then made of three years of domestic violence statistics from Australian states and territories, for which data were available. The analysis of Australian domestic violence data identified a correlation between higher numbers of reported domestic violence incidents and summer months and some calendar events (i.e. New Year's Day and Melbourne Cup). Australia Day, Easter, ANZAC Day and the Queen's Birthday were associated with small increases in the NSW data. No correlation between domestic violence figures and major football matches was identified in the Australian data, although it may be that the fortunes of local teams have local effects. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2007. 20p. Source: Internet Resource; Stakeholder Paper 2 Year: 2007 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 118714 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceSeasonal VariationsSporting Events |
Author: Chemonics International Inc. Title: Creation of a Community Coordinated Response Team Against Domestic Violence in Albania Summary: This manual is intended as a resource for law enforcement, prosecution, the health, social service and the NGO sector and the judiciary to begin the process of improving Albania's response to victims of domestic violence. Details: Washington, DC: United Sttes Agency for International Development, 2006. 80p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2006 Country: Albania URL: Shelf Number: 118742 Keywords: Domestic Violence, ManualFamily ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Kelly, Liz Title: Violence Against Women: A Briefing Document on International Issues and Responses Summary: This briefing document is intended as an introduction to the topic of violence against women, an issue of increasing global concern. It summarizes: the international context; definitions and main concepts; what we know about the scale of violence against women internationally; the connections to development; the impact on women's lives; and four stages of response. Case studies from around the world are used as illustrations throughout. Details: Manchester, UK: British Council, 2008. 43p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: International URL: Shelf Number: 118666 Keywords: Battered WomenFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Smith, Deborah J. Title: Love, Fear and Discipline: Everyday Violence Toward Children in Afghan Families Summary: This paper is focused on adults' perspectives and opinions on violence toward children, which are at times informed by their own experiences of violence as children. In focusing on adults' perspectives it discusses why parents are violent to the children in their families. The emphasis in this paper is predominantly on physical violence to children, with some discussion of verbal abuse. Details: Kabul: Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit, 2008. 73p. Source: Internet Resource; Issues Paper Series Year: 2008 Country: Afghanistan URL: Shelf Number: 119155 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect(Afghanistan)Child MaltreatmentFamily Violence |
Author: Great Britain. Taskforce on the Health Aspects of Violence Against Women and Children Title: Responding to Violence Against Women and Children - The Role of NHS Summary: The violence and abuse experienced by women and children every day in the U.K. is an urgent problem that must be addressed by all, and by our institutions - including the National Health Service. This report describes the key issues identified by women and children themselves, and by National Health Service staff as well as by experts from a wide range of interested bodies, and sets out a number of recommendations to address these issues. To support the work of the taskforce steering group, four sub-groups were set up covering: domestic violence; sexual violence against women; child sexual abuse; and harmful ttraditional practices such a forced marriage, female genital mutilation, honour-based violence and human trafficking. The reports from these sub-groups are included. Details: London: The Taskforce, 2010. 64p.; supplements Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 119183 Keywords: Child AbuseChild MaltreatmentChild Sexual AbuseDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHealth ServicesVictims of Crimes, Services ForViolence Against Women (U.K.) |
Author: Peri, Kathryn Title: Elder Abuse and Neglect: Exploration of Risk and Protective Factors Summary: New Zealanders are increasingly concerned by the levels of violence in our society and in our families. Conversations with families and those who work with them have highlighted concerns about elder abuse and neglect. Since there has been limited research on this issue in New Zealand, the Commission is taking a systematic approach to finding out more about the experiences of older people. This report gathers the views of a wide range of different organizations, individuals and experts on how and why elder abuse and neglect occurs and what can be done to prevent it. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Families Commission, 2008. 69p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 119287 Keywords: Elder Abuse and Neglect (New ZealandFamily Violence |
Author: Council of Europe. Directorate General of Human Rights, Gender Equality and Anti-Trafficking Division Title: Final Activity Report: Council of Europe Task Force to Combat Violence Against Women, Including Domestic Violence (EG-TFV) Summary: The aim of the Task Force was to identify measures that had proved effective at national and international level in preventing and combating violence against women, including domestic violence, and to make recommendations on their use in the Council of Europe member states at large. To this end, it has reviewed new policies and practices in this field and has identified measures taken in several member states in terms of legislation, support services and data collection, in order to discern general trends in preventing and combating violence against women. It makes recommendations in all these fields and identifies priority areas for future action by all member states as well as the Council of Europe. Furthermore, it has taken into account the Council of Europe’s previous work in addressing men’s involvement in combating violence against women and has addressed the issue of men’s multiple roles in this field. Details: Strasbourg: Council of Europe, 2008. 99p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Europe URL: Shelf Number: 119229 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceRapeSexual AssaultViolence Against Women |
Author: Chisholm, Richard Title: Family Courts Violence Review Summary: The Family Courts Violence Review considered whether improvements could be made to ensure that the federal family law courts provide the best possible support to families who have experienced or are at risk of violence. The review focused on the laws, practices and procedures that apply in family law cases that raise family violence concerns. While not directly relating to shared parenting or shared care, all aspects of family law and court practice and procedures were considered to the extent they impact on the federal family law courts’ response to the needs of families affected by family violence. Details: Canberra: Attorney General's Department, 2009. 275p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 117758 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily Law CourtsFamily Violence |
Author: Bhana, Kailash Title: Now We Have Nothing: Exploring the Impact of Maternal imprisonment on Children Whose Mothers Killed an Abusive Partner Summary: This study draws on the life experiences of 16 children whose mothers are serving long prison sentences at Johannesburg Central Prison for killing their abusive partners. The study concludes that long-term imprisonment for the mother is not in the child's best interest. Details: Johannesburg: Centre for the Study of Violence & Reconciliation, 2001. 43p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2001 Country: South Africa URL: Shelf Number: 117756 Keywords: Children of PrisonersDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceWomen Prisoners, Family Relationships |
Author: Bagshaw, Dale Title: Family Violence and Family Law in Australia: The Experiences and Views of Children and Adults from families who Separated Post-1995 and Post 2006. Volume 1 Summary: Canberra: Attorney General, 2010. 204p. Details: This report examines the impact of family violence, which had occurred before, during and or after parental relationship breakdown, on post-separation decision making and arrangements as viewed by children and parents. Source: Internet Resource Year: 0 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 119290 Keywords: Family ViolenceInterpersonal ViolenceVictims of Violence |
Author: Chisholm, Richard Title: Family Courts Violence Review Summary: The Australian Attorney-General commissioned a review of the practices, procedures and laws that apply in the federal family law courts in the context of family violence. The Family Courts Violence Review considered whether improvements could be made to ensure that the federal family law courts provide the best possible support to families who have experienced or are at risk of violence. The review focused on the laws, practices and procedures that apply in family law cases that raise family violence concerns. While not directly relating to shared parenting or shared care, all aspects of family law and court practice and procedures were considered to the extent they impact on the federal family law courts’ response to the needs of families affected by family violence. Details: Barton, ACT: Australian Government Attorney-275p. General's Department, 2009. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 117758 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily Law CourtsFamily Violence |
Author: Labriola, Melissa Title: National Portrait of Domestic Violence Courts Summary: A growing number of criminal courts nationwide handle domestic violence cases on separate calendars, termed domestic violence courts. There are now 208 confirmed domestic violence courts across the U.S. More than 150 similar projects have been established internationally. Some domestic violence courts emerged in the context of the broader “problem-solving court” movement and share characteristics with other specialized courts, such as separate dockets and specially trained judges. However, the origins of domestic violence courts are also distinct, growing out of the increased attention afforded domestic violence matters by the justice system over the past 30 years. This study explores how criminal domestic violence courts have evolved, their rationale, and how their operations vary across the U.S. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2009. 161p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: Shelf Number: 117636 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence CourtsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Mason, Ron Title: Analysis of the Tasmania Police Risk Assessment Screening Tool (RAST) Summary: Safe at Home involves a range of initiatives, expanded and new services that represent a significant change in the way the Tasmanian Government responds to family violence: family violence is treated as a crime rather than a private matter. Included in the Safe at Home Strategy was the implementation of a Risk Assessment Screening Tool (RAST) developed by Tasmania Police and the Department of Justice. The RAST is utilised by operational police at the attendance of family violence incidents to assist in assessing the risk of a victim experiencing future violence. In May 2008, Tasmania Police contracted the Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies [TILES], of the University of Tasmania, to undertake a statistical analysis of the police Risk Assessment Screening Tool [RAST] to determine the validity and reliability of the RAST with respect to the Tasmanian population. The study concluded that, whilst the current scoring system employed has modest predictive utility (AUC .602), with an increased risk of misclassification in the medium and high categories, those characteristics identified through regression modelling provided a significantly greater level of accuracy (AUC .726). This reflects good predictive utility in that it is correct in predicting repeat offending in nearly 75% of cases (i.e. in approximately 3 out of 4 cases). It should be noted that this compares favourably with other risk assessment tools. With the primary purpose of the RAST being to predict the likelihood of re-offending, the Analysis found that the most useful risk factors on the RAST are those that reflect static variables. Static variables include age, gender, criminal history and education, and tend to be objective rather than subjective. Problems identified with the present RAST included structural issues whereby risk factors may have unintended deleterious and/or cumulative effects on the likelihood of re-offending. Consequent of these conclusions, it has been recommended that a new weighting system be considered with emphasis placed on those risk factors that have a cumulative effect on re-offending. The Analysis identified potential for improvements to the RAST that could increase its predictive utility from modest to good. Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, 2009. 68p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 119555 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Tasmania)Family ViolencePolicingReoffendingRisk Assessment |
Author: Toon, Richard Title: System Alert: Arizona's Criminal Justice Response to Domestic Violence Summary: This report examines the issue of domestic violence with Arizona's families and communities. It examines the failures of the present system, and offers several suggestions for improvements that should be made to address the issue. Details: Phoeniz, AZ: Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona State University, 2007. 123p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 8, 2010 at http://morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/publications-reports/SystemAlert-AZsCJRespToDV/view Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://morrisoninstitute.asu.edu/publications-reports/SystemAlert-AZsCJRespToDV/view Shelf Number: 112712 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Arizona)Family ViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Zahnd, Elaine Title: Nearly Four Million California Adults Are Victims of Intimate Partner Violence Summary: Nearly 1 in 6 adults in California, about 3.7 million persons, report experiencing physical intimate partner violence (IPV) as adults. Over one million Californians were forced to have sex (5%) by an intimate partner during adulthood. Overall, 17.2% of adults—nearly four million Californians—report being a victim of physical and/or sexual IPV as an adult. These acts of violence are not merely a criminal justice problem, but a public health problem with deep and lingering social, psychological and health-related costs. Beyond the immediate trauma facing adult victims, IPV incidents may have a prolonged impact on the emotional and mental health of the victims, affect their ability to complete school or maintain employment, and result in adverse health behaviors to cope with the trauma, such as engaging in risky alcohol, tobacco or other drug use. Violence that occurs between intimates or family members is especially damaging when it takes place in the presence of children; previous studies have shown that witnessing violence can lead to intergenerational cycles of violence." Details: Los Angeles, CA: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research, 2010. 11p. Source: Internet Resource; Accessed August 16, 2010 at: http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/files/IPV_PB_031810.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.healthpolicy.ucla.edu/pubs/files/IPV_PB_031810.pdf Shelf Number: 119614 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHealth CareIntimate Partner Violence (California )Sex OffensesVictims of Crime |
Author: Towns, Alison Title: The Cultures of Cool and Being a Man: Getting in Early to Prevent Domestic Violence Summary: This study explored young men’s ideas about control, power and equality in boyfriend/girlfriend relationships and the social and cultural values and beliefs that contribute to these ideas. Details: Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2009. 155p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 23, 2010 at: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/PublicationDetails.aspx?publication=14557 Year: 2009 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/PublicationDetails.aspx?publication=14557 Shelf Number: 119664 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (New Zealand)Violence Against Women |
Author: Jones, Anwen Title: Santuary Schemes for Households at Risk of Domestic Violence: Practice Guide for Agencies Developing and Delivering Sanctuary Schemes Summary: A Sanctuary Scheme is a multi-agency victim centred initiative which aims to enable households at risk of violence to remain safely in their own homes by installing a 'Sanctuary' in the home and through the provision of support to the household. This guide highlights the transferable lessons from an evaluation of Sanctuary Schemes, and will be particularly useful for local level practitioners in developing strategies to prevent homelessness and support for households at risk of domestic violence. Details: West Yorkshire, UK: Communities and Local Government Publications, 2010. 79p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 29, 2010 at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1697793.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1697793.pdf Shelf Number: 119691 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHousingIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Davis, Robert C. Title: Effects of Second Responder Programs on Repeat Incidents of Family Abuse Summary: This paper reports the results of a systematic review of the effects of second responder programs on repeat incidents of family violence. An exhaustive search yielded ten studies (including three that were unpublished) that met our criteria that included: (a) following a report of a family violence incident to the police, a second response that included a home visit, (b) a comparison group, and (c) at least one measure of repeat family violence. Fixed and random effects metaanalysis indicated that the second response intervention did not affect the likelihood of new abuse as reported on victim surveys, but did slightly increase the odds of a new report made to the police. We interpret these results to mean that the intervention does not affect the continuation or cessation of family violence, but does somewhat increase victims’ willingness to report incidents to the authorities when they occur. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2008. 41p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2010 at: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/233/ Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/233/ Shelf Number: 119744 Keywords: Battered WomenFamily ViolenceRepeat VictimizationSpouse AbuseVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Hagemann-White, Carol Title: Gendering Human Rights Violations: The Case of Interpersonal Violence- Coordination Action on Human Rights Violations (CAHRV) Summary: Human dignity, fundamental rights and human security set standards by which individuals, communities and societies can develop their potential and learn to resolve or transform conflict constructively without violence. Yet these standards are frequently disregarded, not only in times of war, but also in everyday life – in homes, in schools, at work and in public places. Painful acts of violation occur in close personal relationships or within social environments such as neighbourhoods. The research network “Coordination Action on Human Rights Violations” was founded to look at the structural patterns underlying these everyday injuries, many of which have only recently become an object of public concern, and to develop a comprehensive and integrated perspective towards understanding and addressing them. There is a need for such a systematic view, for both research and policy have tended to look at interpersonal violence piecemeal. A national prevalence study will set off a discussion on violence in the family against women. An outbreak of violence in schools will be followed by a spurt of public statements about youth, unemployment and cultural conflict. A case of abuse or fatal neglect of a child mobilizes concern about social services and child protection. Each wave of concern seems to call attention to a new and different problem, while in fact research has the tools and theoretical resources to describe their interconnections, and to suggest approaches to broader-based strategies of overcoming them. The time is ripe for an integrated approach, and the great interest and enthusiasm raised by the CAHRV project is a sign that the European research community was more than ready to study, describe and present to policy-makers the linkages between the problem areas. Unchecked interpersonal violence represents a threat to democracy and social cohesion, but to understand how and why it is still present in our midst requires in-depth understanding of how violence is shaped by gender for both women and men, both boys and girls; how stressors and power imbalances between the generations lead to violence, and how these interconnect. The CAHRV philosophy of linking the gender and generational dimensions that appear in interpersonal violence proved highly successful. 22 partner institutions took responsibility for the work program comprising literature reviews across numerous countries, thematic and crosscutting workshops, large conferences with high public impact, and internet communication activities such as a newsletter, an internet mapping of literature, a publication site with carefully edited papers of professional quality, and analytical reviews on central issues. In all, over 100 researchers from 20 countries1 in the enlarged Europe contributed actively (and often without compensation) to the work. Part one of the report offers an overview of the aims and the achievements of the CAHRV project and presents some of its over-arching themes. The following chapter 2 presents the project objectives and explains the rationale behind them. In chapter 3, the working methods and specific achievements in coordinating research are outlined, showing how this broadbased enterprise became meaningful and useful. Chapter 4 reviews and assesses the contribution of the work completed towards the overall objectives as set out in the original project proposal. In chapter 5, advances in developing a shared theoretical framework for understanding interpersonal violence in a human rights context are discussed. This includes weighing of the benefits and limitations of human rights frameworks for research on interpersonal violence. Chapter 6 discusses “fruits of collaboration”: insights that emerged across the different thematic focal areas. Part two looks more closely at the specific content areas of the work program and at the progress of knowledge within each area. In a summarizing form, the main results of the collaboration are presented. Details: Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 2008. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2010 at: http://www.cahrv.uni-osnabrueck.de/reddot/CAHRV_final_report_-_complete_version_for_WEB.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Europe URL: http://www.cahrv.uni-osnabrueck.de/reddot/CAHRV_final_report_-_complete_version_for_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 119749 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHuman RightsInterpersonal ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse Abuse |
Author: Morgan, Mandy Title: An Evaluation of the Waitakere Family Violence Court Protocols Summary: The Waitakere Family Violence Court convenes weekly within the Waitakere District Court. It involves professional, state and community agents in a dynamic process of coordinated response to family violenc offences. The unique practices of the Corut are regulated by protocols that have evolved since 1992. The aims of the current protocols (2005) are: to overcome systemic delays in Court process; to minimize damage to families by delan; to concentrate specialist services within the Court process; to protect the victims of family violence consistent with the rights of defendants; to promote a holistic approach in the response to family violence; and to hold offenders accountable for their actions. This preliminary reports begins with a brief intoduction to the social context in which the Waitakere Family Violence Court is currently set. Following an introductory backgound, it presents the story of the Court that has emerged from a two stage analysis of participant data and documentary evidence. Details: Palmerston North, New Zealand: Massey University; Waitakere City, New Zealand: WAVES, 2007. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 13, 2010 at: http://www.massey.ac.nz/~psyweb/pdf/Family-Court-Protocols_Apr2007.pdf Year: 2007 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.massey.ac.nz/~psyweb/pdf/Family-Court-Protocols_Apr2007.pdf Shelf Number: 117323 Keywords: Family ViolenceFamily Violence CourtsVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Frattaroli, Shannon Title: Removing Guns from Domestic Violence Offenders: An Analysis of State Level Policies to Prevent Future Abuse Summary: This report details the status of police gun removal laws and court-ordered removal laws in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, and summarizes select characteristics of those laws that we believe are important for effective implementation. The report is intended as a resource for advocates and policy makers. In addition to highlighting characteristics of the laws that may affect their implementation and impact, we conclude this report with a set of recommendations for advancing policy and practice to reduce the dangers associated with armed batterers. Details: Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research, 2009. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 17, 2010 at: http://www.jhsph.edu/bin/u/p/Gun%20Removal%207%20Oct%2009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: http://www.jhsph.edu/bin/u/p/Gun%20Removal%207%20Oct%2009.pdf Shelf Number: 119832 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGunsSpouse AbuseWeapons |
Author: Hague, Gill Title: Making the Links: Disabled Women and Domestic Violence: Final Report Summary: The focus of the research was on the needs and experiences of U.K. women with physical and sensory impairments who were experiencing abuse from partners, ex-partners, other family members, or personal assistants in their own homes. The study drew on the growing view that the voices and perspectives of those who use services should inform the evaluation of these services and the development of best practice guidance. Details: Bristol, UK: Women's Aid Federation of England, 2008. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2010 at: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?id=1763 Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.womensaid.org.uk/core/core_picker/download.asp?id=1763 Shelf Number: 113404 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHandicapped Persons |
Author: Kishor, Sunita Title: Profiling Domestic Violence: A Multi-Country Study Summary: This study uses household and individual-level data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program to examine the prevalence and correlates of domestic violence and the health consequences of domestic violence for women and their children. Nationally representative data from nine countries—Cambodia (2000), Colombia (2000), the Dominican Republic (2002), Egypt (1995), Haiti (2000), India (1998-1999), Nicaragua (1998), Peru (2000), and Zambia (2001-2002)—are analyzed within a comparative framework to provide a multifaceted analysis of the phenomenon of domestic violence. Details: Calverton, MD: ORC Macro, 2004. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2010 at: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/OD31/OD31.pdf Year: 2004 Country: International URL: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/OD31/OD31.pdf Shelf Number: 113399 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Kelly, Liz Title: Map of Gaps 2: The Postcode Lottery of Violence Against Women Support Services in Britain Summary: This report shows that in many parts of the UK, services for women who have experienced violence are chronically under-funded or simply do not exist. Women shouldn’t be subjected to this postcode lottery. This is a call to action for everybody who cares about this issue, and a firm reminder for those in local and national government with the power to make a difference. Urgent effort must be made to provide funding and support to ensure that all women can get help whenever they need it and wherever they live. Details: London: End Violence Against Women and Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2009. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2010 at: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/map_of_gaps2.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/map_of_gaps2.pdf Shelf Number: 114338 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceFemale VictimsVictim of Crimes, Services forViolence Against Women |
Author: Ringland, Clare Title: Domestic Homicide in NSW, January 2003 - June 2008 Summary: This brief examines trends and characteristics of domestic homicides in NSW over the period January 2003 to June 2008. During this time, there were 215 victims of domestic homicide, 115 females and 100 males. The rate of domestic homicide per year remained stable, ranging from a low of 0.46 per 100,000 population in 2004 to a high of 0.63 per 100,000 population in 2006. Forty-three per cent of domestic homicide victims (70 females and 23 males) were killed by intimate partners, and 19 per cent by parents. Stabbing was the most common act causing death, with knives used in over one-third of domestic homicides. The use of knives increased over the period, while the use of firearms decreased. Over three-quarters of offenders were male, and one-third of offenders may have had a history of mental illness and/or been suffering from mental illness at the time of the homicide. Twenty-six per cent of offenders were persons of interest in a violence-related incident in the 12 months prior to the homicide, and 52 per cent in the five years prior. In the 12 months prior to the homicide event, only 10 per cent of victims had been identified as a victim in a violence-related incident where the homicide offender was identified as a person of interest. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2009. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 42: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb42.pdf/$file/bb42.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/bb42.pdf/$file/bb42.pdf Shelf Number: 118552 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicideVictims of CrimeViolence Against WomenViolent Crime |
Author: Humphreys, Cathy Title: Literature Review: Better Outcomes for Children and Young People Experiencing Domestic Abuse - Directions for Good Practice Summary: The National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse in Scotland acknowledges the correlation between domestic abuse and the mental, physical and sexual abuse of children. The reform of children's services in Scotland includes developing a delivery plan focused on better outcomes for children and young people affected by domestic abuse. This international review aims to provide an evidence base to support directions for good practice, and includes a chapter on qualitative evidence from Scottish children's own perspectives on domestic abuse. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Government, 2008. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2010 at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/04112614/0 Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/08/04112614/0 Shelf Number: 119918 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Williamson, Emma Title: Pilot Project: Domestic Abuse and Military Families Summary: This pilot project will seek to ascertain, via a focus group and on-line survey, i) the nature and extent of abuse experienced by military families, ii) service use, and iii) service needs of both perpetrators and victims of abuse in this context. During this developmental (pilot) phase we will be seeking to establish baseline data which identifies service need and potential interventions. The families of service personnel and the personnel themselves will benefit if we are able to identify triggers to abusive behaviour at home and external and internal interventions which may reduce the likelihood of domestic abuse occurring in these families. This research project examines the: 1) Nature and extent of domestic violence within military families; 2) Impact of this abuse and identify potential interventions; 3) Kind of services families may, or may have tried, to access in the past; 4) Ways in which service personnel explain the reasons for their abusive behaviour and whether specialist interventions might be developed to assist them. Details: Bristol, UK: University of Bristol, 2009. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.bris.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/2009/rk7020/finalreport.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.bris.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/2009/rk7020/finalreport.pdf Shelf Number: 119958 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceMilitaryVictims of Domestic Violence, Services forViolence Against Women |
Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office Title: Military Personnel: Sustained Leadership and Oversight Needed to Improve DOD's Prevention and Treatment of Domestic Abuse Summary: In 2001, the Deputy Secretary of Defense stated that domestic violence will not be tolerated in the Department of Defense (DOD). Despite this posture, DOD's clinical database indicates that 8,223 incidents met criteria for domestic abuse in fiscal year 2009. However, because this database includes only cases reported to military clinical offices, it does not represent all cases. In response to a congressional request, GAO evaluated whether DOD is able to determine the effectiveness of its domestic abuse efforts. To conduct this review, GAO reviewed legislative requirements and DOD guidance, analyzed domestic abuse data, and interviewed officials involved in domestic abuse prevention and treatment and persons eligible to receive services at five military bases. DOD has taken some actions to prevent and treat domestic abuse in response to recommendations made by the Defense Task Force on Domestic Violence in 2001 through 2003 and by GAO in a 2006 report. However, DOD has no oversight framework with goals, milestones, and metrics with which to determine the effectiveness of its efforts. This issue is complicated by uncertainty regarding the completeness of DOD's data on domestic abuse. In 2007, DOD issued guidance on military protective orders after GAO had found that its lack of guidance had resulted in inconsistent practices. However, DOD closed its Family Violence Policy Office in 2007, which had staff dedicated to overseeing the implementation of recommendations made by the Defense Task Force, after DOD had taken action on some key recommendations. At that time, the specific responsibilities of that office for overseeing implementation of the remaining Task Force recommendations were not reassigned, although overall oversight responsibility remained with the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness. DOD guidance assigns many domestic abuse-related responsibilities to this office, including responsibility for developing DOD's domestic abuse instruction and ensuring compliance. GAO found the following examples in which having sustained leadership attention and an oversight framework would have helped guide DOD in obtaining information that would allow it to fully manage its efforts and determine their effectiveness: (1) Significant DOD guidance has been in draft since 2006. As a result, the services are anticipating ways to implement the draft guidance, which contains, among other things, new guidelines for the services' clinical treatment and evaluation boards, without finalized guidance. (2) The database intended to satisfy legislative requirements enacted in 2000 continues to provide incomplete data, and DOD still collects domestic abuse data in two databases. In 2006, GAO reported on data discrepancies in these databases and recommended that they be reconciled. This recommendation remains open, and those problems continue today. Because DOD cannot provide accurate numbers of domestic abuse incidents, it cannot analyze trends. (3) It is DOD policy to target families most at risk of domestic abuse, but DOD has not defined goals for its efforts or metrics with which to measure progress. DOD collects only information on gender, rank, age, and substance use. Without information on other factors, such as length and number of deployments, DOD will be unable to fully analyze risk factors. During GAO's site visits, these factors were routinely mentioned. (4) DOD lacks metrics for measuring the effectiveness of its awareness campaigns. As a result, it does not know how to direct its resources most effectively. Without sustained leadership and an oversight framework, DOD will remain unable to assess the effectiveness of its efforts to prevent and treat domestic abuse. GAO recommends that DOD finalize guidance on how the services are to comply with DOD policies and develop an oversight framework to guide its efforts to prevent and treat domestic abuse that includes collecting data on contributing factors and establishing metrics to determine the effectiveness of DOD's awareness campaigns. In commenting on a draft of this report, DOD generally concurred with GAO's recommendations. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Government Accountability Office, 2010. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: GAO-10-923: Accessed October 14, 2010 at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10923.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d10923.pdf Shelf Number: 119965 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceMilitary PersonnelSpouse AbuseVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Robinson, Elly Title: Family Violence: Towards a Holistic Approach to Screening and Risk Assessment in Family Support Services Summary: Since the 1960s, violence between intimate partners, between family members and towards children has been increasingly recognised as a significant problem. Seminal work on male violence towards women within families was conducted in Britain, Australia and the United States. Prior to that, Kempe, Silverman, Steele, Droeghmeuller, and Silver found convincing (and at the time shocking) evidence of the extent to which children were being physically abused by parents and carers. While knowledge about family violence and its effects has grown considerably since this time, services still grapple with the most effective ways of identifying family violence issues with which clients present and, just as importantly, of taking appropriate actions once family violence has been accurately identified. Research such as the evaluation of the 2006 family law reforms suggested that family violence is not always recognised by practitioners working in this area and that even when it is recognised, appropriate actions aimed at creating or preserving safety are not always taken. This paper reviews the current research and literature specific to family violence screening and risk assessment. It is hoped that the paper will assist service providers and practitioners to develop and evaluate tools for use within family support services. Details: Melbourne, Australi: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2010. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: AFR Briefing, No. 17: Accessed October 25, 2010 at: http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/briefing/b017/b017.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aifs.gov.au/afrc/pubs/briefing/b017/b017.pdf Shelf Number: 120067 Keywords: Child AbuseFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRisk Assessment |
Author: Lowe, Trudy Title: Integrating the Independent Domestic Violence Advisor and Flying Start: A Process and Outcome Evaluation: Final Report Summary: The objective of this research was to evaluate the innovative pilot provision of an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor (IDVA) working as part of a Flying Start team located within a defined school catchment area in Cardiff. The aim of this initiative is to explore how integrated multi-agency working can improve the quality of a victim-focussed service delivered in complex cases of children and adults at risk of violence in the home. Details: Cardiff, Wales: Universities' Police Science Institute, Cardiff University, 2009. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 28, 2010 at: http://www.upsi.org.uk/resources/IDVA.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.upsi.org.uk/resources/IDVA.pdf Shelf Number: 120113 Keywords: Child AbuseDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: TNS Opinion & Social Title: Domestic Violence Against Women Summary: The aim of this survey is to measure the evolution of European public opinion concerning domestic violence against women since 1999, which can be seen as the starting point for collecting information about the public’s view on this important problem. Evolutions are particularly interesting to study considering the changing legal context over the past ten years. The first important message that comes out of the study is the rising awareness of Europeans. The survey also shows broad support for EU action in this area. - 98% of people are now aware of domestic violence across the EU compared to 94% in the previous survey. - Awareness of domestic violence against women is very high across the EU, thanks to media such as television (92%), newspapers and magazines (59%) informing the vast majority of EU citizens about the problem. - Domestic violence remains very common: one respondent in four across the EU knows a woman among friends or in the family circle who is a victim of domestic violence. Since the previous survey, the proportion of Europeans (on a comparable EU15 basis) that say they know a victim of domestic violence in their circle of friends or family has increased from 19% to 25%. - One person in five knows of someone who commits domestic violence in their circle of friends and family (21%). - Women are more likely than men to know a woman who has suffered from domestic violence. They are also more likely than men to be aware of people who commit this crime, and more likely to view the problem seriously and to advocate tougher penalties for those responsible. - 78% of Europeans recognise that domestic violence is a common problem. - Attitudes to domestic violence have generally become much tougher, with far more people (86%, up from 63% for the EU15) now saying that domestic violence is unacceptable and should always be punishable by law. In the European Union as a whole, 84% consider that domestic violence is unacceptable and should always be punishable by law. - Sexual and physical violence are seen as the most serious forms of violence suffered by women with 85% of respondents in both cases considering that these are “very serious”. - There is strong support for EU involvement in eradicating domestic violence against women (87% of respondents feel that the EU should probably or definitely be involved). - However, while most people believe that laws are in place to prevent domestic violence, very few (14%) are familiar with specific EU measures to tackle the problem. Details: Brussels: European Commission, 2010. 222p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Eurobarometer 344: Accessed October 29, 2010 at: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_344_en.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_344_en.pdf Shelf Number: 120132 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolencePublic OpinionSexual ViolenceVictims of Family Violence, Services forViolence Against Women |
Author: Meyer, Silke Title: Responding to Intimate Partner Violence Victimisation: Effective Options for Help-Seeking Summary: Approximately one in four women in most Western nations are at risk of becoming a victim of intimate partner violence (IPV). Interventions for IPV victims have shown to be significant in preventing negative outcomes. Using data from the International Violence Against Women Survey, this paper examines predictors of help-seeking by IPV victims and considers whether such responses are influenced by the severity of abuse experienced. Many IPV victims seek assistance informally from family and friends in the first instance and that experience may affect subsequent attempts to seek help from more formal sources. This study found that victims of IPV are more likely to explore formal avenues of support when married to the abusive partner, have children who have witnessed incidents of abuse, have used drugs or alcohol to cope with abuse and where the abusive partner has previously received counselling for his behaviour. It was found that in cases where the victim had experienced more severe types of abuse, and/or if they felt their life had been threatened during the most recent incident, there was a significantly increased likelihood of formal helpseeking. Collectively, these findings can inform the enhancement of current responses made by formal sources of support to better accommodate the needs of IPV victims and their children. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2010. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends and Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 389: Accessed November 3, 2010 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/2/C/%7B62CAE35B-C4C7-4231-8163-911079CE46FE%7Dtandi389.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/6/2/C/%7B62CAE35B-C4C7-4231-8163-911079CE46FE%7Dtandi389.pdf Shelf Number: 120172 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Quilgars, Deborah Title: Meeting the Needs of Households at Risk of Domestic Violence in England: The Role of Accommodation and Housing-Related Support Services Summary: This study explores the extent, scale and regional distribution of a wide range of housing related support for those at risk of domestic violence. It explores access to housing advice, refuge provision, other specialist accommodation, access to settled accommodation and the role of floating support. Details: London: Department for Communities and Local Government, 2010. 193p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1778600.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/pdf/1778600.pdf Shelf Number: 120286 Keywords: Abused WivesDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHousingVictims of Crime, Services forVictims of Family Violence |
Author: National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children Title: Domestic Violence Laws in Australia Summary: This report provides: an overview of all State and Territory and New Zealand domestic violence-specific laws providing for the making of protection orders; a comparative analysis of what behaviours constitute domestic violence for the purposes of those laws, and what relationship must exist between the persons concerned in order for the legislation to apply; a comparative analysis of the laws of each of the examined jurisdictions for the registration and enforcement of domestic violence protection orders made in other jurisdictions (‘portability’ of orders); a comparative analysis of the laws of the examined jurisdictions in relation to orders which operate to exclude a perpetrator of domestic violence from that person’s home (where the perpetrator and the victim would normally cohabit); a comparative analysis of the laws of the examined jurisdictions providing for counselling (both mandatory and voluntary) for perpetrators of domestic violence; an overview of the laws of the examined jurisdictions that make stalking an offence; an overview of the provisions in the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) that have particular significance in relation to domestic violence; and an analysis of areas where there is overlap and potential for conflict between orders or injunctions made under the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) and orders made under the State and Territory domestic violence protection orders legislation. Details: Canberra: Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, 2009. 252p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2010 at: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/pubs/violence/np_time_for_action/domestic_violence_laws/Documents/Domestic%20Violence%20Laws%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/women/pubs/violence/np_time_for_action/domestic_violence_laws/Documents/Domestic%20Violence%20Laws%20in%20Australia%20-%20June%202009.pdf Shelf Number: 120289 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceProtection OrdersStalkingVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Donovan, Catherine Title: Evaluation of Early Intervention Models for Change in Domestic Violence: Northern Rock Foundation Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, 2004-2009 Summary: In 2004 the Northern Rock Foundation (NRF) Domestic Abuse Intervention Project (DAIP) provided £3.5 million to two Multi-Agency (MA) partnerships to address domestic violence in innovative ways. The aims were to provide holistic, early intervention, specialist services to victim/survivors of domestic violence, their children and perpetrators. New services were created to act as a hub to liaise with and coordinate MA working with the eleven partner agencies that, together with the new service, constituted each Project. In Gateshead the new service was developed within an existing one, Safer Families. In Cumbria the Project was set up as a pilot in rural Carlisle and Eden with Letgo as the new service. The objectives were to improve the health and wellbeing of victim/survivors and their children, increase perpetrator accountability and promote MA working by focusing on early intervention at crisis. In the Gateshead Project this resulted in the police being the sole referrer to the new service. In the Cumbria Project this meant that the police were the primary but not the only referral source. Both Projects provided tailored, one-to-one support to victim/survivors, both one-to-one and group work for children and voluntary perpetrator programmes. Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs) undertook a risk assessment (RA), offered safety planning and undertook an assessment of need, the outcome of which resulted in referrals to, and acting as an advocate with, appropriate partner agencies. Contact with victim/survivors varied in frequency and type depending on need. IDVAs also provided emotional and practical support and undertook regular reviews of victim/survivors’ risk. This evaluation report provides detailed information about the impact of services in this area. It contains evidence both about what works well and about what works less well and we commend this as a contribution to the growing body of knowledge in this area, upon which we know others will build. Details: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK: Northern Rock Foundation, 2010. 166p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 29, 2010 at: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/downloads/DAI%20-%20full%20evaluation%20report.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nr-foundation.org.uk/downloads/DAI%20-%20full%20evaluation%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 120293 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictims of Family Violence, Services for |
Author: Arean, Juan Carlos Title: Fathering After Violence: Working with Abusive Fathers in Supervised Visitation Summary: This guide is intended to assist the grantees of the Safe Havens: Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program (Supervised Visitation Program or SVP) that want to enhance the safety and well-being of women and children by working more deliberately with abusive fathers who use the centers to visit their children. Although fathers are not always the visiting parents and, in fact, in some centers mothers make up almost half of the visiting caseload, this document was designed to target in particular visiting fathers who have been violent with their intimate partners. This publication takes as a point of departure the minimum practice standards outlined in the Guiding Principles of the Supervised Visitation Program (Guiding Principles or GP) and builds upon that document to propose a continuum of more advanced interventions for the engagement of abusive fathers in visitation centers. These interventions are based on the learnings from the Fathering After Violence Initiative, developed by the Family Violence Prevention Fund (FVPF) and five current and past SVP grantees with funding from the Office of Violence Against Women (OVW). The work described in this guide is grounded on two key premises: Men who use violence can be held accountable for their behavior and simultaneously be encouraged to change it; and women and children can benefit from this approach. Details: San Francisco: Family Violence Prevention Fund, 2008. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 30, 2010 at: http://www.endabuse.org/userfiles/file/Children_and_Families/fathering_after_violence.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.endabuse.org/userfiles/file/Children_and_Families/fathering_after_violence.pdf Shelf Number: 120315 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Thinking About Homicide Risk: A Practice Framework for Counselling Summary: Research tells us that many women experiencing domestic violence do not disclose their experience when seeking counselling but instead raise other related problems such as relationship conflict, depression or parenting issues. These women may 'fall under the radar' if counsellors are not able to identify domestic violence and homicide risk. • Knowing how and when to assess for homicide risk is an essential skill for all counsellors who may work with women experiencing domestic violence, particularly those at non-specialist services. This paper proposes a multi-systemic practice framework to help counsellors assess for and respond to homicide risk in family violence contexts. The framework outlines the four main system domains that counsellors may need to address: the client system; the therapeutic relationship; the organisational context; and the system of services. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2010. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Stakeholder Paper 9: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Stakeholder%20Paper_9.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Stakeholder%20Paper_9.pdf Shelf Number: 120521 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicideViolence Against Women |
Author: Alves, Maria Domingas Fernandes Title: Baseline Study on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Bobonaro and Covalima Summary: Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a world wide phenomenon existing in all countries with power, domination and control, mainly by men, the primary cause. Factors contributing to its prevalence include conflict and post conflict situations, economic, social, cultural and geographic factors. Its existence reflects the inequality between men and women, and it is mostly women who are affected, with mostly men as offenders. SGBV can be perpetrated by intimate partners, family members and friends, as well as strangers. Many studies on sexual and gender-based violence have been conducted in Timor- Leste since 1999 by national and international organizations examining the prevalence, incidence, cultural context and legal mechanisms available to resolve individual cases, and prevent further SGBV. These have been reviewed by the research team for this study. Current information in Timor-Leste indicates that SGBV is the largest category of crimes reported to police. To respond to this problem the UNIFEM programme “Supporting Community-Led Initiatives of Women’s Engagement in Peace Building and Prevention of Sexual Violence”, collaborated with the Asia-Pacific Support Collective Timor-Leste (APSCTL) to conduct a study in 2007 to contribute to the evidence base of research already conducted. It was decided to conduct a pilot study as a bench mark in two border districts of Timor-Leste, Bobonaro and Covalima to provide more evidence to inform strategies to respond to, reduce and ultimately prevent sexual and gender-based violence. Details: Bangkok: UNIFEM East-Asia, 2009. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2010 at: http://unifem-eseasia.org/docs/SGBV_Baseline_study_Report_English_version.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Asia URL: http://unifem-eseasia.org/docs/SGBV_Baseline_study_Report_English_version.pdf Shelf Number: 117818 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women (Timor-Leste) |
Author: Northern Ireland. Criminal Justice Inspection Title: Domestic Violence and Abuse: A Thematic Inspection of the Handling of Domestic Violence and Abuse Cases by the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland Summary: Domestic violence occurs regardless of gender, social group, class, religion, race, age, disability or sexuality. The problem is significant, with one domestic violence incident reported every 21 minutes. Whilst domestic violence and abuse has been found to significantly impact on women and children, men can also be victims of domestic violence and it also occurs in same sex relationships. This inspection considered the response of the criminal justice system to cases of domestic violence and abuse from initial reporting of the incident through to its investigation, prosecution and eventual court disposal. Tackling incidents of domestic violence is a complex problem for which there are no quick fix answers. As with other difficult crime areas, there are issues around the number of crimes reported to the police and the extent to which they are followed through the justice system. There is a clear need for justice organisations to ensure that victims of domestic violence and abuse receive the best possible service throughout Northern Ireland. The report identifies improvements in the approach adopted by justice agencies with a movement away from attitudes of ‘just another domestic’. This is to be welcomed as experience has shown that incidents of domestic violence and abuse if not dealt with appropriately, can escalate to often very tragic conclusions. This inspection did not find there was one single issue arising from the work of the system that would significantly improve its overall performance. Instead the report focuses on a series of steps that each of the justice agencies could undertake to improve the overall support provided to victims and ensure justice. The inspection identified some good practice including the links between the justice agencies and the voluntary and community sector and the service provided by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Domestic Abuse Officers. At the same time, the inspection identified areas for improvement including the need to provide greater consistency of service across PSNI Districts, the need to improve the quality of prosecutions presented in Court and the need for Independent Domestic Violence Advisors to advocate for and provide greater support to victims throughout the process. Details: Belfast: Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, 2010. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2010 at: http://www.prosenteret.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:foreign-prostitution-in-oslo-pro-sentret-v-bjrg-norli-2006&catid=17:prostitusjon&Itemid=60 Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prosenteret.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:foreign-prostitution-in-oslo-pro-sentret-v-bjrg-norli-2006&catid=17:prostitusjon&Itemid=60 Shelf Number: 120530 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic Violence (Northern Ireland)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Greenbook National Evaluation Team Title: The Greenbook Initiative Final Evaluation Report Summary: In 1999, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges published Effective Intervention in Domestic Violence and Child Maltreatment Cases: Guidelines for Policy and Practice (known as The Greenbook due to its green cover). The Greenbook’s principles and recommendations served as a guide for how communities and three primary systems—child welfare agencies, domestic violence service providers, and the dependency courts—should respond to families experiencing domestic violence and child maltreatment. In 2000, six communities received funding and other support from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to implement the Greenbook recommendations over the course of a 5-year demonstration initiative. A national evaluation examined the process and effects of implementing the Greenbook recommendations on collaboration, systems change, and practice within and across the three primary systems. This effort was led by the national evaluation team, with extensive input and assistance from the local research partners, project directors, and others at the sites and the Federal partners. The national evaluation team collected data through site visit interviews with project directors, local research partners, and key collaborative stakeholders; stakeholder surveys; direct service worker surveys for each of the three primary systems; and child welfare case file reviews. The national evaluation ended data collection activities in June 2006, but several sites continued Greenbook work using rollover funds from the original grants. The Greenbook national evaluation results are presented in three reports. The Greenbook Demonstration Initiative: Process Evaluation Report: Phase 1 focused on the planning and goal setting phase of the Greenbook initiative in the sites. The Greenbook Demonstration Initiative: Interim Evaluation Report discussed work at the midpoint of the initiative, when the communities had moved from planning to implementation. This final evaluation report assesses the extent to which the Greenbook implementation activities facilitated cross-system and within system change and practice in the child welfare agencies, dependency courts, and domestic violence service providers. In addition to these evaluation reports, a special issue of the Journal of Interpersonal Violence will present Greenbook initiative national evaluation findings for a wide research- and policy-oriented audience. Findings of the evaluation show the efforts the partners made, the challenges and conflicts they faced in carrying out their work, and—to different degrees and in different sites and systems — the changes they were able to bring about in how the systems work to identify and respond to the needs of families and children experiencing the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment. Details: Fairfax, VA: ICF International, 2008. 122p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 18, 2011 at: http://www.thegreenbook.info/documents/FinalReport_Combined.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.thegreenbook.info/documents/FinalReport_Combined.pdf Shelf Number: 120816 Keywords: Child AbuseChild MaltreatmentFamily Violence |
Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: Seeking Security: Promoting Women's Economic Wellbeing Following Domestic Violence Summary: Domestic violence is a pervasive social issue in this country, with an estimated 15-17% of Australian women affected over the course of their lifetime (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). It is also expensive, costing the Australian economy in the order of $13.6 billion in 2008-09 alone (National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009). Beneath these figures lie numerous individual experiences of abuse and women’s hard-fought struggles to be free from the immediate and ongoing effects of violence that permeate their lives. This research has been specifically concerned to examine the impact of domestic violence on women’s economic wellbeing and the intersection of this with their recovery overall. To do this, the research explored the ways in which domestic violence creates complex economic issues for women (and their children), and how this disrupts their lives over the short and long term. It has been equally concerned with investigating personal strategies and service initiatives that support those who have left violence to break free from financial uncertainty. The study was conducted in 2009 by the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, which is a project of the Centre for Gender-Related Violence Studies at the University of New South Wales. The findings of the research are consistent with national and international research studies that point to numerous ways in which domestic violence impacts on women’s financial outcomes. This study goes further to highlight that for women experiencing domestic violence, financial security goes to the heart of not only their freedom from abuse, but also their recovery and capacity to (re)gain control over their lives, now and in the future. Importantly, the study has a direct bearing on current debates in Australia concerning social inclusion (and by extension, social justice) and, specifically, the Federal Government’s social inclusion agenda.1 In February 2008, then Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard defined social inclusion as the capacity for people to find employment; access services; maintain social networks through family, friends, work, personal interests and their local community; deal with personal crises such as ill health, bereavement or the loss of a job; and have their voice heard. This research demonstrates how significantly men’s violence towards their female partners contributes to women’s social exclusion. This is apparent through its direct negative impact on victims’ material wealth and health outcomes. Domestic violence is also a disempowering force, undermining the confidence of those affected and often inviting discrimination against them. Efforts to prevent and mitigate the economic effects of domestic violence on victims are, thereby, central to promoting women’s social inclusion. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2011. 137p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2011 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Seeking%20Security%20Report%20WEB.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Seeking%20Security%20Report%20WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 121020 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family Violence |
Author: Pauls, Monica Title: The Response to Elder Abuse in Alberta: Legislation and Victim Focused Services: Final Report Summary: Addressing family violence is currently a priority for the Alberta Government. Previous efforts in this field have focused on child abuse and domestic violence; an area that is often forgotten about or ignored is elder abuse. However, as our society continues to age at an increasingly rapid pace, it is becoming more important to increase community awareness and to develop an effective response to this issue. This research project was initiated in response to a number of concerns identified by the Action Group on Elder Abuse (AGEA) in Calgary. Concerns included a general lack of knowledge of the issue, the services available, and the mechanisms by which an alleged incident can be reported. There also appears to be deficiencies in Alberta’s current legislation addressing the issue. In order to address these concerns, the project worked to: provide information that assists in improving legislation and reporting practices on elder abuse in Alberta; provide information that assists in improving access to services for victims of elder abuse; provide information that assists in improving the effectiveness of services to meet the needs of victims of elder abuse; and provide information that will enhance the knowledge of service providers on legislation, reporting practices, and access and effectiveness of services for victims of elder abuse. Multiple methods used in this project included a legislative review, service identification in seven municipal locations in Alberta, development of An Alberta Directory of Victim Services for Older Adults and user-friendly information cards for seniors, a self-report survey for victims of elder abuse, in-depth interviews with victims of elder abuse, and information and education workshops for service providers and frontline workers. Details: Calgary, Alberta: Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family, 2006. 134p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2011 at: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/ElderAbuseFinalReport-June2006.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Canada URL: http://people.ucalgary.ca/~crilf/publications/ElderAbuseFinalReport-June2006.pdf Shelf Number: 121031 Keywords: Elder Abuse (Alberta, Canada)Elderly VictimsFamily Violence |
Author: Edleson, Jeffrey L. Title: Multiple Perspectives on Battered Mothers and their Children Fleeing to the United States for Safety: A Study of Hague Convention Cases Summary: Mothers who flee with their children because of domestic violence may have few other options to ensure their safety and that of their children in the face of their partner’s violence. Yet when their flight takes them across international boundaries, they become vulnerable to being legally treated as an “abducting” parent by the courts. This report focuses on the situations of women who experienced abuse in another country and came to the United States in an effort to protect themselves and their children, but who then faced civil actions in U.S. state or federal courts for child abduction under international legal agreements. We interviewed battered mothers around the world, their attorneys, their husbands’ attorneys and examined published judicial decisions in cases involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction where there were also allegations of domestic violence by one parent against the other. The research team interviewed 22 mothers who responded to Hague petitions in U.S. courts, 23 attorneys representing both mothers and fathers in these cases and five specialists, such as expert witnesses. The research team also analyzed 47 published U.S. Hague Convention court decisions involving allegations of domestic violence. Battered mothers who fled across borders to the U.S. to receive help from their families were often victims of life threatening violence, and their children were frequently directly or indirectly exposed to the father’s violence. The women sought but received little help from foreign authorities or social service agencies and received little help from U.S. authorities once they came to the U.S. In fact, these mothers – most of whom were U.S. citizens – often faced U.S. courts that were unsympathetic to their safety concerns and subsequently sent their children back to the custody of the abusive fathers in the other country, creating potential serious risks for the children and mothers. Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 404p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 17, 2011 at: http://www.haguedv.org/reports/finalreport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://www.haguedv.org/reports/finalreport.pdf Shelf Number: 121061 Keywords: Battered WomenChild AbductionDomestic Violence - Hague ConventionFamily ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Franklin, Cortney A. Title: The Effects of Family-of-Origin Violence on Intimate Partner Violence Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health issue. Estimates suggest that as many as 22.1 percent of women and 7.4 percent of men have been victimized in their primary adult relationships. Scholars have highlighted the importance of family-of-origin characteristics as contributing to emotional and physical conflict in relationships. Specifically, the intergenerational transmission of violence theory proposes that individuals learn techniques and behaviors for interacting with others in their families-of-origin. When children witness violence between their parents or are the recipients of abuse and/or corporal forms of punishment, they may grow up to believe that these strategies are appropriate for conflict resolution and problem solving and may be more likely to use violence as adults. Many children grow up in families where parents behave aggressively and/or violently toward one another or they may be the recipients of corporal punishment during childhood, but they do not grow up to use violence in their adult relationships. The purpose of this report is to present findings that answer two research questions: 1) among those adults who witnessed inter-parental violence or experienced corporal punishment during childhood, what factors mediate the effect of family-of- origin violence on adult IPV, and 2) do multiple experiences of violence in the family-of-origin produce a cumulative effect so that antisocial behavior is transmitted intergenerationally when individuals are subjected to more than one form of violence? Details: Huntsville, TX: The Crime Victims' Institute, Sam Houston State University, Criminal Justice Center, 2011. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 29, 2011 at: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/7935%20Family%20of%20Origin%20Violence.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.crimevictimsinstitute.org/documents/7935%20Family%20of%20Origin%20Violence.pdf Shelf Number: 121193 Keywords: Cycle of ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Canada. Statistics Canada Title: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile Summary: This is the thirteenth annual Family Violence in Canada report produced by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics under the Federal Family Violence Initiative. This report provides the most current data on the nature and extent of family violence in Canada, as well as trends over time, as part of the ongoing initiative to inform policy makers and the public about family violence issues. Each year the report has a different focus. This year, the focus of the report is on self-reported incidents of spousal victimization from the 2009 General Social Survey on Victimization. In addition, using police-reported data, the report also presents information on family violence against children and youth, family violence against seniors (aged 65 years and older), and family-related homicides. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2011. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 11, 2011 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-224-x/85-224-x2010000-eng.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-224-x/85-224-x2010000-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 121301 Keywords: Crime StatisticsElder AbuseFamily ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse AbuseVictimization |
Author: Bobbitt, Mike Title: Safe Return: Working Toward Preventing Domestic Violence When Men Return from Prison Summary: Strong family connections have been found to improve reentry outcomes, but they can be difficult to achieve. People returning from prison often face shifts in power dynamics with partners, changes in family structure, or unrealistic or unfulfilled expectations. In many cases, conflicting expectations and high levels of mistrust and frustration can contribute to tension and violence with intimate partners. The Safe Return Initiative focuses on strengthening domestic violence services for African American women and their children when they are facing the return of an intimate partner from prison. It does this by building culturally specific technical capacity within and cooperation among justice institutions and community-based and faith-based organizations. Its goals are to keep women and their children safe and improve the odds of successful reentry by offering peer-based learning, training, information sharing, and on-site assistance designed to help criminal justice and community-based organizations better serve African Americans dealing with prisoner reentry. Details: New York: Vera Institute of Justice, 2006. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2011 at: http://www.vera.org/download?file=3031/SRIRoundtable_Final.pdf Year: 2006 Country: United States URL: http://www.vera.org/download?file=3031/SRIRoundtable_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 121322 Keywords: African American WomenBattered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolencePrisoner Reentry |
Author: Maryland. Governor's Family Violence Council Title: Hospital-Based Domestic Violence Programs Summary: This report provides an overview of Maryland's hospital-based domestic violence programs; reviews the subject literature regarding these programs nationally; identifes and compares similar programs across the country; assesses program measures, including impact on violence and healthcare costs; and summarizes the various streams of funding available to support these programs. Details: Baltimore, MD: Governor's Family Violence Council, 2010. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 13, 2011 at: http://www.goccp.maryland.gov/documents/Hospital-based-DV-Programs.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.goccp.maryland.gov/documents/Hospital-based-DV-Programs.pdf Shelf Number: 121327 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Maryland)Family ViolenceMedical CareVictims of Family Violence, Services for |
Author: Halicki, Malgorzata Title: Intimate Partner Violence Against Older Women: National Report Poland Summary: Up to now only little is known about older women as victims of intimate partner violence in Europe. The issue often gets lost between the topics intimate partner violence, domestic violence and elder abuse both in research and in service provision. Domestic violence services and research on the one hand generally do not have a special focus on older women and age-related issues, and elder (abuse) services and research with their focus on vulnerability and care issues on the other hand usually are not sensitive to gender-specific dimensions of violence in partnerships. An age specific approach and a gender specific approach to family violence seem to exclude each other for the most part. The Intimate Partner Violence against older Women study (IPVoW), a European research project conducted by 7 partners in 6 countries - started its research activities with the aim to bridge this gap and come to a comprehensive age- and gender-sensitive view on the issue.The project had a number of specific objectives. This study presents an analysis of the situation in Poland. Details: Bialystok, Poland: Institute of Sociology of Education & Institute of Andragogy and Gerontology, University of Bialystok, 2010. 248p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 14, 2011 at: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/IPVoW_Poland_English_final.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Poland URL: http://www.ipvow.org/images/stories/ipvow/reports/IPVoW_Poland_English_final.pdf Shelf Number: 121345 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Poland)Elder AbuseElderly Victims of CrimeFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Willman, Alys Title: Interpersonal Violence Prevention: A Review of the Evidence and Emerging Lessons Summary: This background paper provides a review of the literature on the stresses that increase the tendency for violent behavior, and the capabilities that seem to protect against this tendency. It also addresses the relationships between different forms of interpersonal violence, and then reviews the evidence base for interventions. Details: Washington, DC: The World Bank, 2010. 68p. Source: Internet Reousrce; World Development Report 2011 Background Paper: Accessed April 18, 2011 at: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWDR2011/Resources/6406082-1283882418764/WDR_Background_Paper_Willman.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWDR2011/Resources/6406082-1283882418764/WDR_Background_Paper_Willman.pdf Shelf Number: 121380 Keywords: Family ViolenceInterpersonal ViolenceInterpersonal Violence PreventionIntimate ViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Wing, Janeena Title: Victims of Crime: Property, Violent Crime, Intimate Partner, Family Violence and Sexual Assault Summary: In 2009, violent crime affected 429.4 per 100,000 individuals within the United States dropping –5.2% from 2005 and –7.5% from 2000 (FBI, 2009). Idaho has also followed the national trend with fewer reported victims of crime year to year. This publication discusses the characteristics of victims of crime based on police reports compiled within the Idaho Incident Based Reporting System (IIBRS) between the years 2005 through 2009. Characteristics of victims of property crime, violent crime, domestic violence, family violence, and sexual assault are presented. Because the IIBRS database does not include indentifying information, it is not known how many victims are repeat victims of crime. Therefore, this report will only provide a description of victims of crime broken down by demographics as well as average rates by county, but will not provide information based on number of crimes experienced by the same victim. Information in many instances is aggregated over the five year period as opposed to showing year to year trends to provide a snapshot of typical circumstances surrounding incidents of crime. Crime types sensitive to variances between years including crimes occurring infrequently and crimes occurring in rural areas are more reliably researched when combining years. Important trends: • Total victims of crime, including individuals, businesses, government, financial institutions and religious organizations decreased by –11.1% over the five year period. • Total victims of non-violent crime decreased by –13.6% and victims of violent crime decreased by –5.2% between 2005 and 2009. • Over the five year period, the total number of property crime victims decreased –14.7% from 60,067 to 51,228. • Women are more commonly victims of violent crime than men (55.8% compared to 43.8%). • 21.0% of aggravated assault victims and 13.6% of homicide victims were intimately related to the offender. • 10.8% of aggravated assault victims and 18.2% of homicide victims had a familial relationship with the offender. • Victims of intimate partner violence decreased by –3% over the five year period. • Victims of family violence decreased by –6.0% over the five year period. • Since 2005, the numbers of victims has increased by 1.8%, but has decreased by - 11.0% since 2006. • The offender in 30.8% of sexual assaults was a family member. Details: Meridian, ID: Idaho Statistical Analysis Center, 2010. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2011 at: http://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/Research/documents/ictims2009.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.isp.idaho.gov/pgr/Research/documents/ictims2009.pdf Shelf Number: 121685 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProperty CrimesSexual AssaultVictims of Crime (Idaho)Violent Crime |
Author: Richards, Kelly Title: Children's Exposure to Domestic Violence in Australia Summary: Children’s ‘witnessing’ or exposure to domestic violence has been increasingly recognised as a form of child abuse, both in Australia and internationally. Although it is difficult to accurately assess the scope of the problem, research has demonstrated that a substantial amount of domestic violence is witnessed by children. As this paper outlines, witnessing domestic violence can involve a range of incidents, ranging from the child ‘only’ hearing the violence, to the child being forced to participate in the violence or being used as part of a violent incident. In this paper, current knowledge about the extent of children’s exposure to domestic violence in Australia is described, along with the documented impacts that this exposure can have on children. This includes psychological and behavioural impacts, health and socioeconomic impacts, and its link to the intergenerational transmission of violence and re-victimisation. Current legislative and policy initiatives are then described and some community-based programs that have been introduced in Australia to address the problem of children’s exposure to domestic violence are highlighted. The paper concludes that initiatives focused on early intervention and holistic approaches to preventing and responding to children’s exposure to domestic violence should be considered as part of strategies developed to address this problem. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2011. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice, No. 419: Accessed June 27, 2011 at: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/1/D/%7B41D5F5FD-2EE9-42C8-8796-1FB4B964806D%7Dtandi419.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aic.gov.au/documents/4/1/D/%7B41D5F5FD-2EE9-42C8-8796-1FB4B964806D%7Dtandi419.pdf Shelf Number: 121831 Keywords: Child AbuseCycle of ViolenceDomestic Violence (Australia)Family Violence |
Author: End Violence Against Women Coalition Title: A Different World is Possible: A Call for Long-Term and Targeted Action to Prevent Violence Against Women and Girls Summary: Violence against women and girls continues to have devastating and often dehumanising consequences for millions of women and girls across the world. Yet, despite this, we too often assume that this violence, and the inequality which it is linked to, is somehow inevitable. This seeming acceptance of the status quo not only damages women’s lives and limits men’s, but creates a barrier for practitioners and policy makers who seek to make a real difference in this area. End Violence Against Women is a coalition of individuals and organisation who are united in believing that violence against women and girls is neither acceptable nor inevitable. We know that achieving a safe and equal world for all women and girls means first accepting that violence against women and girls is preventable. This report aims to address attitudes and positions that are often normalised and even ‘held dear’ within all of our communities and within our societies generally. Details: London: End Violence Against Women Coalition, 2011. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed july 7, 2011 at: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/a_different_world_is_possible_report_email_version.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/a_different_world_is_possible_report_email_version.pdf Shelf Number: 122004 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (U.K.) |
Author: Bernard van Leer Foundation Title: Hidden Violence: Protecting Young Children at Home Summary: Violence against young children is often hidden from view when it takes place in the home and the family. Articles in this issue of ECM explore the need for good data on how many children are affected, and for better evidence about what works to tackle violence in the home; among the strategies discussed in this issue are programmes to strengthen families, engage fathers in the early years and challenge social norms. Contributions include an interview with Maud de Boer-Buquicchio on the Council of Europe's action plan; Professors Jack Shonkoff and Nathan Fox on the neuroscience of children's exposure to violence in the home; Marta Santos Pais, UN Special Representative on violence against children, discussing what legislation can do; Chris Mikton on the WHO's quest for evidence and UNICEF on their approach to violence in the home; and contributions from the Netherlands, Sweden, Brazil, Uganda and Peru among others. Details: The Hague: Bernard van Leer Foundation, 2011. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Early Childhood Matters: Accessed July 14, 2011 at: http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Hidden-violence-Protecting-young-children-at-home Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.bernardvanleer.org/Hidden-violence-Protecting-young-children-at-home Shelf Number: 122053 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChildren, Crimes AgainstFamily InterventionsFamily Violence |
Author: Cordis Bright Consulting Title: Research into Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) Summary: MARACs are multi-agency meetings where statutory and voluntary agency representatives share information about high risk victims of domestic abuse in order to produce a coordinated action plan to increase victim safety. The role of the MARAC is to provide a forum for effective information sharing and partnership working amongst a diverse range of adult and child focussed services in order to enhance the safety of high risk victims and their children. There are currently around 250 MARACs in operation across England and Wales. This study was commissioned by the Home Office as part of a wider review of MARACs which aimed to improve understanding of how MARACs are working and potential areas of development, including the case for putting MARACs on a statutory basis. The full review can be accessed at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/publications/home-office-research-reports/ (Home Office Research Report 55 “Supporting high risk victims of domestic violence: a review of Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs)”) This report presents: Findings from the national survey of MARACs. A summary of key findings from the case study research. Details: London: Cordis Bright Limited, 2011. 109p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2011 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/horr55/horr55-technical-annex?view=Binary Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/horr55/horr55-technical-annex?view=Binary Shelf Number: 122069 Keywords: CollaborationDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceRisk AssessmentVictims of Domestic Violence |
Author: Nicholas, Sian Title: Supporting High-Risk Victims of Domestic Violence: A Review of Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences (MARACs) Summary: Multi-agency risk assessment conferences are multi-agency meetings where statutory and voluntary agency representatives share information about high-risk victims of domestic abuse in order to produce a co-ordinated action plan to increase victim safety. The agencies that attend MARACs will vary but are likely to include, for example: the Police, Probation, Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs), Children's Services, health and housing. There are approximately 250 MARACs currently in operation across England and Wales. This report brings together evidence from a range of sources in order to explore: existing evidence for effectiveness and cost effectiveness of MARACs; how the MARAC model currently operates within the wider response to domestic violence; variation in current practice amongst MARACs; and potential areas for future development. Details: London: Home Office, 2011. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report 55: Accessed July 15, 2011 at: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/horr55/horr55-report?view=Binary Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/crime-research/horr55/horr55-report?view=Binary Shelf Number: 122073 Keywords: CollaborationDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceRisk AssessmentVictims of Domestic Violence |
Author: Burgess, Gemma Title: Domestic Violence -- Assistance for Adults Without Dependent Children Summary: Anecdotal evidence has suggested that adults who are fleeing domestic violence are often not accepted as being vulnerable and having priority need, and consequently the help they get from a local authority may be limited to advice and assistance to help them secure accommodation for themselves. Concern has been expressed that such a response may put these people at risk of having to return to a violent situation. This study aimed to gather firm evidence on the extent to which adults without dependent children who have to leave their homes as a result of domestic violence, and who seek housing assistance from a local authority, receive sufficient assistance to ensure they do not have to return to accommodation where they would be at risk of violence. The study sought to consider and provide evidence on the provision of both statutory and non-statutory assistance, provided directly by local authorities and partner providers. Where adults without dependent children do not receive a response that ensures they do not have to return to accommodation where they would be at risk of violence, this study aimed to establish why this is the case, and to identify the consequences for these adults. It gathered evidence to establish whether there are any particular groups of adults who are more likely to receive appropriate help to ensure they do not have to return to accommodation where they would be at risk of violence, and whether there are particular groups who may be at greater risk of not getting the assistance they need. The four key objectives of this study were to establish: 1. Estimates of the number and circumstances of adults who have to leave their home because of a risk of violence, who seek housing assistance from a local authority and who receive sufficient assistance to ensure they do not need to return to accommodation where they would be at risk of violence. 2. Estimates of the number and circumstances of adults who have to leave their home because of a risk of violence, who seek housing assistance from a local authority and who do not receive sufficient assistance to ensure they do not need to return to accommodation where they would be at risk of violence. 3. The types of housing assistance being provided to such adults, both statutory and non statutory. 4. Where such adults are not getting the assistance they need to ensure they do not need to return to accommodation where they are at risk of violence, what are the reasons for this, and the implications? Do they, for example, return to a violent situation, or do they make alternative arrangements? Details: London: Department for Communities and Local Government, 2011. 153p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/Downloads/DV%20final%20report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cchpr.landecon.cam.ac.uk/Downloads/DV%20final%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 122093 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceHousingIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Domestic Violence, Services for |
Author: City Policy Associates Title: City Responses to Domestic Violence: A 77-City Survey Summary: In late October 2009, Mayor Cooper (Hallandale Beach, FL) invited mayors to submit information on approaches to domestic violence issues and programs in their cities – including how domestic violence has affected police department organization and staffing, the extent to which shelters for victims are available, and the extent to which public-private partnerships have been developed to address domestic violence. Responses were received from 77 cities in 31 states. These cities, listed at the end of this report, range in population from 8,000 (Mount Carmel, IL) to 8,000,000 (New York City). As a group, the cities reported a total of 444,414 domestic violence calls for service in 2008 and a slightly (.08 percent) smaller total of 440,822 in 2009. Cities experiencing increases and decreases in numbers of calls were fairly evenly divided, with 46 percent reporting increases, four percent reporting no change, and half reporting decreases. Most cities supplied information on calls for service, but a few were able to provide only information on reports or arrests that were made. On the impact of the domestic violence problem, the survey found that: • About two-thirds (66 percent) of the cities said the number of domestic violence calls has had an impact on police department staffing; the balance said it has not. Many of the cities explained that they require a minimum of two officers to respond to any domestic violence call because of the danger involved. Many also mentioned the amount of time needed for paperwork and follow-up when an arrest is made. • Just over half (51 percent) of the cities have a separate domestic violence unit in their police departments. • Nine in 10 of the cities have a victim advocate. Mentioned most frequently in an open-ended question as a funding source for the victim advocate are: federal grants, by 29 cities; city government funds, by 26 cities; county government funds, by nine cities; and state government funds, by eight cities. A few cities reported that local nonprofit organizations or volunteers provide assistance. • In 72 percent of the cities there is a shelter or safe haven for victims of domestic violence. Among those which do not have a shelter within the city limits, most report there is a shelter within five to 15 miles. • Eighty-three percent of the cities have developed public/private partnerships to help reduce domestic violence. In response to an open-ended question, these cities identified a variety of funding sources to support their partnerships, including: grants, by 18 cities; city government funds, by 12 cities; federal funds, by 12 cities; donations and fund-raising activities, by 11 cities; private organizations, by 10 cities; county government funds, by five cities; state government funds, by five cities; volunteers, by three cities; and foundations, by three cities. Details: Washington, DC: United States Conference of Mayors, 2010. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 18, 2011 at: http://www.usmayors.org/publications/DomesticViolence10.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.usmayors.org/publications/DomesticViolence10.pdf Shelf Number: 122096 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Rhodes, Karin V. Title: Victim Participation in Intimate Partner Violence Prosecution: Implications for Safety Summary: Internationally, intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognized as a major public health problem affecting millions of families and resulting in long-lasting health complications (World Health Organization [WHO], 2009). The intergenerational transmission of violence calls for urgent responses. By the late 20th century, the United States responded to IPV by criminalizing behavior and redefining the prosecutorial role. Currently, all 50 states have enacted laws that address IPV through prosecutorial responses that complement aggressive policing responses, such as mandatory and permissive arrest policies. Prosecutors are encouraged to employ evidence-based prosecutions and discourage victims from dropping charges. This longitudinal mixed-methods study examines to what extent female IPV victim participation in prosecution is associated with their future safety. In essence, we asked, are victims who participate in prosecution safer than those who do not? Given findings that protection orders can reduce future harm to victims, it is essential to understand how a victim’s participation along the continuum of calling 911, talking to the prosecutor, and engaging in criminal prosecution, impacts safety. We hypothesized that participation would improve IPV victims’ safety. Subsequent IPV was defined as a future documented IPV-related police incident or an ED visit for IPV or injury. Within a Midwestern county utilizing coordinated community response, we conducted focus groups with survivors and criminal justice agencies and medical providers. These focus groups along with in-depth qualitative analysis of a stratified random sample of individual IPV cases, informed our data abstraction and analysis of the administrative data. In our study victim communication with a prosecutor appears to be protective against future IPV documented events regardless of defendant incarceration. This finding holds across both the pre- and post-disposition periods. Direct contact or communication with the prosecutor’s office may provide victims the sort of legal leverage necessary to “rebalance” power in relationships through the criminal justice system, as postulated by earlier work. This also suggests that victims have the agency to use the criminal justice system to their advantage, given the continuum of options as to “when” to engage: calling the police, talking to the prosecutor, engaging with the case processing, or seeking redress in the face of future abuse. Findings call into question the issue of prosecutorial frustration with victims who initially press charges and then later want to drop the charges or fail to follow-through with participation in the prosecution process. A victim’s decision to drop charges or to let charges drop through non-participation does not necessarily indicate that the criminal justice system has failed to assist her. Rather, it is likely that the system has served the victim’s needs without prosecution, or that the costs of moving forward with charges outweigh the benefits. Alternatively, it might be that she does want prosecution, and might even consider that prosecution would be more beneficial than dropping charges but other forces inhibit her ability to participate. Our qualitative findings suggest that victims make these decisions after great deliberation and over time may change their mind about the best course of action. Our key finding is that victim participation in prosecution does not increase her help seeking via police calls for service that generate an incident report, nor the likelihood of future ED visits for IPV and injury. These results are important in light of the current pro-prosecution strategies, which support evidence-based trials that proceed regardless of the victim’s presence or testimony. Based on study findings, special prosecution units, vertical prosecution, continuances sensitive to victims needs, combined with court-based victim advocacy and victim input into prosecution outcomes, should continue to be considered best practices. Policy recommendations include increasing communication between the prosecutor’s office and victims, improving referral to advocacy organizations, and reducing logistical barriers for victims to participate in prosecution. Details: Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2011. 153p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 26, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235284.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235284.pdf Shelf Number: 122159 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProsecution, Victim ParticipationVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Grech, Katrina Title: Trends and Patterns in Domestic Violence Assaults: 2001 to 2010 Summary: Recent estimates suggest that close to 1.8 million Australians have been victims of domestic violence (Access Economics, 2004) and that nearly a quarter of all recent assaults are related to domestic violence (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). Although we now have fairly accurate estimates of the prevalence of domestic violence, it is difficult to fashion effective prevention strategies without an understanding of when, where and in what circumstances domestic violence occurs. Six years ago the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research published a report examining trends and patterns in domestic violence in NSW (People, 2005). The aim of this report is to update and extend People’s (2005) analysis. Section 1 of this report begins by describing trends and patterns of domestic assault in NSW between 2001 and 2010. A descriptive analysis of incidents of domestic assaults recorded by police in 2010 then follows. This includes information on the premises types on which incidents occur, temporal variation in incidents by time of day and day of week and the involvement of alcohol. Where relevant, details on nondomestic assault are included as a comparison. Section 1 also provides new information on regional variation in domestic assault. In Section 2, we explore characteristics of both victims and offenders involved in domestic assault. Key factors explored are the age, gender and Indigenous status of both the victim and the offender, as well as the victim-offender relationship. Section 3 then compares the general characteristics of victims who reported the most recent incident of domestic assault to the police with those who did not. For this last part of the analysis we used data from the regular crime victimisation survey collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 14p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 61: Accessed August 11, 2011 at: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB61.pdf/$file/BB61.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/BB61.pdf/$file/BB61.pdf Shelf Number: 122362 Keywords: Crime VictimizationDomestic AssaultDomestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Speir, John Title: Georgia’s Automated Protective Order Registry Summary: This study examined numerous questions related to access and utilization of protective order information within Georgia’s criminal justice community. This study does not address whether the protective order, as a legal instrument, actually enhances victim safety, although the survey component does measure whether practitioners perceive protective orders as an effective tool to protect victims. To assist policy makers in improving the registry, several questions were examined: 1. Do law enforcement agencies routinely access the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) web-based Protective Order Registry (POR) in those cases where the protective order is not listed with the National Crime Information Center (NCIC)? 2. What is the extent of POR utilization among Georgia prosecutors (district attorneys and solicitors) and state and superior court personnel? 3. Do prosecutors use the POR to learn about a defendant’s prior protective order history to make sentence recommendations? 4. Do Georgia judges take prior POR history into account when sentencing a defendant? 5. What is the relationship between POR utilization among the criminal justice community and the prevalence of domestic violence in Georgia counties? Details: Atlanta, GA: Applied Research Services, Inc., 2005. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2011 at: http://ars-corp.com/_view/PDF_Files/GeorgiaAutomatedProtectiveOrderRegistry_2005.pdf Year: 2005 Country: United States URL: http://ars-corp.com/_view/PDF_Files/GeorgiaAutomatedProtectiveOrderRegistry_2005.pdf Shelf Number: 122565 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Georgia)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: McLaren, Fleur Title: Attitudes, Values and Beliefs about Violence within Families: 2008 Survey Findings Summary: Many risk factors have been identified that increase the likelihood of being a victim or perpetrator of violence within a family. With the number of risk factors identified, there is no one solution for preventing violence within families. Attitudes, values and beliefs that support or excuse violence towards family members are strongly linked with family violence. Previous research suggests that the attitudes, values and beliefs held by individuals who engage in violence in intimate relationships are significantly different to those held by the general public (Gwartney-Gibbs & Stockard 1989). Those who hold attitudes accepting of violence are more at risk of engaging in violence (Nabors, Dietz & Jasinski 2006; Cercone, Beach & Arias 2005). The Attitudes, Values and Beliefs Survey (the survey) was developed to measure the attitudes, values and beliefs held by New Zealanders with regard to violence within families as part of the Campaign for Action on Family Violence. The objectives of the survey were to: gauge New Zealanders’ definitions of family violence measure the awareness of family violence measure the attitudes in New Zealand about family violence gauge the propensity of New Zealanders to take action against family violence. Details: Wellington, NZ: Centre for Social Research and Evaluation, 2010. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2011 at: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/campaign-action-violence-research/attitudes-values-and-beliefs-about-violence-within-families.pdf Year: 2010 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/campaign-action-violence-research/attitudes-values-and-beliefs-about-violence-within-families.pdf Shelf Number: 122612 Keywords: Domestic Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolencePublic Opinion |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Justice Title: Confrontational Crime in New Zealand: Findings from the 2009 New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey Summary: This focus paper expands upon the findings of the 2009 New Zealand Crime and Safety Survey (NZCASS). The paper analyses people’s experiences of “confrontational crime”, where the offender was their partner or a person well-known to them. Confrontational crime includes assaults and threats to an individual or their personal property. It does not include psychological or economic abuse, such as insults or withholding household money. There was a decline in the percentage of females in relationships who were victims of a partner offence between 2005 and 2008 (down from 7% to 5%). Three percent of males in relationships were victims of a partner offence in 2008 (down from 6% in 2005). These prevalence rates include all forms of partner confrontational offences, from petty threats to serious assaults. It is estimated that 85% of serious partner offences were against female victims. This is in line with Police statistics, which show that 84% of those arrested for family violence are men. A quarter of females said they had experienced partner confrontational crime at some point in their life, compared to one in eight males. Four percent of both males and females experienced confrontational crime by a person well-known to them (excluding partners) in 2008. Males were most at risk from friends and parents, while females were most at risk from siblings, sons or daughters (including in-laws) and previous partners. Details: Welllington, NZ: Ministry of Justice, 2011. 13p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2011 at: http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/global-publications/c/NZCASS-2009/publications/global-publications/c/NZCASS-2009/documents/NZCASS%20Confrontational%20crime.pdf Year: 2011 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/global-publications/c/NZCASS-2009/publications/global-publications/c/NZCASS-2009/documents/NZCASS%20Confrontational%20crime.pdf Shelf Number: 122658 Keywords: Crime StatisticsFamily ViolenceInterpersonal ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictimization Surveys (New Zealand |
Author: Weatherburn, Don Title: Personal Stress, Financial Stress and Violence Against Women Summary: This study explores the association between financial stress, personal stress, social support and violence against women. Method: The study used data from the General Social Survey, a large nationally representative sample survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2006. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between financial stress, personal stress, social support and violence against women. Results: The risk of actual or threatened violence was significantly higher for women who lack social support or who in the last 12 months have experienced financial stress or personal stressors such as divorce or separation, death of a family member/close friend, serious illness, serious accident, mental illness, serious disability, inability to get a job, involuntary loss of job and gambling problems. The risk of actual or threatened violence for a woman at the lowest levels of financial and social stress was 4 per cent. At the upper end of the financial stress distribution (but the lowest end of the personal stress distribution), that risk jumped to nearly 15 per cent. At the upper end of the financial and personal stress distributions, the risk of actual or threatened violence was 36 per cent. These effects held up after controlling for age, being a sole parent, having alcohol and/or drug problems, level of social support and level of personal autonomy. Conclusion: Financial stress, personal stress and lack of social support are strong independent correlates of violence against women. Further research is necessary, however, to determine whether these factors are causes or consequences of violence against women. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2011. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice, No. 151: Accessed September 23, 2011 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB151.pdf/$file/CJB151.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/bocsar/ll_bocsar.nsf/vwFiles/CJB151.pdf/$file/CJB151.pdf Shelf Number: 122809 Keywords: Family ViolenceFinancial StressPersonal StressSocial SupportViolence Against Women (Australia) |
Author: Chambers, Eric Title: Domestic Violence Offenders in Missouri: A Study on Recidivism Summary: The characteristics of domestic violence and domestic violence offenders in Missouri are understudied. To date there have been no published studies on this topic in Missouri despite the fact that 11 percent of all homicides in 2008 were domestic violence related (Missouri 2009). The goal of this study is to determine if domestic violence offenders in Missouri recidivate at a higher rate than non-domestic violence offenders while at the same time quantifying as much information as possible about domestic violence and domestic violence offenders in Missouri. It is hoped this study will definitively answer questions regarding domestic violence and how it is similar or different from other crimes. Details: Jefferson City, MO: Missouri State Highway Patrol, 2011. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2011 at: http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/SAC/pdf/DomesticViolenceFinalReport.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/MSHPWeb/SAC/pdf/DomesticViolenceFinalReport.pdf Shelf Number: 122983 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic Violence (Missouri)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRecidivism |
Author: Dabby, Chic Title: Shattered Lives: Homicides, Domestic Violence and Asian Families Summary: The Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence has identified and focused on domestic violence related homicides as a critical issue affecting Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander battered women since 2001. Shattered Lives: Homicides, Domestic Violence and Asian Families establishes the complexity of the problem and its far-reaching effects on women, children, families, and communities. This report’s goals are to raise awareness of the problem in order to counter denial and victim-blaming; generate discussions that will inform culturally-specific intervention, prevention and community organizing strategies; influence the field so safety for battered women takes into account an expanded definition of domestic violence related homicides; and develop questions for future research. Newspaper clippings collected over a six year period from 2000-2005 by advocates, state coalitions and the National Domestic Violence Fatality Review Initiative were the primary data source for this report. We included cases where domestic violence or family violence was explicitly mentioned or could reasonably be inferred. Despite a thorough search, we may have missed some newspaper reports. We analyzed data from a total of 160 cases of domestic violence related homicides in Asian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander families, spanning 23 states. We identified 14 types of homicides, defined by the perpetrator’s relationship to the victim(s). These were differentiated into homicides and homicides-suicides to calculate the number of cases in each type; and further categorized into single and multiple killings, i.e. two or more victims killed by a single perpetrator. Selected Findings -- 160 cases resulted in 226 fatalities, of which 72% were adult homicide victims, 10% were child homicide victims, and 18% were suicide deaths. Three types of homicides dominated: intimate partner homicide with 81 cases, intimate partner homicide-suicide with 34 cases, and non-intimate family killing with 25 cases. 78% of victims were women and girls, 20% were men and boys, 2% unknown. 83% of perpetrators were men, 14% were women, 3% unknown. 68% of victims were intimate partners (either current, estranged, or ex-partners). Almost one-third (59 out of 184) of total homicide victims were wives. Children were the second largest group of homicide victims and the primary victims of familicides (13 out of 20 victims). Over two-thirds (14 out of 22) of all children killed were age 5 and below. Perpetrators’ in-laws and parents of girlfriends were the third largest group of victims. 118 out of 184 victims were killed in the home. Details: San Francisco: Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence; American Health Forum, 2010. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Ocboer 4, 2011 at: http://www.apiidv.org/files/Homicides.DV.AsianFamilies-APIIDV-2010.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.apiidv.org/files/Homicides.DV.AsianFamilies-APIIDV-2010.pdf Shelf Number: 122988 Keywords: Asian-AmericansBattered WomenDomestic Violence, Asian Victims (U.S.)Family ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceSuicides |
Author: European Commission Title: Feasibility Study to Assess the Possibilities, Opportunities and Needs to Standardise National Legislation on Violence Against Women, Violence Against Children and Sexual Orientation Violence Summary: Over the last three decades the connections between interpersonal violence, inequalities and human rights have received increasing attention in law, research and practice in the three fields of violence that are subject of this study: violence against women (VAW), violence against children (VAC) and sexual orientation violence (SOV). Human rights thinking has expanded beyond the use of violence by states in recognising that violence targeted at individuals as members of social groups and/or experienced disproportionately by members of disadvantaged groups is a state responsibility. Th is places the three forms of violence squarely in the arena of fundamental rights. The failure of states and state agencies to adequately protect the public against, and support them in the aftermath of discriminatory violence and violence resulting in harm to a child’s development not only means that victims experience violations of basic human rights, but that they are also deprived of equal access to basic needs as well as to justice, employment, leisure, community and political participation, freedom of movement — the latter all core elements of European concepts of citizenship. Whether in public or private, unchecked violence places fundamental rights in jeopardy. Definitions of violence vary widely, making the topic challenging and contested: moreover, international treaties and conventions frequently fail to provide specific definitions of the types of actions that should be prohibited or require protection. One outcome of this project is a set of proposed definitions of the forms of violence it addresses. The central task was to provide a coherent analysis of the need for, possibilities of, and potential hurdles to standardised national legislation across three fields of violence for EU Member States. To this end the Commission set five research tasks: the mapping of relevant legislation on VAW, VAC and SOV and its implementation; comparative analysis; a set of minimum standards; a model of factors affecting perpetration and how these are, or could be, addressed in legislation; a set of recommendations. Details: Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2010. 216p., app. Source: Internet Resource: accessed October 6, 2011 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/eplive/expert/multimedia/20110405MLT17038/media_20110405MLT17038.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Europe URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/eplive/expert/multimedia/20110405MLT17038/media_20110405MLT17038.pdf Shelf Number: 122993 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDiscriminationFamily ViolenceForced MarriageHonour-Based ViolenceHuman RightsInterpersonal ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceStalkingViolence Against Women (Europe) |
Author: Yoshihama, Mieko Title: Lifecourse Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking among Filipina, Indian, and Pakistani Women: Implications for Justice System Responses Summary: Research on intimate partner violence (IPV) in Asian communities is critical given a nexus of interrelated, complex factors: high prevalence estimates of IPV against Asian women, the over-representation of Asian victims in IPV-related homicides, the lack of socio-culturally tailored and linguistically accessible assistance programs, the under-utilization of outside help by Asian battered women, and myriad structural, institutional, and socio-cultural barriers to helpseeking (Crites, 1990; Ho, 1990; Kanuha, 1987; McDonnell & Abdulla, 2001; Shimtuh, 2000; Tran, 1997; Raj, Silverman, McLeary-Sills, & Liu, 2004; Yoshihama, 2000, 2002; Yoshihama & Dabby, 2009; Yoshioka, Gilbert, El-Bassel, Baig-Amin, 2003). There are virtually no studies that specifically examine Asian battered women’s experiences with the criminal justice system (CJS). Research on IPV over the lifecourse and related help-seeking efforts is also scarce but necessary given that IPV often recurs over the lifecourse and that survivors’ decisions to seek help and the preferred and actual sources of help change over time and are shaped by the current situation, as well as past experiences of IPV and help-seeking (Bachman & Coker, 1995; Duterte et al., 2008; Fleury, Sullivan, Bybee, & Davidson, 1998; Hickman & Simpson, 2003; Jasinski, 2003). The goal of this research project is to enhance the understanding of Asian battered women’s experiences in seeking help from the criminal justice system (CJS) and other (non-CJS) programs and develop recommendations for system responses to IPV in Asian communities. This project focused on selected Asian ethnic groups – Filipina, Indian and Pakistani. This project was jointly conducted by the University of Michigan School of Social Work and the Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Domestic Violence of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum. This report addressed the following research questions: • When do Asian battered women experience various types of IPV over their lifecourse? • When do Asian battered women come into contact with CJS and non-CJS agencies? • What kinds of responses do Asian battered women receive from CJS and non-CJS agencies? • What responses do Asian battered women perceive as helpful? • What are the barriers to contacting CJS agencies? • What suggestions do Asian battered women have for improving CJS responses to IPV in Asian communities? Details: Final Report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 187p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/236174.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/236174.pdf Shelf Number: 123064 Keywords: Asian WomenBattered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: Dolev & Associates Title: No Boundaries: The Tayside Domestic Abuse and Substance Misuse Project: Final Research Report Summary: The aim of the research project was to identify depositional and organisational/institutional factors that positively and negatively affect the progression of women affected by domestic abuse and their own substance misuse at each stage of their service use (from access to outcomes), with a view to establishing: · Evidence of a link between domestic abuse and substance misuse · Incentives/barriers to accessing services · Experiences of service provision in both sectors · Experiences of partnership working between the two sectors · Links to other needs (i.e. homelessness, mental health issues). The remainder of the report is set out as follows: · Chapter 2 outlines the methods used both in the initial data collection stage (carried out by a different research team) and in the secondary analysis of data (carried out by the author of this report). · Chapter 3 provides a brief overview of the literature on domestic abuse and substance misuse. · Chapter 4 examines the link between domestic abuse and women’s own substance misuse. · Chapter 5 looks at the experiences of service provision at various stages: accessing, using and leaving. · Chapter 6 explores multi-agency work between domestic abuse and substance misuse services. · Chapter 7 examines the links to other needs, in particular housing, mental health and General Practitioners. · Finally, chapter 8 discusses the main themes and issues that have emerged from the information and evidence presented in this report. Details: Tayside, UK: Dolev & Associates, 2008. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 31, 2011 at: http://www.avaproject.org.uk/media/25320/tayside%20domestic%20violence%20and%20substance%20misuse%20research%20(2008).pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.avaproject.org.uk/media/25320/tayside%20domestic%20violence%20and%20substance%20misuse%20research%20(2008).pdf Shelf Number: 117820 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceSubstance AbuseViolence Against Women |
Author: Save the Children (Spain) Title: Children Witnesses of Gender Violence in the Domestic Context Summary: This study evaluates the change in the institutional response to the situation of children of gender-based domestic violence victims, considering these children as victims of this type of violence. The results of this research show that, despite political and social awareness regarding the circumstances of the children of women victims of gender-based domestic violence, much remains to be done in practice to give an appropriate response and protection to these children. Details: Madrid, Spain: Save the Children, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2011 at: http://images.savethechildren.it/f/download/Advocacy/re/report-europeo.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Europe URL: http://images.savethechildren.it/f/download/Advocacy/re/report-europeo.pdf Shelf Number: 123214 Keywords: Child WitnessesDomestic Violence (Europe)Family Violence |
Author: Heiskanen, Markku Title: Men's Experiences of Violence in Finland Summary: This report describes violence committed against men in Finland. The study was financed by the European Commission, the Finnish Ministry of Justice and the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The initial objective of the project was to pilot the Safety Survey of the EU (EU-SASU). Thus, the study deals both with men’s and women’s experiences of violence. Although the main focus of the report is on violence experienced by men, data on women are presented for comparison. DATA. The study targeted the 15-74-year-old Finnish-speaking population who were permanent residents of Finland. The sample comprised 7,171 persons, randomly selected by Statistics Finland from their population register. Statistics Finland collected the data between October 2009 and January 2010. The response rate was 45 per cent, hence the data consist of 3,201 interviews. Of the respondents, 1,918 were men. The study was a mixed-mode survey, meaning that the data were collected by three modes: face-to-face interview, telephone interview and internet survey. The low response rate is in the first place due to the non-response (75 %) of the internet survey. Experiences of violence were assessed for two time periods: since the respondent’s 15th birthday and during the 12 months prior to the interview. In addition, this survey explores violence committed by four types of perpetrators: strangers, acquaintances, current partners and ex-partners. Furthermore, there were questions about the consequences of the violence, such as physical injuries and psychological harm. Finally, the questionnaire addressed sexual harassment and fear of violence. THE MEN. More than one-half, or 55 per cent of all men between 15 and 74 years had experienced violence or threats since the age of 15. In the course of the last 12 months, 16 per cent of men had been victims of violence or threats. The victimisation experiences of men are dominated by physical violence. A total of 47 per cent of the men had experienced physical violence after their 15th birthday. Men were most often victims of violence committed by strangers (42 % since the age of 15 and 10 % over the last 12 months). This violence is predominantly physical violence and threats thereof. Sexual violence against men was rare. Since their 15th birthday, one-fourth of the men had been victims of violence by a person known to them. In the last 12 months, this had happened to 5 per cent. In this study, acquaintances comprise persons known to the victim, friends, relatives and family members apart from partners and ex-partners. The majority of this type of violence was committed by friends (37 %) or other acquaintances (24 %). 17 per cent of the perpetrators were clients, patients, workmates or persons in the workplace. 15 per cent of the perpetrators known to the victim belonged to the family circle or were relatives but not partners. The violence by a person known to the victim was mostly physical violence or threats thereof. In both violence committed by strangers and by persons, the perpetrators were almost always other men (about 95 % in both categories). Of men living in a partner relationship, 16 per cent had after their 15th birthday been victimised to violence or threats by their partner; six per cent had such experiences in the last year. More than one man out of five had been victimised to violence by an ex-partner. MEN AND WOMEN. Violence committed by partners was equally common among men and women. The same was true also for violence by a current partner, both during the entire partnership and in the course of the last 12 months. There was no difference regarding victimisation to physical violence, but women had experienced more often threats and sexual violence in a partner relationship. Men had experienced violence by an ex-partner much less frequently than women (22 % vs. 42 %). Men received physical injuries from violence by strangers much more frequently than women, but in the other perpetrator categories women had received injuries more often than men. This was particularly accentuated in partner violence. Men told much less often than women that the violence had caused psychological consequences such as anger, fear or depression. When comparing men’s and women’s violence experiences across perpetrator categories, a traditional profile of Finnish violence emerges. In the violence by strangers and acquaintances – for instance in regards of beating with a fist or still more serious forms of violence – the victims are mostly men. On the other hand, in particular in previous partner relationships, beating, strangling, beating the head against something, and sexual violence were directed at women more often than at men. HARASSMENT AND CONCERN. Ten per cent of the men had experienced sexual harassment in the last 12 months, and 26 per cent after their 15th birthday. The most common forms of harassment of men were passes, touching, or attempts to kiss the man against his will. More than one-half of the incidents of sexual harassment of men were committed by women. Although the risk of becoming a victim of violence committed by strangers is rather high for men, they are not worried about becoming victims of violence when walking alone in their area after dark: less than five percent of men said they felt unsafe. Victimisation to violence increases feelings of insecurity: 15 per cent of male victims of violence felt unsafe. Even though men were not worried about their personal safety, 22 per cent of them were worried about their family members or close friends being physically attacked by strangers. Details: Helsinki: European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI), 2011. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Publication Series No. 71: Accessed November 5, 2011 at: http://www.heuni.fi/Satellite?blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobcol=urldata&SSURIapptype=BlobServer&SSURIcontainer=Default&SSURIsession=false&blobkey=id&blobheadervalue1=inline;%20filename=HEUNI%20report%2071%20Men's%20experiences%20of%20violence.pdf&SSURIsscontext=Satellite%20Server&blobwhere=1296734018191&blobheadername1=Content-Disposition&ssbinary=true&blobheader=application/pdf Year: 2011 Country: Finland URL: http://www.heuni.fi/Satellite?blobtable=MungoBlobs&blobcol=urldata&SSURIapptype=BlobServer&SSURIcontainer=Default&SSURIsession=false&blobkey=id&blobheadervalue1=inline;%20filename=HEUNI%20report%2071%20Men's%20experiences%20o Shelf Number: 123235 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual HarassmentViolence Against Men (Finland) |
Author: Hamby, Sherry Title: Children’s Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence and Other Family Violence Summary: This bulletin discusses the data on exposure to family violence in the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV), the most comprehensive nationwide survey of the incidence and prevalence of children’s exposure to violence to date, sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (see “History of the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence,” p. 2). An earlier bulletin (Finkelhor, Turner, Ormrod, Hamby, and Kracke, 2009) presented an overview of children’s exposure to conventional crime, child maltreatment, other types of physical and sexual assault, and witnessing community violence. This bulletin explores in depth the NatSCEV survey results regarding exposure to family violence among children in the United States, including exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV), assaults by parents on siblings of children surveyed, and other assaults involving teen and adult household members. These results confirm that children are exposed to unacceptable rates of violence in the home. More than 1 in 9 (11 percent) were exposed to some form of family violence in the past year, including 1 in 15 (6.6 percent) exposed to IPV between parents (or between a parent and that parent’s partner). One in four children (26 percent) were exposed to at least one form of family violence during their lifetimes. Most youth exposed to family violence, including 90 percent of those exposed to IPV, saw the violence, as opposed to hearing it or other indirect forms of exposure. Males were more likely to perpetrate incidents that were witnessed than females, with 68 percent of youth witnessing only violence by males. Father figures were the most common perpetrators of family violence, although assaults by mothers and other caregivers were also common. Children often witness family violence, and their needs should be assessed when incidents occur. These are the most comprehensive and detailed data ever collected at the national level on this topic. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, 2011. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Juvenile Justice Bulletin: Accessed November 5, 2011 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/232272.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/232272.pdf Shelf Number: 123237 Keywords: Child Witnesses of Family ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (U.S.) |
Author: Institute for Children and Poverty Title: Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence among Poor Children Experiencing Homelessness or Residential Instability Summary: Over the past several decades, the public health crisis of intimate partner violence (IPV) has received increased attention. Victims of intimate partner violence report various patterns of abuse at the hands of their partners including, though not limited to, physical and sexual assault. Between 2001 and 2005, 38% of intimate partner violence in the United States was experienced by mothers with children under the age of twelve. Furthermore, it is estimated that over three million children are at risk of exposure to intimate partner violence each year, with such risk greatest for children under the age of six. Witnessing this violence adversely shapes a child’s social-emotional development, with evidence of increased externalizing and internalizing behavior problems compared to those who do not witness family violence. In addition, children who are exposed to intimate partner violence are less likely to succeed in school than children who are not exposed. Research suggests that stressful life events, such as intimate partner violence, and structural factors, including poverty and residential instability, greatly increase a family’s risk for homelessness. Although intimate partner violence affects families across all socio-economic groups, living in poverty greatly increases the risk. Moreover, there is a bi-directional relationship between intimate partner violence and poverty: poverty can decrease one’s resources, both economic and social, that are likely to increase the probability of escaping the abuse. On the other hand, the violence itself can decrease the likelihood of the victim being lifted out of poverty. Not only does living in poverty place families at greater risk for homelessness and residential instability, the co-occurrence of these factors increases the likelihood of experiencing intimate partner violence. One of the most important goals for families experiencing intimate partner violence is safety, so as the abuse escalates, many mothers and children make the difficult decision to leave their homes. Impoverished families escaping abuse, however, frequently have limited choices with regard to housing; these options include short-term solutions such as doubling-up with family or friends or entering the shelter system. Studies estimate that half of all homeless mothers experience intimate partner violence and over one-quarter of women in shelter cite domestic violence as the cause of their homelessness. Young children in these families not only witness the abuse of their mothers but also experience instability, by being displaced from their homes, schools, and, possibly, their fathers. Additionally, these children are at an increased risk of having been abused themselves. Once families are forced to make the decision to leave their homes because of intimate partner violence, they leave behind not only their belongings and familiar surroundings, but also their social support networks. Mothers who are victims of intimate partner violence and live in shelter are prone to greater social isolation than is found among low-income, housed victims, and this isolation can lead to increased fear and distrust of others. Compounded with the stresses of living in shelter, such as a lack of privacy, this isolation can impact the relationship between a mother and her young child. Children in these situations may experience increased parent-child conflict and display aggressive behavior toward their peers. At adulthood, females who witnessed intimate partner violence during childhood are more likely to experience abuse by intimate partners, while males are more likely to abuse their partners when compared to children from non-violent households. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample of families, this research brief contributes to the field by analyzing how a family’s experiences with homelessness, poverty, and residential instability over the first five years of a child’s life are associated with incidences of intimate partner violence, specifically physical and sexual abuse against mothers by the child’s father. In addition, children’s exposure to such abuse by the time they are five years old is investigated. Details: New York: Institute for Children and Poverty, 2010. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 5, 2011 at: http://www.icphusa.org/PDF/reports/ICP_ResearchBrief_ExposureToIntimatePartnerViolenceAmongPoorChildren.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://www.icphusa.org/PDF/reports/ICP_ResearchBrief_ExposureToIntimatePartnerViolenceAmongPoorChildren.pdf Shelf Number: 123243 Keywords: Child Witnesses, Family ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomelessnessIntimate Partner ViolencePoverty |
Author: Wilkinson, Emma Title: Maribyrnong Respect and Equity: Preventing Violence Against Women Summary: Violence against women is widely recognised as a global problem and the most widespread violation of human rights. Violence against women takes many forms and affects all communities, irrespective of class, race or culture. Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15–44 (VicHealth 2006). Locally and internationally there is growing momentum to respond to and prevent violence against women. Local governments are increasingly recognising the key role they have to play. The project is guided by the VicHealth Preventing Violence Against Women: A Framework For Action (VicHealth 2009). The framework recommends a range of mutually reinforcing strategies across societal, organisational and individual levels and in various community settings. Local government is recognised as having a profound ability to influence social and community change through leadership, coordination, service delivery, infrastructure, networks and partnerships and direct engagement with the community. The Victorian government ten year strategy to prevent violence against women also identifies the crucial role of local government and present the work of Maribyrnong City Council as a case study. Respect & equity project objectives Consolidate and strengthen the activities undertaken within the Maribyrnong Preventing Violence Against Women (PVAW) Action Plan 2007-2008 Embed and drive cultural change by incorporating the determinants of gender violence into local government policy, planning, strategy, programs and action plan development Increase awareness and understanding of violence against women issues across settings with the broader community Document and disseminate the learning and challenges of the primary prevention activities implemented across a local government area. Preventing violence against women requires a coordinated, long-term approach, which recognises the gendered nature of violence, responds to and engages with the evidence and integrates a range of mutually reinforcing strategies across the Council and community. These strategies need to address the determinants of violence against women using an ecological approach to understanding and responding to violence. The key themes for action guide activities and provide the most potential for positive impact and change: Support and promote equal and respectful relationships between women and men Support and promote non-violent, gender equitable, inclusive norms within the organisation and community culture Improve structural supports to uphold this culture, enhance social connection and encourage women's full participation in life. Details: Melbourne: VicHealth, 2011. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: www.vichealth.vic.gov.au Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 123363 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Poljski, Carolyn Title: On Her Way: Primary Prevention of Violence Against Immigrant and Refugee Women in Australia Summary: Violence against women is a significant public health issue worldwide. It impacts negatively on women's and children's physical and mental wellbeing, and limits their access to human rights. It is also multi-dimensional- occurring in the home, general community, workplaces, educational institutions, or at the hands of the State. Violence against immigrant and refugee women in Australia can be prevented. However, the complexity of women's experiences of violence highlights the need for culturally-appropriate strategies that address the core issue of gender equality by working to improve the status of women. In this regard, it is equally important that violence prevention efforts address the specific and diverse situations of women from immigrant and refugee communities, within the cultural, religious and socio-economic contexts of their lives. In recent years, there has been a shift towards the primary prevention of violence against women. Primary prevention targets whole populations and/or high-risk groups with the aim of preventing violence before it occurs. This approach is the ideal form of prevention-albeit the most challenging and time-consuming-as it cultivates a safe environment for women, a world where violence against women is not an option because women are valued, respected and treated equally. The Multicultural Centre for Women's Health has prepared a comprehensive publication, On Her Way, based on extensive research and consultation, which provides an overview of the various groups of immigrant and refugee women in Australia that should be considered in violence prevention efforts, the nature of violence perpetrated against these women, and the factors that may increase women's exposure to violence. On Her Way also features violence prevention strategies that have been, and could be implemented in efforts to prevent violence against immigrant and refugee women. Good practice principles for strategies are also highlighted. Details: Collingwood, Victoria, Australia: Multicultural Centre for Women's Health, 2011. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 15, 2011 at: http://www.mcwh.com.au/downloads/2011/On_Her_Way_Final.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.mcwh.com.au/downloads/2011/On_Her_Way_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 123365 Keywords: Family ViolenceImmigrantsIntimate Partner ViolenceRefugeesViolence Against Women (Australia) |
Author: Women's Health Goulburn North East Title: BSAFE Pilot Project 2007-2010 Summary: Bsafe is a personal alarm system and risk management option primarily for people escaping family violence and sexualised assault perpetrated by intimate partners. Bsafe utilises VitalCall / Chubb Security who supply two types of products - a water-proof pendant that operates via the home telephone line that can be activated within the area of the victim‟s home and garden, and a „mobile unit‟ which is similar to a mobile phone. The mobile unit is used where there is mobile coverage and allows Bsafe clients increased autonomy and security when out in the community. When either device is activated an alarm is sent to the 24 hour VitalCall1 response centre that immediately alerts 000 for a police response while continuing to monitor and record the call and what is happening in the home. Such recordings can later be used as evidence for court proceedings. The option of a prepaid mobile phone is available to clients without a phone to assist referral agencies in maintaining contact with them. The Emergency Safety Kit, now known as Bsafe, was a Victoria Police initiative developed within the Benalla Family Violence Prevention Network. During a Rotary study exchange trip to Sweden in 2003, Victoria Police Sergeant Peter Milligan observed a model where safety kits were being utilised by family violence victims still at risk of further violence. Believing that the concept could effectively operate within the Victoria Police, in 2006 the Benalla Family Violence Prevention Network trialled the emergency safety kit in Benalla Rural City. Four women escaping intimate partner violence were involved in the trial with 23 accompanying children. The trial showed that the women and their children were able to remain in their own homes. The women reported that having the kit provided them with an extra sense of security; they felt reassured that their concerns for their safety were being taken seriously and that the response by police would be timely. Women also reported that their perceptions of safety significantly increased once they had access to the kit. 6 Following the success of the trial, in 2007 Women‟s Health Goulburn North East, in partnership with the Victoria Police, secured three year funding from the National Community Crime Prevention Programme for a Bsafe pilot in the Hume region. As the regional women‟s health service with clearly established relationships with the integrated family violence service system, Women‟s Health Goulburn North East was ideally placed to coordinate the project in partnership with the Victoria Police. Details: Wangaratta, VIC: Women's Health Goulburn North East, 2010. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 21, 2011 at: http://www.whealth.com.au/documents/work/Bsafe_final_report_2011.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Australia URL: http://www.whealth.com.au/documents/work/Bsafe_final_report_2011.pdf Shelf Number: 123366 Keywords: Battered WomenFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual AssaultViolence Against WomenWife Abuse |
Author: Sety, Megan Title: The Impact of Domestic Violence on Children: A Literature Review Summary: More than one million Australian children are affected by domestic violence, according to the Personal Safety Survey (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). More than two decades of international research definitively shows that infants, children and adolescents experience serious negative psychological, emotional, social, and developmental impacts to their well-being from the traumatic ongoing experiences of domestic violence. A number of recent Australia studies examining the family law system have brought attention to the experiences of children affected by violence and an urgent call to improving policies and practices to protect and support children and victimised caregivers. Research has shown that children and victimised caregivers can cope and recover, particularly when specialised services are offered. Specialised programs and counselling models are rapidly being developed and implemented, often with a growing focus of attending to the mother-child relationship. This review examines the literature in general and the recent Australia studies of family law legislation to explore the impacts on children who are affected by domestic violence, and provides recommendations for generalist social service practitioners working with these families. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of New South Wales, 2011. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 23, 2011 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/documents/ImpactofDVonChildren.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/documents/ImpactofDVonChildren.pdf Shelf Number: 123435 Keywords: Children Affected by ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: McFerran, Ludo Title: Safe at Home, Safe at Work? National Domestic Violence and the Workplace Survey (2011) Summary: This report is product of a comprehensive national survey of over 3,600 employees, conducted by the Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse in conjunction with Micromex in accordance with University of New South Wales ethics approval. It provides clear evidence of the prevalence of domestic violence as it affects the Australian workforce and a focussed assessment of impacts of domestic violence on workers and workplaces. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2011. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 17, 2012 at: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Domestic_violence_and_work_survey_report_2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.austdvclearinghouse.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/Domestic_violence_and_work_survey_report_2011.pdf Shelf Number: 123641 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Radford, Lorraine Title: Meeting the Needs of Children Living with Domestic Violence in London: Research Report Summary: The motivation for the research was to provide knowledge that could be used to improve children’s wellbeing. The aims were to explore the types of help given to children living with domestic violence in London, identify any gaps in knowledge and in services, and share learning about positive responses. In the 12 months to August 2011, the police recorded 47,297 domestic violence offences in London. Domestic violence accounts for 29 per cent of violent crime in London. One in seven (14.2 per cent) children and young people under the age of 18 will have lived with domestic violence at some point in their childhood. This is equivalent to at least 260,400 of London’s children and young people. Although not all will be affected in the same way, living with domestic violence can adversely affect children’s healthy development, relationships, behaviour and emotional wellbeing. Awareness has grown about the harm that can be caused to children in this way. Seeing or overhearing violence to another person in the home is recognised by law as potentially detrimental to children’s welfare. Research has shown that domestic violence is a central issue in child protection, being a factor in the family backgrounds of two-thirds of the serious case reviews (SCRs) where a child has died. It is also increasingly recognised that experiences of living with domestic violence vary and, although all children need to be safe, their need for support and help will vary. Over the last 10 years, changes have been made in policy and practice to cater for a continuum of children’s needs, ranging from preventative measures, to protect children from having to live with domestic violence, to the care and support of children who have suffered harm. Under the previous Government, ‘integrated children’s services’ were to bring together statutory services (such as child protection, education, social housing and health) with community and voluntary sector services to provide a range of coordinated support for children and their families, especially those most vulnerable or socially excluded. More differentiated and targeted responses have developed, where levels of support are designed to fit better with varied levels of need, including: • emphasis on early identification and intervention for vulnerable children • investment in Sure Start children’s centres • services for families with the combined problems of domestic violence, drug or alcohol abuse and poor mental health • Think Family approaches, which link adult and children’s services. However, Lord Laming’s report11 and Eileen Munro’s review of the child protection system both found that despite these changes, children living with domestic violence have not been given sufficient priority. Children’s needs tend to be overlooked when the focus is on the needs of the parent, while a focus on child protection can result in the impact of domestic violence on the abused parent being overlooked, highlighting the need for research into what help children living with domestic violence are given and what is effective for supporting both the child and the abused parent. The capital city presents particular challenges, but also some unique opportunities: • It has a diverse, mobile and changing population. • It includes areas of relative wealth as well as others of considerable deprivation. • The diversity of the population and the tendency of families to move from area to area, crossing borough boundaries, particularly when presenting to different services, places pressure on services working together to safeguard children and raises the risk of children falling through the gaps. • On the other hand, London has played a role in innovating and leading change, especially on coordinating approaches and on bringing together evidence and practice. Refuge and the NSPCC were each aware of examples of developing practice where knowledge could be shared. Details: London: NSPCC, 2011. 258p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 19, 2012 at: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/domestic_violence_london_pdf_wdf85830.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/research/findings/domestic_violence_london_pdf_wdf85830.pdf Shelf Number: 123671 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild ProtectionChild WelfareDomestic Violence (London, U.K.)Family Violence |
Author: McHale, Thomas Title: "Every Home Has Its Secrets": A Mixed-Methods Study of Intimate Partner Violence, Women's Empowerment and Justice on Idjwi Island, Democratic Republic of the Congo Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a little-studied but pervasive problem in sub-Saharan Africa. Through ethnographic, quantitative and legal analysis, this mixed methods study situates the problem of IPV on Idjwi Island, South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo as a symptom of systematic women’s disempowerment. The study began with a literature review of IPV and sexual violence against women. Perceptions of IPV were collected as part of a population-level survey that interviewed 2,100 women in households across Idjwi. Simultaneously, a rapid ethnographic assessment was conducted to understand barriers to health care access and self-identified health issues. In these interviews, women revealed IPV is a significant health concern. This study suggests that IPV is normalized in Idjwi through an interaction between legal and cultural factors. Details: Cambridge, MA: Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University, 2011. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Student Working Paper Series: Accessed January 23, 2012 at: http://hhi.harvard.edu/images/resources/thomasmchale.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Congo, Democratic Republic URL: http://hhi.harvard.edu/images/resources/thomasmchale.pdf Shelf Number: 123738 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (Democratic Republic of Sexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Beck, Connie J.A. Title: Intimate Partner Abuse in Divorce Mediation: Outcomes from a Long-Term Multi-cultural Study Summary: Despite three decades of scholarly research on numerous aspects of divorce mediation, there is no comprehensive understanding of the short- and long-term outcomes for couples legally ordered to mediation to resolve custody and parenting time disputes or for those using free (or low cost) conciliation court mediation services to do so. Even less is known about the use or effectiveness of court-mandated mediation services among couples alleging intimate partner abuse (IPA). This study was funded by NIJ to address these gaps in the literature. Using several archival court and law enforcement databases, we systematically documented actual percentages of IPA in those participating in mediation, systematically analyzed mediator practices addressing those IPA cases, and systematically assessed mediation outcomes, divorce outcomes and post-decree outcomes for IPA cases. To accomplish this we linked archival data from two court databases and two law enforcement databases for a large matched sample (N=965) of couples involved in the divorce process in one court-based mediation program in one jurisdiction. We first linked data produced in business-as-usual, naturalistic clinical interviews used to screen parents for marital stressors and IPA to questionnaire data also measuring specific IPA-related behaviors. We then linked this IPA data to the mediator’s decisions concerning whether to identify a case as having IPA or not, whether to proceed in mediation or to screen out IPA-identified cases, and whether to provide special procedural accommodations for IPA-identified cases. We then linked the IPA and mediator decision data to mediation outcome data from mediation case files and to outcomes in final divorce decrees and parenting plans found in Superior Court divorce files. We then linked these pre-divorce and divorce data to post-divorce, longitudinal data concerning re-litigation of divorce-related issues in Superior Court and longitudinal data concerning contacts with area law enforcement. The results of this study provide strong empirical support for previous estimates that most couples attending divorce mediation report some level of IPA. Mediators accurately identified many but not all client self-identified cases of IPA. One third of the couples classified as non-IPA reported at least one incident of threatened and escalated physical violence or sexual intimidation, coercion or assault. Cases were rarely screened out of mediation (6%) and special procedural accommodations were most often provided in cases where a parent called the mediation service requesting the accommodations or reporting concerns about IPA and about participating in mediation (84%). Calls to area law enforcement and orders of protection were common (approximately 40% of couples for each category). While mediation agreements that included restrictions on contact between parents or on parenting were rare, the victims of the highest level of IPA often left mediation without agreements and returned to court, wherein they obtained restrictions on contact between parents and/or restrictions on aspects of parenting at a much higher rate than those appearing in mediation agreements. Mediators are not judges and therefore, these results are to be expected. It is a rare abuser who will voluntarily agree to terms that allow less control over contact with the victims and more structured contact with the couple’s children. The majority of parents in the study returned to court at some point to re-litigate divorce-related issues (62%); however, a small group of couples (4.5%) who returned for a tremendous number of hearings (31% of total number of hearings for all couples in study). The fact that parents reaching agreements are less likely to relitigate provide significant support for the use of mediation programs. According to reporting by parents in this study, at least some form of IPA occurred in over 90% of the cases and two thirds of the couples reported that either or both partners utilized outside agency involvement from police, shelters, courts, or hospitals to handle the IPA. These figures represent a tremendous amount of IPA in couples mandated to attend mediation. Thus, it is essential that highly trained mediators who use standardized screening procedures and follow program policies regarding how to handle IPA cases. Details: Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona, 2011. 238p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 1, 2012 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/236868.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/236868.pdf Shelf Number: 123917 Keywords: Divorce MediationFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse Abuse |
Author: Minerson, Todd Title: Issue Brief: Engaging Men and Boys to Reduce and Prevent Gender-Based Violence Summary: This Issue Brief has been commissioned by Status of Women Canada (SWC) in collaboration with The Public Health Agency of Canada to provide an overview of efforts to engage men of all ages in efforts to reduce and prevent gender-based violence. The paper will begin with a look at the historical efforts in Canada and the development of work with men and boys to end gender-based violence around the world. This overview will also chronicle the expression of this effort in various United Nations commitments since the Beijing 4th World Conference on Women in 1995. A brief review of Canadian statistics around violence against women, and a look at what little research exists on men’s attitudes towards genderbased violence in Canada and globally will follow. In order to address the roles men of all ages can play in preventing and reducing gender-based violence, the paper will then examine the root causes; the socialization of men, power and patriarchy, masculinities, gender inequality and the links to all forms of violence against women. Further detail will be provided for the complex issues and multiple dimensions around gender-based violence particularly as they relate to men, and a brief contextualization of the relevance to several communities of interest. Finally, the paper will illustrate the promising strategies, best practices, and effective frameworks for engaging men and boys in the effort to reduce and prevent gender-based violence. This section will also identify gaps, and note the considerations, limits and risks involved as well. Details: Ottawa: Status of Women Canada, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 6, 2012 at: http://whiteribbon.ca/issuebrief/pdf/wrc_swc_issuebrief.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Canada URL: http://whiteribbon.ca/issuebrief/pdf/wrc_swc_issuebrief.pdf Shelf Number: 123998 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMalesMasculinitiesViolence Against Women |
Author: Birdsey, Emma M. Title: The Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model: A follow-up study Summary: The primary aim of the current study is to examine whether domestic violence police and court outcomes have hanged since the commencement of the Domestic Violence Intervention Court Model (DVICM). Logistic and Poisson regression models were used to determine whether the DVICM resulted in the following: an increase in the proportion of persons of interest charged with a domestic violence offence; an increase in the proportion of domestic violence matters finalised on a plea of guilty; a decrease in the proportion of matters finalised on a dismissal; an increase in the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision; an increase in the proportion of penalties of imprisonment; a decrease in the time from first court appearance to finalisation in court; an increase in the proportion of matters finalised with a plea of guilty within three weeks of first court appearance; and an increase in the proportion of matters finalised within 12 weeks of the police event date. The test sites were Campbelltown, Macquarie Fields, and Wagga Wagga Local Area Commands. The rest of NSW was used as the control group. The DVICM increased the proportion of persons of interest charged in Macquarie Fields but not in Campbelltown or Wagga Wagga Local Area Commands. It reduced the time taken to finalise domestic violence matters in Campbelltown and Wagga Wagga Local Courts. The DVICM did not affect the proportion of matters finalised on a plea of guilty; the proportion of matters finalised on a dismissal; the proportion of penalties of bonds with supervision; nor the proportion of penalties of imprisonment. The DVICM was successful in achieving some but not all of its aims. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2012. 16p. Source: Crime and Justice Bulletin, Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice No. 155: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2012 at http://www.sheriff.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/Corporate/ll_corporate.nsf/vwFiles/060312_BOCSAR_CJB155.pdf/$file/060312_BOCSAR_CJB155.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.sheriff.nsw.gov.au/lawlink/Corporate/ll_corporate.nsf/vwFiles/060312_BOCSAR_CJB155.pdf/$file/060312_BOCSAR_CJB155.pdf Shelf Number: 124398 Keywords: Domestic Abuse (Australia)Domestic Violence (Australia)Evaluative StudiesFamily ViolenceIntervention ProgramsSpousal Abuse (Australia) |
Author: DeBoard-Lucas, Renee Lynn Title: Children's Understanding of Intimate Partner Violence Summary: There is a clear connection between exposure to interparental aggression and children’s own future episodes of violent behavior. What is significantly less understood is why this pattern develops. The current study used quantitative and semi-structured methods to identify factors that shape children’s understanding of intimate partner violence. Understanding violence was defined as including causal knowledge (Why does violence occur?) and beliefs about the acceptability of intimate partner violence. Factors proposed to predict children’s causal attributions included mothers’ perceived causes of interparental aggression and exposure to different forms of violence, including interparental, parent-child, and neighborhood aggression. Perceived causes of intimate partner violence, mothers’ beliefs about the acceptability of this type of violence, and children’s empathy and perspective taking skills were expected to predict children’s beliefs about the acceptability of intimate partner violence. Mothers’ acceptability beliefs also were expected to moderate the relationship between exposure to violence and children’s own acceptability beliefs. Results suggested that mothers’ and children’s causal attributions were not related and that violence exposure did not predict their causal understanding of intimate partner violence. When children perceived aggression to be committed in self-defense, they found it more acceptable. Few direct relationships were found between violence exposure and children’s acceptability beliefs; however, mothers’ beliefs about aggression significantly moderated these relationships. Findings highlight the importance of context in shaping children’s understanding of intimate partner violence. Details: Milwaukee, WI: Marquette University, 2011. 134p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 3, 2012 at: http://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1127&context=dissertations_mu Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1127&context=dissertations_mu Shelf Number: 124805 Keywords: Children and ViolenceCycle of ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Sharp, Cathy Title: We Thought They Didn’t See: Cedar in Scotland - Children and Mothers Experiencing Domestic Abuse Recovery: Evaluation Report Summary: Cedar (Children Experiencing Domestic Abuse Recovery) in Scotland is a psycho-educational, multi-agency initiative for children and young people who had behavioural, emotional and social difficulties as a consequence of their experience of domestic abuse. Cedar provided a therapeutic 12- week group work programme for children and young people in recovery from domestic abuse, alongside a concurrent group work programme for their mothers. It was an evidence-based approach which has now been piloted and evaluated in Scotland. This report presents the findings of the evaluation. The Cedar group work model was based on the Community Groupwork Treatment Programme (CGP) originally developed in Ontario, Canada. This was initially introduced and evaluated in the London Borough of Sutton and is now being rolled out across London and in Australia. There is continuing interest in the Cedar approach in Scotland and elsewhere across the UK and this report is written with that broader audience in mind. Details: Edinburgh: Scottish Women's Aid Charity, 2011. 190p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2012 at: http://www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk/assets/files/publications/general/Evaluation%20Report%20DOWNLOAD.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.scottishwomensaid.org.uk/assets/files/publications/general/Evaluation%20Report%20DOWNLOAD.pdf Shelf Number: 124851 Keywords: Children and Family ViolenceDomestic Violence (Scotland)Family ViolenceTreatment Programs, Children |
Author: Galvani, Sarah Title: Supporting Families Affected by Substance Use and Domestic Violence Summary: Domestic violence and abuse is more likely than not to occur within intimate partner relationships where one partner has a problem with alcohol or other drugs (see Galvani 2010 for review). High numbers of people presenting to alcohol, drug and domestic violence services have children (ACMD 2003, Manning et al. 2009) and live within families whose members are doubly exposed to these potentially negative and damaging behaviours. Furthermore family members, be they partners, parents or children, can also be the perpetrators of domestic violence and abuse. At a time when Government policy is to ‘Think Family’ (DCSF 2009), it is vital that there is evidence from the people living and working with the overlapping issues of domestic abuse and substance use on which to base policy and practice development. This collaborative two-stage project between Adfam, Stella Project, and the University of Bedfordshire is designed to build the research evidence base with two groups of family members whose needs have not yet been adequately recognised; young people and adult family members who also provide family support services (Family Member Support Providers (FMSPs)). Stage 1 is the research project reported here, stage 2 is the development of resources for and with children and young people. The aims of the research project were: To explore the views and perspectives of family members of substance users on the relationship between alcohol, drugs and domestic abuse To develop practice and policy recommendations based on these findings and the wider literature To establish what support and resources family members need on these issues. Details: Bedfordshire, UK: Tilda Goldberg Centre for Social Work and Social Care, University of Bedfordshire, 2010. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2012 at: http://www.adfam.org.uk/docs/adfam_dvreport.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.adfam.org.uk/docs/adfam_dvreport.pdf Shelf Number: 124857 Keywords: Alcohol and ViolenceDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceSubstance Abuse |
Author: Heise, Lori L. Title: What Works to Prevent Partner Violence? An Evidence Overview Summary: This document reviews the empirical evidence of what works in low- and middle-income countries to prevent violence against women by their husbands and other male partners. The purpose of the report is to help inform the future direction of DFID programming on violence against women with an eye towards maximizing its impact and ensuring the best use of scarce resources. Several key decisions are embedded in the decision to focus here on partner violence, which is only one of the many forms of violence and abuse that women and girls experience globally. First, partner violence is the most common form of violence. At the population level, it greatly exceeds the prevalence of all other forms of physical and sexual abuse in women’s lives. Second, more research is available on partner violence than on other forms of gender-based violence, making the topic more mature for review and synthesis. Third, partner violence is a strategic entry point for efforts to reduce violence more broadly – because the family, where the vast majority of violent acts occur, is also where habits and behaviours are formed for successive generations. Fourth, partner violence shares a range of determinants or contributing causes with other types of gender-based violence, especially at the level of norms and institutional responses. Focusing on partner violence also builds a strong and necessary foundation for preventing other forms of abuse. The review focuses on efforts to prevent partner violence, rather than evaluating services that are available for victims. In focusing on prevention rather than mitigation or response, the review concentrates on interventions designed to reduce the overall level of violence in the medium to long term, rather than on interventions to meet the immediate needs of victims. This shifts the focus of inquiry away from interventions designed to improve services towards programmes and policies designed to influence the underlying determinants of partner violence. Further discussion of the rationale for this decision is provided in body of the report. Finally, the review prioritizes programmes that have been evaluated using rigorous scientific designs, emphasizing formal impact evaluation. Practitioners and advocates have generated considerable insight into “what works” through decades of experience in the field piloting, refining, and studying particular programmes. These findings have been systematized in a number of “best practices” publications. Details: London: U.K. Department for International Development, 2011. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Working Paper (version 2.0): Accessed April 11, 2012 at: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/R4D/PDF/Outputs/Gender/60887-Preventing_partner_violence_Jan_2012.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.dfid.gov.uk/R4D/PDF/Outputs/Gender/60887-Preventing_partner_violence_Jan_2012.pdf Shelf Number: 124926 Keywords: Domestic Violence, PreventionFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: McCoy, Ellie Title: A Consultation with Young People About the Impact of Domestic Violence (Abuse) in their Families and their Formative Relationships Summary: Domestic abuse (often referred to as Intimate Partner Violence) is a recognised global public health concern. It is often defined as behaviour that involves physical, psychological or sexual harm within an intimate relationship and can also include youth violence, child maltreatment, elder abuse and sexual violence. Domestic abuse can also occur within the family; the Department of Health estimates that 750,000 children experience domestic abuse annually. Research examining domestic abuse tends to focus on adult relationships; however it is important to consider young people and their relationships. Adolescence is an important time as this is often when people begin to form intimate and formative relationships. It is therefore an essential stage for initiating domestic abuse prevention work. There is a body of UK research on adult female’s experiences, and a smaller amount on children’s experiences, but little is known about adolescent’s experiences of partner violence and the research that has been conducted tends to originate from the USA. Research suggests that it is essential to include this through detailed examination of young people’s views and experiences in order to recognise young people’s views and actions in their own right. The Coalition Government has recently launched a paper ‘A call to end violence against women and girls’ outlining how they plan to tackle violence against females, with the vision of creating a society in which no female should have to live in fear of violence. Domestic abuse is also a priority locally. In Liverpool, Citysafe (Liverpool’s Community Safety Partnership) prioritises a number of key issues to tackle, one of which is to reduce serious violence, which includes domestic abuse, and to develop an understanding of the issues young people feel affect them in relation to domestic abuse. Citysafe therefore commissioned the Centre for Public, Liverpool John Moores University, to undertake a consultation, to speak with young people around their views and experiences of domestic abuse. The objectives of the research were: • to learn what the issues are for young people in relation to domestic violence (abuse); • to understand how young people view domestic violence (abuse) (in all its forms) in family and intimate partner relationships; and • to use the findings from the project to inform an education programme through ‘It’s Not Okay’. A qualitative study was undertaken to fulfil the research objectives through a series of focus groups with young people. Agencies across Liverpool providing services to young people were contacted and a total of 119 young people aged between 14 and 24 years were invited to attend the focus groups. Each focus group lasted approximately one hour and was conducted by two researchers. Verbal and written consent was obtained to digitally record each focus group session, and the young people were asked to complete a basic demographic questionnaire. In total, 93 young people attended the 14 focus groups. Just over half of participants were male (n=52, 55.9%) with the majority aged 16 and 17 years (n=22 and n=25 respectively). The majority defined their ethnicity as White English (n=72, 77.4%). However minority groups were represented. Ten percent of participants stated that they had a disability. Almost a third (30.1%, n=28) stated they had religious beliefs, 43.0% (n=40) stated that they had no religious beliefs and 26.9% (n=25) preferred not to say. The majority of the young people stated their sexual orientation as Heterosexual (n=70, 75.3%), 17.2% (n=17) preferred not to answer and 7.5% (n=7) stated their sexual orientation as Bisexual, Gay or Lesbian. Overall, the young people involved in the consultation had a good understanding of what domestic abuse is, they could state different types of abuse and who they thought it could happen to. They recognised that it could involve physical, psychological and sexual abuse. In acknowledging these different forms of abuse, the young people felt it should be referred to as domestic abuse rather than domestic violence. At all groups the young people acknowledged that domestic abuse can occur within the family and they placed an emphasis on it being something happening within a house, hence the word domestic. They believed domestic abuse could happen to anyone; however they felt that it is portrayed as happening more often to women. Young people viewed domestic abuse at home as having devastating effects on children; leaving them scared and affected by their experiences into later life. Although participants believed that the effects in adulthood largely depended on the person and how they handled their experiences. It was discussed that children affected by domestic abuse could become perpetrators and victims themselves when in adult relationships, however, the young people also acknowledged that witnessing domestic abuse could make you more determined to not act in this manner yourself. The young people’s knowledge appeared to be gained from what they had seen on TV and from their own personal and friends’ experiences. Not many of the young people had been given any formal training or teaching on the subject, although many of them thought it would be beneficial to have learnt about it. Although there was good knowledge on some areas of domestic abuse, there did appear to be a lack of awareness around the more subtle aspects, such as controlling behaviour. Many of the young people did not see certain controlling behaviours as abusive. The young people also demonstrated a lack of knowledge about where to go for advice; many were not aware of any domestic abuse services and many would not go to a professional for help. Therefore, it appeared that most young people would rather seek support from someone they know or are comfortable with, rather than access a website, ring a help line or speak to a stranger. Learning about domestic abuse was viewed as important and school was thought to be the best setting in which to teach it. The young people expressed preferences on programme content and length; they thought domestic abuse issues should be covered in lessons over a number of weeks and that programmes should incorporate all aspects of domestic abuse, not just the physical violence aspects. Young people expressed mixed views on whether they should be taught about healthy relationships. Some young people thought this was essential whereas others thought you could not teach young people how to have good relationships. Interactive material and activities such as group discussions, DVDs and talks by people affected by domestic abuse were viewed as approaches that would help them learn most effectively and felt that a programme should be realistic and modern in order to hold their attention and allow them to speak freely. Details: Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2011. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2012 at: http://www.cph.org.uk/showPublication.aspx?pubid=754 Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cph.org.uk/showPublication.aspx?pubid=754 Shelf Number: 125135 Keywords: Children, Exposure to ViolenceCycle of ViolenceDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Gennette, Karen Title: Bennington County Integrated Domestic Violence Docket Project: Outcome Evaluation Summary: The Bennington County Integrated Domestic Violence Docket (IDVD) Project was initiated in September, 2007, as a special docket within the Bennington County Criminal/Family Division Courts. The goal of the IDVD project was to provide an immediate response to domestic violence events by coordinating Family and Criminal Division cases. Dedicated to the idea of One Family, One Judge, the IDVD Project was designed to allow a single judge, one day each week, to have immediate access to all relevant information regardless of the traditional docket and to gather all appropriate players at the table regardless of any traditionally limited roles. The IDVD Project focused on: 1) protection and safety for victims and their children as well as other family members; 2) providing immediate access to community services and resources for victims, their children, and offenders to help overcome the impact of prior domestic abuse and prevent future abuse; and 3) providing an immediate and effective response to non-compliance with court orders by offenders. Details: Northfield Falls, VT: Vermont Center for Justice Research, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2012 at: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/idvdreport_files/IDVD%20Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/idvdreport_files/IDVD%20Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 125144 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Vermont)Domestic Violence CourtsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Sanders, Cynthia K. Title: Savings Outcomes of an IDA Program for Survivors of Domestic Violence Summary: This report examines account monitoring data on outcomes of an IDA program for survivors of domestic violence. This study examines saving rates, withdrawals, and purchases made among 125 women who participated in the IDA program. Approximately two-thirds of women reached their savings goal and 76% made at least one matched withdrawal purchase. On average, women saved $87 per month while living on modest incomes (most women lived at or below 150% of poverty). These savings outcomes demonstrate that women impacted by intimate partner violence are capable of successfully saving in an IDA program when given the opportunity. Findings regarding factors associated with savings outcomes are limited given the sample size; however, education emerged as a positive factor in improving women’s savings outcomes. Details: St. Louis, MO: Washington University of St. Louis, Center for Social Development, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, 2010. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: CSD Research Report No. 10-42: Accessed May 8, 2012 at: http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/RP10-42.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://csd.wustl.edu/Publications/Documents/RP10-42.pdf Shelf Number: 125180 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.S.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: DePrince, Anne P. Title: The Effectiveness of Coordinated Outreach in Intimate Partner Violence Cases: A Randomized, Longitudinal Design Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV) poses an extremely costly problem to the individual, society, and criminal justice system. Effective responses to IPV require comprehensive, well-coordinated policies and protocols that maximize the legal sanctions and available community resources. Prosecution decisions and criminal justice outcomes are influenced by victim support for official action. The current study tested the prediction that early coordinated victim outreach would improve criminal justice outcomes as well as increase victim safety and empowerment. In collaboration with research, criminal justice, and community-based partners, this project employed a randomized control design to evaluate an innovative outreach program for racially and ethnically diverse IPV victims whose cases have come to the attention of the criminal justice system. Participants, who were randomly selected to receive outreach or treatment-as-usual, were interviewed at three time points: after an incident of IPV was reported to the police (T1), 6 months after T1, and 12 months after T1. The study addressed three primary goals. First, we evaluated the effectiveness of a coordinated, community-based outreach program in improving criminal justice and victim safety and empowerment outcomes for IPV victims using a longitudinal, randomized control design. Second, we identified victim and case characteristics that moderated outcomes. Third, we evaluated the influence of spatial characteristics on criminal justice outcomes. Between 5 December 2007 and 14 July 2008, 236 women in Denver City/County were enrolled into the study within a median of 26 days from an incident of IPV report to law enforcement. Victim-focused outreach had an impact on decreasing women’s reluctance to work with prosecutors and increasing women’s likelihood of being encouraged to take part in the prosecution of their abusers. These findings also indicated that outreach might be particularly important for IPV survivors marginalized by race/ethnicity, socio-economic status as well as for those survivors still living with their abusers after the target IPV incident (from which they were recruited for study participation). In addition, compared to the treatment-as-usual condition, women who received outreach reported decreased PTSD symptom severity, depression, and fear one year later. Although there were no effects of outreach on revictimization or social support levels, women randomly assigned to outreach reported greater readiness to leave the abuser than women assigned to treatment-as-usual. Further, the use of a geographic information system (GIS) revealed spatial patterns to key variables, such as aggression and posttraumatic responses. Women who anticipated problems going to court due to travel-related barriers (e.g., problems parking, taking the bus, etc.) were less likely to go to court when asked to go. Thus, this research highlights potential ways to think about and use spatial data in victim-focused research. Finally, research, policy, and practice implications of the study are discussed. Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2012. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2012 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/238480.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/238480.pdf Shelf Number: 125270 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (U.S.)Victims of Domestic Violence, Services forViolence Against Women |
Author: Wright, Emily M. Title: Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence: Gendered and Contextual Effects on Adolescent Interpersonal Violence, Drug Use, and Mental Health Outcomes Summary: Although research has indicated that intimate partner violence (IPV) increases the likelihood of a range of negative outcomes for children, few studies have examined the shortand long-term consequences of IPV while controlling for other relevant experiences, investigated the multi-level nature of exposure to IPV among youth, or explored gender differences in the relationships. This study sought to aid in this research by examining three questions: 1. What are the direct effects of IPV exposure on youths‘ interpersonal violence, drug use, and internalizing symptoms? 2. What are the main effects of neighborhood characteristics (i.e., concentrated disadvantage and collective efficacy) on neighborhood rates of youth violence, drug use, and internalizing symptoms? 3. Does the effect of IPV exposure vary across neighborhoods? If so, is the relationship between IPV exposure and youth violence, drug use, and internalizing symptoms conditioned by neighborhood characteristics? Data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods (PHDCN) were utilized to answer these questions. The short- and long-term effects of IPV exposure were examined using longitudinal data collected at three time points, when youth participants were aged 8-17 (wave 1), 9-20 (wave 2), and 12-22 (wave 3). Each research question was examined for the full sample (N=2,344 youth at wave 1 from 79 neighborhood clusters), and separately by gender (N=1,180 males and 1,164 females). Data were analyzed using hierarchical modeling techniques (HLM) to account for the multi-level structure of the data. Details: Columbia, SC: Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, University of South Carolina, 2009. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 15, 2012 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235153.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/235153.pdf Shelf Number: 125284 Keywords: Children's Exposure to ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterpersonal ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (U.S.) |
Author: Broadhurst, Roderic Title: Hong Kong International Violence Against Women Survey: Final Report of the 2006 Hong Kong IVAWS Summary: From 2003 to 2009, the International Violence Against Women Survey (IVAWS) has been conducted in 12 developed and developing countries. The IVAWS is a comprehensive instrument that measures women's experiences of physical and sexual violence by men, including intimate partners, victim' helpseeking behaviour and the response of the criminal justice system. The instrument contains behaviour-specific questions and interviews are conducted solely by female callers, who have been trained in understanding the ways in which violence affects women and how they may react to the survey questions. The IVAWS uses standardised questionnaires and data collection methods, which makes it possible to reliably compare data across time, countries and cultures. Between December 2005 and March 2006, a random sample of 1,297 Hong Kong women was interviewed by telephone about their experiences of violence using the IVAWS instrument. Demographic and socio-economic data were collected as well as details of their current and former intimate relationships. Women were asked whether since the age of 16 years, in the previous five years and in the past year they had been the victims of physical (including threats of violence) or sexual (including unwanted touching) violence by men. Further questions probed who the perpetrator was, particularly whether it was an intimate partner, a relative, a friend or acquaintance, or a stranger. From their responses, adult lifetime, five-year and one-year prevalence estimates are computed. Women who had experienced violence since the age of 16 were asked a series of questions about the most recent incident either by an intimate partner or a non-partner, including whether they had reported their victimisation to the police and/or victim support services. Respondents involved in an intimate relationship were also asked about the socio-demographics and behavioural characteristics of their partner. Using information on the women and their partner, we examine the predictors of violent victimisation. Details: Hong Kong, University of Hong Kong, Social Sciences Research Centre; Canberra: The Australian National University, Centre of Excellence in Policing and Security, 2012. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2012 at: http://hub.hku.hk/bitstream/10722/146076/1/Content.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Hong Kong URL: http://hub.hku.hk/bitstream/10722/146076/1/Content.pdf Shelf Number: 125414 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceVictimization SurveyViolence Against Women (Hong Kong) |
Author: Somach, Susan D. Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Literature Review of Violence Against Women Summary: As the Egyptian National Council for Women (NCW) and USAID-funded Combating Violence Against Women project designed the elements of the multi-dimensional study of violence against women in Egypt, the project began surveying available research and information from international, regional, and Egyptian sources. Violence Against Women and Gender Specialist Susan Somach and Combating Violence project Research Manager Gihan AbuZeid conducted the initial review of research, which was supplemented by a bibliography prepared by Social, Planning, Analysis, and Administration Consultants. The research team also conducted individual and group meetings with academics and researchers at project start-up to identify current research and gaps that should be filled by the NCW— Combating Violence Study of Violence Against Women. The purpose of the literature review was to build on the base of existing knowledge and to avoid duplication of efforts. In addition to the literature summarized here, the Egyptian experts involved in the study also surveyed available research in their own areas of expertise, again to build on existing knowledge and to avoid overlapping efforts. The review of research continued throughout the study process, culminating in this literature review. The review concludes by identifying gaps in research, many of which are addressed by the elements of the larger violence against women study. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2009. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2012 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ891.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt URL: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ891.pdf Shelf Number: 125519 Keywords: Abused WivesDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women (Egypt) |
Author: Youssef, Enas Abu Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Media Coverage of Violence Against Women Summary: This study attempts to identify the nature of the coverage of violence against women in the Egyptian mass media with the aim of introducing an effective media mechanism that will help expand interest in this issue beyond the limited academic community and dedicated authorities, and expanded to the general public. This study is based on a secondary analysis of six reports published by the NCW’s Media Watch Unit from April 2005 to March 2006 and from February 2007 to February 2008. The theoretical framework of the study is based on the social cultural analysis model of monitoring the direct relationship between the media discourse and the prevalent culture and the social and political discourses in society. The findings of the analytical study indicate that the media did not give sufficient attention to publishing information related to violence against women. Issues related to violence against women comprised only 17.4 percent of its total coverage of women’s issues, based on the study sample. The representation of community violence was covered more often (66.1 percent of cases of media coverage of violence against women), compared to domestic violence (33.9 percent). Both print media and television were similar in their coverage of community violence (70 percent and 60.2 percent coverage of violence against women, respectively), and in their coverage of domestic violence (30 percent and 39.8 percent, respectively). Radio programs had an equal interest in domestic and community violence (50.1 percent and 49.9 percent coverage of violence against women, respectively). The findings confirm that media discourse tends to focus negatively on sexual harassment of women at work and in the street. However, on the issue of political involvement of women, media discourse was divided between supporting and opposing women in politics. Of particular note is the media’s general agreement with the idea that a woman does not have the right to be nominated for the presidency. The review of the target audiences indicates that media messages do not differentiate by audience categories — rural/urban, age categories, and economic levels. Rather, media discourse is oriented primarily elite audiences. In dramatic representation of violence against women on radio and television, the analysis shows that violence against women is one of the main sources for conflict in plots for broadcast dramas. Of the 48 percent of radio dramas that presented issues of violence against women, 86.8 percent depicted domestic violence and 13.2 percent depicted community violence. Of the 45 percent of television dramas presenting violence against women, 69.5 percent depicted domestic violence and 30.5 percent depicted community violence. The qualitative analysis of the dramatic productions shows that, when these programs portray violence, the family’s disintegration or malfunctioning is mostly the woman’s fault and only she is to be blamed. In addition, in these productions, justifiable reasons are given for violence against women. Details: Washington, DC: United States Agency for International Development, 2009. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ888.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt URL: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADQ888.pdf Shelf Number: 125530 Keywords: Abused WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMass MediaViolence Against Women (Eqypt) |
Author: United States Agency for Internetional Development Title: Egypt Violence Against Women Study: Summary of Findings Summary: Violence against women has increasingly been recognized as an issue of national concern by the Government of Egypt and the National Council for Women (NCW). Responding to the government’s commitment to ending violence, the NCW and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) established the Combating Violence Against Women project. As a major component of the project, the NCW commissioned this study to provide the background information needed for the development of a national strategy to combat violence against women in Egypt and to plan future activities. Although much of the available research on violence against women focuses on the public health impacts, this Violence Against Women Survey takes a human rights approach that examines the issue from a holistic, multisectoral perspective. The study was conducted by Egyptian academics, researchers, and activists nominated by the NCW, including university research institutions, private-sector research firms, leading nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and government experts. The study process included gathering information from a variety of sources and sectors, analyzing new and existing research by Egyptian experts, and developing preliminary recommendations. Building on research conducted previously by the NCW, other Egyptian government and nongovernmental entities, and experts, the study authors use a wide range of methodologies to focus on various aspects of the issue. Specifically, this study considers the prevalence of different types of violence against women, attitudes among married and unmarried women and men, the legal policy and regulatory framework related to violence against women issues, the role of media, services currently available to female victims of violence, and recommendations for reducing levels of violence. Details: Washignton, DC: USAID, 2009. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2012 at: http://egypt.unfpa.org/pdfs/GENDER/GBV/internal_link_EGYPT_VIOLENCE_AGAINST_WOMEN_STUDY_english.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Egypt URL: http://egypt.unfpa.org/pdfs/GENDER/GBV/internal_link_EGYPT_VIOLENCE_AGAINST_WOMEN_STUDY_english.pdf Shelf Number: 125531 Keywords: Abused WivesDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (Egypt) |
Author: Velleman, Richard: Reuber, Danielle Title: Domestic Violence and Abuse experienced by Children and Young People living in Families with Alcohol Problems. Results from a Cross-European Study Summary: Children and young people living in families where parents have significant problems with alcohol are often very badly affected. They have a range of very negative experiences, and often develop problems and psychological and/or physical symptoms as a result. Similarly, children and young people growing up in families where there are significant problems with domestic violence or aggression are also often badly affected: they also often experience a range of distressing incidents, and also often develop problems of their own as a result. It is well known that the incidence of domestic violence and aggression is much higher in families where there are also alcohol problems; but very little research has been undertaken on the impact of both of these family problems on children and young people. Although many children and young people do develop problems as a result of both of these family upbringings, a significant minority do not. They seem to be resilient. This project set out to look at children and young people across Europe, to discover what impacts having parents with both of these problems combined had on children, and then to suggest ways of improving practice and policy, within individual countries and across the EU, that would help these children. Experts in issues relating to addiction or violence within the family from eleven institutions located within ten EU states participated in planning and overseeing this project: Germany, where experts also coordinated the project, and Austria, England, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Poland and Spain. Details: Cologne, Germany: Catholic University of Applied Sciences North-Rhine Westphalia, 2007. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2012 at: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/11965/1/Encare_ParentalAlcoholProblems.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Europe URL: http://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/11965/1/Encare_ParentalAlcoholProblems.pdf Shelf Number: 101391 Keywords: Alcohol Use and AbuseAlcoholismChild Abuse and Neglect (Europe)Child MaltreatmentDomestic ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: Kishor, Sunita Title: Women’s and Men’s Experience of Spousal Violence in Two African Countries: Does Gender Matter? Summary: A large body of global research documents the high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) against women across the world and the resulting socioeconomic costs and reproductive and other health consequences for societies, women, and their children (United Nations 2006; Watts and Zimmerman 2002; Campbell 2002). In this literature, IPV is accepted as gender-based, directed disproportionately at women because of their gender. A contrary body of predominantly US-based research argues that IPV is not necessarily gender-based, and that women are as aggressive as men, or even more aggressive, in committing violence against their partners (Archer 2000, 2002; Straus 1990, 1993; Gelles and Straus 1988; White et al. 2000). The debate about gender symmetry challenges us to document the prevalence of IPV experienced by men in developing country settings and to examine how men’s experience of IPV compares and contrasts with IPV experienced by women in its extent, severity, frequency, and health consequences. To better understand the role of gender in IPV outside the developed world, this report compares the experiences of married men and married women with spousal violence, the most common form of IPV, using data from two sub-Saharan African countries, Ghana and Uganda. In these two countries, the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) asked nationally representative samples of women and men about their experience and perpetration of spousal violence using similar questions. Specifically, this paper addresses the following questions: 1. Are the extent, patterns, and severity of the experience of spousal violence similar between men and women? 2. Does the relationship between the experience of and the perpetration of spousal violence differ between men and women? Are women and men equally likely to be victims as well as aggressors of violence? 3. Do the correlates of the experience and perpetration of violence differ between men and women? When these identified correlates are held constant, is gender still a significant predictor of experience and/or perpetration of violence? 4. Is the association between experience and/or perpetration of spousal violence and selected health outcomes similar for men and women? The analysis finds that spousal violence is relatively common among both women and men in the two countries studied, but finds no evidence of gender symmetry: In Uganda, almost half of married women have experienced spousal physical violence compared with almost one-fifth of married men; and in Ghana, 19 percent of married women have experienced such violence compared with 10 percent of married men. Although women are clearly not the only victims of spousal violence, they are consistently and significantly more likely than men to experience all forms—physical, sexual, and emotional—of such violence. Further, the violence that women experience at the hands of their husbands is more common, more severe, and more likely to result in injuries than the violence that men experience from their wives. Men are significantly more likely than women to report that they have perpetrated violence against their spouse. Few women in both countries report perpetrating violence (6to 7 percent), and well-over half of these women who report perpetrating spousal violence also report experiencing it, suggesting that they are in mutually violent marriages. For men, the pattern is much different: More than 40 percent of men in Uganda and 16 percent in Ghana report perpetrating violence against their wives, and among these men who perpetrate violence about one-third in both countries also report experiencing spousal violence. These results demonstrate that, in these two countries, men are significantly more likely to be the aggressors, and women the victims, of spousal physical violence, and that the spousal violence experienced by women is much more syndromic in nature than the violence experienced by men. The study finds that the most consistent correlates of experience and perpetration of spousal violence were whether the respondent’s father beat his/her mother and whether the respondent’s spouse drinks alcohol and gets drunk. After controlling for other characteristics, both parental IPV and spousal alcohol use were associated with increased odds of perpetrating violence for both sexes and in both countries. These same factors were also associated with higher odds of experiencing spousal violence for both women and men in Uganda and for women in Ghana. Due to sample-size constraints, results were not statistically significant for men in Ghana. In a model pooling data for women and men, controlling for all other factors including parental IPV and partner alcohol consumption, women still had significantly higher odds of experiencing violence and lower odds of perpetrating violence compared with men. In examining associations between spousal physical violence and poor health and behavioral outcomes, controlling for background characteristics and associated factors, the report finds that in both countries, women who experienced spousal violence had significantly higher odds of having a self-reported sexually transmitted infection (STI) or STI symptom and of having experienced pregnancy loss (miscarriage or abortion) compared with women who did not experience spousal violence. In Ghana, experience of violence was also associated with higher odds of having a child who died and having a child who is stunted. Ugandan women who perpetrated violence had higher odds of self-reported STIs and Ghanaian women who perpetrated violence had higher odds of pregnancy loss; finally, women in Ghana had a higher number of children ever born and a higher lifetime number of sexual partners, on average, if they had both experienced and perpetrated violence compared with women who had done neither. Men in both countries who had both perpetrated and experienced spousal violence had higher odds of reporting STIs or STI symptoms; additionally, Ugandan men who perpetrated spousal violence, whether or not they had also experienced spousal violence, had higher odds of having had a non-spousal partner in the past 12 months and having paid for sex, and a higher number of children ever born. Ugandan men who only perpetrated spousal violence had a higher lifetime number of sexual partners, as well as higher odds of having had a child who had died, than men who had not perpetrated violence. Ghanaian men who perpetrated violence had higher odds of having had a child who is stunted and lower odds of having used a condom at last sexual intercourse with their most recent sexual partner. (Note: For men information related to children is based on their wives’ reports). In sum, experiencing violence for women is associated with several poor health outcomes for themselves and their children; whereas for men, perpetrating spousal violence is particularly associated with higherrisk sexual behaviors and some poor health outcomes for their children. The findings of this report are unambiguous in demonstrating that the level, intensity, and severity of spousal violence against women are much greater than they are against men; that women are much more likely to be the victims and men the aggressors, even after controlling for other relevant factors; that when men do experience violence it is much more likely to be in a mutually violent relationship, while women are much more likely to be only the victims of violence; and that women and the children of women who experience violence are more likely to experience poor health outcomes than men or the children of men who experience violence. Nonetheless, it is important to note that when women are perpetrators of violence, their male partners do suffer at least some of the same health consequences as suffered by women victims. Based on the findings of this report, it is recommended that elimination of violence against women should remain the highest priority. Nonetheless, programs that are working to reduce violence and its negative health consequences should also take into consideration the fact that not all men are only perpetrators of spousal violence; some are also victims. Details: Calverton, MD: ICF International, 2012. 99p. Source: Internet Resource: DHS Analytical Studies No. 27: Accessed July 19, 2012 at: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/AS27/AS27.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Africa URL: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/AS27/AS27.pdf Shelf Number: 125675 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGenderIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse Abuse (Ghana, Uganda, Africa)Violence Against Women |
Author: Farmer, Elly Title: Beyond Violence: Breaking Cycles of Domestic Abuse Summary: This report argues that domestic abuse is a shocking and disturbingly prevalent hallmark of social breakdown – yet it exists inside every community. Very serious forms of domestic abuse are not uncommon in the UK: on average two women are killed every week by their partner or ex (in the year 2009/10, 94 women were killed and 21 men were killed by their partner or ex). Domestic violence and abuse can also lead to fractured bones, extensive bruising, severe burns, chronic pain, stillbirths and suicide. One in four women and one in seven men report being abused by their partner or ex; and one in four young adults lived with domestic abuse when they were children. Domestic abuse accounts for approximately eight per cent of the total burden of disease in women aged between 18 and 44 years, and is a larger contributor to ill health than high blood pressure, smoking and weight. Even after the violence is over, victims are more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, sexually transmitted infections and chronic pain. Mental scars can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety and substance misuse. Less obvious but equally serious effects are isolation, lost opportunities and wasted potential. It impacts upon victims’ employment, takes years off their lives and increases their vulnerability to further abuse. The cost of all forms of abuse is approximately £15.7 billion per year. Abuse ranges from physical violence used by both partners in a couple during conflict to a strategic pattern of control, torture and subjugation inflicted by one partner upon the other. Although abuse that conforms to a pattern of coercive control inflicts particular harm on victims, it is not clear whether controlling forms of violence have more of an impact upon children living in the household than violent fights between parents. Through its threat to their caregiver(s), all violence and abuse between parents profoundly threatens a child’s sense of safety. Our findings, analysis and solutions are the result of in-depth examination of the research literature, consultation with people in the field of domestic abuse, work with adults and children who have suffered its impact, and original polling. The report applies a comprehensive, relationship-based understanding of domestic abuse to find solutions that have radical potential to end the problem and its harms. We do not address forms of domestic abuse specific to ethnic, sexual orientation, age, immigrant or other groups. Nor is this an exhaustive review of existing good practice, although reference is made to many such examples upon which our solutions are designed to build. For them to be most effective they need to be embedded within a wider, in-depth response to social disadvantage and family dysfunction. Details: London: The Centre for Social Justice, 2012. 159p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 26, 2012 at: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/media/DA%20Full%20report.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/client/media/DA%20Full%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 125785 Keywords: Abused WivesDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Morgan, Jenny Title: Victorian Print Media Coverage of Violence Against Women: A Longitudinal STudy Summary: The media plays a key role in the way people understand social issues such as violence against women. This research focuses on how violence against women has been represented by parts of the Victorian print media. It identifies opportunities to strengthen reporting on violence against women to improve community understanding of the nature and causes of the issue. It is intended to be a helpful resource for all media professionals, but particularly trainee journalists, their mentors and current newspaper editors. Details: Carlton South, VIC, AUS: VicHealth, 2012. 106p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 2, 2012 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Victorian-print-media-coverage-of-violence-against-women.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Victorian-print-media-coverage-of-violence-against-women.aspx Shelf Number: 125841 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMass MediaMediaNewspapersViolence Against Women (Australia) |
Author: Rooney, Johnathan Title: Assaults in the Home in Lancashire: An Analysis of Emergency Department Data, January 2009 to December 2011 Summary: Domestic violence remains an important public and social health concern in the UK. The British Crime Survey from 2010/11 reports that around 30% of women and 17% of men aged 16-59 had experienced some form of non-sexual partner abuse (emotional or financial abuse, threats or physical force) since the age of 16, and 7% and 5% respectively in the past year. The effects of domestic violence can be severe and widespread for the victims and their family. In addition it has been estimated that domestic violence costs the UK economy around £23 billion per year. The prevention of domestic violence is therefore a continued focus for criminal justice and public health bodies. This report provides an indication of the burden of assaults in the home on emergency departments (EDs), and residents of Lancashire over the three-year period January 2009 to December 2011. It uses data on assaults in the home from all EDs in Lancashire. Details: Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2012 at: http://www.nwph.net/nwpho/Publications/LancashirehomeApril%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nwph.net/nwpho/Publications/LancashirehomeApril%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 125891 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceHospital Emergency DepartmentsIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Warren, Ian Title: Assaults in the Home in Greater Manchester: An Analysis of Emergency Department data, 2009 to 2011 Summary: 1 Domestic violence remains an important public and social health concern in the UK. The British Crime Survey from 2010/11 reports that around 30% of women and 17% of men aged 16-59 had experienced some form of non-sexual partner abuse (emotional or financial abuse, threats or physical force) since the age of 16, and 7% and 5% respectively in the past year (1). The effects of domestic violence can be severe and widespread for the victims and their family. In addition it has been estimated that domestic violence costs the UK economy around £23 billion per year (2). The prevention of domestic violence is therefore a continued focus for criminal justice and public health bodies (3). This report provides an indication of the burden of assaults in the home on EDs in Greater Manchester for the 3-year period from January 2009 to December 2011. Data is provided for all attendances to EDs in Greater Manchester which have been recorded as assaults and occurred in the home. Details: Liverpool: Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University, 2012. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2012 at: http://www.nwph.net/nwpho/Publications/Manchesterhome%20April%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.nwph.net/nwpho/Publications/Manchesterhome%20April%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 125892 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceHospital Emergency DepartmentsIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Powell, Anastasia Title: More Than Ready: Bystander Action To Prevent Violence Against Women in the Victorian Community Summary: Violence against women – including family violence and sexual assault – is a major public health problem and its prevalence remains unacceptably high in Australia. Intimate partner violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 44 years, contributing more to ill health in this age group than other well-known risk factors such as smoking and obesity. Without appropriate action, the cost of this violence to the Australian economy is predicted to rise to $15.6 billion per year by 2021. Preventing violence against women before it occurs requires action to address the social conditions that can lead to violence. Research shows that key prevention actions include the promotion of gender equality and the development of respectful attitudes within organisations and communities. Research points to the need for bystanders to play a more significant role in preventing violence against women. For the purpose of this study, a ‘bystander’ is anyone not directly involved as a victim or perpetrator, who observes an act of violence, discrimination or other unacceptable or offensive behaviour. Recent evidence reviews have identified the potential for bystanders to make a difference to the social conditions that lead to violence against women, for example, by confronting sexist attitudes and challenging organisational policies that discriminate against women. Details: Carlton, Victoria, AUS: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2012. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 13, 2012 at: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Bystander-Research-Project.aspx Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/Publications/Freedom-from-violence/Bystander-Research-Project.aspx Shelf Number: 125998 Keywords: Bystander InterventionFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual AssaultViolence Against Women (Australia)Violence Prevention |
Author: United States Agency for International Development Title: United States Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally Summary: Under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Clinton, the United States has put gender equality and the advancement of women and girls at the forefront of the three pillars of U.S. foreign policy–diplomacy, development, and defense. This is embodied in the President’s National Security Strategy, the Presidential Policy Directive on Global Development, and the 2010 U.S. Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR). Evidence demonstrates that women’s empowerment is critical to building stable, democratic societies; to supporting open and accountable governance; to furthering international peace and security; to growing vibrant market economies; and to addressing pressing health and education challenges. Preventing and responding to gender-based violence is a cornerstone of the Administration’s commitment to advancing gender equality. Such violence significantly hinders the ability of individuals to fully participate in and contribute to their families and communities–economically, politically, and socially. Vice President Biden, who authored the Violence Against Women Act while in the Senate, has been a leader in efforts to end violence against women and girls for two decades. Secretary of State Clinton and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah also have been tireless advocates for ending gender-based violence, and have elevated this issue as a foreign policy priority. To further advance its commitment to gender equality and women’s empowerment, the Obama Administration has developed this new strategy to prevent and respond more effectively to genderbased violence globally. The purpose of the strategy is to establish a government-wide approach that identifies, coordinates, integrates, and leverages current efforts and resources. The strategy provides Federal agencies with a set of concrete goals and actions to be implemented and monitored over the course of the next three years with an evaluation of progress midway through this period. At the end of the three-year timeframe, the agencies will evaluate the progress made and chart a course forward. To ensure a government-wide perspective in developing this strategy, the White House, at the request of the U.S. Department of State and USAID, convened representatives from the U.S. Departments of State, the Treasury, Defense, Justice, Labor, Health and Human Services (including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health), and Homeland Security, as well as from the Office of the United States Trade Representative, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, USAID, the Peace Corps, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation. These included representatives working on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Global Health Initiative (GHI), and the Office of the United States Government Special Advisor and Senior Coordinator for Children in Adversity. Additionally, the White House, the Department of State, and USAID held multiple consultations with civil society organizations to ensure that their perspectives informed the development of the strategy. Details: Washington, DC: USAID, 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 17, 2012 at: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/196468.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/196468.pdf Shelf Number: 126057 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against GirlsViolence Against Women |
Author: Light, Linda Title: Police-reported Spousal Violence Incidents in B.C. in which Both Partners are Suspects/Accused Summary: The purpose of this study was threefold: • To enhance our understanding of the police practice of identifying both partners in a relationship as suspects in incidents of spousal violence, the implications of this practice, and what has been done to inform that practice • To determine whether or not a problem exists with respect to dual suspects in police-reported incidents of spousal violence, and if so, the nature and extent of this problem • To develop recommendations to address this situation, based on analysis of statistical data on dual suspects/accuseds in spousal violence cases in BC police jurisdictions and on discussions with key informants. Published police-reported crime data show that provincial proportions of dual suspects in spousal violence in BC remained relatively constant from 1995 to 2005 (Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Police Services Division, 2006). One possible explanation for community concern in the face of this relative stability of provincial proportions of dual suspect incidents is that variation from jurisdiction to jurisdiction may exist within the context of a relatively stable provincial proportion that masks high proportions in some jurisdictions. The results of the study confirmed that there is a wide variation from jurisdiction to jurisdiction across BC in terms of both proportions of police-reported spousal violence incidents involving dual suspects and proportions of these cases recommended for charge. The total provincial figures from 2000 to 2005 for dual suspects as a percentage of total spousal violence incidents in these cases ranged from a low of 7.7% to a high of 10.2%. During this same period, proportions of dual suspects in spousal violence cases in individual BC policing jurisdictions in at least one of these years ranged from 0% to 22.9%. Caution should be exercised in the interpretation of these figures as, when numbers are small, small changes in volume can result in large variations in percentages. Details: British Columbia Ministry of Public Safety, 2009. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 17, 2012 at: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/publications/docs/police-reported-spousal-violence.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Canada URL: http://www.pssg.gov.bc.ca/victimservices/publications/docs/police-reported-spousal-violence.pdf Shelf Number: 126059 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Canada)Family ViolencePolice ReportingSpouse AbuseViolence Against Women |
Author: George, Thomas P. Title: Domestic Violence Sentencing Conditions and Recidivism Summary: This study examined the types of sentence conditions imposed on domestic violence offenders, the combination of conditions that formed offenders’ sentences, and the relationship between the type of sentence received and recidivism. A total of 66,759 individuals charged with a domestic violence offense from 2004 through 2006 in Washington State courts were included in the study, 41% of whom had conditions imposed at sentencing. Over 100 different types of conditions were used during the study period, which were then reduced to 14 condition categories. Offenders received, on average, over six different conditions. Proscriptions, fines, jail, and probation were the most common conditions imposed, each included in over half of all sentences. The combinations of conditions within sentences were then examined, and ten types of sentences were selected for analysis. Logistic regression was used to predict both domestic violence recidivism and any type of subsequent offense, controlling for a number of offender and case characteristics. Results indicated that, when compared to offenders who received sentences involving only fines and/or proscriptions, those who also complied with either probation, victim-oriented treatment, or probation and treatment had lower odds of committing another domestic violence offense during the five-year follow-up period. Any sentence that included a jail term along with fines and/or proscriptions was associated with higher odds of domestic violence recidivism. Results were similar when examining recidivism in general with one exception; sentences that included anger management interventions were also associated with lower odds of recidivating. Offenders who completed state-certified domestic violence treatment, on the other hand, did not have significantly lower or higher odds of recidivating when compared to offenders who received only fines and/or proscriptions. Results suggest a need to re-examine how domestic violence offenders are sentenced as well as whether current models of domestic violence treatment are effective in preventing further violence. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Center for Court Research, Administrative Office of the Courts, 2012. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2012 at: http://www.ofm.wa.gov/sac/nchip/DV_sentencing_conditions_recidivism.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.ofm.wa.gov/sac/nchip/DV_sentencing_conditions_recidivism.pdf Shelf Number: 126477 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic Violence Offenders (Washington, State)Family ViolencePunishmentRecidivismSentencingViolence Against Women |
Author: Duncan, Jill Title: Addressing 'The Ultimate Insult': Responding to Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Sexual Violence Summary: The paper is intended to inform and assist domestic/ family violence and sexual assault workers to understand this complex issue and to critically examine their practice in the work they undertake in supporting women affected by IPSV. However, we consider issues raised to also be relevant for policy makers, generalist counsellors and community sector professionals, including medical and health practitioners, who are working with women experiencing intimate partner violence, and facilitators of men’s behaviour change programs. This paper provides recommendations throughout that aim to clarify and build on existing knowledge and skills of practitioners. The recommendations comprise key messages drawn from the literature in the first half of the paper and suggestions arising from the worker practice forum and survey discussed in the second half. Details: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of New South Wales, 2011. 16p. Source: Stakeholder Paper 10: Internet Resource: Accessed October 7, 2012 at http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/documents/Stakeholder_Paper_10.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/documents/Stakeholder_Paper_10.pdf Shelf Number: 126570 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (Australia)Sexual Violence (Australia)Victim Services (Australia) |
Author: Debbonaire, Thangam Title: The Pilot of the Respect/Relate/CAFCASS Domestic Violence Risk Identification Tool: Evaluation Report Summary: Domestic violence risk identification, assessment and management are all developing in various ways and for various purposes in different organisations in the US, Australia, UK and elsewhere. Police, probation, social work and specialist domestic violence services are using various forms of risk assessment and identification tools and systems to guide their work with perpetrators and victims of domestic violence and their children. These tools and systems have developed over the years, gradually bringing more specific factors identified as affecting risk to the attention of professionals working with either perpetrators or victims or both in order to assist them to carry out various different activities. In 2006/07 staff from Respect, CAFCASS and Relate came together to consider a risk assessment tool that: 1. Can be used within practitioners’ current workload; 2. Can convey information from a range of sources – even and especially where the alleged perpetrator may be one source of information and where there may be huge contradictions in versions of events; 3. Takes into account the key risk factors – assuming information not only from criminal justice sources or about recent incidents; 4. Does not simply add to the dizzying range of different assessment tools already out there. The CAADA risk checklist was developed in Cardiff to support multiagency information sharing around 2000. It has since become the checklist used by Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and within MARACs (Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) which are spreading rapidly across the UK. MARACs aim to pool available information on victims who have been identified by key agencies as at medium or high risk, to plan interventions and monitoring in order to reduce the risk of continued domestic violence. Evaluations of MARACS identify the benefits for victims of this approach to protection, which include most significantly reductions in rates of recidivism. There is an implication here that this form of risk management may also be contributing to the prevention of serious injury and death – future research will be in a better position to explore this. During 2007, specialist staff in all three agencies worked together to produce an amended version of the tool, with support from CAADA. Relate, CAFCASS and Respect organisations all piloted the tool. Details: London: Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), 2008. 28p Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at: http://www.cafcass.gov.uk/PDF/7195_Review%20of%20the%20risk%20id%20tool%20pilot%2018th%20August%2008%20FOR%20PUBLICATION.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.cafcass.gov.uk/PDF/7195_Review%20of%20the%20risk%20id%20tool%20pilot%2018th%20August%2008%20FOR%20PUBLICATION.pdf Shelf Number: 126669 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceRisk AssessmentViolence Against Women |
Author: Tuiketei, Timaima Title: Violence against Women - A Public Health Perspective: Project Report Fiji 2010 Summary: WHO launched the Global Report on "Violence and Health" in 2002. The recommendations include a call on member countries to: create, implement and monitor a national action plan for violence prevention; enhance capacity for collecting data on violence; define priorities and support research on prevention of violence; promote primary prevention responses; strengthen responses for victims of violence; integrate violence prevention into social and educational policies, and thereby promote gender and social equality; and increase collaboration and exchange of information on violence prevention. The regional profile presents data collated from published sources in the Asia-Pacific region according to the five areas: HIV prevalence and epidemiological status; Vulnerability and HIV knowledge; Risk behaviours; Socio-economic impact of the epidemic; and National response. The data sources include Epidemiological fact sheets, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Behavioural Surveillance Survey (BSS), United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Report, AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and others. Details: Manilla: World Health Organization, Western Pacific Region, 2010. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 11, 2012 at: http://aidsdatahub.org/dmdocuments/Fiji_VAW_Project_report_Final_Jan_2011_24.1.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Asia URL: http://aidsdatahub.org/dmdocuments/Fiji_VAW_Project_report_Final_Jan_2011_24.1.pdf Shelf Number: 126671 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Asia, Pacific Region)Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Schlueter, Max Title: Bennington County Integrated Domestic Violence Docket Project: Outcome Evaluation. Final Report Summary: The Bennington County Integrated Domestic Violence Docket (IDVD) Project was initiated in September, 2007, as a special docket within the Bennington County Criminal/Family Division Courts. The goal of the IDVD project was to provide an immediate response to domestic violence events by coordinating Family and Criminal Division cases. Dedicated to the idea of One Family, One Judge, the IDVD Project was designed to allow a single judge, one day each week, to have immediate access to all relevant information regardless of the traditional docket and to gather all appropriate players at the table regardless of any traditionally limited roles. The IDVD Project focused on: 1) protection and safety for victims and their children as well as other family members; 2) providing immediate access to community services and resources for victims, their children, and offenders to help overcome the impact of prior domestic abuse and prevent future abuse; and 3) providing an immediate and effective response to non-compliance with court orders by offenders. Details: Northfield Falls, VT: Vermont Center for Justice Research, 2011. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 25, 2012 at: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/idvdreport.html Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/idvdreport.html Shelf Number: 126800 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Vermont, U.S.)Domestic Violence CourtsFamily ViolenceProblem-Solving CourtsVictims of Domestic Violence |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: “The Law Was Against Me”: Migrant Women’s Access to Protection for Family Violence in Belgium Summary: In spite of recent immigration law reform, family migrants in Belgium face continuing obstacles to protection. Income and evidence requirements make it hard for women whose immigration status is dependent on abusive partners to retain their residence permits if they leave the family home. Women who fail to inform the immigration authorities in time risk loss of residence permits and expulsion. The law excludes women who have applied but not yet received a residence permit and those whose partner has left Belgium. In some parts of Belgium the capacity of shelters for victims of domestic violence fails to meet demand. Undocumented migrant women experience particular difficulties in seeking protection. Unlike legal family migrants, they are not covered by the protection clause recently added to the immigration legislation. While undocumented women can apply for regularization on humanitarian grounds, domestic violence in Belgium is not an established criterion. Fear of deportation makes them reluctant to report violence to the police or otherwise seek help. Shelters in some parts of Belgium refuse to accept women without papers, citing limited resources. “The Law Was Against Me” calls on the Belgian government to build on the system already in place to ensure that it offers protection from violence for all migrant women, regardless or circumstances or legal status. It makes concrete recommendations to the authorities on improving residence permits, encouraging migrant women to report violence to the police and improving access to services. Details: New York: Human Rights Watch, 2012. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/belgium1112webwcover.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Belgium URL: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/belgium1112webwcover.pdf Shelf Number: 126906 Keywords: Abused WivesBattered WomenFamily ViolenceHuman Rights (Belgium)MigrantsViolence Against Women |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Women's Affairs Title: Lightning Does Strike Twice: Preventing Sexual Revictimisation Summary: In 2009, the Ministry of Women's Affairs (MWA) published the findings from a cross-departmental research project on effective interventions for adult victim/survivors of sexual violence. The prevalence and impacts of repeat sexual victimisation (or sexual revictimisation) emerged as an issue of critical importance: preventing it could go a long way to addressing the costs of violence against women to individuals and society. On the basis of that evidence, MWA undertook some early discussions with government agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs), about their understandings of and responses to sexual revictimisation. The discussions indicated that understanding varied and that responses tend to focus on mitigating the impacts of sexual violence, rather than preventing it from happening again. Agencies also indicated that they would welcome an accessible summary of the research literature on sexual revictimisation. This report establishes a platform for identifying the policy and practice implications of sexual revictimisation and other forms of gender-based violence. It summarises key themes in the research literature on sexual revictimisation and includes insights and feedback obtained from workshops to discuss the research findings with representatives of key government agencies and NGOs in the sexual and family violence sectors. Overall the report presents a complex picture of sexual violence and revictimisation, as experienced by many women across the life course. It strengthens our understanding of the profound and far-reaching impacts of sexual victimisation in childhood, adolescence or adulthood. While sexual revictimisation of women is the main focus, the evidence highlights the links between sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence, including men’s violence against their female intimate partners (IPV), childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and other types of child maltreatment. It underscores the importance of early identification of repeat victim/survivors, the need to break the cycle of repeat victimisation, and to provide consistent and appropriate support for survivors and their families and whānau, at a systemic level. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Women's Affairs, 2012. 73p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 9, 2012 at: http://www.mwa.govt.nz/news-and-pubs/publications/lightning-does-strike-twice-preventing-revictimisation.pdf Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.mwa.govt.nz/news-and-pubs/publications/lightning-does-strike-twice-preventing-revictimisation.pdf Shelf Number: 126914 Keywords: Child Sexual AbuseFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRapeRepeat Victimization (New Zealand)Sexual AbuseSexual AssaultSexual Violence |
Author: Coy, Maddy Title: Picking Up the Pieces: Domestic Violence and Child Contact Summary: Whilst a minority (one in ten) of parental separations reach family courts in England and Wales as a means of settling disputes over the residence of, and contact with, children (ONS, 2008), domestic violence is the most common welfare issue raised in proceedings (Hunt & Macleod, 2008). Concern about how the family justice system responds to children having contact with fathers who have abused their mothers is not new. Specialist women’s support services have long highlighted that it is problematic to presume that the relationship between a child and abusive parent is unaffected by violence, and that contact proceedings are frequently invoked by perpetrators as a means of seeking to continue to control women and children. A wide range of studies has shown that judicial decisions about contact which fail to take safety into account endanger women and children physically and emotionally (e.g. Radford et al, 1997; Mullender et al, 2002; Harrison, 2008; Thiara, 2010; Thiara & Gill, 2012), and in some cases where courts have allowed unsupervised contact with violent men, children have been killed (Saunders, 2004). Yet a presumption that contact is always in the best interests of the child, combined with an increasing focus on fathers’ rights, casts long shadows over legal judgements, policy frameworks and individual cases. The research on which this report is based examines child contact proceedings as a legal process, to identify if, how and when domestic violence was presented before the court and then factored into judicial decision making. Drawing on in-depth interviews with women who had recently completed, or were currently undergoing, proceedings and a survey of legal professionals, the project built on an existing rich body of knowledge about child contact to highlight specific points where private law Children Act proceedings can enable women to protect themselves and their children, or facilitate perpetrators’ attempts to continue power and control. The recommendations we make highlight where the current legal process could be revised in order to make a significant difference to women and children’s safety and wellbeing. We also point to promising practices that could be integrated into systems and processes. A second aim of the research was to investigate the financial impact of involvement in proceedings for women who may have already been impoverished through financial abuse by their ex-partners and/or the expense of leaving their homes. Access to justice through family law remedies – whether in response to proceedings initiated by violent ex-partners or as a possibility for women to create safety buffers through the protection of court orders – is fundamentally dependent on available and sufficient resources. This is especially topical since reductions in central Government funding for legal aid will mean a reduction in the availability of legal aid for family law cases from April 2013, creating a further barrier to and burden on women. For women from minority communities, who may have fewer socio-economic and social resources, the diminished availability of legal aid has even more acute implications (Thiara & Gill, 2012). While explicitly asking about funding for legal representation, we also explored wider financial impacts here; to what extent preparing for court, attending hearings and facilitating contact affected women’s employment and income. This report is structured through the journey of contact proceedings, beginning from histories of violence and separation and ending with the aftermath. First we present a brief overview of the current evidence base on domestic violence and child contact to contextualise our own research. Details: London: Rights of Women and Child and Woman Abuse STudies Unit (London Metropolitan University), 2012. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2012 at: http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/pdfs/Policy/Picking_Up_the_Pieces_Report_final.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.rightsofwomen.org.uk/pdfs/Policy/Picking_Up_the_Pieces_Report_final.pdf Shelf Number: 126944 Keywords: Child ProtectionChildren and ViolenceDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family Violence |
Author: Laing, Lesley Title: Evaluation of the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service (GVLDVS) Summary: THE Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service (GVLDVS) is one of six specialist domestic violence services funded under the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Services Program (ID&FVSP). Originally providing a service only to women and children in Green Valley, the service was expanded under the ID&FVSP program to comprise six staff and extended to cover the Liverpool LGA. The GVLDVS is auspiced by the South Western Sydney Local Health District, and is one of only two specialist domestic violence services located within the NSW Health sector. The brief of the service extends beyond the provision of direct services to women and children experiencing domestic violence to include an explicit focus on the promotion of a coordinated interagency response to domestic violence. Expanding the service beyond the Green Valley post code area was a recommendation of the evaluation of the original Green Valley service. This established common service boundaries with other agencies in the Liverpool area, overcoming barriers to referral and coordination that had limited the availability of this specialist service to many women and children. Whereas the GVDVS was the sole, specialist domestic violence service in Green Valley, the expanded GVLDVS is one of a number of services providing support to women experiencing domestic violence in the wider Liverpool area. These other services include a number of long-established women’s services and two new domestic violence services: Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV), which works to enable women to remain in their homes, where it is safe to do so and the Domestic Violence Support Western Sydney Service (DVSWSS) which was established in response to the NSW Government’s Homelessness Action Plan. This more complex service delivery context calls for attention to collaboration to ensure the best use of domestic violence resources, to avoid duplication and service delivery ‘gaps’ that can jeopardize the safety of women and children. This evaluation aimed to explore: The impact the GVLDVS has on women and children living in the Liverpool LGA who have experienced domestic violence; Awareness and understanding of the GVLDVS by interagency partners in Liverpool; The impact the GVLDVS has on interagency collaboration and coordination, looking particularly at developing partnerships in the context of the GVLDVS expansion into the wider Liverpool area; The impact the GVLDVS has on education, training and community development around the issue of domestic violence in the Liverpool area. The evaluation also examines the ways in which the GVLDVS fulfils its objectives to: Enhance the safety of women and children; Assist women and children to overcome the effects of domestic violence on their lives and relationships; Promote coordinated responses to domestic violence by a range of services including police, courts, health, child protection, housing and non-government agencies. mixed methodology involving the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data was used to evaluate this program, consistent with evaluations carried out in complex service delivery contexts (Keys Young, 2000). Including the voices of service users, those delivering the service and interagency partners, is essential in domestic violence service evaluation (Sulllivan, 2001). Data was collected from multiple sources: 6 Evaluation of the Green Valley Liverpool Domestic Violence Service Women who have used the service (where their safe participation could be organised); Staff of the GVLDVS; Interagency partners; Data collected under the ID&FVSP evaluation strategy on referrals to and from the GVLDVS, types of services provided and client demographics; Documentation of interagency partnerships; education, training and preventive initiatives; and therapeutic and support groups; Documentation of the reinvigorated partnership between the GVLDVS and the Green Valley police. Chapter 1 sets the context for the evaluation and outlines the methodology used. Chapter 2 draws on data from interviews with GVLDVS staff and interagency partners to paint a picture of the current context of service delivery to women and children experiencing domestic violence in Liverpool. It provides a context for the findings from interviews with women clients and interagency partners about the operations of the GVLDVS which are presented in the following chapters. While there is considerable consistency in the issues raised by both groups of respondents, each also identified particular challenges for coordinated service delivery. The GVLDVS participants identified the particular issues faced by women with children who find themselves at the intersection of the domestic violence, Family Law and child protection systems. Chapter 3 places the voices of women who have used the GVLDVS at the centre of the evaluation. They talk about the impact of the service on their and their children’s safety and well-being and on the ways in which the GVLDVS ‘walks with them’ on a journey away from violence. Some data from the interviews with GVLDVS staff is presented at the end of this chapter, to illustrate the consistency between the ways in which the staff approach service delivery and the ways in which this is experienced by women. Chapter 4 provides the perspectives of interagency partners about the role of the GVLDVS in direct service delivery to women and children, promoting collaborative partnerships and a wide range of awareness-raising and education activities. Chapter 5 provides data about the scope of the work of the GVLDVS in direct service delivery, community development, prevention, education and training, and partnership improvements. Read with the qualitative data in the preceding 2 chapters, this provides information on the variety and depth of the work of the GVLDVS team. Chapter 6 documents the efforts undertaken during the period of the evaluation to strengthen the partnership with Green Valley Police, which has been integral to the service since its pilot stage. In line with best practice directions, a coordinated case management response is being developed, aimed at identifying high risk cases and developing a coordinated approach to reducing identified risks. Chapter 7 brings together the key findings and discusses them against the current research literature about service provision to victim/survivors of domestic violence in the context of interagency collaboration and makes some recommendations for the future development of the GVLDVS. Details: Sydney: Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney, 2012. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2012 at: http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/8683/2/GVLDVS_Evaluation_report_web.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/8683/2/GVLDVS_Evaluation_report_web.pdf Shelf Number: 127009 Keywords: Abused WivesBattered WomenDomestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceVictims Services |
Author: Catalano, Shannan Title: Intimate Partner Violence, 1993-2010 Summary: This report presents data on nonfatal intimate partner violence among U.S. households from 1993 to 2010. Intimate partner violence includes rape, sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault, and simple assault by a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend. This report presents trends in intimate partner violence by sex, and examines intimate partner violence against women by the victim’s age, race and Hispanic origin, marital status, and household composition. Data are from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which collects information on nonfatal crimes reported and not reported to the police from a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. Highlights: From 1994 to 2010, the overall rate of intimate partner violence in the United States declined by 64%, from 9.8 victimizations per 1,000 persons age 12 or older to 3.6 per 1,000. Intimate partner violence declined by more than 60% for both males and females from 1994 to 2010. From 1994 to 2010, about 4 in 5 victims of intimate partner violence were female. Females ages 18 to 24 and 25 to 34 generally experienced the highest rates of intimate partner violence. Compared to every other age group, a smaller percentage of female victims ages 12 to 17 were previously victimized by the same offender. The rate of intimate partner violence for Hispanic females declined 78%, from 18.8 victimizations per 1,000 in 1994 to 4.1 per 1,000 in 2010. Females living in households comprised of one female adult with children experienced intimate partner violence at a rate more than 10 times higher than households with married adults with children and 6 times higher than households with one female only. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2012. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4536 Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4536 Shelf Number: 127013 Keywords: Abused WivesAbusive MenCrime StatisticsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (U.S.)Victimization SurveysVictims of CrimeViolence Against Women |
Author: Johnson, Wendi L. Title: The Influence of Intimate Partner Violence on Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms from Adolescence to Young Adulthood Summary: Using longitudinal survey data from the Toledo Adolescent Relationships Study (TARS), and growth curve analyses, we assessed the influence of intimate partner violence on trajectories of depressive symptoms from adolescence to early adulthood (N = 1, 286) while controlling for time stable (age, gender, race/ethnicity) and time-varying correlates associated with both IPV and depressive symptoms. Results show that IPV exerts a positive effect on depressive symptoms over time after controlling for potential confounding factors. While prior work has theorized that certain populations may be at increased psychological vulnerability from IPV, our results indicate that the influence of IPV on depressive symptoms is similar irrespective of age, gender or minority status. While prior studies have documented that adolescent girls, and women are at increased risk of physical injury due to IPV, our study highlights that with respect to one aspect of psychological well-being (depressive symptoms), IPV exerts similar effects across gender. Details: Bowling Green State University The Center for Family and Demographic Research, 2012. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: 2012 Working Paper Series: Accessed November 28, 2012 at: http://papers.ccpr.ucla.edu/papers/PWP-BGSU-2012-040/PWP-BGSU-2012-040.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://papers.ccpr.ucla.edu/papers/PWP-BGSU-2012-040/PWP-BGSU-2012-040.pdf Shelf Number: 127026 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (U.S.)Mental DepressionMental HealthViolence Against Women |
Author: Levine, Marlene Title: Case Studies of Community Initiatives Addressing Family Violence in Refugee and Migrant Communities Summary: This research describes the kinds of initiatives that were perceived by community members and service providers as working well in refugee and migrant communities and the conditions that encourage them to flourish. The report presents two case studies of community initiatives addressing family violence in refugee and migrant communities. Six other initiatives are described more briefly. These were chosen from a dozen recommended in the course of interviews with key informants from central, regional and local government, and from community organisations. The research was not intended to evaluate these initiatives and there was no analysis of client outcomes. The purpose was to learn from those involved in addressing family violence in refugee and migrant communities, and to get the voice of communities heard. It is hoped that these case studies will inspire community groups, service providers and government agencies, to initiate community-based programmes that address family violence. This research also aims to help fill the identified gap in New Zealand research on community-based programmes and family violence in refugee and migrant communities. The two case study initiatives are: • Umma Trust, which provides services and support aimed at empowering women, overcoming isolation and preventing family violence • Second Chance, which provides post-refuge education and training aimed at independence for survivors of intimate partner violence. Details: Wellington, NZ: Minsitry of Social Development and Ministry of Women's Affairs, 2011. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 1, 2012 at: www.msd.govt.nz Year: 2011 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 127050 Keywords: Domestic Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceImmigrant CommunitiesIntimate Partner ViolenceRefugee CommunitiesViolence Against Women |
Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: Elephant in the Room: Responding to Alcohol Misuse and Domestic Violence Summary: International research shows a strong association between alcohol misuse and perpetration of domestic violence. In turn, victimisation has been shown to often lead to drinking problems. Many in the domestic violence sector have been reluctant to fully engage with this association due to concerns about misconstruing alcohol as a cause of partner abuse, thereby reducing perpetrator responsibility for their violence and failing to target its real causes. Among key theories about this association, one that best aligns with our knowledge of relationship violence proposes that where alcohol misuse co-occurs with attitudes and behaviours supportive of violence against women, abuse is more likely and is more likely to escalate. Responses to this issue are urgently needed and interventions targeting both alcohol misuse and attitudes and behaviours supportive of violence will be more effective than those aimed at single problems. Interventions need to be guided by goals of victim safety, provision of support and services, the prevention of abuse and making perpetrators accountable for their behaviour. Interventions fall into two broad camps: (i) community wide primary prevention mechanisms mainly targeting alcohol misuse and (ii) individualised tertiary prevention mechanisms targeting either or both alcohol misuse and domestic violence. Prevention mechanisms show good potential to reduce alcohol related domestic violence, although their effectiveness would be enhanced by companion efforts to challenge attitudes and behaviours that support violence towards women. Greater collaboration between alcohol and domestic violence sectors could substantially advance the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2012. 23p. Source: Issues Paper 24: Internet Resource: Accessed December 2, 2012 at http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_24.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_24.pdf Shelf Number: 127102 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseAlcohol Related Crime, DisorderDomestic Violence (Australia)Family Violence |
Author: Pieterse, Duncan Title: Exposure to Violence and Educational Outcomes: Evidence from Cape Town, South Africa Summary: We explore the relationship between exposure to violence during childhood perpetrated by adults inside the home and educational outcomes in the context of higher than average rates of violence in Cape Town, South Africa and the disproportionate exposure to violence of young South Africans (black and coloured youth in particular). We match official police murder statistics at the neighbourhood level to the Cape Area Panel Study to provide a unique descriptive analysis of violence in Cape Town and we determine the extent of selection bias using matching techniques. Using three measures of educational outcomes (numeracy and literacy test scores, dropout and high school exam results), we: (i) estimate kernel density functions of continuous educational outcomes measures by race and exposure to violence during childhood; (ii) remove constant differences in unobserved family and neighbourhood background that may bias the results by using sibling and neighbourhood fixed effect models; (iii) check the robustness of our sibling fixed effect regressions by including birth order effects. In the neighbourhood fixed effect regressions, the measures of exposure to violence are significant and have a large negative effect on educational outcomes (with the exception of literacy scores). In the sibling fixed effect regressions, the effect remains for two of the four measures of exposure to violence during childhood. The measure of exposure to emotional violence during childhood is least affected by selection bias and the only measure robust to the inclusion of birth order effects. Details: Rondebosch, South Africa: Centre for Social Science Research, 2012. 68p. Source: Centre for Social Science Research Working Paper No. 306: Internet Resource: Accessed December 21, 2012 at http://www.cssr.uct.ac.za/sites/cssr.uct.ac.za/files/pubs/WP306.pdf Year: 2012 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cssr.uct.ac.za/sites/cssr.uct.ac.za/files/pubs/WP306.pdf Shelf Number: 127255 Keywords: Children's Exposure to Violence (South Africa)Domestic ViolenceEducational Performance (South Africa)Exposure to Violence (South Africa)Family Violence |
Author: Idaho State Police, Statistical Analysis Center Title: Violent Crimes Against Children in Idaho as Reported to Law Enforcement: 1998-2011 Summary: This is a report on violent crimes against children as reported to the police in Idaho from 1998 through 2011. Data comes from police agencies participating in the Idaho State Incident-Based Reporting (IIBR) program. The IIBR is a subset of the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which collects crime data from law enforcement agencies throughout the United States. Violent crimes include murder/non-negligent manslaughter, negligent manslaughter, aggravated assault, simple assault, intimidation, and sexual assaults (forcible rape and sodomy, forcible fondling, and sexual assault with an object). Trends -- The rates of violent crime against both children and adults are down nationally and in Idaho. In Idaho, violent crimes against children decreased at a greater rate than violent crimes against adults from 1998 to 2011 (-43% versus -27%). Aggravated assaults of children and abductions of children decreased the most since 1998 (-56% and -61% respectively). Details: Meridian, ID: Idaho State Police, 2012. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 29, 2013 at: http://www.jrsa.org/ibrrc/background-status/Idaho/ID_JuvenileVictims.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.jrsa.org/ibrrc/background-status/Idaho/ID_JuvenileVictims.pdf Shelf Number: 127425 Keywords: Child Abuse (Idaho)Child MaltreatmentChild Sexual AbuseCrime Against ChildrenFamily ViolenceViolent Crimes |
Author: Aguero, Jorge M. Title: Causal Estimates of the Intangible Costs of Violence Against Women in Latin America and the Caribbean Summary: Violence has a striking gender pattern. Men are more likely to be attacked by a stranger while women experience violence mostly from their partners. This paper estimates the costs of violence against women in terms of intangible outcomes, such as women’s reproductive health, labor supply, and the welfare of their children. Our study uses a sample of nearly 83,000 women in seven countries covering economies from all income groups and from all sub regions in Latin American and the Caribbean. Our sample, representing 26.3 million women between the ages of 15 and 49, strengthens the external validity of our results. Our results show that physical violence against women has a strong association with their marital status by increasing the divorce or separation rate and that that this violence is negatively linked with women’s health. We find that domestic violence also creates a negative externality by affecting key (short-term) health outcomes of children whose mothers suffered from violence. For these child health outcomes we use a natural experiment in Peru to show that these effects appear to be causal. Finally, we present suggestive evidence indicating the women’s education and age act as buffers of the negative effect of violence against women on the health outcomes of their children. Details: Unpublished Paper, 2013. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 4, 2013 at: http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=37413828 Year: 2013 Country: Central America URL: http://idbdocs.iadb.org/wsdocs/getdocument.aspx?docnum=37413828 Shelf Number: 127471 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women (Latin America, Caribbean) |
Author: Astbury, Jill Title: Triple Jeopardy: Gender-Based Violence and Human Rights Violations Experienced by Women with Disabilities in Cambodia Summary: Cambodian women with disabilities experience multiple disadvantages resulting from the interplay between gender, disability and poverty. This participatory research project, developed collaboratively between Australian and Cambodian partners, investigated prevalence and experiences of gender-based violence of women with disabilities in comparison to women without disabilities; assessed the extent to which existing policies and programs include or address women with disabilities; and explored how women with disabilities are supported or denied access to existing programs. The study found that women with disabilities and women without disabilities faced similar levels of sexual, physical and emotional violence by partners. However, the picture that emerged in terms of family violence (excluding partners) was starkly different. Women with disabilities experienced much higher levels of all forms of this violence. They were much more likely to be insulted, made to feel bad about themselves, belittled, intimidated, and subjected to physical and sexual violence than their non-disabled peers. These results, building on scarce developing country evidence, speak to the unique vulnerabilities of women with disabilities to violence. There is an urgent need for mainstream services to ensure that women with disabilities can access their services, and for services for people with disabilities that address gender concerns. Similarly, it is critical that discriminatory attitudes which condone and perpetuate violence against women with disabilities are challenged and transformed. Details: Canberra: AusAID (Australian Agency for International Development), 2013. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: AusAID Research Working Paper 1: Accessed February 15, 2013 at http://www.ausaid.gov.au/research/Documents/triple-jeopardy-working-paper.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Cambodia URL: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/research/Documents/triple-jeopardy-working-paper.pdf Shelf Number: 127631 Keywords: DisabilityFamily ViolenceHuman RightsIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (Cambodia) |
Author: Perera, Jennifer: Gunawardane, Nalika Title: Review of Research Evidence on Gender Based Violence (GBV) in Sri Lanka. Second Edition Summary: This document summarises the literature published between 1982 and 2011 on violence (GBV) in Sri Lanka. In our attempt to collate the scientific information on GBV in Sri Lanka, the selection of research was based on pre-determined criteria, viz. to include research and exclude case studies that describe individual experiences. A great majority of the research was on GBV on women. The evidence were classified based on its focus and was included under different themes i.e., Research on GBV at different stages of life of a woman, GBV in different environment settings, clinical manifestation of affected groups and response of organizations towards GBV. The literature review showed that there was a paucity of research evidence on locally relevant interventions to minimize GBV. The impact of domestic violence on members of the household, morbidity and mortality patterns of affected families, long term psychological and physical development of affected children and the long term effects on the victims were other notable areas where no evidence was found. Despite certain limitations the committee was able to collate a considerable amount of data that will convince any reader that GBV is indeed a significant social and public health problem of considerable magnitude in Sri Lanka. While GBV includes violence against men and women, in the majority of cases the victims are women. The pattern of GBV in Sri Lanka encompasses physical, sexual, psychological and emotional violence and parallels current worldwide trends. The cumulative impact of violence experienced by girls and women is immense, especially in terms of its impact on their physical and mental health and its consequences, both immediate and long term. It is evident that GBV is currently not addressed adequately by the health care and other relevant sectors in Sri Lanka. Details: Colombo: Sri Lanka Medical Association, 2011. 47p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 16, 2013 at: http://whosrilanka.healthrepository.org/bitstream/123456789/434/1/GBV.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Sri Lanka URL: http://whosrilanka.healthrepository.org/bitstream/123456789/434/1/GBV.pdf Shelf Number: 127643 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Sri Lanka)Family ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Weber, Robin Title: An Analysis of Domestic Violence and Arrest Patterns in Vermont Using NIBRS Data Summary: This project for the first time enumerates domestic violence incidents in Vermont by both county and town. This analysis will be of significant benefit to domestic violence staff in terms of identifying locations where domestic violence education and prevention programs should be focused. The analysis of domestic violence incidents undertaken in this report utilized the National Incident‐Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data from the Vermont Criminal Information Center’s Vermont Crime On‐Line (VCON) site. The project demonstrates the utility of VCON for both policy and service-related research. The project provides a statewide look at domestic violence incidents using a variety of NIBRS data points including victim, offender, and crime circumstance data. The analysis indicates that the most common domestic violence incidents in Vermont involve a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, where the body is used as a weapon in the act of violence. The report also undertakes an analysis of police response to domestic violence incidents. Statewide results suggest that approximately 80% of all domestic violence incidents were cleared by arrest. Analysis indicated that in some counties, 20% of cases did not end in arrest because the victim refused to cooperate with law enforcement. Cases handled by the Vermont State Police are more likely to encounter victim refusals than cases handled by municipal police or sheriffs. Approximately 60% of cases that ended in arrest ended in a custodial arrest of the defendant versus a citation to appear. In an attempt to understand what factors were related to custodial arrest the researcher conducted logistic regression analysis. Findings suggest that key factors related to custodial arrest are the agency type, the gender of the offender, whether the offender was using alcohol, and the nature of the offense. Details: Northfield Falls, VT: Vermont Center for Justice Research, 2012. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 22, 2013 at: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/dvarrestsnibrs_files/VTJRSA%2011-30-12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.vcjr.org/reports/reportscrimjust/reports/dvarrestsnibrs_files/VTJRSA%2011-30-12.pdf Shelf Number: 127710 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic Violence (Vermont, U.S.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Sinha, Maire, ed. Title: Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical trends Summary: For the past three decades, Federal-Provincial-Territorial (FPT) Ministers responsible for the Status of Women have shared a common vision to end violence against women in all its forms. Violence against women in Canada is a serious, pervasive problem that crosses every social boundary and affects communities across the country. It remains a significant barrier to women's equality and has devastating impacts on the lives of women, children, families and Canadian society as a whole. This report marks the third time that the FPT Status of Women Forum has worked with Statistics Canada to add to the body of evidence on gender-based violence. Assessing Violence Against Women: A Statistical Profile was released in 2002 and was followed by Measuring Violence Against Women: Statistical Trends 2006. The 2006 report expanded the analysis into new areas, presenting information on Aboriginal women and women living in Canada's territories. The current report maintains this important focus and also includes information on dating violence, violence against girls and violence that occurs outside of the intimate partner/family context. It also shows trends over time and provides data at national, provincial/territorial, and census metropolitan area levels. A study on the economic impacts of one form of violence against women, spousal violence, is also presented. We acknowledge that there is more to learn to provide a complete picture of violence against women and girls. For example, there are new and emerging issues such as cyber-violence and areas where data gaps continue to exist, such as trafficking in persons, as well as an increasing emphasis on building evidence about promising prevention and intervention practices. Ongoing research and analysis will further our understanding of the complex, gendered dimensions of violence in all its forms and how women's experiences of violence intersect with other aspects of their lives. This report was designed to reach a wide audience. It is intended to support policy and program development and decision making for governments, non-governmental organizations, service providers, academics, researchers and all others working to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. We are confident that as this body of knowledge continues to advance, it will promote prevention efforts and enhance responses to women and girls who experience violence in our communities. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2013. 120p. Source: Internet Resource: Juristat Article: Accessed March 1, 2013 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11766-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11766-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 127741 Keywords: Dating ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRapeViolence Against Women (Canada) |
Author: Miller, Marna Title: What Works to Reduce Recidivism by Domestic Violence Offenders? Summary: The 2012 Washington State Legislature directed the Washington State Institute for Public Policy to: a) update its analysis of the national and international literature on domestic violence (DV) treatment; b) report on other interventions effective at reducing recidivism by DV offenders and criminal offenders in general; and c) survey other states’ laws regarding DV treatment for offenders. Similar to 25 other states, Washington’s legal standards for DV treatment require treatment to be group-based and incorporate elements of a treatment model developed in the 1980s in Duluth, MN. In updating our review of the literature, we identified 11 rigorous evaluations—none from Washington—testing whether DV treatment has a cause-and-effect relationship with DV recidivism. Six of those evaluations tested the effectiveness of Duluth-like treatments. We found no effect on DV recidivism with the Duluth model. There may be other reasons for courts to order offenders to participate in these Duluth-like programs, but the evidence to date suggests that DV recidivism will not decrease as a result. Our review indicates that there may be other group-based treatments for male DV offenders that effectively reduce DV recidivism. We found five rigorous evaluations covering a variety of non-Duluth group-based treatments. On average, this diverse collection of programs reduced DV recidivism by 33%. Unfortunately, these interventions are so varied in their approaches that we cannot identify a particular group-based treatment to replace the Duluth-like model required by Washington State law. Additional outcome evaluations, perhaps of the particular DV programs in Washington State, would help identify effective alternatives to the Duluth model. This report includes separate statements from the Washington State Supreme Court Gender and Justice Commission and the Northwest Association of Domestic Violence Treatment Professionals. Details: Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2013. 20p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 4, 2013 at: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/13-01-1201.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/rptfiles/13-01-1201.pdf Shelf Number: 127819 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.S.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRecidivismTreatment Programs |
Author: Northcott, Melissa Title: Intimate Partner Violence Risk Assessment Tools: A Review Summary: Intimate partner violence touches the lives of thousands of Canadians. The criminal justice system is faced with the task of protecting victims of intimate partner violence, while at the same time ensuring that the rights of the accused are not violated. This tension is evident at different stages in the criminal justice system process such as at bail, sentencing and parole. One approach that has been adopted to manage the above noted issues is assessing the risk that offenders pose for re-offending and how to best manage these offenders (Hoyle 2008; Roehl et al. 2005). Specialized risk assessment tools have been created for these purposes and are being used in many jurisdictions across Canada (Millar 2009). The purpose of this report is to provide an understanding of intimate partner violence risk assessment tools and of the issues that assessors should consider when choosing an assessment instrument. This report begins with a discussion of the general use of risk assessment tools, their use in the criminal justice system in general and in cases of intimate partner violence specifically. The different approaches of risk assessment are then discussed, as are factors to consider when choosing a tool. The strengths and limitations of the various approaches and of risk assessment tools in general are also explored. This report was created to contribute to a better understanding of the range of risk assessment tools that are used by the various professionals working in the area of intimate partner violence. Details: Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2008. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2012/rr12_8/rr12_8.pdf Year: 2008 Country: United States URL: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2012/rr12_8/rr12_8.pdf Shelf Number: 127968 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (Canada)Risk AssessmentViolence Against Women |
Author: Slabber, Marilize Title: Community-based Domestic Violence Interventions A Literature Review – 2012 Summary: This literature and research review looked at the status of domestic violence interventions in Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, United States and New Zealand. The domestic violence field is dominated by two approaches. The Domestic Abuse Intervention Project Programme (DAIP or the Duluth Programme) is based on a feminist psycho-educational model. An analysis of violence from this perspective suggests it is a result of socio-political forces that are influenced by patriarchal philosophy. Programmes focus on teaching clients about power and control elements that cause domestic violence. Clients also learn about engaging in their relationships or developing relationships on the basis of respect, equality and non violence. Cognitive behavioural approaches, on the other hand, assume that domestic violence is a learned behaviour that can be replaced with nonviolent behaviours. They include cognitive, emotional, behavioural analyses and skills training techniques. It is often difficult to make clear distinctions between the two models as many programmes combine elements of both. Programmes in key jurisdictions vary across and/or within countries. Canada and the United Kingdom generally adhere to the Risk-Needs- Responsivity (RNR) model but community programmes in the United Kingdom may also be based on the Duluth model. In the United States, programme standards and processes vary across states; programmes appear to be based largely on pro feminist or blended models approach to domestic violence also varies across states and programmes appear to be Duluth-based. Some regions have developed culturally suitable programmes. The New Zealand Department of Corrections does not have specialised prison programmes for domestically violent offenders. Male domestic violence offenders are referred to prison-based general offending programmes (i.e. Special Treatment Units or Medium Intensity Programmes) based on individual risk and needs assessment. Community-based domestic violence programmes are contracted in from Ministry of Justice-accredited private providers. These programmes are mostly Duluth-based and psycho-educational, with cognitive behavioural elements. They also need to be culturally responsive. Both high risk and moderate risk offenders and mandated and non- mandated domestically violent offenders are eligible to attend community programmes. There have been few evaluation studies of domestic violence programmes. Assessments of Duluth-type and cognitive behavioural programmes or a combination of the two show few or no significant differences in effectiveness between programme types. At best programmes appear to have a weak positive impact on recidivism rates. Overall, the research provides more information on what does not work rather than on effective ways to stop family violence. Findings from research on other interventions with general offenders suggest that the most effective interventions are consistent with the principles of risk, needs and responsivity. These principles are principles are also relevant to domestically violent offenders. Treatment effectiveness is enhanced when programmes maintain treatment integrity. Some groups of domestic violence offenders may have additional needs and/or responsivity issues such as difficulties with motivation, serious mental illness, personality disorders and substance abuse. The review noted the weak positive impact on recidivism rates of domestic violence offenders within a risk, needs and responsivity framework. Details: Wellington, NZ: Psychological Services, Department of Corrections, 2012. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/649042/COR_Community_Based_Domestic_Violence_Interventions_WEB_2.pdf Year: 2012 Country: International URL: http://www.corrections.govt.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/649042/COR_Community_Based_Domestic_Violence_Interventions_WEB_2.pdf Shelf Number: 128006 Keywords: Community-Based Treatment ProgramsDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterventionsIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Erez, Edna Title: GPS Monitoring Technologies and Domestic Violence: An Evaluation Study Summary: This study examines the implementation of Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring technology in enforcing court mandated “no contact” orders in domestic violence (DV) cases, particularly those involving intimate partner violence (IPV). The research also addresses the effectiveness of GPS as a form of pretrial supervision, as compared to other conditions in which defendants are placed. The project has three components: First, a national web-based survey of agencies providing pretrial supervision reported on patterns of GPS usage, as well as the advantages, drawbacks, and costs associated with using GPS for DV cases. The results indicate a gradual increase in agencies’ use of GPS technology for DV cases since 1996, primarily to enhance victim safety and defendant supervision. Second, a quasi-experimental design study of three sites from across the U.S. – referred to as “Midwest,” “West,” and “South” – examined the impact of GPS technology on DV defendants’ program violations and re-arrests during the pretrial period (referred to as the “short term”), and on re-arrests during a one-year follow-up period after case disposition (referred to as the “long term”). The results indicate that GPS has an impact on the behavior of program enrollees over both short and long terms. Examination of the short-term impact of GPS enrollment shows it is associated with practically no contact attempts. Furthermore, defendants enrolled in GPS monitoring have fewer program violations compared to those placed in traditional electronic monitoring (EM) that utilizes radio frequency (RF) technology (i.e., remotely monitored and under house arrest, but without tracking). GPS tracking seems to increase defendants’ compliance with program rules compared to those who are monitored but not tracked. Defendants enrolled in the Midwest GPS program had a lower probability of being rearrested for a DV offense during the one-year follow-up period, as compared to defendants who had been in a non-GPS condition (e.g., in jail, in an RF program, or released on bond without supervision). In the West site, those placed on GPS had a lower likelihood of arrest for any criminal violation within the one-year follow-up period. In the South site, no impact deriving from participation in GPS was observed. The heterogeneity of the defendants who are placed on GPS at this site, and the different method for generating the South sample of DV defendants, may account for the absence of GPS impact on arrest in the long term. An examination of the relationship between GPS and legal outcomes across the three sites revealed similar conviction rates for defendants on GPS and those who remained in jail during the pretrial period. Further, a comparison of conviction rates for GPS and RF defendants at the Midwest site found a significant difference – with GPS defendants being likelier to be convicted as compared to RF defendants; conviction rates in the Midwest and South sites were also higher for GPS defendants compared to defendants released on bond without supervision, suggesting that defendants’ participation in GPS increases the likelihood of conviction. These findings may be related to the fact that GPS provides victims with relief from contact attempts, empowering them to participate in the state’s case against the defendant. The third component of the study is a qualitative investigation conducted at six sites, entailing in-depth individual and group interviews with stakeholders in domestic violence cases – victims, defendants and criminal justice personnel. The interviews identified a variety of approaches to organizing GPS programs, with associated benefits and liabilities. Victims largely felt that having defendants on GPS during the pretrial period provided relief from the kind of abuse suffered prior to GPS, although they noted problems and concerns with how agencies and courts apply GPS technology. Interviews with defendants supported quantitative findings about the impact of GPS on defendants’ short- and long-term behavior, and found both burdens and occasional benefits associated with participation. Benefits of GPS enrollment for defendants included protecting them from false accusations, providing added structure to their lives, and enabling them to envision futures for themselves without the victim. Burdens pertained to living with restrictions and becoming transparent, managing issues related to stigma and disclosure of one’s status as a DV defendant tethered to GPS, and handling the practical issues that emerge with the technology and equipment. Policy implications highlight the importance of having a logical connection between defendant attributes and program details, avoiding enrollment in cases where the GPS has minimal or no value and is imposed for reasons other than protecting victims or enforcing restraining orders, the need for justice professionals to cultivate relationships with victims whose abusers are on GPS, and the importance of maintaining an appropriate balance between victim safety and due process for the defendant. Details: Unpublished report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2012. 245p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/238910.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/238910.pdf Shelf Number: 128015 Keywords: Domestic Violence OffendersElectronic MonitoringFamily ViolenceGlobal Positioning System (GPS)Intimate Partner ViolenceOffender Monitoring (U.S.)Pretrial Supervision |
Author: Zhang, Ting Title: An Estimation of the Economic Impact of Spousal Violence in Canada, 2009 Summary: This report provides an estimate of the economic impact of spousal violence that occurred in Canada in 2009. Spousal violence is a widespread and unfortunate social reality that has an effect on all Canadians. Victims of spousal violence are susceptible to sustaining costly and long-lasting physical, emotional, and financial consequences. Children who are exposed to spousal violence suffer in many ways and are at increased risk of developing negative social behaviours or disorders as a result (Dauvergne and Johnson 2001). The victims’ family, friends, and employers are also affected to varying degrees. Every member of society eventually feels the impact of spousal violence through the additional financial strain imposed on publicly funded systems and services. The more Canadians understand about the costly and serious impact of spousal violence, the better prepared we are to continue efforts to prevent it and where it does occur, to protect and assist victims, to hold perpetrators accountable, and to take measures to break the cycle of violence. Estimating the economic impact of a social phenomenon such as spousal violence, a process known as costing, is a way to measure both the tangible and intangible impacts of that phenomenon. By placing a dollar value on the impact, a common unit of measurement is provided. The dollar value for the economic impact of spousal violence can then be compared to the corresponding estimates of other social phenomena. Proponents of costing contend that the understanding of economic impacts and the comparison of different social issues in the same units are important to policymakers, activists, social workers, and the public by assisting in the proper allocation of resources, and in evaluating the effectiveness of programs. Two complementary data sources reflect the incidents of spousal violence in Canada: the policebased Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2 (UCR2) and the self-reported 2009 General Social Survey (GSS, cycle 23, Victimization). While the UCR2 captures detailed information on all Criminal Code violations reported to police services, the GSS interviews Canadians aged 15 and older regarding their experience of physical or sexual victimization regardless of whether or not the incident was reported to police. The UCR2 Survey reports that 46,918 spousal violence incidents were brought to the attention of police in 2009, 81% involving female victims and 19% involving male victims. More victims were victimized by current spouses (71%) than by former spouses (29%). According to the 2009 GSS, 335,697 Canadians were victims of 942,000 spousal violence incidents in 2009; 54% of the victims were female, and 46% of the victims were male. More victims were victimized by current spouses (69%) than by ex-spouses (31%). It is important to note that police-based surveys (such as the UCR2) and self-reported surveys (such as the GSS) normally report different proportions of female and male victims of spousal violence. Specifically, police-based survey data show a significantly higher proportion of female victims of spousal violence while GSS data depict gender parity in experiences of spousal violence. Many studies offer some reasons for this discrepancy. For instance, Allen (2011) states that this inconsistency can be explained by the fact the two types of surveys may actually capture different types of spousal violence; police-based surveys capture the more serious intimate terrorism (IT), which involves the use of severe violence to gain domination and control over a spouse, whereas self-reported surveys capture the generally more minor common couple violence (CCV), which involves poor resolution of typical conflict issues without the appearance of one party trying to completely dominate or control the other. Kevan and Archer (2003) find that perpetration rates for CCV are fairly even between genders (45% perpetrated by men), but that the large majority of IT is perpetrated by men (87% perpetrated by men). These findings may help to explain the disparity in the results of the GSS and the UCR2. Details: Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2012. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: rr12-07-e: Accessed March 20, 2013 at: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2012/rr12_7/rr12_7.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/rs/rep-rap/2012/rr12_7/rr12_7.pdf Shelf Number: 128049 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeEconomics of CrimeFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse Abuse (Canada)Violence Against Women |
Author: Fox, Claire L. Title: From Boys to Men: Phase One Key Findings Summary: The research found evidence of young people experiencing domestic violence both within relationships and at home. Young people had been victims, witnesses and perpetrators of violent or controlling behaviours. Those who experienced abusive behaviour, either as a victim or witness reported a reluctance to report such experiences to an adult or figure of authority. Boys were more likely than girls to think it was ok for a man/woman to hit his/her partner. 34% of young people reported witnessing abuse involving an adult who looks after them. Girls reported witnessing more abuse than boys. 27% of young people witnessed emotional abuse or controlling behaviour. 19% of young people witnessed physical violence. 45% of young people reported having experienced at least one of the types of domestic abuse listed in the questionnaire. 38% reported experiencing emotional abuse and controlling behaviours. 17% had experienced physical abuse. 14% had experienced sexual coercion. Half of those who had been victimised had also been abusive. Girls reported more sexual victimisation than boys. Details: London: From Boys to Men Project, 2012? 10p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2013 at: www.boystomenproject.com Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 128079 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family Violence |
Author: McCleary-Sills, Jennifer Title: Help-Seeking Pathways and Barriers for Survivors of Gender-based Violence in Tanzania - Results from a Study in Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, and Iringa Regions Summary: Over the last few decades, gender-based violence has gained international recognition as a grave social and human rights concern. In Tanzania, gender-based violence is widespread; the most recent Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey found that 44% of ever-married women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. ICRW and the University of Dar es Salaam's Department of Sociology and Anthropology, in partnership with EngenderHealth, conducted a qualitative study in three target regions of the country: Dar es Salaam, Iringa, and Mbeya. This report documents community perceptions and attitudes about gender-based violence, identifies the range of informal and formal services currently available to survivors, highlights gaps in service provision, and provides recommendations for improving existing services. The findings are based on 104 key informant interviews conducted with a wide array of stakeholders, service providers, and duty bearers at the national, district, and ward levels, as well as participatory focus group discussions with 96 male and female community members. The research and recommendations currently are informing the overall design of a multi-sectoral intervention to scale up the response to gender-based violence in Tanzania under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS (PEPFAR). Details: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: EngenderHealth/CHAMPION, 2013. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 25, 2013 at: http://reliefweb.int/report/united-republic-tanzania/help-seeking-pathways-and-barriers-survivors-gender-based-violence Year: 2013 Country: Tanzania URL: http://reliefweb.int/report/united-republic-tanzania/help-seeking-pathways-and-barriers-survivors-gender-based-violence Shelf Number: 128128 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Based Violence (Tanzania)RapeSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Rennison, Claire Title: Evaluation of Safer Relationships Activity (SRA) Summary: The Safer Relationships Activity is a domestic abuse course that was introduced in West Yorkshire in August 2010. It was originally aimed at 18-30 year olds who were low to medium risk of harm and who were early in their offending careers. The aim was to address their behaviours and attitudes before this became entrenched. The criteria for domestic abuse programmes was changed in January 2011 so that only those of high risk of serious harm or complex cases where there were child concerns were eligible for IDAP. This has meant that the majority of cases have been given SRA since this change was introduced. It was originally intended for seven groups to run between September 2010 and April 2011 with a target of 80 completions for the year. Due to the low number of completed questionnaires and course completions the evaluation period was extended till the end of August 2011, with 15 groups completing. At the end of this period, all groups which had completed (n=17) were included in the evaluation. Since the Safer Relationship Activity started 501 individuals have been sentenced to it as part of their Order/Licence. Out of these, 188 individuals had started a SRA group of whom 53% (n=100) had successfully completed. The number of participants who started groups ranged between 11 and 18, with an average of 12 participants. The number of participants who successfully completed ranged between four and ten, with an average of six participants finishing a group. The total and average number of starts increased with each cohort. This increase did not have an effect on the numbers who completed which remained steady regardless of the number of people who started. The average number of participants who attended each session decreased, with a drop in numbers at session 2 and again at session 10. This again seems to support anecdotal evidence from tutors that if you have people engaged by the half way stage, then the majority will go on to successfully complete SRA. The percentage of absences recorded as being acceptable increased, with Cohort 3 having over a quarter (26%, n=10) and Cohort 4 having just under a quarter (24%, n=6) of the absences being classed as acceptable by Offender Managers. This appears to support anecdotal evidence from tutors who felt that in the latter groups more absences were being classed as acceptable. The number of sessions run for groups ranged between 14 to 16. The majority of groups appeared to be run for 15 sessions made up of the orientation session followed by 14 sessions. This was despite the guidance describing SRA as 16 sessions. The groups that ran for only 14 sessions including the orientation had appeared to combine sessions together due to the groups being held on a Monday and being disrupted by the Bank Holidays in April 2011. The majority of groups were run on an evening. Further investigation would be needed and more groups would need to run at alternative times in order to see if the time of the group had an impact on the numbers that completed. The number of starts after the criteria was opened up increased (n=92 starts before the change in criteria versus n=107 after the change in criteria). However a smaller proportion of people went on to successfully complete. After the change the percentage completion rate fell from 57% (n=52/92) to 45% (48/107). Details: West Yorkshire Probation Trust, 2012. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Report Number 5 2011/12: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: www.westyorksprobation.org.uk Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 128265 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Franklin, Cortney A. Title: Differences in Education/Employment Status and Intimate Partner Victimization Summary: Research has estimated that approximately one out of four women will experience abuse by an intimate partner. There has been considerable effort directed toward understanding the occurrence of intimate partner violence (IPV) (Franklin & Kercher, 2012; Franklin, Menaker, & Kercher, 2012). One approach to clarify why men perpetrate IPV has focused on power structures of male dominance and female submission that are maintained in society and reinforced in relationships. For example, in looking at persons with authority in various professional and industry positions, the leaders are typically male. These are the individuals with decision-making power who are responsible for delegating tasks and managing people. Support staff, including secretaries and assistants, are often female. Their job duties require them to submit to male leaders and support the achievements of male authority. The gendered division of employment happens, in part, through an individual’s access to resources, including their occupational and educational status and income-earning potential. These structures are replicated in the family and in marital, intimate, and courtship relationships (Johnson, 2005). Such a model suggests that familial control and decision- making power are associated with a family member’s ability to accrue resources of value. In the family context, inconsistencies in status or power (e.g., educational achievement, income earned, employment status) can produce feelings of stress and inadequacy among those who lack these resources (Lenton, 1995). Couples involved in “status-reversal relationships,” where women hold higher status than their male partners, may experience barriers to healthy interaction. Status-reversal relationships may generate feelings of stress, inadequacy, and fear among men (Lenton, 1995; Yick, 2001). In order to neutralize these feelings, men may rely on the use of physical strength and violence to dominate women (Hotaling & Sugarman, 1986; McCloskey, 1996; Teichman & Teichman, 1989). Recent empirical research has supported these claims (Atkinson, Greenstein, & Lang,, 2005). This research brief presents a summary of indings produced from a recent study that will soon be published in the journal Violence Against Women. The study tested the relationship between education and employment status differences in couples and experiences of Intimate Partner Violence victimization among 303 female Texas residents involved in heterosexual relationships. Details: Huntsville, TX: Crime Victims' Institute, Sam Houston State University, Criminal Justice Center, 2012. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 5, 2013 at: http://dev.cjcenter.org/_files/cvi/Status%20Inconsistencyappr.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://dev.cjcenter.org/_files/cvi/Status%20Inconsistencyappr.pdf Shelf Number: 128281 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (Texas)Socioeconomic Status |
Author: Kunst, Maarten Title: The Burden of Interpersonal Violence: Examining the psychosocial aftermath of victimisation Summary: The burden of violent victimisation has received much attention in scientific literature. Most previous studies seem to have focussed on adverse psychological or medical consequences of victimisation (e.g., Denkers, 1996). A few others have attempted to uncover its negative socioeconomic impact (e.g., Dolan, Loomes, Peasgood, & Tsuchiya, 2005). And finally, several studies have considered the positive side of violence (e.g., Cobb, Tedeschi, Calhoun, & Cann, 2006). Despite the abundance of available studies on the aftermath of violent victimisation, many issues still remain to be uncovered. Relying on a sample of victims of violence who had claimed compensation from the Dutch Victim Compensation Fund (DVCF), the purpose of this PhD project was to further unravel the psychosocial aftermath of violent victimisation in this specific subgroup of interpersonal violence. A number of studies have investigated mental health outcomes of violence in victims with a history of application for compensation from the state. These studies primarily focussed on victims of mass casualties, such terrorist bombings (e.g., Verger et al., 2004). However, on the other hand, victims of individual casualties, such as civilian violence, seem to have been neglected in previous research. Details: Tilburg, German: University of Tilburg, 2010. 224p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=105988 Year: 2010 Country: Netherlands URL: http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi?fid=105988 Shelf Number: 128307 Keywords: Family ViolenceInterpersonal Violence (Netherlands)Intimate Partner ViolencePosttraumatic Stress DisorderVictims of CrimeVictims of Violent CrimesViolent Crimes |
Author: Rwanda Women’s Network Title: Exploring Community Perceptions and Women’s Experiences of Violence against Women and Use of Services in Bugesera District, Eastern Province, Rwanda Summary: Most studies on gender based violence (GBV) in Rwanda have focused on the sexual violence that happened during the genocide. Research that does exist on violence in intimate relationships after the genocide has shown that the levels are high but good data on how women are assisted and supported is absent. This report presents findings from a study done as part of the Strengthening GBV Research Capacity in Africa project. The main objective of the study was to assist the Rwanda Women’s Network (RWN) and other service providers in developing effective services for abused women. The study was done in the District of Bugesera, an area most affected by the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. Qualitative methods consisting of semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus group discussions were used. Participants included women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV), community members, service providers (police, health, community leaders, local authorities, GVB committees, NGOs, and mediators (abunzi)). The data was analyzed using content analysis. Women experienced the full spectrum of IPV, including physical, sexual, psychological and economic violence. Being abandoned by a partner and struggling to survive was a common theme. Seeking help was not always an option although many women’s first call of help was to local leaders. The study revealed that many women were not able to get the assistance they needed and both the financial dependence on husbands and the Rwandan culture of keeping family affairs private were key barriers in seeking assistance. Barriers to providing assistance as described by service providers include: lack of resources such as transport to take victims to the hospital; wide distances between villages and lack of health personnel to attend to survivors. Family support was also limited because of the effect of the genocide. However encouraging was the assistance provided by other community women as well as NGOs and this was of value in providing emotional and financial assistance to women and their children. The study not only generated more in-depth information about knowledge, attitudes and perceptions on VAW, but it also built RWN research capacity and provided data for use in programmatic and advocacy work among women in Rwanda. Details: Kigali, Rwanda: Rwanda Women's Network, 2011. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2013 at: http://www.mrc.ac.za/gender/ExploringCommunityPerceptions.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Rwanda URL: http://www.mrc.ac.za/gender/ExploringCommunityPerceptions.pdf Shelf Number: 128310 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based Violence (Rwanda)Intimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Spinney, Angela Title: Home and Safe? Policy and practice innovations to prevent women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence from becoming homeless Summary: This report sets out the findings of a research project investigating the opportunities and challenges of preventing women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence from becoming homeless. The project responded to the AHURI Strategic Research Issue 1: Housing and related systems that prevent homelessness and promote wellbeing and stable housing outcomes, and the challenges outlined in the White Paper, The road home: a national approach to reducing homelessness (Commonwealth of Australia 2008). The White Paper highlights prevention and early intervention as the most efficient and effective ways to reduce homelessness, and they are also embodied within National Affordable Housing Agreement objectives. This is the second and Final Report from AHURI Research Project 50602– Homelessness prevention for women and children who have experienced domestic and family violence: innovations in policy and practice. The aim is to explore the value and implementation challenges of innovative staying at home homelessness prevention measures, such as Staying Home Leaving Violence schemes in Australia and Sanctuary Schemes in England. The two broad research questions are: How and to what extent have innovative homelessness prevention measures introduced in Australia and England since the mid-1990s been successful in enabling women and children to remain in their homes and localities? What are the implications of these findings for policy on housing and homelessness in Australia and for improvements to practice? Details: Melbourne: Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, 2012. 111p. Source: Internet Resource: AHURI Final Report No. 196: Accessed April 9, 2013 at: http://www.ahuri.edu.au/publications/ Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ahuri.edu.au/publications/ Shelf Number: 128324 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomelessness (Australia)Housing |
Author: Tuladhar, Sabita Title: Women's Empowerment and Spousal Violence in Relation to Health Outcomes in Nepal Further Analysis of the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey Summary: Empowering women and addressing gender-based discrimination are key elements of the development agenda of the Nepal government and integral to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Spousal violence is one of the forms of gender-based violence prevalent in Nepal. The objective of this study is to understand women’s empowerment and spousal violence in relation to health outcomes of women and their children. The study analyzed data on 3,084 currently married women age 15-49 from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A composite Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) was developed that included five variables: i) household decision-making, ii) ownership of land or house, iii) membership in community group, iv) proportion earning cash, and v) women’s education. The WEI classified women into three empowerment levels, whereby 17, 48, and 35 percent of married women were in high, moderate, and low empowerment levels, respectively. Variations in women’s empowerment were distinct by age, caste/ethnicity, and wealth quintile. The WEI is used to analyze spousal violence separately and jointly in relation to health outcomes. Twenty eight percent of women reported having experienced spousal physical and/or sexual violence at least once during their lifetime. In the bivariate analysis, women’s empowerment was inversely associated with greater odds of having experienced spousal violence. After controlling for age, wealth, caste/ethnicity, and ecological zone, however, women's empowerment was not significantly related to the odds of spousal violence. This finding may suggest the extent to which violence is a multi-faceted problem affected by a wide variety of contextual and situational factors. Utilization of four or more antenatal care visits, the recommended international standard, was significantly greater for highly empowered women, even after controlling for spousal violence and socio-demographic characteristics. Less empowered women and women who had experienced spousal violence were also more likely to have anemic children. Children of women who had experienced spousal violence had lower odds of being immunized, even after adjusting for related factors. These findings suggest that women’s empowerment and spousal violence appear to have important implications for the health of women and their children. It is recommended that a holistic approach to improving the health of women and children in Nepal incorporate multi-sectoral programming to promote women’s empowerment and reduce gender-based violence. Details: Calverton, Maryland, USA: Nepal Ministry of Health and Population, New ERA, and ICF International, 2013. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2013 at: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FA77/FA77.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nepal URL: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FA77/FA77.pdf Shelf Number: 128350 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceSpouse Abuse (Nepal)Violence Against WomenWomen's Health |
Author: Kaili, Christina Title: REACT to Domestic Violence: Building a Support System for Victims of Domestic Violence. Cyprus Mapping Study: Implementation of the Domestic Violence Legislation, Policies and the Existing Victim Support System Summary: This report is the result of a research project conducted by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) within the framework of the project REACT to Domestic Violence: Building a Support System for Victims of Domestic Violence, funded by the European Commission Daphne III Programme, and coordinated by the Legal Informational Centre for NGOs Slovenia (PIC). The project’s main aim was to raise awareness, knowledge and sensitivity among legal practitioners, judges and prosecutors involved in domestic violence as well as to increase the capacity of the NGO support system to effectively respond to victim’s needs. This mapping study aims to gain and share knowledge and understanding on domestic violence in Cyprus, as well as to assess all aspects of implementation of the relevant legislation and policies on domestic violence, with a particular focus on the victim support system. The research was conducted from a gender perspective. The qualitative analysis is based on eight semi-structured in-depth interviews conducted with policy makers and government officials from all relevant ministries and government departments, as well as with front line services providers including the police, the social welfare services and non-governmental organisations. The themes addressed in this report include the examination of existing and planned policies to combat domestic violence; challenges relating to the implementation of relevant legislation and policy measures; views and attitudes regarding the situation of domestic violence in Cyprus; as well as recommendations for the improvement of the existing victim support system. Information was also gathered through the existing National Action Plan on Prevention and Combating Violence in the Family (2010-2015) that was recently adopted by the Council of Ministers. Additionally, police criminal statistics, statistics from the Association for the Prevention and Handling of Family Violence, and other studies, such as those conducted by the Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS) and other research centres, were also used for the purposes of this report. Details: Nicosia, Cyprus: Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies, 2011. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 16, 2013 at: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/REACT_ENG.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Cyprus URL: http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/REACT_ENG.pdf Shelf Number: 128389 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Cyprus)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Caponera, Betty Title: Incidence and Nature of Domestic Violence In New Mexico XI: An Analysis of 2011 Data From The New Mexico Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository Summary: Statewide domestic violence policy and programs are having a positive impact on domestic violence incidents and victimization. The number of domestic violence incidents has decreased 35% since 2005 and the number of victims has decreased 24%. In 2011, there were 21,368 victims in 18,740 domestic violence incidents reported to statewide law enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, the number of adult survivors that sought services (7,910) represent only one third (37%) of total victims identified by law enforcement, down from 45% represented in 2010. More consistently, the number of children served in 2011 (3,591) represent 58% of those identified by law enforcement at the scene of domestic violence incidents. This is similar to the 59% represented in 2010, although the actual number of children served by statewide service providers is 11% less than in 2010. The negative consequences of domestic violence to victims, families, and communities warrants our combined prevention and response efforts. Too many victims and their children are physically injured as a result of domestic violence. Forty-four percent of domestic violence incidents identified by law enforcement resulted in victim injury. Similarly, one-third (37%) of victims and children (34%) served by statewide service providers experienced injury as a result of domestic violence. In 2011, the Central Repository, in collaboration with the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence, launched a new data collection system that gathers individual records to improve the quality of domestic violence data and assist in our ability to identify risk factors for injury and lethality associated with domestic violence. In this year’s report, Section One presents law enforcement reported domestic violence incidents, as well as domestic violence reports from service providers throughout the state. Presently, the Central Repository is working on a data conversion process with the Administration Office of the Courts that will improve the quality of court information reported in next year’s report. Data for 2011 will be analyzed and the findings will be reported at that time, as well. Section Two presents a discussion of the implications of the findings; and in Section Three, you can see at a glance, county trends on 15 important domestic violence variables. Details: Albuquerque, NM: Office of Injury Prevention, Injury and Behavioral Epidemiology Bureau, Epidemiology and Response Division, New Mexico Department of Health, 2012. 241p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2013 at: http://www.health.state.nm.us/injury/documents/Incidence%20and%20Nature%20of%20DV%20in%20NM%20XI%202011%20data%20Aug%202012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.health.state.nm.us/injury/documents/Incidence%20and%20Nature%20of%20DV%20in%20NM%20XI%202011%20data%20Aug%202012.pdf Shelf Number: 128659 Keywords: Domestic Violence (New Mexico, U.S.)Family ViolenceInterpersonal Violence |
Author: Dustin, Holly Title: Deeds or Words? Analysis of Westminster Government action to prevent violence against women and girls Summary: In order to analyse action by the Westminster Government to deliver on its priority objective to prevent Violence Against Women (VAWG) in the domestic context, we wrote to the Home Secretary on 7th August 2012 to inform her that we would be carrying out this work (Appendix A). We said that we would be reviewing the prevention initiatives, against the ten key areas of action set out in A Different World is Possible, within the strategy, accompanying action plans, and UK Government’s 7th Periodic State Report to the UN CEDAW Committee. We requested any other documents or further evidence of action held by the Home Office or any other Government Department so that we could consider this in our analysis. We received a response from the Home Office VAWG strategy team on 20th September 2012 (Appendix B). Although our request should have been dealt with under the Freedom of Information Act, we were disappointed that we did not receive any supporting documentation and that the response did not appear to comply with the Act. The analysis and scoring was carried out by members of the Prevention Network. The Network includes expertise from across all areas of VAWG including sexual and domestic violence, child sexual abuse, sexualisation and violence that disproportionately impacts on Black and Minority Ethnic women and girls such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and ‘honour’ based violence. It includes frontline service providers, academics, NGOs and campaign organisations so draws on a breadth of expertise and knowledge from across different sectors. The analysis considered the evidence/documentation we had against each of the ten areas for action set out in A Different World is Possible, with a scoring range of 0-10: giving each area a score out of ten. Where we knew that work was taking place to prevent VAWG but had no evidence, we have tried to include this, however, we relied primarily on the published documents and the information disclosed under the Freedom of Information request. We gave a score in each section, 0-3 where there was little evidence of work being carried out, 4-6 where there was some evidence, and 7-10 for strong evidence. The score was particularly low where there was evidence of regression in action to prevent VAWG. Details: London: End Violence Against Women Coalition, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2013 at: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/resources/57/Deeds-or-Words_Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/data/files/resources/57/Deeds-or-Words_Report.pdf Shelf Number: 128832 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (U.K.) |
Author: Braaf, Rochelle Title: The Gender Debate in Domestic Violence: The Role of Data Summary: Key points • The gender debate is one of the enduring controversies in domestic violence research. On the one hand, feminist researchers have long identified ‘gender asymmetry’ in domestic violence, arguing that women are the primary targets of abuse and that men comprise the large majority of perpetrators. On the other hand, family conflict researchers typically find ‘gender symmetry’, arguing that women and men experience and perpetrate violence at similar rates. • Within the gender debate, two of the most contentious issues concern researchers’ definitions of domestic violence and their methods of data collection. • Feminist and family conflict researchers differ in how they conceptualise violence in relationships. Feminist researchers emphasise the wider dynamics of domestic violence: why it occurs, how it manifests and victim outcomes. Family conflict researchers define violence more narrowly, being primarily concerned with measuring incidents of violence between partners. • Feminist and family conflict researchers also differ in their data collection methods. Feminist researchers tend to favour qualitative approaches commonly used in clinical studies, as well as quantitative information collected via officially reported data and community sample surveys. Family conflict researchers tend to favour quantitative approaches, relying predominantly on acts-based surveys (such as the Conflict Tactics Scale). • These differences in turn influence feminist and family conflict researchers’ findings about men’s and women’s experiences and perpetration of violence. In particular, their findings conflict in relation to perpetrator motivation for violence, forms and levels of abuse, severity of abuse, repetition of violence and impacts on victims. • Certainly, all violence in intimate relationships is unacceptable. However, an accurate analysis of the relationship between gender and domestic violence is essential to develop effective prevention and responses. • No single type of data collection method provides a complete picture of domestic violence. Furthermore, individual studies or data sets vary considerably in depth and quality of information. Researchers and practitioners, therefore, need to be mindful of the strengths and weaknesses of a chosen approach when drawing conclusions and making recommendations. • From the real life examples presented in this paper and in many other studies canvassed, practitioners and advocates should have confidence in claims of gender asymmetry in domestic violence. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, The University of New South Wales, 2013. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 25: Accessed June 7, 2013 at: http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_25.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.adfvc.unsw.edu.au/PDF%20files/IssuesPaper_25.pdf Shelf Number: 129003 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Ehrhardt, Penny Title: Report on the Effectiveness of Services Delivered by DOVE Hawkes Bay Inc. Summary: New Zealand has made international commitments under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women to secure equality for women, including addressing the high prevalence of violence against women (Fenrich & Contesse, 2009). Nationally, it is estimated that one in three women has been the victim of family violence (Fenrich & Contesse, 2009). Family violence also negatively impacts children and men. The Eastern Police District (which included Hawke’s Bay) has higher than average rates for call-outs to offences relating to family violence (New Zealand Police, 2011). The World Health Organisation’s framework for developing policies and programmes to address family violence acknowledges that the harm caused by family violence can last a lifetime and span generations. To address this, data-driven and evidence based primary prevention programmes are recommended (Garcia-Moreno & Mikton, 2010). Yet despite New Zealand’s, generally sound legislative framework for dealing with family violence, there has been a lack of evaluation of the effectiveness of programmes and services (Fenrich & Contesse, 2009). The DOVE Research Project came about after discussions between DOVE Hawkes Bay (DOVE) and the Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT). Given the high levels of family violence in Hawke’s Bay, DOVE and EIT believed it was important to undertake research into the efficacy of DOVE’s family violence intervention services. In particular, we were interested in whether DOVE’s services were resulting in long-lasting positive changes for individuals, families and whānau. The project was funded by a New Zealand Lotteries Commission Research Grant. Collection of research data focused particularly on the six months 1 July – 31 December 2011. Details: Napier, N.Z.: Eastern Institute of Technology, 2013. 180p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 21, 2013 at: http://www.eit.ac.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Report-on-the-effectiveness-of-services-delivered-by-DOVE-Hawkes-Bay-Inc-May-13-Web.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.eit.ac.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Report-on-the-effectiveness-of-services-delivered-by-DOVE-Hawkes-Bay-Inc-May-13-Web.pdf Shelf Number: 129038 Keywords: Domestic Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceInterventionViolence Against Women |
Author: U.S. Attorney General's National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence Title: Report of the Attorney General’s National Task Force on Children Exposed to Violence Summary: Exposure to violence is a national crisis that affects approximately two out of every three of our children. Of the 76 million children currently residing in the United States, an estimated 46 million can expect to have their lives touched by violence, crime, abuse, and psychological trauma this year. In 1979, U.S. Surgeon General Julius B. Richmond declared violence a public health crisis of the highest priority, and yet 33 years later that crisis remains. Whether the violence occurs in children’s homes, neighborhoods, schools, playgrounds or playing fields, locker rooms, places of worship, shelters, streets, or in juvenile detention centers, the exposure of children to violence is a uniquely traumatic experience that has the potential to profoundly derail the child’s security, health, happiness, and ability to grow and learn — with effects lasting well into adulthood. Exposure to violence in any form harms children, and different forms of violence have different negative impacts. Sexual abuse places children at high risk for serious and chronic health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicidality, eating dis-orders, sleep disorders, substance abuse, and deviant sexual behavior. Sexually abused children often become hypervigilant about the possibility of future sexual violation, experience feelings of betrayal by the adults who failed to care for and protect them. Physical abuse puts children at high risk for lifelong problems with medical illness, PTSD, suicidality, eating disorders, substance abuse, and deviant sexual behavior. Physically abused children are at heightened risk for cognitive and developmental impairments, which can lead to violent behavior as a form of self-protection and control. These children often feel powerless when faced with physical intimidation, threats, or conflict and may compensate by becoming isolated (through truancy or hiding) or aggressive (by bullying or joining gangs for protection). Physically abused children are at risk for significant impairment in memory processing and problem solving and for developing defensive behaviors that lead to consistent avoidance of intimacy. Intimate partner violence within families puts children at high risk for severe and potentially lifelong problems with physical health, mental health, and school and peer relationships as well as for disruptive behavior. Witnessing or living with domestic or intimate partner violence often burdens children with a sense of loss or profound guilt and shame because of their mistaken assumption that they should have intervened or prevented the violence or, tragically, that they caused the violence. They frequently castigate themselves for having failed in what they assume to be their duty to protect a parent or sibling(s) from being harmed, for not having taken the place of their horribly injured or killed family member, or for having caused the offender to be violent. Children exposed to intimate partner violence often experience a sense of terror and dread that they will lose an essential caregiver through permanent injury or death. They also fear losing their relationship with the offending parent, who may be removed from the home, incarcerated, or even executed. Children will mistakenly blame themselves for having caused the batterer to be violent. If no one identifies these children and helps them heal and recover, they may bring this uncertainty, fear, grief, anger, shame, and sense of betrayal into all of their important relationships for the rest of their lives. Community violence in neighborhoods can result in children witnessing assaults and even killings of family members, peers, trusted adults, innocent bystanders, and perpetrators of violence. Violence in the community can prevent children from feeling safe in their own schools and neighborhoods. Violence and ensuing psychological trauma can lead children to adopt an attitude of hypervigilance, to become experts at detecting threat or perceived threat — never able to let down their guard in order to be ready for the next outbreak of violence. They may come to believe that violence is “normal,” that violence is “here to stay,” and that relationships are too fragile to trust because one never knows when violence will take the life of a friend or loved one. They may turn to gangs or criminal activities to prevent others from viewing them as weak and to counteract feelings of despair and powerlessness, perpetuating the cycle of violence and increasing their risk of incarceration. They are also at risk for becoming victims of intimate partner violence in adolescence and in adulthood. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 2012. 256p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood/cev-rpt-full.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.justice.gov/defendingchildhood/cev-rpt-full.pdf Shelf Number: 129237 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseChildren and ViolenceChildren, Crime AgainstCommunity ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolenceViolence Against Children (U.S.) |
Author: Roguski, Michael Title: Pets as Pawns: The Co-existence of Animal Cruelty and Family Violence Summary: In early 2011 the RNZSPCA, in conjunction with New Zealand Women’s Refuge, commissioned Kaitiaki Research and Evaluation to undertake research to increase their understanding of the co-existence of family violence and cruelty to animals within New Zealand with a particular focus on whether the actual or threatened pet/animal abuse acts as a barrier to women and children extricating themselves from violent situations. The objectives of this research were to: understand the role of pets and incidence of animal cruelty in New Zealand family violence situations understand the way in which perpetrators may use pets to prevent victim(s) being able to leave a violent home identify barriers (e.g. the need to accommodate pets) and facilitators to victims of family violence being able to extricate themselves from family violence situations while safeguarding animals explore the scope of the co-existence of pet/animal abuse and family among women housed in refuge shelters understand the impact of pet/animal abuse on children and women who have been extricated from situations of family violence provide an evidence base from which interventions can be developed to allow victims to be extricated from violent situations in a timely manner and in a way that prevents actual or potential cruelty to animals. The stages of research included: a review of the literature to increase understanding of the co-existence of animal cruelty and family violence key informant semi-structured interviews with Women’s Refuge Staff, adult victims of family violence and representatives of key government agencies a survey of Women’s Refuge clients to provide a better understanding of the role of pet/animal abuse within violent situations and estimate the scale of the issue. Details: Wellington, NZ: Kaiitiaki Research and Evaluation, 2012. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/DV-PetsAsPawnsNZ.pdf Year: 2012 Country: New Zealand URL: http://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/DV-PetsAsPawnsNZ.pdf Shelf Number: 129256 Keywords: Animal Abuse (New Zealand)Companion AnimalsCruelty to AnimalsFamily Violence |
Author: Cissner, Amanda B. Title: Testing the Effects of New York’s Domestic Violence Courts: A Statewide Impact Evaluation Summary: Over the past 15 years, a growing number of jurisdictions have established specialized domestic violence courts. With more than 200 such courts operating in the United States, they represent an important new strategy for handling the massive number of domestic violence cases that flood state courts nationwide. Domestic violence courts typically handle a jurisdiction’s domestic violence cases on a separate calendar, presided over by a specially assigned judge who gains expertise in the unique legal and personal issues that these cases pose. Despite their common structure, domestic violence courts lack a unifying set of goals and policies (Keilitz 2001; Labriola et al. 2009; Shelton 2007). The diversity embodied in today’s domestic violence courts presents a particular challenge for research, with previous single-site evaluations unable to provide a definitive answer to whether domestic violence courts, on the whole, produce better outcomes. This study seeks to make a significant contribution to the knowledge of the field, focusing on whether and how domestic violence courts work. The study is a quasi-experimental evaluation of 24 domestic violence courts throughout New York State. New York is a particularly suitable state for a study of this nature, as it is home to 64 (31%) of the country’s 208 total domestic violence courts (Labriola et al. 2009). New York’s domestic violence courts exhibit comparable diversity to that found nationwide, enabling this study to have greater external validity than most prior efforts. Details: New York: Center for Court Innovation, 2013. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2013 at: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/statewide_evaluation_dv_courts.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://www.courtinnovation.org/sites/default/files/documents/statewide_evaluation_dv_courts.pdf Shelf Number: 129282 Keywords: Domestic Violence Courts (U.S.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProblem-Solving Courts |
Author: Murphy, Clare Title: Understanding Connections and Relationships: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting Summary: This Issues Paper reviews the evidence on the frequency with which intimate partner violence and child maltreatment co-occur. The United States NatSCEV study showed: • 34% of the children who had witnessed intimate partner violence had also been subjected to direct maltreatment in the past year, compared to 9% of those who had not witnessed intimate partner violence. • Over their lifetimes, over half of those (57%) who had witnessed intimate partner violence were also maltreated, compared to 11% of those who had not witnessed intimate partner violence. • Men were more likely to perpetrate intimate partner violence incidents that were witnessed by children than were women, with 68% of children witnessing violence only by men. Exposure to violence can have ongoing negative impacts on children and young people’s health, education, social and economic wellbeing. Recommendations from this paper include the need for greater recognition of: • The links between child maltreatment and intimate partner violence • The detrimental effects of children’s exposure to intimate partner violence • The disruption to mother-child relationships due to intimate partner violence • The poor fathering that can accompany perpetration of intimate partner violence This needs to translate to greater understanding of the importance of supporting children’s relationships with the non-abusive parent. This work needs to include creating conditions of safety, and may need to include active work to help restore relationships between non-abusive parents and their children. Work to address poor fathering is also necessary. Details: Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2013. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 3: Accessed July 10, 2013 at: http://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-3-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-3-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 129346 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (New Zealand) |
Author: Murphy, Clare Title: Policy and Practice Implications: Child maltreatment, intimate partner violence and parenting Summary: This paper explores the system responses required to support children exposed to intimate partner violence. Guiding principles for protecting children and adults exposed to child maltreatment and intimate partner violence include: • Provide holistic support for children • Support the non-abusing parent • Support the mother-child relationship • Hold the perpetrator accountable • Be culturally responsive Children’s safety and wellbeing is highly dependent on the quality of their bond with their non-abusive parent (most often the mother). Programmes to support mothers and children need to include a focus on supporting them to strengthen or re-establish their relationship, which may have been damaged by exposure to violence. Parenting programmes for fathers who have used violence need to emphasise the need to end violence against their children’s mothers (they cannot be “a lousy partner but a good dad”). There needs to be adequately resourced services to support children, adult victim/survivors and perpetrators. These services need to work in co-ordinated and collaborative ways, as part of multi-agency response systems, and work from a sophisticated understanding of intimate partner violence. The United States Centers for Disease Control have identified safe, stable, and nurturing relationships as fundamental in supporting children to thrive. Exposure to intimate partner violence and the impact of violence on the parenting children receive need to become key areas of work in responding to ‘vulnerable children’. Details: Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2013. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 4: Accessed July 10, 2013 at: http://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-4-2013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-4-2013.pdf Shelf Number: 129347 Keywords: Children and Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceParenting Programs |
Author: Brogden, Mike Title: Abuse of Adult Males in Intimate Partner Relationships in Northern Ireland Summary: 1. The study revealed that the experiences of male victims in Northern Ireland were similar to those reported in studies in other local jurisdictions. Male respondents reported a variety of abuse – from emotional to serious physical assault, including occasional serious sexual assaults by their female partner. 2. Male partner experiences were similar to those reported in cognate studies. Nearly all respondents considered that the emotional effects of abuse were the most serious. 3. What is absent from other studies is the recognition that such abuse may be continued into extra-familial domains – respondents were particular concerned about their experience with the legal process and consequences in relation to their employment and to their accommodation. 4. Most studies fail to reveal the various devices that male respondents utilise to cope with or to manage the abuse. A variety of such strategies were noted – from physical exercise to deliberate absence from home. Such solitary coping strategies were invariably unsuccessful. 5. Unique to males is the effect of patriarchal images on the question of reporting. Traditional images of masculinity appeared to be the primary reason for the failure of the respondents to report injuries to friends, and to voluntary and statutory agencies. 6. As in other studies, a minority of men attempted to utilise the available support agencies. Experiences were mixed, although the respondents universally proffered the view that reporting to the police would produce unsupportive reactions. The male respondents also argued that a similar lack of support was found within other institutions, legal process and from the legal professions. The respondents also held the view that this was in contrast to the support that reports of female victimisation would elicit. 7. There were a limited number of respondents in same-sex relationships and consequently evidence of gay victimisation in partner relations was limited. However, the small number who did participate reported similar experiences to men in abusive heterosexual relationships. Details: Belfast: Equality Research & Information - Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, 2004. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://www.equality.nisra.gov.uk/Abuse%20of%20Adult%20Males%20in%20Relationships.pdf Year: 2004 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.equality.nisra.gov.uk/Abuse%20of%20Adult%20Males%20in%20Relationships.pdf Shelf Number: 129407 Keywords: Abused Men (Northern Ireland)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. Criminal Justice Research Center Title: Domestic Violence in Virginia 2006–2010 Statistical Findings from Incidents Reported by Law Enforcement Summary: In Domestic Violence in Virginia, 2005–2009, the Department of Criminal Justice Services Research Center presented statistical findings from an analysis of over 250,000 domestic violence incidents reported over five years by law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth. Domestic Violence in Virginia, 2006–2010 is the first annual update, and includes findings for calendar year 2010. It is important to note that many domestic violence incidents, particularly domestic sexual violence, are never reported to law enforcement. For example, a recent national study estimated that 41% of nonfatal violent incidents between family members, and 45% of nonfatal violent incidents between boyfriends or girlfriends, went unreported to the police. If non-reporting rates in Virginia are similar, the domestic violence incidents contained in this report are far fewer than the actual number. Nevertheless, analysis of the domestic violence incidents that have been recorded by law enforcement can help us understand domestic violence in Virginia. The incidents that are reported to law enforcement may represent those that are the most serious and that require the most attention from public safety officials. The information in this study is based on criminal incident data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Incident-Based Reporting Repository System (IBR), administered by the Virginia Department of State Police. IBR compiles statewide, detailed criminal incident and associated arrestee information submitted by local law enforcement agencies using standardized reporting procedures, definitions and counting methods. Each criminal incident can include multiple offenders and victims and multiple offenses against each victim. Close to 85% of the domestic violence incidents analyzed for this report involved one offense committed against one victim by one offender. The remaining incidents involved some combination of multiple and/or single victims, offenders and offenses. All victims, offenders, and arrestees are counted here, but to simplify analysis and reporting only the single most serious offense against the victim is reported. Details: Richmond, VA: Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, 2012. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2013 at: http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/research/documents/DVReportSept2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/research/documents/DVReportSept2012.pdf Shelf Number: 129413 Keywords: Crime StatisticsDomestic Violence (Virginia, U.S.)Family Violence |
Author: Anderberg, Dan Title: Unemployment and Domestic Violence: Theory and Evidence Summary: Is unemployment the overwhelming determinant of domestic violence that many commentators expect it to be? The contribution of this paper is to examine, theoretically and empirically, how changes in unemployment affect the incidence of domestic abuse. The key theoretical prediction is that male and female unemployment have opposite-signed effects on domestic abuse: an increase in male unemployment decreases the incidence of intimate partner violence, while an increase in female unemployment increases domestic abuse. Combining data on intimate partner violence from the British Crime Survey with locally disaggregated labor market data from the UK’s Annual Population Survey, we find strong evidence in support of the theoretical prediction. Details: Munich: CESifo (Center for Economic Studies & Ifo Institute, 2013. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: CESifo Working Paper no. 4315: Accessed July 17, 2013 at: http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/infoservice/News/2013/07/news-20130716-CESifo-wp-4315.html Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.cesifo-group.de/ifoHome/infoservice/News/2013/07/news-20130716-CESifo-wp-4315.html Shelf Number: 129427 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceUnemployment and Crime |
Author: Watson, Susan Dee Title: Relationship of Vulnerability to Coercive Control and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among Latinas Summary: IPV is the most common cause of violence-related injury to women in the United States and greater than one-third of all female homicide victims in the U.S. were killed by the victims’ husband or partner. Nationally, intimate partner violence (IPV) has been identified as a public health issue, and internationally gender inequality is the number one human rights issue. In addition to risk factors identified among multicultural samples, characteristics that increase Latina vulnerability to IPV may relate to the specific cultural scripts between partners that are expected and supported within Latino culture. Latinas in the United States are affected by a confluence of risk factors for IPV including power imbalances associated with traditional gender roles (machismo, the stereotypical male role, and marianismo, the traditional female role), acculturation, socioeconomic status and education level. Vulnerability to coercive control behaviors resulting in IPV from a partner may be increased if the woman has a previous history of child sexual abuse (CSA). A secondary analysis of selected data from a three year parent study, SEPA II (Salud, Educacion, Prevencion y Autocuidado; Health, Education, Prevention and Self- Care), was undertaken to explore the relationships between CSA, machismo, marianismo, acculturation, socioeconomic status and education on the severity and occurrence of IPV among 548 adult Latinas between the ages of 18 and 50. Selected data elements were analyzed from the Short Form of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2S), the Violence Assessment Questionnaire (VAQ), the M-Measure (machismo), the Attitudes toward Women Scale (marianismo), the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale for Hispanics (BAS) and baseline demographic measures collected on the El Centro Intake Form. Correlations were done to examine the relationships among IPV, CSA, machismo, marianismo, acculturation, SES and education. Logistic regression was used to determine if women who report IPV are more likely to also report a history of CSA, more traditional gender role beliefs, higher levels of acculturation, lower SES and higher education. CTS2S (severity of violence) was significantly correlated with CSA, and the non- Hispanic domain of the BAS. The VAQ measure of violence (occurrence of physical violence > 18 years) also was significantly correlated with CSA, negatively correlated with the Hispanic domain, positively correlated with the Non-Hispanic domain of the BAS, and negatively correlated with monthly income. CSA was negatively associated with the Hispanic domain, positively correlated with the non-Hispanic domain and negatively correlated with years of education. Traditional gender roles did not influence the occurrence or severity of violence in this study. CSA was a significant predictor of IPV among Latinas. Hispanic domain (acculturation) and higher monthly income were protective against IPV among Latinas. Childhood sexual abuse, identification with non-Hispanic culture and decreased SES were found to increase vulnerability to IPV among Latinas. There is a need to design and test interventions and support systems for women that are contextually structured to acknowledge the family and community values as well as the individual needs of Latinas. Interpreting responses to violence for Latinas within the larger context of equality for women becomes part of an international focus aimed at ending gender based violence. Details: Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami, 2010. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 22, 2013 at: http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1502&context=oa_dissertations Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1502&context=oa_dissertations Shelf Number: 129477 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender Based ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (U.S.)LatinosViolence Against Women |
Author: Galvez, Gino Title: Work-related Intimate Partner Violence: The Role of Acculturation Among Employed Latinos in Batterer Intervention Programs Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV), typically considered in the domestic context, has been shown to have considerable effects on women’s employment and health. While the literature has recently grown in this area, very few studies have examined the prevalence of work-related IPV among men. Furthermore, the extant literature on work-related IPV has largely ignored the experience of ethnic minorities, specifically Latinos. Many factors suggest that rates and forms of IPV might be different among other racial and ethnic groups. Some studies that examine IPV among Latinos have sought to understand the role of acculturation and socioeconomic contexts. The purpose of this study was to examine work-related IPV among a sample of men enrolled in batterer intervention programs. In addition, we sought to examine the relationship between acculturation, socioeconomic contexts, and reports of workrelated IPV among a subset of male Latinos. Overall, the findings confirm the upper ranges of previous estimates across studies (36% to 75%) of employed victims of IPV and their harassment by abusive partners while at work (Swanberg, Logan, & Macke, 2005; Taylor & Barusch, 2004). Specifically, we found that 60% of the entire sample reported work-related IPV that involved threatening behaviors and physical violence at their partner’s job. The findings among Latinos suggest that a positive relationship exists between acculturation and work-related IPV. Specifically, proxy variables of acculturation (e.g., country of birth, language of survey, number of years in the U.S.) were hypothesized to be positively associated with higher levels of acculturation. Consistent with the hypotheses, we found significant relationships in the direction proposed. Lastly, socioeconomic status (e.g., income, education, employment status) was hypothesized to play a moderating role between acculturation and work-related IPV. However, results generally suggest that socioeconomic status (i.e., income, education) did not moderate the relationship between acculturation and work-related IPV. This study makes important contributions to the literature and has implications for employers. The significant rates of work-related IPV found in this study highlight the need to address this problem among employed males as an important step in preventing work-related IPV. Among Latinos, the level of acculturation and factors such as income, employment, and education are important contextual factors that provide a better understanding of IPV in Latino communities (Gryywacz, Rao, Gentry, Marin, & Arcury, 2009). Details: Portland, OR: Portland State University, 2011. 169p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed July 22, 2013 at: http://dr.archives.pdx.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/psu/6993/Galvez_psu_0180D_10295.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2011 Country: United States URL: http://dr.archives.pdx.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/psu/6993/Galvez_psu_0180D_10295.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 129478 Keywords: Bettered Women (U.S.)Family ViolenceGender Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceLatinosSocioeconomic StatusViolence Against Women |
Author: Thandi, Gary Title: This is a Man's Problem”: Strategies for working with South Asian Male Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence Summary: This research presents the perspective of 17 front-line practitioners who, together, have more than 200 years of direct experience working with South Asian male perpetrators of intimate partner violence or their families. All the research participants – psychologists, program managers and counsellors, police and probation officers – are members of South Asian communities in the Lower Mainland. They emphasize that men are responsible for the violence they perpetrate. No one excuses them – their choice to perpetrate violence has resulted in significant physical, emotional and psychological harm not only to their wives but also to their children, their extended family and their communities. At the same time, the frontline practitioners told the researcher that the majority of assaultive men do not set out to hurt their wives or their families. Most of the men, having learned cultural male privilege, struggle with gender role expectations that may be far beyond their ability to meet now that they are in Canada. When they drink alcohol – a major contributor to intimate partner violence in South Asian communities – they lose control over their strong emotions. This research does not address instances of intimate partner homicide or attempted homicide. It focuses on men who are mandated by the courts to participate in community-based programs offered in the Punjabi language. Most of the offenders, therefore, have not served time in jail. Most of them are also first generation in Canada. The research participants make it clear that men born in Canada – second generation South Asian men – while different from their fathers are often raised with many of the same cultural patterns of behavior and belief. Perhaps the thematic analysis of this research can be best summed up by the statement of one of the participants: “This is a man’s problem.” South Asian men need to take responsibility not only for their individual behaviour, but also for the family, community and cultural patterns that support violent behaviour. “Marriage is not just about the two of them,” said another participant. It involves extended families often connected across two continents and embedded in community and religious values that foster a belief in the social structures of patriarchy, the sanctity of marriage, the stigma of divorce and the importance of reputation and honour. Every man can make the commitment to actively support the movement toward violence-free lives for their daughters, granddaughters, sisters, wives, mothers, and grandmothers. By doing so, they support violence-free lives for their sons, grandsons, brothers, partners, fathers, and grandfathers as well. The couple relationships are often complicated by the immigration sponsorship of not only the husband or wife but other family members. Husbands and wives, working to meet obligations both at home and abroad, may also be experiencing the stress of a new relationship in a new country with very different cultural norms. Underemployment in new immigrant communities is high – especially for those who come with postsecondary education – and this can be compounded by experiences of racism, alienation and isolation. Despite these difficulties, a key difference of South Asian families caught in the cycle of intimate partner violence is the significant desire for reconciliation by both partners. Although frontline practitioners emphasize the importance of the woman having a true choice about whether to return to their marriage, they acknowledge the importance of recognizing – and respecting – this difference. The frontline practitioners also agree that police intervention is essential for the cycle to be broken. The length of time between the police intervention, court appearances, probation and completion of the counselling program result in hardships for everyone in the family. An equally important role for the extended family members – as well as members of the community – involves the man and the woman before the marriage happens. Pre-marital counselling and an increased awareness of the importance of compatibility require that extended family and other community members involved in supporting the marriage see the couple both as individuals and as partners as well as members of a collective culture. This is an extremely important aspect of anti-violence community action. Prevention – from the very beginning – requires that the man and woman be encouraged to know enough about each other to make a strong commitment that sees beyond their respective families and communities. This does not require a shift to an individualistic world view but it does require the recognition that they need to be able to get through difficult times together. The researcher also met with a focus group of South Asian men engaged in a court-mandated assaultive men’s group counselling program. Unlike the individual interviews with frontline practitioners, which were conducted in English, the two focus groups were conducted in Punjabi. The men raised the same issues as the practitioners. They explored why they became angry – and then violent. They believed they had changed – and that other men would change if only they knew what to do. They wanted to be free of “this kind of family trouble” – like everyone else, they want to have productive and happy lives. Perhaps most important, they didn’t want the violence to continue – not only the physical suffering, but also the emotional and psychological consequences that spread beyond the family and into the community. Details: New Westminster, BC: Centre for the Prevention and Reduction of Violence, Office of Applied Research, Justice Institute of British Columbia, 2011. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 22, 2013 at: http://www.jibc.ca/sites/default/files/research/pdf/This-is-a-man's-problem_REPORT.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Cameroon URL: http://www.jibc.ca/sites/default/files/research/pdf/This-is-a-man's-problem_REPORT.pdf Shelf Number: 129485 Keywords: Abusive MenBattered WomenFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (Canada)South Asian Communities |
Author: Arthur, Joy Title: 'It's Not OK!' in Paeroa : A local campaign to raise awareness of the effect of alcohol-fuelled family violence on the children of Paeroa Summary: This is a report about the Paeroa ‘It’s Not OK!’ family violence primary prevention campaign that ran over a four month period from September 2012 to January 2013. The project focused on raising awareness about the effect of alcohol fuelled family violence on children and facilitating sustainable change in community attitudes using messages from the campaign. There were 26 local champions promoting campaign messages on billboards, posters and slide-shows, as well as at several community events. Campaign messages also featured in the media and on local radio stations. Research for this report included a review of current literature on community mobilization and interviews with the campaign organizing committee, the champions and members of the public attending the launch of the campaign. A street survey was conducted toward the end of the campaign period to ascertain community awareness of the campaign, as well as any changes in community attitudes attributable to the campaign messages. Pre and post campaign police callouts to incidents of family violence and the knowledge and use of support services are also examined in the report for indications of a change in community attitudes toward family violence issues. The launch and street surveys revealed raised awareness of family violence issues in the Paeroa Community. A majority of participants displayed a good overall knowledge of campaign messages, particularly those featuring the local champions, and were able to identify where to go for support with family violence issues. Reports from the champions and the working party contained anecdotal evidence of local families making significant changes in their attitudes toward family violence. There is also evidence of a change from the Collaborative Case Management (FVIARS) Project for Paeroa which reveals a considerable decrease in the number of family violence incidents attended by police post campaign compared with the same period pre-campaign, as well as fewer family violence callouts involving alcohol. Overall, the evaluation of the project reveals an inclusive, culturally sensitive campaign that has successfully used local role models to raise awareness of the effect of alcohol fuelled family violence on those in the community. The champions also played a key part in motivating others in the community to make a change in their attitude toward family violence. The ‘It’s Not OK in Paeroa!’ campaign is an excellent example of a programme that has used community strengths to meet community needs and one that has the potential to contribute a good deal toward future campaigns. Recommendations for use in future campaigns include: Recognizing the importance of the champions’ role in this and other projects by developing a tool-kit to assist organizing committees in recruiting, training and supporting them. Extending the campaign time-frame to facilitate ongoing support for local activists who wish to ‘refresh’ campaign messages in the community. Details: Christchurch, NZ: Alcohol Advisory Council, 2013. 54p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2013 at: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/paeroa-report-2012.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/paeroa-report-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 129578 Keywords: Alcohol Related Crime, Disorder (New Zealand)Child Abuse and NeglectFamily ViolenceMedia CampaignPublicity Campaign |
Author: Queensland. Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Title: Fatal Assault and Neglect of Queensland Children Report Summary: The purpose of the Fatal assault and neglect of Queensland children report (the report) was to examine a sample of fatal assault and neglect child deaths in Queensland to identify key risk factors and develop targeted prevention messages to reduce the incidence of these preventable child deaths. The report comprises an examination of all types of death (both natural and external cause deaths) for children under five years of age that occurred in Queensland between 2004 and 2006 and were reported to the coroner for investigation. This resulted in a total of 312 child deaths for review (29% of the 1061 child deaths for children under five that occurred during this timeframe). The Commission selected this broad scope to ensure that every child death that could not be readily medically accounted for was examined for the presence of circumstances indicative of fatal assault and neglect. Additionally, the report focused on children under five years as they are among the most vulnerable in our community and are over-represented in cases of fatal assault and neglect1. Key findings There were 16 child deaths (of the 312 reviewed, or 5%) identified in Queensland between 2004 and 2006 where it was probable or confirmed that fatal assault or neglect caused the child’s death. Males and females were equally represented in fatal assault and neglect child deaths (8 of 16, or 50% each). Children under one year were over-represented in fatal assault and neglect child deaths (8 of 16, or 50%). In all but one (15 of 16, or 94%) fatal assault and neglect child death, the child’s parents or step-parents were identified as the alleged perpetrator. In all but one (15 of 16, or 94%) fatal assault and neglect child death, there was at least one reported vulnerability characteristic present in the child’s family (i.e. a history of domestic violence, parental drug/alcohol abuse, criminal offending, child protection concerns). Domestic homicide was the most common type of death examined in the project sample (9 of 16, or 56%), more than double the occurrence of fatal child abuse which was the next most common type of death (4 of 16, or 25%). In two-thirds of all domestic homicides (6 of 9, or 67%), there was evidence that a breakdown in the parental relationship was a factor. Details: Brisbane: Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, 2013. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/resources/publications/fatal-assault-and-neglect-of-Qld-children/Fatal_assault_and_neglect_of_Qld_children_report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ccypcg.qld.gov.au/resources/publications/fatal-assault-and-neglect-of-Qld-children/Fatal_assault_and_neglect_of_Qld_children_report.pdf Shelf Number: 129629 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild Homicide (Australia)Family Violence |
Author: Wijk, Nikil Phoebe Licorice van Title: Domestic Violence By and Against Men and Women in Curacao: A Caribbean Study Summary: The available domestic violence literature offers few clues on the situation in the Caribbean. General violence indicators support the assumption of high prevalences, but how these may be affected by, for example, gender relations and family structures is unclear. Reliable statistical data on the prevalence, nature, and consequences of domestic violence are not available, the prevalence of domestic violence in Curacao has never been studied before. The central question of this thesis is: What are the prevalences, risk factors and consequences of domestic violence against men and women on Curacao? Curacao is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located in the southwestern Caribbean, and has a population of 140.000. The island's population comes from many ethnic backgrounds. For its size, the island has a considerably diverse economy which does not rely mostly on tourism alone as is the case on many other Caribbean islands. International financial services, the harbor and trade are important economic sectors as well. In contrast to the relatively isolated Western-style nuclear family, family structures in the Caribbean are often characterized by matrifocal, (grand)mother-dominated households with several generations living in the same house or in houses built close to each other on a compound, sharing resources and carer's duties. Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, friends or cohabitation. Domestic violence against adults can be divided into three main categories: psychological, physical and sexual violence. Other relevant aspects of domestic violence are initiation, intention and motivation: 'common couple violence' is distinguished from 'intimate terrorism'. Common couple violence is expressive and characterized by minor forms of violence. Intimate terrorism on the other hand is instrumental, to control, subdue, and reproduce subordination. Compared to common couple violence, it is more rare and serious, tends to escalate over time, and peaks after separation. When surveying sensitive topics, serious underreporting of the phenomena under study is a grave danger to the validity of the data. Domestic violence is a prime example of a sensitive topic, as it concerns behavior that is socially frowned upon, may be illegal, and concerns the private domain. A special mixed-mode survey was designed to assess the prevalence of domestic violence on Curacao and its health consequences. Great care was taken to reduce selective non-response and stimulate open and honest responses on this topic. Our study clearly shows that respondents from different demographic segments have different preferences as for type of data collecting mode. Overall, almost a quarter of our respondents chose a face-to-face interview, while for the segment of low educated, elderly people, the interview option was chosen by over half of the respondents. This supports our expectations that a mixed mode approach pulls in those respondents that we would have missed if we restricted ourselves to a single mode approach. The tailored mixed-mode strategy leads to higher number of completed questionnaires, and restores partly the non-response bias by pulling in more lower educated and elderly, groups that are in general underrepresented. The results of this study indicate that one out of three people (25% of men, 38% of women) in Curacao have experienced some form of domestic violence as adults, and the lifetime victimization rates are 39% of men, 51% of women. The most significant risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao are the female gender, a young age, low education and experiencing domestic violence victimization in childhood. Divorce, single parenthood and unemployment increase the risk for women, but not for men. Possible explanations for the high victimization rates of divorced women are the fact that domestic violence rates spike during separation and higher denial rates among couples who are still together: domestic violence victims that are still in a relationship Domestic violence against women on Curacao is for the most part (ex-) partner violence. Against men, it is primarily violence from parents, family and friends. Parents are the main perpetrators of domestic violence against children, except for sexual violence, which is primarily perpetrated by family members and friends. The majority of the Curacao victims of physical domestic violence have experienced more severe forms of abuse, like being hit with objects. Men and women have similar rates of committing domestic violence; this is consistent with findings in Western countries. The self reports reveal that 25%-33% have committed psychological domestic violence, 11%-17% physical violence and 1%-6% sexual violence. Antecedents of perpetrating domestic violence are similar for both sexes, too. Being a victim of domestic violence increases the probability to become a perpetrator for both genders, especially in case of severe physical violence victimization. Other perpetrator risk factors are a high education for perpetrating psychological violence, and having children in the household for perpetrating physical violence. Curacao is a collectivist country, which is associated with higher male perpetration rates, with a matrifocal orientation and high gender empowerment, which is associated with gender similarity in perpetration rates. Since we found gender similarity in the perpetration rates on Curacao, we conclude that the influence of gender empowerment seems to be more decisive than the collectivistic/individualistic society dimension. Nevertheless we should interpret these results with caution, since we have measured domestic violence perpetration rates and not intimate partner violence perpetration rates. It is still very well possible that intimate partner violence is more often perpetrated by men, and that women direct their aggression more towards other family members, like children. Consistent with the current international literature, we found a strong association between different forms of abuse and negative healthcare outcomes. Victims of domestic violence have worse self assessed health, more health problems and more health care use than non-victims. All types of violence (psychological, physical and sexual) have specific effects on the victims health and consequently on the medical use and costs. Further research on the context, nature and severity of domestic violence in the Caribbean is necessary. Studies should preferably combine the strengths of national crime surveys and family conflict studies: nationally representative samples (including men and women), and questionnaires that include all possible experiences of psychological, physical and sexual assaults by current and former partners, family and friends. Details: Amsterdam: Vrije Universiteit, 2012. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed November 22, 2013 at: http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/handle/1871/38342/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2012 Country: Caribbean URL: http://dare.ubvu.vu.nl/bitstream/handle/1871/38342/dissertation.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 131613 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDomestic Violence (Curacao)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against MenViolence Against Women |
Author: MacQuarrie, Kerry L.D. Title: Spousal Violence and HIV: Exploring the Linkages in Five Sub-Saharan African Countries Summary: Over the past decade a consensus has been growing that intimate partner violence contributes to women's vulnerability to HIV. A diverse body of research has explored this association, mostly in the developing world. Studies based on women who present at health clinics often report a significantly higher prevalence of intimate partner violence among HIV-positive women compared with HIV-negative women. Moreover, six of seven studies using nationally representative samples reported a significant association between some form of violence and HIV status. The usual interpretation is that spousal violence increases the risk of HIV for women. Yet a direct effect on HIV status is unlikely, since there is no apparent direct causal pathway leading from most forms of spousal violence to the acquisition of HIV. This study contributes to an understanding of the relationship between spousal violence and HIV by taking advantage of data from both members of a couple and using discrete, nuanced measures of spousal violence to better specify the associated pathways through which violence influences HIV. We propose a gender-based conceptual framework in which the association between a woman's experience of spousal violence and her HIV status is mediated by two primary pathways: First, the HIV risk behaviors/factors of her husband and, second, her own behavioral and situational HIV risk factors. Both of these factors have been associated with violence experienced by women and perpetrated by men. This study uses data on married couples from six Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) in five sub- Saharan countries: Kenya 2008-09, Malawi 2010, Rwanda 2005, Rwanda 2010, Zambia 2007, and Zimbabwe 2010-11. These surveys included HIV testing for both women and men and also the domestic violence module, thus providing a subsample of married or cohabiting couples by their experience of violence and their HIV status. We examine the direct or indirect linkages between spousal violence and women's HIV status. We also explore the association between spousal violence and wives' and husbands' HIV risk factors. Specifically, we include the following factors: lifetime number of sexual partners; STI or STI symptoms in the last 12 months; and for husbands only, non-marital sex in the past 12 months; having paid for sex; alcohol use; and husband's HIV status. We consider several forms of spousal violence (emotional, physical, and sexual violence) and husbands' controlling behaviors. In keeping with the conceptual framework, we develop a series of statistical analyses to test the direct effect of spousal violence on women's HIV status and the role of HIV risk factors as mediators. The results reveal a strikingly common structure of what constitutes violence across the five countries. Five factors emerge in each country: (1) suspicion, (2) isolation, (3) emotional violence, (4) physical violence, and (5) sexual violence. These five factors account for 57 to 66 percent of the variance among the items in each country. Our factor analysis upholds the validity of experts' assignment of the various acts of spousal violence to the categories of emotional, physical, or sexual violence. An important additional insight is that the six items typically categorized as controlling behavior actually represent not one construct, but two separate constructs-suspicion and isolation-which are distinct from emotional, physical, or sexual violence. The study finds a significant association between multiple forms of violence and women's HIV status, after adjusting for wives' and husbands' socio-demographic characteristics but not risk factors. Yet, no single form of spousal violence is consistently associated with women's HIV status in all five countries. A significant relationship is found with women's HIV status for the controlling behaviors suspicion and isolation in Zambia and Zimbabwe; for emotional violence in Kenya, Rwanda and Zimbabwe; for physical violence, in Kenya, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe; and in no country for sexual violence, the least prevalent form of violence among study couples. In Malawi no form of violence is associated with a wife's risk of having HIV. In all five countries both HIV risk factors for women - lifetime number of sexual partners and recent STI or STI symptoms - are significantly associated with their having HIV, after controlling for background characteristics but not for each other. Most of the spousal violence measures are associated with both wives' HIV risk factors in each country. The most prominent predictor of a woman's HIV status is her husband's HIV status, among all the men's factors considered. Numerous husbands' HIV risk factors are associated with their wives' HIV status, but far less consistently than either husbands' HIV status or women's risk factors. The association between the experience of spousal violence and husbands' risk factors, too, is weaker and less consistent than with women's risk factors. Nevertheless, multiple relationships between spousal violence and wives' and their husbands' risk factors on one hand, and between wives' and husbands' risk factors and women's HIV status on the other, suggest that there are several possible mediators between various forms of spousal violence and women's HIV status. Indeed, when either wives' risk factors or husbands' risk factors, or both combined, are added to our models, most spousal violence factors are no longer a significant predictor of women's HIV status. The only form of spousal violence that appears to have a direct net association with HIV is physical violence, which remains significant in all models in Kenya and Zimbabwe. For almost all forms of violence (physical violence being the exception) and in all five countries, any observed significant relationship of spousal violence with a woman's HIV status is explained away by wives' or husband's HIV risk factors. The study provides evidence that there is no direct effect of most forms of spousal violence on women's HIV status, only an indirect effect through selected behavioral and other factors commonly considered to put an individual at high risk of HIV. The finding that sexual violence is not associated with women's HIV status, even before considering any mediating risk factors, deserves further exploration. Similarly, investigation is warranted to ascertain why physical violence continues to be associated with women's HIV status after controlling for these risk factors. Details: Calverton, MD: ICF International, 2013. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: DHS Analytical Studies No. 36: Accessed November 13, 2013 at: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/AS36/AS36.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Africa URL: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/AS36/AS36.pdf Shelf Number: 131654 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceHIV (Viruses)Intimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceSpouse Abuse (Africa)Violence Against Women |
Author: Great Britain. Home Office Title: Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) Pilot Assessment Summary: In 2012/13, a 14 month pilot to test a national Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) took place across four police force areas (Gwent, Wiltshire, Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire). This report sets out the findings from an assessment of the pilot. Within existing legislation and common law, police have the power to disclose information to an individual, if it might help protect them, about previous violent offending by their partner. The DVDS pilot aimed to introduce a consistent process for this. The pilot tested two processes for disclosing this information, "Right to Ask‟ where a disclosure request is triggered by a member of the public directly contacting the police about a partner, and "Right to Know‟ where a disclosure request is triggered by police or partner agencies based on information that an individual is at risk of harm from their partner. Requests are subject to police checks before potentially being referred to a local multi-agency decision-making forum, where a decision is made about whether to make a disclosure. The forum must justify that there is "pressing need‟ for disclosure, and that a disclosure is lawful, necessary and proportionate to protect the potential victim from future crime. Aims and Approach This assessment aimed to capture views of the pilot to help understand how the process was working in practice and identify lessons learnt to inform any decisions about roll-out of the process. The assessment was not designed to consider any impact the scheme may have had on domestic abuse victims or estimate the "value for money‟ of the scheme. Specifically, the assessment aimed to understand: the nature of cases going through the scheme, including the volume and characteristics of applications and disclosures; perceptions of police officers and partner agencies involved in implementing the scheme, to capture lessons learnt; and experiences of those who requested and/or received a disclosure. This assessment drew on pilot police force monitoring data, focus groups with practitioners who delivered the scheme and a small number (38)2 of questionnaires completed by those who had applied for and/or received a disclosure. Further details on these methods are provided in the main report. Details: London: Home Office, 2013. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 27, 2013 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260894/DVDS_assessment_report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/260894/DVDS_assessment_report.pdf Shelf Number: 131720 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Birdsey, Emma M. Title: Reporting Violence to Police: A survey of victims attending domestic violence services Summary: Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate what proportion of domestic violence (DV) victims who seek help from DV services choose not to report the violence to police and to investigate factors and reasons associated with non-reporting. Method: Data was collected by interviewing 300 victims attending DV services. The interview was conducted by telephone and included questions on (a) victim characteristics, (b) characteristics of victims' most recent incident, and (c) victims' reasons for not reporting to police. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were undertaken to determine characteristics associated with the decision to report a domestic violence incident to police. Results: Approximately half (51.8%) of victims reported their most recent incident to the police. Victims were more likely to report if they had an AVO against the offender, if their property had been damaged, if they were physically injured, if the abuse was physical or sexual, if they felt their children were at risk or if they had reported previous DV incidents. Victims were less likely to report if they were pregnant or experienced more than 5 previous incidents of abuse. The top three reasons for not reporting to police were fear of revenge/further violence (13.9%), embarrassment/shame (11.8%), or the incident was too trivial/unimportant (11.8%). The primary barrier to reporting, according to those interviewed, is that police either do not understand or are not proactive in handling DV (17.1%). Conclusion: Half of victims reported DV to the police, leaving the remainder without official legal intervention and professional support. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2013. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper No. 91: Accessed January 27, 2014 at: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/280912/Reporting_Violence_to_the_Police_-_BOCSAR_survey.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/280912/Reporting_Violence_to_the_Police_-_BOCSAR_survey.pdf Shelf Number: 131804 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of Domestic Violence |
Author: Houghton, Claire Title: A Review of the Increased Use of CCTV and Video-Surveillance for Crime Prevention Purposes in Europe Summary: This report describes the evolution of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) video surveillance from a simple system involving a camera and a video recorder to the sophisticated digital, multi-camera systems, integrating fully functional cameras capable of tracking a person's movements across public space. Most European cities now have extensive CCTV surveillance in private and semi-public space, particularly in the transport and retail sectors, but many countries are following the UK's example and deploying open street CCTV for the purposes of crime prevention in their major cities. While the growth of open CCTV in the Nordic countries has been limited, in other countries, particularly France, Italy and the Netherlands many cities now have open street CCTV systems. The regulation of CCTV in Europe is primarily through the application of data protection law. This has been shown to be uneven in its scope and application. Moreover, CCTV sits uneasily with the Data Protection concept of consent. Consent is implied in the public operation of CCTV and data subjects have not given it freely. Moreover, data is being processed without subject's knowledge and this suggests that regulatory requirements need to be strengthened and extended. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2009. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2009/apr/ep-study-norris-cctv-video-surveillance.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Europe URL: http://www.statewatch.org/news/2009/apr/ep-study-norris-cctv-video-surveillance.pdf Shelf Number: 131825 Keywords: Children and ViolenceClosed-Circuit TelevisionCrime PreventionDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVideo Surveillance |
Author: Morgan, David Title: Promising Practices to Help Children and Youth who have been Exposed to Violence Summary: Children and youth in challenging contexts, both in Canada and overseas, face common threats to their mental health that can be better addressed when researchers, service providers, practitioners, and communities pool their knowledge, resources, and lessons learned of what works best for improving young peoples' mental health. If these groups continue to work within their occupational and disciplinary boundaries, they will fail to mobilize the full potential of the evidence documented by researchers, the practice-related knowledge of service providers and practitioners, and the local knowledge of communities. The CYCC Network was developed in response to this need and in the summer of 2013, released three thematic knowledge synthesis reports: violence, technology, and youth engagement. Violence against children and youth, in particular, is a complex public health problem that affects communities worldwide, and can lead to potentially devastating consequences for young people and their families if left unaddressed. To tackle this problem, a coordinated effort to share and document best practices for addressing young peoples' mental health needs is urgently needed. Without opportunities to share this knowledge, there is a risk of delivering potentially ineffective interventions that are difficult for young people and their families to access or relate to. Additionally, poorly-researched or evaluated interventions often ignore the structural barriers (e.g. limited access to mental health practitioners, stigma, and a lack of resources to evaluate programs) that shape young peoples' mental health and wellbeing. In light of these challenges, the knowledge synthesis report on violence explores the effective strategies used among children and youth in challenging contexts who have been exposed to violence, in order to help them overcome trauma and feel safe in their families, schools, and communities. Recent years have seen an explosion of new, innovative programs that focus on improving the lives of vulnerable young people through the use of technology. The internet has opened doors of opportunity to reach these children and youth in more effective ways with the information and support they need to lead healthy lives. Today, mobile phones are one of the most prolific mediums through which interventions can be delivered. While the rapid developments made in technology present many opportunities, the expansion of this field has not been accompanied by a comparable level of research and evaluation. There is a need for more evidence to support the use of technology as a means of intervention with children and youth in challenging contexts. In response to this gap, the knowledge synthesis report on technology reviews innovations in technology that are known to be effective in helping children and youth in the most challenging of contexts, to nurture resilience, prevent mental health problems, and build a special place for themselves in the collective life of their communities. Finally, there has been an increasing recognition that youth engagement is central to any best practice or intervention that involves young people. Valuing youth engagement puts the focus on the positive contributions that youth make to programs and their effectiveness. Programs and services that acknowledge the independence and agency of at-risk youth provide opportunity for young people to give feedback on the relevance and appropriateness of the programs that serve them. Additionally, youth engagement can promote a sense of empowerment on an individual level, and facilitate healthy connections between young people and their community. Despite these benefits, however, there remains a gap in our understanding of the implications of engaging vulnerable youth. In order to better understand and optimize youth engagement, different strategies need to be explored that identify their appropriateness for youth living in different challenging contexts, representing all genders and age categories. With these gaps in mind, the knowledge synthesis report on youth engagement explores strategies that have been shown to work in engaging children and youth in challenging contexts as full members of their communities and in ending feelings of disempowerment and abandonment. Ultimately, the three knowledge synthesis reports are interconnected in ways that can help to form a comprehensive strategy for researchers, practitioners, service providers, and communities to address the needs of vulnerable children and youth in Canada and overseas. For example, lessons learned from the violence report can inform programs and interventions that use technology to address the mental health needs of young people in challenging contexts. Similarly, the many innovative examples and lessons learned highlighted in the technology report may be used to inform professionals working with children and youth exposed to violence, through the design and delivery of technology-based programming that is safe, accessible and effective for youth in different contexts. In turn, the youth engagement report showcases important work that can be used to inform both the violence and technology reports with best practices for engaging youth in the design and implementation of programs so that interventions are relevant, meaningful and effective to children and youth in challenging contexts. Details: Halifax, NS: CYCC Network, 2013. 134p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2014 at: http://www.cyccnetwork.org/files/Violence%20Report.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.cyccnetwork.org/files/Violence%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 131835 Keywords: At-Risk YouthChildren and ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence against ChildrenViolent CrimeVulnerable Children |
Author: Smedslund, G. Title: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Men Who Physically Abuse their Female Partner (Review) Summary: In national surveys, between 10% and 34% of women have reported being physically assaulted by an intimate male partner. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or programmes including elements of CBT are frequently used treatments for physically abusive men. Participants either enroll voluntarily or are obliged to participate by means of a court order. CBT not only seeks to change behavior using established behavioural strategies, but also targets thinking patterns and beliefs. Objectives To measure effectiveness of CBT and programmes including elements of CBT on men's physical abuse of their female partners. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy for men who have physically abused their female partner and included a measure of the impact on violence. Main results Six trials, all from the USA, involving 2343 participants, were included. A meta-analysis of four trials comparing CBT with a no intervention control (1771 participants) reported that the relative risk of violence was 0.86 (favouring the intervention group) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.54 to 1.38. This is a small effect size, and the width of the CI suggests no clear evidence for an effect. One study (Wisconsin Study) compared CBT with process-psychodynamic group treatment and reported a relative risk of new violence of 1.07 (95% CI 0.68 to 1.68). Even though the process-psychodynamic treatment did marginally better than CBT, this result is equivocal. Finally, one small study (N = 64) compared a combined CBT treatment for substance abuse and domestic violence (SADV) with a Twelve-Step Facilitation (TSF) group. An analysis involving 58 participants investigated the effect on reduction in frequency of physical violence episodes. The effect size was 0.30 (favouring TSF) with 95% CI from -0.22 to 0.81. Authors' conclusions There are still too few randomised controlled trials to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of cognitive behaviour therapy for male perpetrators of domestic violence. Details: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 2. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 19, 2014 at: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006048.pub2/pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD006048.pub2/pdf Shelf Number: 131962 Keywords: Abusive MenCognitive Behavioral TherapyDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Guy, Jonathon Title: Early Intervention in Domestic Violence and Abuse Summary: Domestic Violence and Abuse is the first in a series of reports on different aspects of Early Intervention. We chose to focus on domestic violence and abuse in our first report because it is an important cause of long-term problems for children, families and communities. The damaging impacts of witnessing domestic violence and abuse on children can cast a long shadow with inter-generational consequences sometimes leading to a repetition of abusive and violent behaviours. Moreover, domestic violence and abuse is not confined to a small section of the population but highly prevalent with 30% of women having experienced any domestic abuse since the age of 16 and 1.2% of people aged 16-59 having experienced partner abuse involving severe force in the last year. It also comes with immense costs - it is estimated that the overall costs to society of domestic violence and abuse stands at over L15.7bn. There must be more effective ways of preventing domestic violence and abuse and protecting children and families from its long-term effects. The Early Intervention Foundation's (EIF) focus is on the flow of evidence between research, practice and policy, with the goal of driving improvements to children's outcomes and breaking intergenerational patterns of disadvantage and dysfunction. Our approach is characterised by three roles: to assess the evidence of what works, to advise on the best Early Intervention approaches and to advocate for a shift in the culture from late to early intervention. A pre-emptive, early approach not only has the potential to improve the lives of children and families, but also represents an intelligent approach to spending - with possible long term savings as a result. A particular focus of the EIF is on ensuring children and young people have the bedrock of social and emotional skills, resilience and capability they need to function as effective, responsible adults with good levels of autonomy and well-being. In that context Early Intervention refers to the programmes and practices provided to babies, children, young people and their families to help achieve these outcomes. Many such Early Intervention services focus on supporting parenting as a key driver of success. EIF also provides advice to all interested in Early Intervention including practitioners, Local Councils, Schools, Police and Crime Commissioners, Clinical Commissioning Groups, the voluntary sector and Government on the causes of poor outcomes for children and young people and what has been shown to work to tackle these. We are working initially with 20 Pioneering Early Intervention Places including 18 Local Councils and 2 Police and Crime Commissioners across the country to help make Early Intervention a reality on the ground. Domestic violence and abuse is an issue that has been recurrently highlighted by local commissioners as an issue of serious concern and one which requires improved services. Many practitioners are looking at how to identify at risk groups in the population, better equip local workforces and provide more integrated services that respond to domestic violence and abuse alongside other issues that families may be facing. This report is not intended as a systematic and exhaustive review of 'What Works' in addressing and preventing domestic violence and abuse. The purpose of this report is to assess the extent to which evidence on domestic violence and abuse indicates Early Intervention Foundation that it can be an important cause of long term problems for children and families, and the role of Early Intervention in pre-empting this. The report combines our 3 'A's - assessment, advice and advocacy. It assesses a suite of preventative programmes for children and young people, Early Intervention initiatives for families at risk of domestic violence and abuse and perpetrator programmes. It reflects the feedback we have had from our 20 Pioneering Places and wider research to provide advice for local commissioners and others. It goes on to advocate for specific actions and tangible recommendations for government and other agencies. Details: London: Early Intervention Foundation, 2014. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2014 at: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Early-Intervention-in-Domestic-Violence-and-Abuse-Full-Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Early-Intervention-in-Domestic-Violence-and-Abuse-Full-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 131987 Keywords: Children and ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterventionsViolence Against Women |
Author: Flood, Michael Title: Respectful Relationships Education: Violence Prevention and Respectful Relationships Education in Victorian Secondary Schools Summary: This report is intended to advance violence prevention efforts in schools in Victoria and around Australia. It is the outcome of the Violence Prevention, Intervention and Respectful Relationships Education in Victorian Secondary Schools Project, undertaken by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth) on behalf of the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Development (DEECD). The report is designed to achieve the following goals: - to map the violence prevention, intervention and respectful relationships programs that are currently running in Victorian government secondary schools - to identify and explore best practice in violence prevention, intervention and respectful relationships education in schools in Victoria and elsewhere - to inform the development and implementation of violence prevention and respectful relationships policy and programming in Victoria - to increase DEECD's ability to respond more effectively to queries from other government departments, the media and the general public regarding the role of schools in violence prevention and the promotion of respectful relationships. The report focuses on the prevention of forms of violence that occur in intimate and family relationships, including physical or sexual violence by boyfriends and girlfriends, intimate partners or ex-partners, family members and others. Such forms of violence may overlap, or have similarities, with other forms of violence such as bullying, homophobic violence and racist violence. However, these other forms of violence are not the focus of this report. The report does not seek to make recommendations for policies, programs or processes, but rather enhances the evidence base for respectful relationship education in schools. The report is based on a review of violence prevention programs in Victoria that occurred in two stages. Stage One (May to August 2008) aimed to identify violence prevention and respectful relationships programs currently operating in, or being delivered to, Victorian government secondary schools, as well as to distil principles of good practice in schools-based programs from the national and international literature. Stage Two (September 2008 to May 2009) involved a more detailed analysis of programs identified as good practice or 'promising practice' models, interviews with key informants and further analysis of existing research on violence prevention. Comments by key informants have been integrated into the text, but in order to protect confidentiality have not been attributed to individuals. Details: Melbourne: Victoria Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2009. 91p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 19, 2014 at: https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/stuman/wellbeing/respectful_relationships/respectful-relationships.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Australia URL: https://www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/stuman/wellbeing/respectful_relationships/respectful-relationships.pdf Shelf Number: 132072 Keywords: Dating ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSchool-Based ProgramsSexual ViolenceViolence Prevention Programs (Australia) |
Author: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria Title: Justice or Judgement? The Impact of Victorian Homicide Law Reforms on Responses to Women Who Kill Intimate Partners Summary: Over the past decade in Australia, reviews of homicide laws have been undertaken in most jurisdictions with the aim of addressing concerns about legal responses to intimate partner homicides. In Victoria, problems were identified with the application of the partial defence of provocation, particularly in the case of men who kill their female intimate partners, while self-defence has been seen to be failing women who kill to protect themselves from their male partner's violence. In both contexts there has been a systemic failure to recognise the nature and impact of family violence. Significant changes to homicide laws were enacted in Victoria in 2005 which have been held up as a 'trendsetting' example of feminist-inspired reforms to remediate gender imbalances in legal responses (Ramsey 2010; Forell 2006). The rationale for key aspects of the reforms was to better accommodate the experiences of victims who kill violent family members (Victorian Law Reform Commission [VLRC] 2002; Australian Law Reform Commission [ALRC] and New South Wales Law Reform Commission [NSWLRC] 2010, p. 622). This discussion paper examines legal outcomes in the cases of women who have killed their intimate partners in the eight years since the reforms were implemented in Victoria. The focus of this paper is on whether, and to what extent, the reforms have improved the recognition of family violence and legal understandings of the circumstances in which women kill in response to violence by an intimate partner. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria, 2013. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://dvrcv.sites.go1.com.au/sites/thelookout.sites.go1.com.au/files/DVRCV-DiscussionPaper-9-2013-web.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: http://dvrcv.sites.go1.com.au/sites/thelookout.sites.go1.com.au/files/DVRCV-DiscussionPaper-9-2013-web.pdf Shelf Number: 132119 Keywords: Criminal LawDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicideIntimate Partner ViolenceWomen Who Kill |
Author: ChildFund Australia Title: Stop Violence: Against Women and Children in Papua New Guinea Summary: For years, Margaret endured her husband hitting her with knives, stones, metal and bottles. He said he would find boys to pack-rape her and she lived in fear of his chilling death threats: "You see this stone? It is nice and hard and round. If I put it on your head you are dead. When we are at home I will really kill you." When Margaret speaks of the violence she has lived through, the real pain surfaces when she explains how her husband hurt their little boy. Sammy experienced so much violence in his first months of life that when he hears a sudden noise, he cries and needs Margaret to hug him. When Sammy was just one month old, Margaret's husband tried to punch her in the face and missed, knocking the baby unconscious. Sammy's pupils constricted and Margaret watched on, terrified, as her husband shook the baby to revive him. He then threatened to kill Margaret with the iron bar in his hand as he demanded, "Come and get the child." Hopefully Sammy won't remember his father trying to hit Margaret while she was breastfeeding him, or his father picking him up and using his little body as a weapon to hit her. Margaret's story is extreme, which, sadly, makes it representative. In Papua New Guinea, women are raped, killed and maimed on a shocking scale. The brutality is severe, often involving bush knives, axes, burning and even biting. In the following pages, you will hear from a woman whose bottom lip was bitten off in a random attack, and another who was relentlessly belted and raped by her husband over three consecutive days. Two grieving women tell how their sister died after her husband smashed her head against a car, leaving her young children motherless. Young women who grew up without mothers to defend them speak of the brutal beatings they have experienced at the hands of relatives. ChildFund understands that violence against women inevitably hurts children, too. That is why, with the benefit of almost 20 years' experience working in Papua New Guinea, we have developed an innovative new program focused on family violence, which we will roll out in Central Province, east of Port Moresby. In this report, we share what we have learnt through field research that was conducted to inform this new support and education program. Details: Surry Hills NSW: ChildFund Australia, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2014 at: http://www.childfund.org.au/sites/default/files/publications/Stop%20Violence%20Against%20Women%20and%20Children%20in%20PNG%202013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Papua New Guinea URL: http://www.childfund.org.au/sites/default/files/publications/Stop%20Violence%20Against%20Women%20and%20Children%20in%20PNG%202013.pdf Shelf Number: 132132 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Stewart, Lynn A. Title: Profile and Programming Needs of Federal Offenders with Histories of Intimate Partner Violences Summary: Previous research has indicated that prevalence rates for domestic violence (DV) are high among offender populations. An up-to-date profile of this population in the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is required to determine the treatment needs of offenders with this history. What we did A sample of 15,166 offenders was drawn from those currently under custody who had a suspected history of domestic violence based on the Family Violence Risk Assessment (FVRA) screening process. We also obtained a sample of 6,144 domestic violence offenders identified as moderate to high risk since 2002 on the Spousal Assault Risk Assessments (SARA) who were compared to offenders without a history of DV during the same time period. Further analyses compared high and moderate risk DV offenders and Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal DV offenders. What we found Forty percent of offenders currently under CSC supervision have a suspected history of DV. Of these, 45% were rated as either moderate or high risk on the SARA, providing an estimate of at least 18% of the CSC population with a confirmed history of DV. The population of federal offenders assessed as moderate or high risk on the SARA indicated that DV offenders scored higher on criminal history risk ratings, had more learning disabilities and mental health problems, and were rated as higher need than non-DV offenders. DV offenders had extensive and varied offence histories with 79% having had at least one other violent offence and 18% had a sexual offence. Aboriginal offenders were over-represented among the DV perpetrators with 57% having a suspected history and 30% a confirmed history. Aboriginal DV offenders generally had higher criminal risk ratings and higher need ratings than non-Aboriginal DV offenders; in particular, they had more substantial histories of alcohol abuse indicating that interventions for Aboriginal offenders with DV must include treatment for substance abuse. The rate of DV among Inuit offenders is particularly high with over 48% having a confirmed history. When the DV group was assessed against the current program referral criteria, 40% meet the criteria for a violence prevention program, over 37% meet the criteria for a substance abuse program, and 22% meet the criteria for a sex offender program. Of concern are results that indicate that almost half (47%) of confirmed DV offenders would not qualify for participating in a family violence prevention program unless over-ride provisions are invoked. What it means Domestic violence offenders in CSC present with multiple criminogenic and mental health needs but are unique in the extent to which they have needs in the family and marital domain. Current referral guidelines mean that 47% of these offenders no longer qualify to attend a DV program to address this area and would not be treated for this offence pattern. Details: Ottawa: Correctional Service of Canada, 2012. 29p. To obtain a PDF version of the full report, contact the following address: research@csc-scc.gc.ca Source: Internet Resource: Research Report R-265: Accessed April 28, 2014 at: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0265-eng.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/005/008/092/005008-0265-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 132185 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceOffender Treatment |
Author: Truman, Jennifer L. Title: Nonfatal Domestic Violence, 2003-2012 Summary: The report presents estimates on nonfatal domestic violence from 2003 to 2012. Domestic violence includes victimization committed by current or former intimate partners (spouses, boyfriends or girlfriends), parents, children, siblings, and other relatives. This report focuses on the level and pattern of domestic violence over time, highlighting selected victim and incident characteristics. Incident characteristics include the type of violence, the offender's use of a weapon, victim injury and medical treatment, and whether the incident was reported to police. The report provides estimates of acquaintance and stranger violence for comparison. Data are from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), which collects information on nonfatal crimes reported and not reported to police. The NCVS is a self-report survey administered every six months to persons age 12 or older from a nationally representative sample of U.S. households. Highlights: In 2003-12, domestic violence accounted for 21% of all violent crime. A greater percentage of domestic violence was committed by intimate partners (15%) than immediate family members (4%) or other relatives (2%). Current or former boyfriends or girlfriends committed most domestic violence. Females (76%) experienced more domestic violence victimizations than males (24%). Details: Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2014. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ndv0312.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/ndv0312.pdf Shelf Number: 132204 Keywords: Crime StatisticsDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Crime |
Author: Kirkwood, Debbie Title: 'Just Say Goodbye': Parents Who Kill Their Children in the Context of Separation Summary: This Discussion Paper, 'Just Say Goodbye', examines the motives and background to 'filicide' - the killing of children by a parent. While these deaths are often described in the media as 'inexplicable', this new research identifies a link between the killing of children and violence against women. The paper considers international research, Australian Institute of Criminology data and case examples of both fathers and mothers who kill their children. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria, 2012. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper No. 8: Accessed May 3, 2014 at: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/sites/thelookout.sites.go1.com.au/files/%E2%80%98Just%20Say%20Goodbye%E2%80%99%20%28January%202013%20online%20edition%29.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/sites/thelookout.sites.go1.com.au/files/%E2%80%98Just%20Say%20Goodbye%E2%80%99%20%28January%202013%20online%20edition%29.pdf Shelf Number: 132219 Keywords: Family ViolenceFilicide (Australia)Homicide |
Author: Parks, Sharyn E. Title: Surveillance for Violent Deaths - National Violent Death Reporting System, 16 States, 2010 Summary: Problem/Condition: An estimated 55,000 persons die annually in the United States as a result of violence-related injuries. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) regarding violent deaths from 16 U.S. states for 2010. Results are reported by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, marital status, location of injury, method of injury, circumstances of injury, and other selected characteristics. Reporting Period Covered: 2010. Description of System: NVDRS collects data regarding violent deaths obtained from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, law enforcement reports, and secondary sources (e.g., child fatality review team data, supplementary homicide reports, hospital data, and crime laboratory data). NVDRS data collection began in 2003 with seven states (Alaska, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, and Virginia) participating; six states (Colorado, Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin) joined in 2004, four (California, Kentucky, New Mexico, and Utah) in 2005, and two in 2010 (Ohio and Michigan), for a total of 19 states. This report includes data from 16 states that collected statewide data in 2010; data from California are not included in this report because data were not collected after 2009. Ohio and Michigan were excluded because data collection, which began in 2010, did not occur statewide until 2011. Results: For 2010, a total of 15,781 fatal incidents involving 16,186 deaths were captured by NVDRS in the 16 states included in this report. The majority (62.8%) of deaths were suicides, followed by homicides and deaths involving legal intervention (i.e., deaths caused by law enforcement and other persons with legal authority to use deadly force, excluding legal executions) (24.4%), deaths of undetermined intent (12.2%), and unintentional firearm deaths (0.7%). Suicides occurred at higher rates among males, non-Hispanic whites, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and persons aged 45-54 years. Suicides most often occurred in a house or apartment and involved the use of firearms. Suicides were preceded primarily by a mental health or intimate partner problem, a crisis during the previous 2 weeks, or a physical health problem. Homicides occurred at higher rates among males and persons aged 20-24 years; rates were highest among non-Hispanic black males. The majority of homicides involved the use of a firearm and occurred in a house or apartment or on a street/highway. Homicides were precipitated primarily by arguments and interpersonal conflicts or in conjunction with another crime. Interpretation: This report provides a detailed summary of data from NVDRS for 2010. The results indicate that violent deaths resulting from self-inflicted or interpersonal violence disproportionately affected persons aged <55 years, males, and certain minority populations. For homicides and suicides, relationship problems, interpersonal conflicts, mental health problems, and recent crises were among the primary precipitating factors. Because additional information might be reported subsequently as participating states update their findings, the data provided in this report are preliminary. Public Health Action: For the occurrence of violent deaths in the United States to be better understood and ultimately prevented, accurate, timely, and comprehensive surveillance data are necessary. NVDRS data can be used to monitor the occurrence of violence-related fatal injuries and assist public health authorities in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies to reduce and prevent violent deaths at the national, state, and local levels. NVDRS data have been used to enhance prevention programs. Examples include use of linked NVDRS data and adult protective service data to better target elder maltreatment prevention programs and improve staff training to identify violent death risks for older adults in North Carolina, use of Oklahoma VDRS homicide data to help evaluate the effectiveness of a new police and advocate intervention at domestic violence incident scenes, and data-informed changes in primary care practice in Oregon to more effectively address older adult suicide prevention. The continued development and expansion of NVDRS is essential to CDC's efforts to reduce the personal, familial, and societal impacts of violence. Further efforts are needed to increase the number of states participating in NVDRS, with an ultimate goal of full national representation. Details: Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Morbidity and Mortality Weekley Report, January 17, 2014: Surveillance Summaries, vol. 63, no. 1: Accessed May 5, 2014 at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6301.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss6301.pdf Shelf Number: 132233 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicideSuicidesViolence-Related InjuriesViolent Crime |
Author: Kahui, Sherilee Title: Productivity Gains from Workplace Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence Summary: Domestic violence is a workplace issue. It is estimated to cost employers in New Zealand at least $368 million for the June year 2014. If nothing is done, projections indicate that the total costs will be at least $3.7 billion dollars when combined over the next ten years. Employment is a key pathway out of domestic violence. The body of research about domestic violence over the past 30 years finds conclusively that staying in employment is critical to reducing the effects of violence. Security of employment enables those affected by domestic violence to maintain domestic and economic stability, in this way assisting them to find a pathway out of violence and to successfully re-build their lives. Employers have the potential of productivity gains from implementing workplace protections that support victims of domestic violence. There is a growing body of evidence that suggests that as well as the potential for breaking the cycle of domestic violence, the introduction of workplace protections for people affected by domestic violence both saves employers costs (recruitment, retention, re-training, health and safety) and increases productivity. The PSA commissioned this project to examine the impact of workplace protections on domestic violence victims, other staff and colleagues, the employer and overall productivity. Experience in New Zealand to date indicates that there are barriers to the implementation of workplace protections. These barriers are due in part to current attitudes towards workplace Health and Safety training which can overstate the costs and understate the benefits from lower costs of recruitment, retention and retraining. A framework has been developed for this project that specifies the determinants of these costs and then proceeds to calculate them. These include the costs to find a replacement worker and the average annual cost of training when a victim's employment is terminated by her employer. In 2014, $153 million is estimated to be lost across the New Zealand workforce due to these two factors. This is an under estimation of the total cost of victims leaving their employment as the effect of women resigning their current job has not been taken into account. For every woman whose experience of violence is prevented as result of the workplace protections in a particular year, an average of $3,371 in production-related costs can be avoided. This number is conservative as outlined in the body of the report. Details: Wellington, NA: MoreMedia Enterprises, 2014. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 6, 2014 at: http://psa.org.nz/Libraries/Documents_2014/Workplace_Productivity_Improvements_for_DV_21_May_2014.sflb.ashx Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://psa.org.nz/Libraries/Documents_2014/Workplace_Productivity_Improvements_for_DV_21_May_2014.sflb.ashx Shelf Number: 132252 Keywords: Costs of Criminal JusticeDomestic Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against WomenWorkplace |
Author: Darkins, Tina Title: The Anger Change Programme Research Report Summary: The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of the Anger Change Programme for Mothers. The Anger Change programme is a New Zealand-based child abuse prevention programme, developed in 1990 by Pye Bowden, as a specialised therapeutic intervention for mothers who were abusing their children or who were afraid that they might do so. The format is a therapeutic group process, using discussion, mind/body techniques and psychodynamic processes to create healing. Counselling services who took part in the study were: Jigsaw North, Whangarei who were the lead agency for the study; Family Works - Hawkes Bay; East Coast Family Works (Hastings); Family Support Service - Whanganui Trust (trading as Jigsaw Whanganui); and Presbyterian Support Services - South Canterbury (Family Works). The research question is: How effective has the Anger Change for Mothers Programme been from the prospective of graduate mothers over the past four-plus years and from the prospective from other stakeholders associated with the programme' and what is the current level of community need for the programme? Details: Whangarei, New Zealand: Jigsaw North, 2013. 274p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2014 at: http://www.communityresearch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/formidable/The-Anger-Change-Programme-For-Mothers-Report-2013-Jigsaw-North.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.communityresearch.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/formidable/The-Anger-Change-Programme-For-Mothers-Report-2013-Jigsaw-North.pdf Shelf Number: 132278 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild Abuse PreventionChild ProtectionDomestic Violence (New Zealand)Family Violence |
Author: Tisdall, Mark Title: Review of the Use of Restorative Justice in Family Violence Cases in the Rotorua District Summary: Assisting victims to reclaim their voice has been a call for a very long time in the field of domestic violence. Family violence by its very nature renders silent the stories of those victimised. Violence robs those victimised of their mana so good practice has as its aim the enhancement of women's agency, as in the majority of cases the victim of domestic violence are women. The aims of restorative justice are remarkably similar in that a core ideal is to provide those victimised by crime, a voice within the justice system and a voice in terms of appropriate reparation, in order to reclaim their own mana and move on. Holding offenders accountable for their behaviour is a strong ideal shared by both fields of practice. There remains strong debate within both the family violence and restorative justice fields about what role there might be, if any, that an accommodation at a practice level could take place. Mana Social services is one of the agencies contracted by the Crime Prevention Unit of the Ministry of Justice to deliver restorative justice in cases of domestic violence. Currently there is not a policy in this area for this work and evidence is required to consider the impact, processes, safety and outcomes in this area which will inform the development of policy. The agency has a good reputation for it's work in restorative justice; a third of referrals to Mana SS from the District Court are in the area of family violence offending. Mana Social Services has already been the subject of an evaluation albeit not focussed on domestic violence. This review specifically focuses upon those cases that are purely family violence in nature. The three primary aims of this review as specified by the Ministry of Justice was: What best practice for restorative justice in these cases would entail, i.e. how to ensure high quality processes and outcomes, and client safety and satisfaction; and ... The skills and attributes needed by practitioners To investigate the extent to which Mana Social Services address in the restorative justice process the particular family and relationship dynamics that are inherent in cases of family violence. The methodology chosen for this evaluation was qualitative with the researchers having chosen to gather data primarily through focus groups and semi structured in-depth interviewing of key informants, stakeholders, programme providers, affiliated agencies and programme users; mainly offenders and victims. Other information was gained through a study of District Court files, Mana Social Service case files and a review of the literature. The key findings of the review is that the work that Mana Social Services undertakes in the area of restorative justice conferencing in situations of family violence matches what would be considered best practice for conferencing in sensitive and complex situations. Family violence cases it can be argued are complex by the nature of intimate and familial relationships that pre-exist the conference. In simple terms there is history. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Justice, 2007. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 12, 2014 at: http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/global-publications/r/review-of-the-use-of-restorative-justice-in-family-violence-cases-in-the-rotorua-district-may-2007/the-restorative-justice-programme-for-domestic-violence Year: 2007 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/global-publications/r/review-of-the-use-of-restorative-justice-in-family-violence-cases-in-the-rotorua-district-may-2007/the-restorative-justice-programme-for-domestic-violence Shelf Number: 132331 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRestorative Justice (New Zealand) |
Author: Espelage, Dorothy L. Title: Bullying, Sexual, and Dating Violence Trajectories From Early to Late Adolescence Summary: Youth aggression and bullying, sexual harassment and dating violence are widespread public health concerns that create negative consequences for victims. The present study included a longitudinal examination of the impact of family abuse and conflict, self-reported delinquency, and peer delinquency on the development of bullying perpetration, sexual harassment perpetration, and teen dating violence perpetration among a large sample of early adolescents. While a few studies have examined the co-occurrence of bullying, sexual harassment, and/or dating violence among high school students, there are no studies to date to simultaneously consider all three forms of violence using a comprehensive, developmentally-sensitive design. Quantitative self-report survey data were collected from 1162 high school students who were part of the University of Illinois Study of Bullying and Sexual Violence Study funded by the Centers for Disease Control (1U49CE001268-01; 2007-2010). Participants included in the results presented here were from four Midwestern middle schools (grades 5 - 7; three cohorts) who were followed into three high schools; 49% female; 58% African American, and 26% White. At Wave 1, students ranged in age from 10 to 15 years of age (M = 11.81; SD = 1.09). Sixty-percent of the sample was eligible for free/reduced lunch. Participants were in middle school (waves 1 - 4) during the initial Bullying and Sexual Violence Study. At waves 6 and 7, youth were in high school; and sexual harassment and teen dating violence measures were added to the survey packet. Boys reported more bully perpetration during middle school, whereas girls reported more family conflict and sibling aggression than boys. In high school, sexual harassment perpetration was higher for boys than girls. Verbal emotional abuse and physical teen dating violence perpetration was higher for girls than boys, but boys reported greater levels of sexual teen dating violence perpetration in high school. Boys reported a greater mean scale score than girls on self-reported sexual harassment perpetration during middle school. In high school, 68% of girls reported having at least one sexual harassment victimization experience compared to 55% of boys. Verbal emotional dating abuse was the most common experience for these youth, 73% of girls versus 66% of boys reported any verbal emotional abuse victimization. In addition, 64% of girls reported perpetrating verbal emotional abuse with a dating partner compared to 45% of boys. Physical teen dating violence behaviors were reported by fewer youth, but still at a high rate (35-36%). Sexual coercion victimization was reported by 23-25% girls and 13-14% of boys. Longitudinal path analyses were modeled separately for girls and boys. Consistent with the proposed theoretical model, family conflict, sibling aggression, and delinquent friends were significant predictors of bullying perpetration during middle school for girls. In high school, bully perpetration predicted sexual harassment/violence perpetration, verbal emotional abuse teen dating violence perpetration, and sexual coercive teen dating violence perpetration. Consistent with the proposed model, sibling aggression predicted bullying perpetration for boys, ike the girls model; however family conflict did not emerge as a significant predictor of bullying perpetration or delinquency. In contrast to the girls' model, sibling aggression and self-reported delinquency also predicted sexually coercive teen dating violence perpetration and verbal emotional abuse perpetration. Also, bully perpetration predicted sexual harassment/violence perpetration, verbal emotional abuse and physical teen dating violence perpetration. Thus, interventions should address exposure to family violence and include opportunities to learn healthy relationships and conflict management skills. Prevention efforts should consider developmental timing of aggression and violence. Given that bullying declines in high school, it may be necessary to shift the focus to aggression and violence as they manifest in dating and romantic relationships. Finally, there needs to be increased research attention given to sexual coercion in dating relationships in high school, especially when considering the experience of girls. Details: Urbana-Champaign, IL: University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign, 2014. 74p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2014 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/246830.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/246830.pdf Shelf Number: 132576 Keywords: BullyingDating ViolenceFamily ViolenceSexual Harassment |
Author: Gerney, Arkadi Title: Women Under the Gun: How Gun Violence Affects Women and 4 Policy Solutions to Better Protect Them Summary: Violence against women looks very different than violence against men. Whether in the context of sexual assault on college campuses or in the military, violence by an intimate partner, or other types of violent victimization, women's experiences of violence in this country are unique from those of men. One key difference in the violence committed against women in the United States is who commits it: Women are much more likely to be victimized by people they know, while men are more likely to be victims of violent crime at the hands of strangers. Between 2003 and 2012, 65 percent of female violent crime victims were targeted by someone they knew; only 34 percent of male violent crime victims knew their attackers. Intimate partners make up the majority of known assailants: During the same time period, 34 percent of all women murdered were killed by a male intimate partner, compared to the only 2.5 percent of male murder victims killed by a female intimate partner. A staggering portion of violence against women is fatal, and a key driver of these homicides is access to guns. From 2001 through 2012, 6,410 women were murdered in the United States by an intimate partner using a gun - more than the total number of U.S. troops killed in action during the entirety of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined. Guns are used in fatal intimate partner violence more than any other weapon: Of all the women killed by intimate partners during this period, 55 percent were killed with guns. Women in the United States are 11 times more likely to be murdered with a gun than are women in other high income countries. Limiting abusers and stalkers' access to firearms is therefore critical to reduce the number of women murdered in this country every year. This idea is not new: Congress first acted 20 years ago to strengthen our gun laws to prevent some domestic abusers from buying guns. But we are still a long way from having a comprehensive system of laws in place at both the federal and state levels that protect women - and children and men - from fatal violence in the context of intimate and domestic relationships. This report provides an overview of the data regarding the intersection of intimate partner violence and gun violence, describing four policies that states and the federal government should enact to reduce dangerous abusers' access to guns and prevent murders of women: - Bar all convicted abusers, stalkers, and people subject to related restraining orders from possessing guns. - Provide all records of prohibited abusers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, or NICS. - Require a background check for all gun sales. - Ensure that abusers surrender any firearms they own once they become prohibited. Some states have already adopted some of these policies, and in the past 12 months, there has been a growing movement across the country to enact laws closing some gaps related to domestic abusers' gun access in several states, including Wisconsin, Washington, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Minnesota. This report collected and analyzed data from a variety of sources, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI; the Centers for Disease Control, or CDC; the Office of Violence Against Women; state criminal justice agencies; state domestic violence fatality review boards; and academic research. These data provide a snapshot of women's experiences of violence in this country and show the glaring gaps in state and federal laws that leave victims of domestic violence and stalking vulnerable to gun violence. Many of these data have not been made public prior to the publication of this report and were collected through Freedom of Information Act requests. Among our findings: - In 15 states, more than 40 percent of all homicides of women in each state involved intimate partner violence. In 36 states, more than 50 percent of intimate partner-related homicides of women in each state involved a gun. - A review of conviction records in 20 states showed that there are at least 11,986 individuals across the country who have been convicted of misdemeanor-level stalking but are still permitted to possess guns under federal law. It is likely that there are tens of thousands of additional convicted stalkers who are able to buy guns. - While submission of records regarding convicted misdemeanant domestic abusers to the FBI's NICS Index has increased 132 percent over the past five-and-a-half years, only three states appear to be submitting reasonably complete records - Connecticut, New Hampshire, and New Mexico. Records from these three states account for 79 percent of the total records submitted to the FBI. Every day in the United States, five women are murdered with guns. Many of these fatal shootings occur in the context of a domestic or intimate partner relationship. However, women are not the only victims. Shooters have often made children, police officers, and their broader communities additional targets of what begins as an intimate partner shooting. In fact, one study found that more than half of the mass shootings in recent years have started with or involved the shooting of an intimate partner or a family member. Enacting a comprehensive set of laws and enforcement strategies to disarm domestic abusers and stalkers will reduce the number of women who are murdered by abusers with guns-and it will make all Americans safer. Details: Washington, DC: Center for American Progress, 2014. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 1, 2014 at: http://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/GunsDomesticViolence2.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://cdn.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/GunsDomesticViolence2.pdf Shelf Number: 132588 Keywords: Family ViolenceGun ControlGun ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Mitchell, David Title: Men at Work: Men's views on a stopping violence service Summary: There is no doubt that family violence is a serious and on-going issue in our community. As a local community initiative a panel was organised in 2010 by Nelson's Te Rito Family Violence Prevention Network to discuss the issue of family violence. This panel discussion led representatives from SVS - Living Safe; Public Health, Nelson Marlborough District Health Board (NMDHB); and the Bachelor of Nursing Programme, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) to meet and consider the possibility of working together on a project that could serve to add constructively to reducing family violence. Underpinning the project was the belief that male perpetrators of violence against partners, as service users, have an important role in providing guidance for service development. The aim of the project was to collect data from men who had completed or were completing the SVS - Living Safe's 'Stopping Violence' group to surface their views on: - The effectiveness of the 'Stopping Violence' group. - How SVS - Living Safe's services could be further developed. - Strategies that would be useful in reducing the incidence of family violence in our community. In order to achieve the above aims above the project used both a written survey and focus groups. Thirty one men responded to the survey and 12 participated in the focus groups. Support to proceed with the project was obtained from NMIT's Research & Ethics Advisory Committee. The survey looked at respondent characteristics as well as group structure, processes and quality. The feedback overall was positive in all areas. Of particular note here were: - That the group was life-changing. - The benefit of the initial interview. - The benefit of group participation being augmented with 1:1 support. - Having both male and female facilitators. - The sense of respect the men encountered. - The skills the men developed. In the two focus groups the participants were asked firstly, with reference to the results from the survey, to critique SVS - Living Safe Stopping Violence services for men. Secondly, they were asked to consider initiatives in stopping violence more broadly. There were 12 participants in the first group with 11 returning for the second group. Three main themes evolved from the two consecutive groups. - SVS - Living Safe should revisit how it is promoted. - The complexity of intimate partner violence (IPV) needs to be better appreciated. - The need for a different approach to education on IPV especially exploring differing models of how IPV is both understood and addressed. Details: Nelson, NZ: SVS Living Safe, 2014. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 3, 2014 at: Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 132050 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention |
Author: Slegh, H. Title: Gender Relations, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and the Effects of Conflict on Women and Men in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo: Results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) Summary: Promundo and Sonke Gender Justice have released the complete results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which reveal high levels of gender-based violence and the continuing effects of conflict on couple and family relations. The report will be launched this week at the Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict at ExCel London. The comprehensive report, Gender Relations, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and the Effects of Conflict on Women and Men in North Kivu, Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, affirms that the devastating impact of war in DRC affects nearly all those living in eastern DRC, and is manifested in highly inequitable and violent partner relations. Approximately 70% of men and 80% of women were directly affected by war and conflict in DRC, and their reports of conflict-related trauma - including physical displacement, injury, death of friends and family members and experiences of sexual violence - are multiple and widespread. The study's results show that years of conflict, combined with persistent poverty, limited functioning of the state and widespread inequitable norms in DRC, create multiple vulnerabilities for women and girls, and no shortage of vulnerabilities for boys and men as well. One key finding is that rates of sexual violence against women in eastern DRC are some of the highest in the world, compared to other settings where the multi-country survey IMAGES has been carried out. Another key finding is that sexual violence as part of conflict, while brutal and traumatic for those who experience it, happens at lower rates than sexual violence carried out in the home, which the study's co-authors Gary Barker and Henny Slegh discuss in the article "Being Honest About Sexual Violence in War, and Everywhere Else." This survey, carried out with 1,500 men and women in eastern DRC, found that 22% of women were forced to have sex or were raped as part of the conflict, as were some 10% of men. In addition, approximately half of women had experienced sexual violence from a husband or male partner. Nearly a third of both women and men reported an unwanted sexual experience as children. In sum, the effects of economic stress, trauma, fear, frustration, hunger and lack of means to sustain the family are felt first and foremost in family and partner relations. Furthermore, in spite of the compounding effects of the conflict, many findings were consistent with IMAGES studies in other parts of the world: men's childhood experiences of violence, binge drinking and inequitable attitudes were associated with their use of intimate partner violence. At the same time, men whose own fathers were involved in the household were more likely to carry out household tasks. The report reveals the urgent need for more intense promotion of gender equality in DRC's education, health and justice sectors, at both the local and national levels; a rollout of psychosocial and secondary prevention that enables boys and girls to overcome violence they have experienced and witnessed; and long-term rebuilding from the conflict that takes into consideration mens and women's sense of loss of status and identity, and their need for psychosocial support. The report also highlights the needs for a more adequate policy framework in DRC and immediate action on those policies. Sonke Gender Justice recently carried out a review (a summary of which is included in this study) of the policies in DRC and the associated challenges. This study in DRC is part of the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES), a multi-year, multi-country study created and coordinated by Promundo and the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW). IMAGES is one of the most comprehensive studies ever on men's practices and attitudes as they relate to gender norms, attitudes toward gender equality policies, household dynamics including caregiving and men's involvement as fathers, intimate partner violence, health and economic stress. As of 2013, it had been carried out in 10 countries (including this study in DRC) with additional partner studies in Asia inspired in part by IMAGES. Details: Washington, DC, and Capetown, South Africa:Promundo-US and Sonke Gender Justice, 2014. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://www.genderjustice.org.za/101908-gender-relations-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-and-the-effects-of-conflict-on-women-and-men-in-north-kivu-eastern-democratic-republic-of-the-congo/file.html Year: 2014 Country: Congo, Democratic Republic URL: http://www.genderjustice.org.za/101908-gender-relations-sexual-and-gender-based-violence-and-the-effects-of-conflict-on-women-and-men-in-north-kivu-eastern-democratic-republic-of-the-congo/file.html Shelf Number: 132628 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRapeSexual ViolenceSocioeconomic Conditions and ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Patton, Shirley Title: Pathways: How women leave violent men Summary: At the Justice and Change Conference held in Canberra (1999), Professor Liz Kelly (Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit, University of North London) argued that there should be a shift in the direction of domestic violence policy and service research, from what prevents women from leaving a male partner who assaults them, to what enables them to do so. This research is a response to that challenge. It has focused on who and what enabled women to leave a male partner who had assaulted them - the pathways to leaving and establishing a new life. The study differs from previous research in that it focuses on: 1. Women's own identification of what enabled them to negotiate their way successfully out of violent relationships. 2. The identification and analysis of effective supports, services and strategies for establishing violence-free lives. The research is of both National and State significance, with the issue of domestic violence on political agendas at both levels. Most recently, the Tasmanian Government committed to: 'Reduce by one-third the incidence of family violence by 2020' (Tasmania Together 2001). Women Tasmania, the government department that has key responsibility for women's policy issues, commissioned this research, with funding provided by the Federal Partnerships Against Domestic Violence (PADV) strategy. Research aims and questions The primary aim of the research has been to identify how and where government and nongovernment policy makers and service providers could best use their resources to provide more timely and appropriate assistance to women leaving violent male partners, and to maximise their safety. To this end, it worked with women in Tasmania to identify and explore the formal and informal pathways they used to leave a male partner who assaulted them, the pathways they used to establish and maintain a new, violence-free life for themselves and their children, and what has assisted them in this process. The main research question was: What are women's perceptions of the turning points and pathways in leaving and remaining out of a violent relationship with a male partner? Details: Hobart, Tasmania: Women Tasmania, Department of Premier and Cabinet, 2003. 222p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 10, 2014 at: http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/47012/pathways_how_women_leave_violent_men.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Australia URL: http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/47012/pathways_how_women_leave_violent_men.pdf Shelf Number: 132642 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women (Australia) |
Author: Meyer, Silke Title: Victims' Experiences of Short- and Long-Term Safety and Wellbeing: Findings from an examination of an integrated response to domestic violence Summary: One in three Australian women experience domestic violence at some point during their adult life and it is women and their children who typically suffer the most severe short and long-term consequences of this violence. In this paper the findings are presented from an evaluation of a Queensland police-led integrated service response to domestic violence incidents that was designed to better address women and children's needs for short and long-term safety. The findings indicated that a significant improvement in women's self-rated safety and well-being was generated throughout the initial six-week support period. However, subsequent follow-up interviews with a sample of participants identified that the women had continued to experience a range of abuse, harassment and stalking after the initial support period had ended. This suggests a need to provide ongoing support to women and children escaping domestic violence, as well as a stronger focus on perpetrator accountability, if improvements to the safety and well-being of women and children escaping domestic violence are to be sustained. Details: Sydney: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2014. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & Issues in Crime and Criminal Justice No. 478: Accessed July 11, 2014 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi478.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi478.pdf Shelf Number: 132653 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceVictims ServicesViolence Against Women |
Author: Scott, Katreena Title: Parenting Interventions for Men Who Batter Summary: This paper explores how fathers who have battered might be best included in interventions that improve outcomes for women and child survivors of domestic violence. Specifically, the paper explores the question: What form of parenting intervention should we consider for fathers who batter? To address this question, we begin by describing what we know about fathers who batter. We then highlight common features of pioneering parenting programs for men who batter. Finally, we discuss current debate about how we can best provide services to fathers in a way that will protect women and children. A companion paper, entitled Practical Considerations for Parenting Interventions for Men who Batter adds to this review by considering issues of recruitment, program organization, content of intervention, and collaborative inter-agency practice. Details: Harrisburg, PA: VAWnet, a project of the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence, 2012. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_ParentingInterventions.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://www.vawnet.org/Assoc_Files_VAWnet/AR_ParentingInterventions.pdf Shelf Number: 132682 Keywords: Abusive Men Battered Women Domestic Violence Family ViolenceParenting Programs Violence Against Women |
Author: Brooks, Oona Title: Violence Against Women: Effective Interventions and Practices with Perpetrators: A literature review Summary: This report presents a review of literature on effective interventions and practices to deal with perpetrators of violence against women. The key focus is with those interventions and practices which are aimed at reducing re-offending, rather than primary prevention and or public education work. The review was commissioned by the Scottish Government in order to inform development of Scotland's strategy for preventing the causes and consequences of violence against women. Many initiatives in relation to violence against women, in particular in relation to domestic abuse, rape prevention and stalking, operate with the twin aim of improving responses to both victims and perpetrators. While this review focuses on what works to deal with perpetrators, it is important to acknowledge that appropriate responses to victims will improve their engagement with the criminal justice system and therefore facilitate improved legal responses to violence against women. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2014. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Report No. 01/2014: Accessed July 16, 2014 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/VAW-Literature-Review-SCCJR-Report-No-05-20141.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/VAW-Literature-Review-SCCJR-Report-No-05-20141.pdf Shelf Number: 132696 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterventionsSexual ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Wells, Lana Title: Engaging Men and Boys in Domestic Violence Prevention: Opportunities and Promising Approaches Summary: This report outlines seven 'entry points' for engaging men and boys in domestic violence prevention: 1. Engaging fathers in domestic violence prevention; 2. Men's health and domestic violence prevention; 3. The role of sports and recreation in domestic violence prevention; 4. The role of the workplace in domestic violence prevention; 5. The role of peer relationships in domestic violence prevention; 6. Men as allies in preventing domestic violence; and 7. Aboriginal healing and domestic violence prevention. This research provides an analysis of the literature and highlights 67 promising approaches in the areas of policy, programs and practices, and citizen-led initiatives. Details: Calgary, AB, Canada: University of Calgary, Shift: The Project to End Domestic Violence, 2013. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 17, 2014 at: http://www.calgaryunitedway.org/socialvoice/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Shift-Engaging-Men-and-Boys.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.calgaryunitedway.org/socialvoice/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Shift-Engaging-Men-and-Boys.pdf Shelf Number: 132710 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention |
Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: Traversing the Maze of 'Evidence' and 'Best Practice' in Domestic and Family Violence Service Provision in Australia Summary: This paper considers how 'evidence' is constructed and translated into 'best practice'. It contends that the experience and understanding of practitioners within domestic and family violence (DFV) services constitute important contributing knowledge for the evidence-base. However, practice wisdom alone is not sufficient, since other forms of knowledge also play an important role in optimising outcomes. Ultimately this paper promotes the engagement of DFV practitioners in formal research and evaluation, not only to substantially inform the evidence but also to critically examine the effects of their interventions against all manner of valid evidence, in a recursive process of knowledge translation. It is suggested that a critical, reflexive engagement with formal evidence is ultimately the defining feature of 'best practice' in the continuous drive towards an effective response to violence against women. Details: Sydney: Australian Domestic & Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2014. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 26: Accessed July 7, 2014 at: http://anrows.org.au/sites/default/files/page-attachments/IssuesPaper26-May2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://anrows.org.au/sites/default/files/page-attachments/IssuesPaper26-May2014.pdf Shelf Number: 132738 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Evidence-Based PracticesFamily ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Flynn, David Title: Fathers, Fathering and Preventing Violence Against Women Summary: Contributing to the prevention of men's violence against women requires more than simply being a non-violent man. It requires an understanding of the factors which underlie and contribute to violence against women and how these factors are deeply engrained in our culture, to the degree to which they are sometimes not immediately obvious. It requires an awareness of how these factors influence our beliefs, attitudes and behaviours - about what it is to be a man and how to relate to others. It requires the courage to change, to adopt new beliefs and new attitudes, and it requires the knowledge and skills to put new actions and behaviours in place. Fatherhood provides this opportunity. Perhaps more than any other life stage, it delivers the chance for men to examine how the factors that contribute to violence against women impact on their choices and behaviours on a daily basis. A good father is a non-violent father. Yet fathers can do much more to prevent violence against women than being non-violent men themselves. Through their relationships with women and children and their involvement in family tasks and responsibilities, fathers are well positioned to reflect on issues of masculinity and gendered power relations, to do more than just practice non-violence, but actively work towards the creation and maintenance of equal and respectful relationships, and to contribute significantly to the prevention of men's violence against women. Details: Sydney, AUS: White Ribbon Foundation, 2012. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: White Ribbon Research Series - Preventing Men's Violence Against Women, Report No. 5: Accessed July 30, 2014 at: http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/uploads/media/microsites/fathers/whiteribbon-fd-report-2012.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://www.whiteribbon.org.au/uploads/media/microsites/fathers/whiteribbon-fd-report-2012.pdf Shelf Number: 132817 Keywords: Abusive MenFamily ViolenceFathersIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention |
Author: Mills, Alice Title: Family Violence Courts: A Review of the Literature Summary: This review focuses on the existing evaluation research on specialist family courts that has taken place primarily in Commonwealth jurisdictions and, to a lesser extent, the United States. The review begins with a brief overview of the development of family violence courts and then considers existing evaluations, highlighting the methodological approaches used and the key findings. The review concludes by considering the contributions of the existing research for future evaluations of family violence courts. Details: Auckland, NZ: Centre for Mental Health Research, University of Auckland, 2013. 33p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2014 at: http://www.lawfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/3.-Family-violence-courts.-A-review-of-the-literature.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.lawfoundation.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/3.-Family-violence-courts.-A-review-of-the-literature.pdf Shelf Number: 132870 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family ViolenceFamily Violence Courts Problem-Solving Courts |
Author: Machisa, Mercy Title: The Gender Based Violence Indicators Study Botswana Summary: Over two thirds of women in Botswana (67%) have experienced some form of gender violence in their lifetime including partner and non-partner violence. A smaller, but still high, proportion of men (44%) admit to perpetrating violence against women. Nearly one third of women (29%) experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the 12 months to the prevalence survey that formed the flagship research tool in this study. In contrast, only 1.2% of Batswana women reported cases of GBV to the police in the same period. Thus the prevalence of GBV reported in the survey is 24 times higher than that reported to the police. This suggests that levels of GBV are far higher than those recorded in official statistics and that women have lost faith in the very systems that should protect them as well as offer redress. Patriarchal attitudes are a significant underlying factor driving the incidence of GBV in Botswana. While women and men affirm gender equality in the public domain this has not translated in their private lives particularly in their intimate relationships. While the findings from the survey and police data show that GBV is the most flagrant violation of human rights in Botswana at the present time, only 6% of the 188 speeches by politicians over the last year focused on GBV while 9% made some mention of the scourge. Only 5% of monitored news articles from Botswana covered GBV and in these perpetrators were three times more likely than to be heard than survivors. The media still reports on GBV in sensational ways that trivialise the experiences of women. Details: Gaborone, Botswana: Gender Links and Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Women's Affairs Department, 2012. 136p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 4, 2014 at: http://www.genderlinks.org.za/article/the-gender-based-violence-indicators-study-botswana-2012-03-28 Year: 2012 Country: Botswana URL: http://www.genderlinks.org.za/article/the-gender-based-violence-indicators-study-botswana-2012-03-28 Shelf Number: 132884 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based Violence (Botswana) Intimate Partner Violence Violence Against Women |
Author: Herbert, Ruth L. Title: The Way Forward: An Integrated System for Intimate Partner Violence and Child Abuse and Neglect in New Zealand Summary: New Zealand has an epidemic of intimate partner violence (IPV) and child abuse and neglect (CAN). This fact is well known and there is widespread acceptance that IPV and CAN are among New Zealand's biggest social issues. Over the past 20 years there have been countless formal groups, meetings, conferences, strategies, reviews, and investigations into the prevalence and problem of IPV and CAN in New Zealand undertaken by government, non-government agencies and academics. There have been hundreds of reports identifying the problem and areas that need to be addressed. There have been action plans containing an endless stream of largely one-off initiatives or new developments. Yet despite the plethora of documents, a strong legislative framework and the efforts of successive governments and many NGOs that have strategised and delivered services to try and 'fix' the problem, real improvements seem to remain elusive. New Zealand has not made significant traction in responding to or reducing the problem. Details: Wellington, NZ: The Impact Collective, 2014. 165p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2014 at: http://www.theimpactcollective.co.nz/thewayforward_210714.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.theimpactcollective.co.nz/thewayforward_210714.pdf Shelf Number: 133082 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDomestic Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF Title: Hidden in Plain Sight: A statistical analysis of violence against children Summary: Interpersonal violence - in all its forms - has a grave effect on children: Violence undermines children's future potential; damages their physical, psychological and emotional well-being; and in many cases, ends their lives. The report sheds light on the prevalence of different forms of violence against children, with global figures and data from 190 countries. Where relevant, data are disaggregated by age and sex, to provide insights into risk and protective factors Details: New York: UNICEF, 2014. 206p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 9, 2014 at: http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_74865.html Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.unicef.org/publications/index_74865.html Shelf Number: 133249 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild HomicideChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseEmotional AbuseFamily ViolenceViolence Against Children |
Author: Denne, Stephanie Title: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Programmes and Services Provided by Te Manawa Services: A Community Intervention into Family Violence Summary: Despite New Zealand being credited with some of the most progressive policies and campaigns for addressing the issue of domestic violence in our communities, reported incidents of domestic violence in New Zealand have been steadily increasing, with a 54% increase in family violence offences reported by police between 2000 and 2006. Studies examining women's help-seeking behaviours have found that they will often only seek help as a last resort when they can no longer endure the abuse, or when the fear for their own, or their children's, safety escalates. Approaches concerning how best to respond to domestic violence have variously developed overtime. The Duluth Domestic Abuse Intervention Program framework emerged in the 1980s. This approach promoted a group formatted, highly structured programme that incorporates family systems therapy and concepts of gendered power and control alongside the cognitive behavioural elements of programme provision, with the focus on addressing the social, contextual and cultural elements of abuse. In 2006, the New Zealand Government, under the Domestic Violence Act (1995), offered funded placements in living without violence programmes for approximately 2,930 men, with the Family Court referring 2,715. There is a lack of research concerning the effectiveness of living without violence programmes, and what has been conducted has produced mixed results. The mixed and confusing results regarding the effectiveness of living without violence programmes may, in part, be a product of the inherently complex nature of domestic violence. Research has noted that psychological and verbal forms of abuse are more frequent that physical acts of domestic violence, and yet much of the recidivism data relies heavily on reported incidences of physical violence, in particular acts serious enough to attract the attention of police and other professional organisations. Furthermore, there appears to be little consensus as to what 'effectiveness' means in relation to living without violence programmes. There are solid arguments for various measures of 'effectiveness': a reduction in criminal offending shows us empirical measures of violence and lethality; men's accounts of change give us insight into the processes of change and subjective understandings of the course content; and women's accounts of their (ex) partners' engagement with programmes provides us with the lived experiences of safety and change for those most affected by domestic violence. This suggests that evaluations could strengthen findings on effectiveness by combining qualitative and quantitative methods, enabling a more complete and comprehensive, albeit at times conflicted, picture of success or limitations. The present study is an evaluation of the Men Living Free from Violence Programme developed and provided by Te Manawa Services, a domestic violence service provider in the Manawatu, New Zealand. At the heart of Te Manawa Services is the desire not only to reduce all forms of violence and abuse, but to support new ways of developing positive relationships, self-respect, kindness and caring. Te Manawa Services adopt a systemic approach to the issue of domestic violence and service provision, and operate in a manner that is inclusive of whanau and supportive of community systems. They are guided by the principles of accountability, equality and respect. The six key strategies to achieving their objectives are: 1. To continue to provide high quality programmes and support services in response to the identified needs of the community. 2. To ensure that quality programmes and services on offer are known and accessible to the community. 3. To initiate and engage in effective collaboration that enables the best responses and outcomes for clients. 4. To build organisational capability and capacity in targeted areas (strengthening families) and maintain organisational capacity in others. 5. To ensure the financial sustainability of Te Manawa Services. 6. To grow an increasingly effective and pro-active governance team. In keeping with Te Manawa Services' whanau model of service provision, the Men Living Free from Violence Programme does not operate in isolation. The Women Living Free from Violence Programme is a group-based programme offered to women who have experienced violence, or have used violence themselves, and is similar in content and structure to the men's Programme. The Youth and Parenting Programme is a 15 week, individual programme for youth and their parents or caregivers to help build safe and healthy families. Family Support Services are offered to those connected to Te Manawa Services Programmes (for instance, the (ex) partners of those on the men's Programme) and involves regular at-home, on site or telephone meetings that offer support and guidance. In order to evaluate how effectively Te Manawa Services are achieving their objective of reducing and eliminating domestic violence in the community, the focus was on how the Men Living Free from Violence Programme does, or does not, improve women and children's safety during and after programme completion. With the complexities and problematics of evaluation research in mind, the current study sought to evaluate the 'effectiveness' of Te Manawa Services Men Living Free from Violence Programme utilising all 3 effectiveness measures (recidivism data, men's accounts and women's accounts) in the hopes that a comprehensive and complex picture of effectiveness may be developed to deepen our understandings of if, and how, the Men Living Free from Violence Programme works to reduce and eliminate domestic violence in the local community. This study adopted a mixed method approach to evaluation, utilising both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection and interpretation. The quantitative examination of police records detailing domestic violence recidivism enabled a discussion of re-offending patterns before, during and after course completion. The inclusion of a statistical analysis allows the study to be situated within the context of previous evaluation research that uses re-offence data, enabling a comparison between recidivism rates of Te Manawa Services clients and previous research findings in order to assess 'effectiveness' in relation to recidivism. Qualitative methods were used to enable an in-depth analysis of the processes of, and services associated with, the Men Living Free from Violence Programme. Men's accounts were examined for processes and understandings of change, non-violence and safety, with an eye for the demonstration of responsibility and accountability. In keeping with the principle of prioritising victim safety, women's accounts of safety for themselves and their children following their (ex) partners' involvement in the Men Living Free from Violence Programme were explored. Details: Palmerston North, NZ: Massey University, 2013. 189p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2014 at: http://www.temanawa.org.nz/cms_files/general/te%20manawa%20services%20final%20report%2030.05.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.temanawa.org.nz/cms_files/general/te%20manawa%20services%20final%20report%2030.05.pdf Shelf Number: 133256 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic Violence (New Zealand)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention Programs |
Author: Kelly, Liz Title: Finding the Costs of Freedom: How women and children rebuild their lives after domestic violence Summary: Whilst crisis interventions for women and children experiencing domestic violence are well developed, little is known about the process of rebuilding lives, including what longer term support needs might be. Women's organisations have lacked the resources to follow up service users. The Research Grants Programme run by the Big Lottery provided an exciting opportunity to do just that. Working in partnership with the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) at London Metropolitan University, Solace Women's Aid successfully applied for funds that enabled us to track 100 women and their children over a three year period (2011-2014). Women were recruited into the study after exiting a range of domestic violence services provided by Solace and, through four waves of interviews, we followed their onward journeys. The overarching aims of the project were to identify: - What factors support long term settlement, how do they interrelate and at what points in the process are they particularly important? - When do obstacles to resettlement occur and how can they be overcome? - How can community resources best be developed and integrated for long term support of survivor resettlement and independence? Through a multi-layered research methodology we explored how women and children are able to grow their 'space for action' (Kelly, 2003) after physically removing themselves from the 'coercive control' (Stark, 2007) exerted by the perpetrator over their everyday lives. We also measured post-separation abuse in Wave Three, experience of services and the legal system, changes in housing situation and how their informal networks facilitated or interfered with efforts to create safety and freedom. Details: London: Solace Women's Aid, 2014. 244p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 12, 2014 at: http://solacewomensaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SWA-Finding-Costs-of-Freedom-Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://solacewomensaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/SWA-Finding-Costs-of-Freedom-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 133296 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesViolence Against Women |
Author: Corr, Mary-Louise Title: From Boys to Men: Phase Two Key Findings Summary: This document reports on the findings of the second phase of The From Boys to Men Project. This entailed thirteen focus group discussions with 69 young people, aged 13-19. The focus groups explored young men's attitudes to domestic abuse by inviting responses to a government anti-violence publicity campaign and a series of hypothetical vignettes. Groups were selected on the basis that they may have a potentially distinctive relationship to violence and/or intimacy and so included young people who had completed a school-based domestic abuse prevention programme; young people who were attending an alternative education programme; school students attending an anger management programme; two groups of young men undergoing Youth Offending Team supervision, one with a history of violence towards their girlfriends; young gay men; young Asian men; young men attending a substance use programme; and young men who had witnessed violence at home. Differences between the groups in terms of their attitudes towards violence, however, were not as overt and consistent as might have been expected. For example, in general terms at least, there was broad consensus in every group that abuse in relationships is wrong. Abuse encompassed controlling behaviour, including the exercise of emotional control, as much as physical and/or sexual violence. Participants' initial reactions to televised scenes of domestic abuse were universally condemnatory. Despite this broad condemnation, it was quite common for participants to justify the use of controlling behaviour - and in fewer cases, physical violence - where low levels of trust were identified in a relationship. While trust was regarded by the young men we spoke to as a fundamental feature of any good relationship, romantic relationships lacking in trust were described as not worth having, even if providing sexual gratification. Leaving a relationship lacking in trust was regarded as a better option than violence. But some young men thought a breach of trust, for example when a partner has been - or has the potential to be - unfaithful, justified controlling behaviour. Others viewed controlling behaviour as necessary to protect naive young women from the risks posed by dangerous men, or even to avoid a report to the police if accusations of rape might be made. Insecurities - either generally felt or linked to current or past relationships - were highlighted as an underlying cause of some young men's controlling behaviours and attitudes. In some instances, it was evident that participants could 'see themselves' in the anti-violence publicity shown, and that this recognition was difficult to admit to, generating defensive victim-blaming responses in some instances. Insecurities were commonly projected onto women who 'dressed like slags', whose behaviour many thought ought to be moderated, even if misguided in motive. They were also disowned and attributed to 'control freaks', 'scumbags', 'mad men' 'Muslims', 'Somalians' 'chavs', 'gang' members, drunks and drug addicts, even 'poofs'. In other words, imagined out-groups of men, deemed lesser in terms of their social standing and respect for women. Retributive violence could be justified against them, not only to protect vulnerable women and girls, but also to distinguish oneself as different and better. Such dynamics highlight the distinction between what young men know about domestic abuse, i.e. that it involves emotional, verbal and financial components as well as controlling and threatening behaviours that can take place between partners or ex-partners of any age, and the working assumptions that come into play when the experience is personal. Even those who had recently undergone a programme of relationship education tended to lapse periodically into the assumption that 'real' domestic abuse only happens in adult relationships where men repeatedly assaulted women, if not because they are 'freaks', then because of the pressures engendered by work and family related stresses. Participants from all groups struggled to suggest ways of preventing and responding to domestic abuse, whether perpetrated in the families of young men, or by a young man who had pushed a girl in his school and called her a 'slag'. No-one doubted that in the latter scenario the boy would get excluded, though opinions varied on whether or not this was either a sufficient response or an overreaction to something trivial - the latter view most articulated by those who had been in trouble themselves for this kind of behaviour. When prompted, most young men welcomed initiatives to provide preventative domestic abuse education in schools and specialist advice and counselling provision for victims, witnesses and perpetrators alike. Young people were, however, more cautious about social service intervention, and generally sceptical about whether criminal justice responses would achieve intended results. Confronting perpetrators with physical violence was a reaction that emerged repeatedly and spontaneously in many of the discussions, however, suggesting that policy and practice interventions construed in terms of 'challenging men' risk unwittingly accentuating the connections between masculinity and violence in some instances. Some young people with histories of school exclusion pointed out that classroom-based learning consistently fails to reach those whose attendance is minimal. This might include those living in care, many of whom would have lived with abusive parents. While none of the participants commented on the potential of social marketing, our discussions revealed that exposure to material from a recent government anti-violence campaign was sufficient to get most young people talking about the complexity of the issue of domestic abuse. Exposure to this material evoked a range of reactions: condemnation and outrage; self-reflection and defensiveness; the desire for vengeance and empathy and understanding; and a willingness to intervene amidst limited knowledge of what effective intervention might entail. The extent to which exposure to such campaigning creates opportunities for reorienting young men at risk of becoming prone to perpetrating domestic violence merits further research. Details: London: From Boys to Men Project, 2012. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 15, 2014 at: http://www.boystomenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Phase-Two-Key-Findings.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.boystomenproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Phase-Two-Key-Findings.pdf Shelf Number: 133314 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Jejeebhoy, Shireen J. Title: Gender-based violence: A qualitative exploration of norms, experiences and positive deviance." Summary: India has articulated its commitment to eliminating violence against women and girls through numerous policies, laws and programmes (for example, the National Policy for the Empowerment of Women 2001, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, and the strategies outlined in the XIth Five-Year Plan). However, violence against women remains widespread. Nationally, one in three (35%) women aged 15-49 has experienced physical or sexual violence, in general, increasing to 56 percent among women in Bihar (International Institute for Population Sciences and Macro International, 2007). The key challenge underlying the gap between policy and programme commitments and realities is the limited evidence on both what drives violence against women and girls, and effective programme strategies that reduce such violence. With support from UK aid, the Population Council undertook formative research in the district of Patna to better understand the context of violence-physical, emotional and sexual-against women and girls, and notably, the prevailing norms about what constitutes acceptable violence in terms of severity and provocation, and gender norms about men's entitlement and women's acquiescence to violence. It compares the perceptions of women and girls with those of men and boys, respectively, with regard to the prevalence, severity and acceptability of violence committed against women and girls by husbands/boyfriends, family and community members, and looks into the likely factors that precipitate such violence. It also explores factors that may be associated with positive deviance, that is, the characteristics and motivations of nonviolent men. Finally, it explores the extent to which study participants were aware of programmes and entitlements intended to address violence against women and girls, and the obstacles they face in seeking help, and concludes with their recommendations regarding action that may be undertaken to reduce violence against women and girls in their community. Details: New Delhi: Population Council, 2013. 96p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2014 at: http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/pdf/outputs/ORIE/Qualitative_report_Formative_Study_VAWG_Bihar_DFID_India.pdf Year: 2013 Country: India URL: http://r4d.dfid.gov.uk/pdf/outputs/ORIE/Qualitative_report_Formative_Study_VAWG_Bihar_DFID_India.pdf Shelf Number: 133461 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women (India) |
Author: KPMG Title: Too costly to ignore - the economic impact of gender-based violence in South Africa Summary: It is well documented that South Africa has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence (GBV) in the world. But until now what has been less well documented is the economic cost to society of these horrific and unacceptable levels of violence. We see the human cost of gender-based violence every day, but having a calculation of the national economic cost will serve as an important tool in our policy and advocacy efforts to end the suffering and injustice of this violence on a national level. We now know that, using a conservative estimate, gender-based violence costs South Africa between R28.4 billion and R42.4 billion per year - or between 0.9% and 1.3% of GDP annually. This report thus represents an important contribution to the fight against gender-based violence in South Africa Details: Johannesburg: KPMG South Africa, 2014. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 27, 2014 at: http://www.kpmg.com/ZA/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/General-Industries-Publications/Documents/Too%20costly%20to%20ignore-Violence%20against%20women%20in%20SA.pdf Year: 2014 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.kpmg.com/ZA/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/General-Industries-Publications/Documents/Too%20costly%20to%20ignore-Violence%20against%20women%20in%20SA.pdf Shelf Number: 133818 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceEconomics of CrimeFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (South Africa) |
Author: Matczak, Anna Title: Review of Domestic Violence policies in England and Wales. Summary: Violence against women was recognised as a fundamental infringement of human rights in the 1993 United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women and was a major topic at the 1995 Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women (UN Women, 1995). The serious consequences of domestic violence have also been recognised by the World Health Organisation (Krug et al. 2002). Over the past 30 years there have been major changes in the national policy and comprehension of domestic violence in the United Kingdom driven and in response to advocacy and campaigning by the women's movement and non-governmental organisations providing services to abused women (Harvin, 2006). In the shadow of policy developments, since the late 1980s, the criminal justice system, in particular the police service has been involved in configuring justice responses to the problem of domestic violence (ibid.). Responses followed in the health and social care services policy arena. Many government and non-government institutions started commissioning research on domestic violence and formulating policy recommendations. At the end of the 1990s two events had a particular influence on the development domestic violence policy in the United Kingdom; first, the increasing interest in aligning UK policies with the strategic objectives agreed in the Beijing Platform for Action (UN Women, 1995) to promote the human rights of women, and secondly New Labour taking power in England (1997) with a manifesto commitment to take forward policy development to combat domestic violence. During the period between 1997 and 2010, the main focus of policy and legislation on domestic violence was on implementing measures based on prevention, protection and justice and the provision of support for victims of domestic abuse, to be implemented by partnerships of service providers at local and national levels. Interestingly, in formulating policy, the government defined domestic violence in a gender-neutral way. Since 2010, following the election of a Coalition government (Conservatives and Liberal Democrats), there is a shift in policy direction with increased focus on a more broad gender-based agenda to "end violence against women and girls" (Home Office, 2010). Each of the four countries of the United Kingdom develops their own domestic violence strategy. Scottish policy is outlined in the Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (2009), 'Safer Lives: Changed Lives a Shared Approach to Tackling Violence against Women in Scotland' and focuses on Prevention; Protection of victims; Provision of services and Participation of all agencies to ensure policy making and practice development around violence against women is informed by those who use domestic violence services. Recent initiatives in relation to domestic violence in Scotland are framed within meeting gender equality priorities. In Northern Ireland, the current strategy is set out in "Tackling Violence at Home - A Strategy for Addressing Domestic Violence and Abuse in Northern Ireland" (DHSSPNI, 2005) and is supported by Action Plans up to 2012. In 2008 the Northern Ireland government published "Tackling Sexual Violence and Abuse - A Regional Strategy" (2008). These two strategies run in tandem and it planned that in March 2012 a joint Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse Action Plan will be published taking forward actions on a collaborative basis. In 2005 the Welsh Assembly Government published its first national strategy Tackling Domestic Abuse: The All Wales National Strategy supported also by yearly action plans. This was superseded in 2010 with the publication of "The Right to be Safe" which is six year integrated strategy for tackling all forms of violence against women and has an increased focus ensuring that "the whole violence against women agenda is tackled effectively" (Welsh Assembly Government, 2010, p.3). This report details and focuses on England and aims to present the findings from the literature review of policy development and implementation in the last two decades in England. The development of national measures (legislation and policy) to combat domestic abuse is addressed chronologically. Responsibility for providing services to domestic violence victims is divided between a range of government bodies and other agencies featured in the report. Some of the obstacles in achieving an integrated domestic violence policy in England are highlighted. Details: London: Kingston University and St George's, University of London, 2011. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 2, 2014 at: http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/18868/1/Matczak-A-18868.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://eprints.kingston.ac.uk/18868/1/Matczak-A-18868.pdf Shelf Number: 133551 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceVictim ServicesViolence Against Women |
Author: Williamson, Emma Title: Evaluation of the Phoenix Programme: On Behalf of NADA and the Novas Scarman Group Summary: The aim of the Phoenix Programme is to assist women to recognise abusive behavior and how it can impact on their, and their children's, lives. Based on the findings of this evaluation this aim appears to have been achieved. Women reported higher levels of confidence and self esteem at the end of the intervention compared to pre intervention measurements. The women reported feeling happier and more content at the end of the programme than at the beginning. The largest change in the measurement of well-being was that feelings of anger increased for the participating women. Whilst anger is an important emotion which may well reflect women's move from blaming themselves to attributing blame for abuse on the shoulders of perpetrators it may also be linked to the lack of change in feeling safe. It would be helpful for facilitators to focus on these two issues at the final session to ensure that safety is maintained post intervention. The number of women who reported having an invisible disability was relatively high and supports the use of pre-engagement interviews which is a requirement of engaging with the phoenix programme. The only negative comment from participants related to the volume of information contained within the individual sessions. Women sometimes felt overwhelmed by the amount of information which may justify the inclusion of an additional session which allows women to reflect on what they have learnt throughout the programme. The majority of women on the programme had a combined household income of less than $10,000 per year. It would be useful therefore for the programme facilitators to consider how low income status might impact on women's choices. Finally, this evaluation has shown that the Phoenix Programme has a positive impact on the lives of the women who engage with the programme and as such provides a service to assist women move on from abusive relationships and to be aware of potential abuse within future relationships. The programme also includes specific elements relating to the relationship between abused women and their children. Those women who commented on this aspect of the programme stated that they found the programme helpful in identifying how patterns of abuse had affected both them and their children. These women found the programme helpful in identifying more positive ways to interact with their children following experiences of abuse. This is a positive outcome. Details: Bristol, UK: University of Bristol, 2011. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 9, 2014 at: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/2011/rj5332/phoenixfinalreport.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/sps/research/projects/completed/2011/rj5332/phoenixfinalreport.pdf Shelf Number: 134221 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of Domestic ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Violence Policy Center Title: When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2012 Homicide Data Summary: When Men Murder Women is an annual report prepared by the Violence Policy Center detailing the reality of homicides committed against females by single male offenders. The study analyzes the most recent Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) data submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The information used for this report is for the year 2012. Once again, this is the most recent data available. This is the first analysis of the 2012 data on female homicide victims to offer breakdowns of cases in the 10 states with the highest female victim/male offender homicide rates, and the first to rank the states by the rate of female homicides. The key findings in this year's release of When Men Murder Women include: - Nationwide, 1,706 females were murdered by males in single victim/single offender incidents in 2012, at a rate of 1.16 per 100,000. - For homicides in which the victim to offender relationship could be identified, 93 percent of female victims nationwide were murdered by a male they knew. Of the victims who knew their offenders, 62 percent were wives, common-law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends of the offenders. - Firearms - especially handguns - were the weapons most commonly used by males to murder females in 2012. Nationwide, for homicides in which the weapon used could be identified, 52 percent of female victims were shot and killed with a gun. Of the homicides committed with guns, 69 percent were killed with handguns. - The overwhelming majority of these homicides were not related to any other felony crime, such as rape or robbery. Nationwide, for homicides in which the circumstances could be identified, 85 percent of the homicides were not related to the commission of another felony. Most often, females were killed by males in the course of an argument between the victim and the offender. The study also ranks each state based on the homicide rate for women murdered by men. Below are the 10 states with the highest rate of females murdered by males in single victim/single offender incidents in 2012. Details: Washington, DC: Violence Policy Center, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2014 at: https://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: https://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2014.pdf Shelf Number: 133643 Keywords: Crime StatisticsFamily ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceHomicide (U.S.)Intimate Partner ViolenceMurdersViolence Against Women |
Author: Phillips, Janet Title: Domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia: an overview of the issues Summary: Executive summary - The World Health Organization (WHO) describes the levels of violence experienced by the world's women as 'a global public health problem of epidemic proportions, requiring urgent action'. - In Australia, domestic, family and sexual violence is found across all cultures, ages and socio-economic groups, but the majority of those who experience these forms of violence are women. However, it is not possible to measure the true extent of the problem as most incidents of domestic, family and sexual violence go unreported. - The information available on the prevalence of domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia is derived from surveys. The 2013 Australia-wide survey on personal safety conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) found that many men and women experience at least one encounter with violence in their lifetimes. The survey showed that men are far more likely to experience physical violence at the hands of a stranger but the majority of women experience physical violence by someone known to them-usually an intimate partner or family member. Both men and women are more likely to experience physical violence than sexual violence but women are much more likely to experience sexual assault in their lifetime than men. - The social and economic costs of violence against women are considerable. In 2009 the National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (NCRVWC) estimated that violence against women and their children, including both domestic and non-domestic violence, cost the Australian economy $13.6 billion. - The Commonwealth Government is responsible for the over-arching government programs designed to reduce violence against women nationally. However, it is the state and territory governments that have the law enforcement responsibilities in relation to policing and prosecuting instances of domestic, family and sexual violence. - Reducing violence against women has been a priority for both Coalition and Labor governments for many years. The most recent Government initiative is the National Plan to reduce violence against women and their children (National Plan) endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) in 2009. The National Plan set a framework for social change and proposed the introduction of sweeping changes between 2009 and 2021 to be implemented through a series of four three‐year action plans over 12 years. - The move towards better integrated, multi-agency responses and coordination across all levels of government through the National Plan has been received favourably by most stakeholders and is viewed as making significant progress in terms of reducing the levels of violence experienced by women in Australia. Details: Canberra: Parliamentary Library, 2014. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: RESEARCH PAPER SERIES, 2014-15: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/3447585/upload_binary/3447585.pdf;fileType=application/pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/library/prspub/3447585/upload_binary/3447585.pdf;fileType=application/pdf Shelf Number: 133963 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Clancy, Anna Title: Defining and Profiling Serial Domestic Abuse Perpetrators: An All-Wales Feasibility Review. Interim Report Summary: The Integrated Offender Management (IOM) Cymru partnership commissioned this research to investigate the feasibility of developing a shared definition and common multi-agency recording process for serial domestic abuse perpetrators across Wales. This report sets out findings from phase one of the research which included a qualitative mapping exercise (interviews with Police, Probation, and third sector agency representatives) along with a quantitative analysis of n=6642 anonymised domestic abuse perpetrator records provided by Wales Probation Trust. The qualitative evidence obtained for this report indicated substantial variability within and across agencies, which undoubtedly impacts upon the way in which serial abusers are identified, targeted and managed across Wales: - The four Welsh police forces have a definition of serial domestic abuse in place, but each varies slightly, as do their recording systems and reporting processes. - The data currently held by Probation do not enable 'serial perpetrators' to be easily identified, and the two IT systems used by Wales Probation Trust to manage information about domestic abuse perpetrators are not used consistently across Wales. - There is not currently a systematic process in place to ensure serial perpetrators are routinely identified and flagged across all relevant third sector agencies. The quantitative case files analysis indicated the following: - Roughly three-quarters of perpetrators fell into the 'medium' risk category (as defined in OASys or SARA). - MAPPA arrangements were in place for only a small proportion (17.5%). - Analysis of the risk judgments indicated significant variation across Wales (e.g., some regions had twice as many perpetrators deemed to be at 'high' risk). It is not possible to ascertain whether this reflects a true difference in the risk profile of perpetrators, or different assessment practices amongst Offender Managers across the regions, or a combination of these. Both the qualitative and the quantitative findings have implications for the feasibility of implementing a system for the routine identification of 'serial' domestic abuse perpetrators across Wales. The main recommendation arising from this research is that Police, National Offender Management Service (NOMS) in Wales, and third sector partners should work towards a commonly agreed definition of 'serial domestic abuse' and amend their recording systems so that these individuals may be easily identified (a full set of recommendations is provided at the end of this report). By developing an agreed profile and a shared definition of serial domestic abuse perpetrators, interventions and services can be targeted more effectively to reduce re-offending and protect victims. Details: Cardiff: Cardiff University, 2014. 51p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2014 at: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/63750/1/Clancy%20Robinson%20%26%20Hanks%20%282014%29%20Defining%20serial%20perpetrators%20report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/63750/1/Clancy%20Robinson%20%26%20Hanks%20%282014%29%20Defining%20serial%20perpetrators%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 133959 Keywords: Domestic AbuseDomestic Violence (Wales)Family ViolenceOffender ManagementOffender ProfilingViolence Against Women |
Author: Heisecke, Karin Title: Ending Violence against Women and Girls: The world's best laws and policies Summary: In 2014, the Future Policy Award celebrates laws and policies that contribute to ending one of the most pervasive human rights violations: violence against women and girls. One in three women worldwide suffers some form of violence in her lifetime. By restricting women's choices and limiting their ability to act, the persistence of violence against women has serious consequences for peace and security, economic development and poverty reduction. Thus, it hampers all efforts towards a future just society. International experts from academia, civil society and international organisations have nominated twenty-five policies from around the world which were implemented to improve the lives of women. Together, they reflect the broad scope of existing policy responses at local, national and transnational levels. It is important to acknowledge that violence against women and girls is both a cause and a consequence of gender inequality and, in order to end it, a transformation of gender relations towards a more gender just society is necessary. This cannot be achieved through any single law or policy: the winners of the Future Policy Award provide inspiration for specific "parts of the puzzle" of a range of policy measures that can together lead to an end of violence against women and girls. Our analysis and the Jury's decision on the winners have provided important insights into the key elements of best laws and policies in this field. We have summarised them in the section "key recommendations". Details: Hamburg, German: World Future Council, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2014 at: http://worldfuturecouncil.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Future_Policy_Award/FPA_2014/fpa2014_brochure_en_final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://worldfuturecouncil.org/fileadmin/user_upload/Future_Policy_Award/FPA_2014/fpa2014_brochure_en_final.pdf Shelf Number: 133940 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceRapeSexual ViolenceViolence against Women and Girls |
Author: Khan, M.E. Title: Sexuality, Gender Roles, and Domestic Violence in South Asia Summary: The Population Council has recently released a report titled 'Sexuality, Gender Roles and Domestic Violence in South Asia.' The report involves a wealth of data about patterns of sexuality and gender inequities, which have serious consequences in relation to the spread of HIV infections in the region. A key finding of the report is that women are often unable to negotiate the use of contraception and other safe sex practices in domestic relationships. The dynamics of gender inequalities in South Asia make it very difficult for women to protect themselves against possible HIV and sexually transmitted infection risks. Another key message is that young men and women often have little knowledge about reproductive health and sex, because of a lack of information. Details: New York: Population Council, 2014. 373p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 12, 2014 at: http://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/2014RH_SGBVSouthAsia.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Asia URL: http://www.popcouncil.org/uploads/pdfs/2014RH_SGBVSouthAsia.pdf Shelf Number: 134040 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Asia)Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceHIV (Viruses)Intimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: McLanahan, Sara Title: An Epidemiological Study of Children Exposure to Violence in the Fragile Families Study Summary: A large body of research shows that children raised in low-income families are exposed to more violence than children raised in high-income families, including neighborhood violence, domestic violence and parental violence, also referred to as 'harsh parenting.' Violence, in turn, is known to be associated with children's mental health and human capital development. This report summarizes what we have learned from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study about the prevalence, predictors and consequences of children's exposure to 1) neighborhood violence, 2) intimate partner violence (IPV), and 3) harsh parenting. By identifying violence as a threat to the public's mental health and recognizing the role of mental health challenges in increasing the risk for both victimization and perpetration of violence, the need to address violence in its varied forms becomes clear. Below are some of the over-arching action steps listed in the report that should be considered. Funding more research with diverse populations into the causes of violence Supporting policies to help vulnerable populations access mental health services, prevent violence, and improve cultural competency of mental health care providers Training and hiring more qualified people from vulnerable communities to be counselors and educators Coordinating care across different sectors -- including housing, education and workforce -- to reflect the interconnections between types of violence and the common stressors that increase risk Details: Princeton, NJ: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 2014. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2014/rwjf415091/subassets/rwjf415091_1 Year: 2014 Country: United States URL: http://www.rwjf.org/content/dam/farm/reports/issue_briefs/2014/rwjf415091/subassets/rwjf415091_1 Shelf Number: 134169 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChildren and ViolenceChildren Exposed to Violence (U.S.)Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceNeighborhoods and Crime |
Author: Kahui, Sherilee Title: Measuring the Economic Costs of Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence to New Zealand Summary: There is no excuse for child abuse or intimate partner violence. This would be true, even if the economic cost of these behaviours was zero. As this fresh perspective on the financial and economic costs of child abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV) demonstrates, however, the costs are unacceptably high. As well as reflecting gross reductions in the wellbeing of those involved, they represent the size of impacts which undermine the effectiveness of other factors that would otherwise contribute positively to economic output. More importantly, by far the greatest costs are for unalleviated pain and suffering, for the provision of services that treat immediate pain and crisis while failing to address the root cause and provide pathways to positive results and for cleaning up the mess when brought to the attention of families, enforcement agencies, employers and others. If there was no child abuse and intimate partner violence, the study is conclusive that there would be savings greater than what is currently earned annually from the New Zealand's export of wood. At the high end, the cost of child abuse and intimate partner violence, as estimated by this study, is equal to 60% of what was earned from dairy exports in 2013. The costings in this report were produced to better understand the economic scale and the nature of the impact of child abuse and intimate partner violence. Even updated New Zealand costings of family violence have been largely based on the Coopers & Lybrand cost of family violence based on evidence collected in 1993/94. A more recent study estimating the cost of child abuse was published by Infometrics in 2010. Hence, this is a fresh approach to update both our current state of knowledge, to take another look at what data is available and how to specify the gaps in data. The framework, based on a 2009 KPMG study for Australia, is called the ECCAIPV framework, the Economic Cost of Child Abuse and Intimate Partner Violence framework. Details: Wellington, NZ: The Glenn Inquiry, 2014. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: https://glenninquiry.org.nz/uploads/files/ECONOMIC_COSTS_OF_CHILD_ABUSE_INTIMATE_PARTNER_ABUSE2.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: https://glenninquiry.org.nz/uploads/files/ECONOMIC_COSTS_OF_CHILD_ABUSE_INTIMATE_PARTNER_ABUSE2.pdf Shelf Number: 134172 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectCosts of Crime (New Zealand)Economics of CrimeFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Kelly, Liz Title: Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes: Steps Towards Change Summary: As we complete this study there is more conversation about what is to be done with perpetrators of domestic violence than for some time - a conversation which ricochets across police, social services, women's support services, multi-agency groups, policymakers, commissioners, media commentators and academics. At issue are two key questions: Do domestic violence perpetrator programmes (DVPPs) actually work in reducing men's violence and abuse and increasing the freedom of women and children? How do we hold more perpetrators to account, since even if DVPPs do work, their limited capacity means the majority of men do not access them and criminal justice interventions alone are clearly not creating the change that all stakeholders seek? This report can offer evidence with respect to the first question and will engage with the second. Details: London and Durham: London Metropolitan University and Durham University, 2015. 52p. Source: Accessed February 3, 2015 at: https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/criva/ProjectMirabalfinalreport.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/criva/ProjectMirabalfinalreport.pdf Shelf Number: 134525 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMale AbusersSpouse Abuse |
Author: Carmody, Moira Title: Less to lose and more to gain? Men and Boys Violence Prevention Research Project Final Report, Summary: Violence against women is a costly personal and social issue that has far reaching and long term impacts across the whole Australian community. Primary prevention takes these factors seriously and aims to intervene to prevent intimate partner violence and sexual violence before they occur. Our research found considerable interest at a state and national level in engaging men and boys in violence against women (VAW) primary prevention. The study findings indicate that VAW primary prevention is still in the early stages of development both in Australia and internationally. Effective intervention is acknowledged as more likely to occur if actions are taken at multiple levels within the community. This requires action at policy levels as well as within communities or organisations and at the local level of service provision. The survey that was undertaken for this study of prevention agencies and programs found a significant clustering of prevention efforts in Victoria and NSW with work also being undertaken in Queensland. Students at high school and university were the most common targets of primary prevention efforts, with adolescence and early adulthood recognised as key periods for VAW perpetration and victimisation. Other programs identified in our study worked specifically with Indigenous communities, CALD communities and sports organisations. Most stakeholders described their programs as underpinned by a gendered, ecological model of VAW that understands violence as a product of gender inequity and gender norms. The findings from surveys and interviews indicate that a coherent and identifiable field of prevention practice focused specifically on men and boys has yet to emerge in Australia. Activities in the field are piecemeal, ad hoc and dispersed. There is no peak organisation that provides support to areas of emerging practice except in relation to men's behaviour change programs (i.e. perpetrator programs). Primary prevention activities are scarce as well as programs focused on boys or men specific activities. Despite these findings, there are areas of prevention activity focusing on men and boys that indicate promising practice. These include programs and activities such as: respectful relationships education, bystander strategies, community development approaches, whole of organisation approaches, infant and parenting programs and social marketing. The strongest finding emerging from our research is that best practice in engaging men and boys occurs in two key areas of primary prevention: - Community strengthening and development; and, - Organisational and workforce development. Section 5 of the report provides a detailed evaluation of 2 programs that demonstrate these approaches. They are the Strong Aboriginal Men Program (SAM) and the NRL Respectful Relationship Sex & Ethics Program. These two programs share the primary prevention goal of preventing violence before it occurs as well as other important similarities, in particular: - They are underpinned by a gendered analysis of violence against women; - They involve working specifically or mainly with men; - They emerge from and are supported by organisations with significant experience and expertise in violence against women; and, - They engage men in multi-systemic change including at the community or organisational level. While both programs have been developed in response to men and boys in specific settings they are potentially adaptable and replicable in other settings. The knowledge gained from the design and implementation of the SAM program could be applied well to working with CALD communities and emerging refugee settings. The NRL program has many key features that can be used by diverse sporting codes and with other male workforce based programs. Both programs therefore demonstrate a potential for reach and influence beyond their immediate program base. This is important to enhance further primary prevention activities and in addressing long term cost effectiveness. Primary prevention is both a short and long term investment in challenging deep seated practices. Without a clear commitment and investment in policies and programs focused on intervening before violence occurs, personal and financial costs will continue to grow leading to increased tertiary sector expenditure. Leadership is needed within organisations and across our diverse communities to promote policies and practices that build on existing international evidence to progress primary prevention of VAW. In particular, attending to the following issues will increase engagement by men and boys in the prevention of VAW: - Addressing the role of gender in VAW in a manner that is relevant and boys and men can understand - Utilising educators who men and boys can relate to as role models will increase their willingness to 'hear' violence prevention messages - Recognising that masculinities are diverse, fluid and sometimes contradictory within individuals, groups and communities - Experiences of masculinity are effected by class, location, ethnicity, cultural background, sexuality and other factors; there is no 'one size fits all' experience - This has implications for ensuring educational programs and other prevention activities are tailored to the specific needs of men; for example using methods of education that Indigenous men can relate to - Engaging men and boys in the contexts and institutions in which they live, work and play may assist in enhancing the relevance of VAW prevention. Details: Sydney: University of Western Sydney: 2014. 118p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 23, 2015 at: http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/file/0019/300619/PDF_2_Final_Report_Men_and_Boys.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: Shelf Number: 134662 Keywords: Abusive Men and BoysCrime Prevention ProgramsEducational ProgramsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women (Australia)Violence Prevention Programs |
Author: Kabeer, Naila Title: Violence against Women as 'Relational' Vulnerability: Engendering the Sustainable Human Development Agenda Summary: Violence against women can be conceptualized as a 'relational vulnerability', reflecting women's subordinate status within hierarchical gender relations and the dependencies associated with it. While such violence can take many different forms, this paper focuses on the interpersonal violence of 'normal' times, most often within the home at the hands of intimate partners. The paper provides estimates of incidence, which suggest that it varies considerably across countries and by social group. Factors that lead to violence against women operate at individual, relational, community and societal levels, and help to explain some of this variation. They also suggest the need for interventions operating at these different levels. In conclusion, the paper argues that not only is violence against women and girls a fundamental violation of their human rights, but also has serious consequences for their wellbeing and capabilities, and imposes significant economic costs. These comprise both the direct financial costs of dealing with the phenomenon and the indirect productivity costs that result from it. Ending violence against women is a key component in any sustainable human development agenda and a critical priority for the post-Millennium Development Goal (MDG) development framework. Details: New York: United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report Office, 2014. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Occasional Paper, 2014: Accessed February 26, 2015 at: http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/kabeer_hdr14.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://hdr.undp.org/sites/default/files/kabeer_hdr14.pdf Shelf Number: 134682 Keywords: Abused WomenFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Howarth, Emma Title: Safety in Numbers: A Multi-site Evaluation of Independent Domestic Violence Advisor Services Summary: This report presents the findings from a significant programme of research that was undertaken to examine the provision and impact of IDVA (Independent Domestic Violence Advisor) services for female victims of domestic abuse deemed to be at high risk of harm or homicide. Commissioned by the Hestia Fund and funded by the Sigrid Rausing Trust and The Henry Smith Charity, this study, conducted between 1 January 2007 and 31 March 2009 and involving seven services operating in England and Wales, represents the first, large scale, multi-site evaluation of IDVA services ever undertaken in the United Kingdom. Importantly, this national-level research helps us to understand both the process of delivering IDVA services and the outcomes that may be achieved for victims. Specifically, this evaluation set out to examine: 1. The profile of victims accessing IDVA services, particularly with respect to the extent and nature of the abuse they were experiencing along with their socio-demographic characteristics; 2. The specific types of interventions and resources mobilised on behalf of victims by IDVAs, as well as the intensity with which this support was offered and the potential for IDVAs to tailor their approach to the particular needs of individual victims; 3. The effectiveness of these interventions in increasing victims' safety and well-being, and the factors that increased or decreased the likelihood of achieving these positive outcomes. In addition, the research examined the extent to which these outcomes were sustained over time. This evaluation represents the result of almost 5 years of work and could not have been possible without the input of far sighted funders, the commitment of the Independent Domestic Violence Advisors themselves to gather and submit data, and the critical eye of a distinguished Expert Panel. The result of this work is a set of recommendations that, if implemented, will change the lives and futures of thousands of victims and their children and save hundreds of millions of pounds to public services. At a time when the vulnerability of our society in general and our young people in particular, appears so clear, the need to follow these recommendations is all the more pressing. Details: London: Henry Smith Charity, 2009. 162p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 9, 2015 at: http://www.henrysmithcharity.org.uk/documents/SafetyinNumbersFullReportNov09.pdf Year: 2009 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.henrysmithcharity.org.uk/documents/SafetyinNumbersFullReportNov09.pdf Shelf Number: 134769 Keywords: Domestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of Domestic Violence |
Author: Womankind Worldwide Title: Prevention is Possible: The role of women's rights organisations in ending violence against women and girls in Ethiopia, Ghana and Zambia Summary: This synthesis report draws together key findings and learning from three linked research studies commissioned by Womankind Worldwide (Womankind) to examine the contribution of community and rights-based approaches to the prevention of violence against women and girls (VAWG). The research studies examine three different programmes implemented by partner women's rights organisations (WROs): The Women's Empowerment and Reduction of Harmful Practices programme implemented by Siiqqee Women's Development Association in Ethiopia, The Nkyinkyim (COMBAT) project implemented by Window of Hope Foundation (with the Gender Studies and Human Rights Documentation Centre) in Ghana, and the Popular Education and Community-led Mobilisation approach implemented by Women for Change in Zambia. The report firstly outlines the research methodology and then situates the different programme approaches in the wider evidence on different community-level and rights-based approaches to VAWG prevention and the role of WROs. It then outlines the specific country and community contexts in which each of the three programmes operates. Based on participatory research with key stakeholders, programme participants and other community members in two target communities in each country, the report analyses the factors and processes that impede or enable change at a community level and assesses the contribution of the three programmes to the prevention of VAWG. It also reflects on the factors that contributed to successful outcomes as well as the challenges faced by WROs in implementing the programmes. The final section of the report presents conclusions and a number of recommendations for donor agencies, national governments and international NGOs and civil society organisations. Details: London: Womankind Worldwide, 2014. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 11, 2015 at: http://www.womankind.org.uk/policy-and-resources/resources/reports/ Year: 2014 Country: Africa URL: http://www.womankind.org.uk/policy-and-resources/resources/reports/ Shelf Number: 134901 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women (Africa)Violence Prevention |
Author: Queensland. Special Task Force on Family and Domestic Violence in Queensland Title: Not now, not ever: putting an end to domestic and family violence in Queensland Summary: In the 1970s we started to face up to the hidden shame and tragedy of domestic abuse. The first shelter for battered wives and children, 'Elsie', was established in Sydney by feminist Dr Anne Summers AO. Today there are more than 300 women's refuges around Australia and there have been many advances in the past 40 years in how we deal with domestic abuse, but the deeply disturbing fact is that this terrible scourge on our community is increasing in incidence and severity. In Queensland the number of reported incidents increased from 58,000 in 2011-12 to 66,000 in 2013-14. What this means is that there are about 180 reports to police of domestic violence incidents every day. During the past five months, my fellow Taskforce members and I have travelled the length and breadth of Queensland to hear stories of desperate abuse and violence so abhorrent that it hardly bears thinking about. But think about it we must. It is beholden upon all of us - every single citizen of this diverse, vibrant state - to take a stand against domestic and family violence; to commit to protecting the vulnerable; and to make it clear to those who would hurt another, within a relationship of intimacy and trust, that we will not tolerate, excuse, condone or accept their behaviour. This Report delves into the nature of domestic and family violence and documents some of the work of the deeply committed people who provide services to victims and perpetrators of abuse. The Report tells the stories of those who have suffered, and those who work to stop the violence. Most importantly it provides recommendations and insights gathered and developed by the Taskforce to provide to the Premier to set the vision and direction for a Queensland strategy to stop domestic and family violence. Details: Brisbane: Government of Queensland, 2015. 368p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2015 at: http://www.qld.gov.au/community/documents/getting-support-health-social-issue/dfv-report-vol-one.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.qld.gov.au/community/documents/getting-support-health-social-issue/dfv-report-vol-one.pdf Shelf Number: 135002 Keywords: Domestic Violence (Australia)Family ViolenceVictims of ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Thornley, Louise Title: What Works to Prevent Intimate Partner Violence and Elder Abuse? Summary: This paper synthesises research evidence on preventing intimate partner violence and elder abuse before violence occurs. Important messages from this review 1. A strong case supports the need for primary prevention International researchers agree that preventing violence before it occurs - primary prevention - is crucial and attainable (World Health Organization 2013, Bellis et al 2012, World Health Organization 2010, VicHealth 2007). Many countries, e.g. Australia and the US, are strengthening their focus on primary prevention. Intimate partner violence and elder abuse are major problems that harm families and whanau, individuals, and communities, as well as New Zealand's social and economic status. In light of the widespread and serious impacts, we cannot afford not to invest in preventing violence before it occurs (World Health Organization 2013 and 2010, Bellis et al 2012, VicHealth 2007). 2. Primary prevention is an emerging field with many promising practices Research on the primary prevention of intimate partner violence and elder abuse is in its early days, particularly for sexual violence and elder abuse. In New Zealand, most primary prevention programmes are not yet evaluated. Though we do not yet have all the answers, there is much we can do towards preventing violence before it occurs. Researchers say there are other grounds to support primary prevention while the field is under-evaluated - e.g. where programmes are theoretically sound, feasible, successfully implemented, and where they address known risk and protective factors (World Health Organization and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 2010, VicHealth 2007). Much promising work is underway locally and internationally which needs to be tested and expanded (World Health Organization 2013). 3. The prevention of complex problems takes time and requires cross-sector involvement The primary prevention field is evolving. It will require ongoing development and investment over time. Researchers stress that change in this area needs time; there is no quick fix (e.g. Quadara and Wall 2012, VicHealth 2012b, Casey and Lindhorst 2009, VicHealth 2007). Multi-faceted primary prevention programmes need be trialled for sufficient time to show results. This is better than implementing short-term programmes which address a single influence on violence. Cross-sector, multi-agency prevention is required to address the complex causes of and impacts on intimate partner violence and elder abuse. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2013. 65p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2015 at: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/initiatives/action-family-violence/what-works-to-prevent-intimate-partner-violence-and-elder-abuse-25-09-2013-taskforce-meeting.pdf Year: 2013 Country: New Zealand URL: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/work-programmes/initiatives/action-family-violence/what-works-to-prevent-intimate-partner-violence-and-elder-abuse-25-09-2013-taskforce-meeting.pdf Shelf Number: 135128 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceElder AbuseFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Guy, Jonathon Title: Early Intervention in Domestic Violence and Abuse - Full report Summary: Domestic Violence and Abuse is the first in a series of reports on different aspects of Early Intervention. We chose to focus on domestic violence and abuse in our first report because it is an important cause of long-term problems for children, families and communities. The damaging impacts of witnessing domestic violence and abuse on children can cast a long shadow with inter generational consequences sometimes leading to a repetition of abusive and violent behaviours. Moreover, domestic violence and abuse is not confined to a small section of the population but highly prevalent with 30% of women having experienced any domestic abuse since the age of 16 and 1.2% of people aged 16-59 having experienced partner abuse involving severe force in the last year. It also comes with immense costs - it is estimated that the overall costs to society of domestic violence and abuse stands at over L15.7bn. There must be more effective ways of preventing domestic violence and abuse and protecting children and families from its long-term effects. Details: London: Early Intervention Foundation, 2014. 103p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Early-Intervention-in-Domestic-Violence-and-Abuse-Full-Report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.eif.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Early-Intervention-in-Domestic-Violence-and-Abuse-Full-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 135278 Keywords: Abused WivesChildren and ViolenceDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords and House of Commons Title: Violence against women and girls. Sixth Report of Session 2014-15 Summary: We undertook this inquiry to examine the United Kingdom's progress towards ratification of the Istanbul Convention. In doing so, we have heard how domestic violence transcends races, religions, communities and cultures. The scale, pervasive nature, and seemingly cross-cultural ignorance, of violence against women and girls is deeply troubling to us. Overall we think the UK is in a good position to be able to ratify the Istanbul Convention. The Home Secretary has shown personal commitment to this. Only one legislative change regarding jurisdiction is necessary in order to ratify, although several changes in practice are required to fulfil the Convention's positive obligations. Our key concern is that the Inter-Ministerial Group has insufficient powers. In addition, we have more focused concerns as set out below. We heard a great deal of evidence regarding the importance of education as part of preventing violence against women and girls. We recommend that the Government urgently prioritises prevention programmes. Prevention programmes need to be targeted and specific to communities and victims, based on evidence. We also recommend that all schools could, and should, play a greater role in tackling cultural attitudes through a requirement to teach issues surrounding gender equality and violence. This would also help prevent the use of unacceptable cultural justifications for such crimes across British culture. We heard evidence about the importance of specialist local services to victims of violence against women and girls. In January 2014, we heard assurances from the Prime Minister that the Government is happy to look at points raised by women's organisations regarding locally delivered women's services. However, witnesses told us a different story. We are concerned that devolving decisions about provision to local authorities has left women with specific needs unable to access vital help. We found that it was often those most in need and in the most vulnerable positions that were least well served. We recommend that the Government adopt a national co-ordinating role for the provision of specialist support services. The Government has introduced an amendment to the Serious Crime Bill which would create a specific criminal offence for psychological or coercive control. We are not convinced that the creation of an offence alone will result in a change of culture and we recommend that the Government consider a campaign to raise awareness of the issue and a review of training for professionals within the Criminal Justice System if Parliament creates this new specific offence. We also have concerns regarding how victims of such an offence would provide the evidence required to qualify for civil legal aid and are further concerned that the Government's Universal Credit roll-out has not sufficiently addressed the concerns of women's organisations regarding the vulnerability of victims of domestic violence: financial control is a component of coercive control. We are also troubled to hear of the prevalence of unacceptable justifications for crimes, including crimes committed in the name of so-called 'honour'. We believe this occurs in many cultures in Britain, and the Government has not done enough to tackle this. Education is a key preventative tool that the Government is not using effectively. We recommend that a standalone inquiry into these crimes is necessary. HMIC's finding that police forces responding to calls concerning domestic violence collected inadequate evidence was worrying. We also heard about the devastating or fatal impact resulting from inadequate response or risk assessment. It is the responsibility of the police to ensure they do all in their power to protect and assist those at risk. We heard particular concerns regarding victims with insecure immigration status, asylum seekers or refugees. These women and girls are often overlooked. Immigration policy isdeveloped separately from policy about violence against women and girls. We urge the Government to address the gap in service provision for women with insecure immigration status and to review the use of the detained fast track process for victims of violence against women and girls. Finally we call on the Government to prioritise ratification of the Istanbul Convention by putting the final legislative changes required (regarding jurisdiction) before this Parliament. Details: London: The Stationery Office Limited, 2015. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 9, 2015 at: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/uploads/Pdfs/VAWG.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/sites/default/files/uploads/Pdfs/VAWG.pdf Shelf Number: 135539 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence (U.K.)Family ViolenceHonor CrimesVictim ServicesViolence Against WomenViolence Against Women (U.K.)Violence Against Women and Girls |
Author: Towns, Alison Title: "It's About Having Control Back, Freedom from Fear": An evaluation of Shine safe@home programme for victims/survivors of domestic violence Summary: This report provides details of an evaluation of the Shine safe@home programme implemented during the period 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2013. The safe@home programme is targeted towards those victims/survivors of domestic violence who experience repeat victimization and who are at high risk of serious assault or death, with a view to decreasing future victimization. The programme secures the home and provides advocacy services to victims/survivors who have made the decision to keep the person who has used domestic violence out of their home. Outcomes in the first year indicate very positive changes for clients of the programme and their children. The data from 54 clients who received the pre- and post-security upgrade assessment between the 1 July 2012 and 30 June 2013 were analysed for the impact of the safe@home programme on them and their children. Twenty-four clients recruited from 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2014 were interviewed some months after the safe@home security upgrade to determine whether changes were maintained in the long term. Key findings concerning the impact of safe@home on adult clients' safety: - Ninety percent of the 54 clients for whom pre- and post-security upgrade data was collected had been physically assaulted by the perpetrator prior to their engagement with the safe@home service. Many victims had experienced multiple physical assaults with 34% (14 of the clients) reporting they had been assaulted more than 25 times during the course of their relationship. At the post-upgrade assessment only one of the 54 clients reported having experienced a further assault. - Prior to safe@home 80% of the 54 clients reported experiencing damage to their possessions and damage to the house from the offender whereas no clients reported such damage after the safe@home security upgrade. - Of the 54 clients 28% reported experiencing an incident from the offender that made them afraid after the safe@home security upgrade and there were some reports from clients after the safe@home security upgrade of stalking behaviours. - There were marked improvements in how safe these 54 clients felt following safe@home compared to the clients who reported on how safe they felt prior to the security upgrade. - Of the 24 clients interviewed for long-term follow up information only one reported an assault that occurred following the safe@home security upgrade and while the programme was still in place. This assault occurred away from the home. - Of these 24 clients 46% had experienced an incident that made them afraid following the security upgrade and while the programme was in place and 63% had experienced unwanted contact or stalking following the security upgrade and while the programme was in place. For most clients, these experiences appeared to reduce or stop altogether following police and court action. Key findings concerning the impact of the safe@home programme on adult clients' quality of life: - Of the 54 clients, 85% had to move house due to the offender's actions prior to safe@home but after safe@home none had to move house. - Close to 40% of these clients had to leave property behind prior to safe@home when moving house but none of them had to after safe@home due to there being no moves. - Approximately two thirds of clients out of 31 reported being prevented by the offender's actions from obtaining employment and more than a third out of 31 from undergoing educational courses at the pre-safe@home security upgrade. At the post-security upgrade assessment no clients out of 23 reported being prevented from obtaining employment and only two clients out of 23 clients reported that they left educational courses due to the offender's actions. - At the pre-safe@home security upgrade assessment approximately 40% of 52 clients reported the violence they experienced involved serious and/or potentially life-threatening injuries. No clients reported receiving any injuries following the security upgrade. - Clients reported improvements in sleep, self confidence, concentration or memory, anxiety or panic attacks, depression, alcohol or drug intake, and happiness after the security upgrade. Key findings relating to the adult victims' children's safety and quality of life were: - At the pre-safe@home security upgrade assessment, 72% of 43 clients with children said that their children had been hurt by the offender whereas no clients reported that their children were hurt by the offender after the security upgrade. No assaults on children were reported by the 22 adults who had children and who were interviewed months after the security upgrade. - Prior to the safe@home programme 28% of 109 children were reported by adult clients to be involved in an assault while being physically held, 64% were reported by these adults to have witnessed an assault and 64% were reported to be in fear of the offender. After the safe@home security upgrade, no child was reported to be involved in an assault while being held, 3% were reported to have witnessed an assault and 29% were reported to be in fear of the offender. - There were improvements in the number of these children reported to show trauma symptoms, problems at school and issues with eating and clinging behaviours. Details: Auckland, New Zealand : Mt Albert Psychological Services, 2014. 222p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 20, 2015 at: https://library.nzfvc.org.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=4680 Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: https://library.nzfvc.org.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=4680 Shelf Number: 135730 Keywords: Abused WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Trimboli, Lily Title: Persons convicted of breaching Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders: their characteristics and penalties Summary: Aims: To describe the characteristics of those found guilty of breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) in NSW in 2013 and the principal penalties they received. Method: BOCSAR's Criminal Courts database provided information regarding the demographic characteristics of, and penalties imposed on, a cohort of 3,154 offenders found guilty in NSW in 2013 of breaching an ADVO as their principal offence. BOCSAR's Re-offending Database provided data regarding the number of proven court appearances in the preceding five years for a cohort of 5,023 persons with a court appearance in 2013 involving at least one proven breach ADVO. Results: Of 3,154 persons who were found guilty of breaching an ADVO as their principal offence, most were male (87.7%) and entered a guilty plea (84.6%). About one in five (22.5%) received a bond without supervision (average length=14 months) as their principal penalty; 17.8 per cent were fined (average amount=$432); 15.7 per cent received a bond with supervision (average length=16 months) and 12.4 per cent were given a custodial sentence (average length=4 months). Of 5,023 persons with a court appearance in 2013 involving at least one proven breach ADVO offence, 22.2 per cent had no proven court appearances in the preceding five years; 53.3 per cent of offenders had at least one prior proven violent offence (the main categories were assault and stalking); and 28.7 per cent of offenders had at least one prior proven breach ADVO offence. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 102: Accessed May 21, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/bb102.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/bb102.pdf Shelf Number: 135742 Keywords: Court OrdersDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProtection OrdersRepeat OffendersRestraining Orders |
Author: Meima, Yolanda Title: An evaluation of a New Zealand safe@home service: Using a crime prevention approach to enhance the safety and overall well-being for high risk victims of domestic violence Summary: Numerous women have left their homes in their attempt to stop the violence used against them by their partner and potentially saving their lives. Mothers often move into a safe place, taking their offspring with them. Despite the leavers being the victims or the ones who are wrongly harmed, leaving their homes often goes unchallenged and indeed, encouraged by others. Safe at home models work on the premise that victims of domestic violence should have the right to choose whether they want to remain in their homes, be able to do this safely and have the support of community and government organisations. Such models are informed by Routine Activity Theory (RAT), a crime prevention approach, vary in design and have been implemented and operating over recent decades in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia. The safe@home service evaluated in this research is unique to New Zealand and has been provided since late 2008 by Safer Homes in New Zealand Everyday (Shine), a non-government agency that works to reduce domestic abuse. The study has two parts that include qualitative data and quantitative analysis. This project involved a review of over 100 pre and post-service questionnaires that clients of Shine's safe@home service completed prior to the service and within 1 - 3 months following the service, and interviews with 10 of these clients at least 12 months after the service. Sixty four clients' self-assessed pre and post-service questionnaires were fully completed and analysed, showing that 97% of these clients had substantial reductions in their level of fear; with equivalent improvements in their quality of life and whom reported major changes in many aspects of their lives. The data was then ranked and grouped according to those least and most satisfied with the service. Five clients from each group were the research participants and interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to identify, analyse and report on patterns or themes within the data collected from these in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interview data found that contrary to concerns in the literature regarding the safety for women who remain in their homes, the women and children in this study were able to continue to live free from violence in their homes. The interviews included the participants rating of their and their children's level of fear of their ex-partner experienced prior to the service and currently. Again there were huge reductions from pre-service levels, with the reduction continuing over the period from post-service levels right up to the time of the interview. Despite some on-going abuse by their former partners, previously successful attempts to break into their homes now proved fruitless. Other topics covered in this research study include their current quality of life and well-being, relationships with others, study and work, social activities and their future aspirations. A discussion about the role of counselling for the participants and their children is provided along with the influence of discourses as identified by the participants. Recommendations on how the Shine's safe@home service can be improved is based on the suggestions made by the participants and the research findings. Details: Auckland: UNITEC New Zealand, 2014. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 23, 2015 at: http://unitec.researchbank.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10652/2476/Yolandas%20Meima.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://unitec.researchbank.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10652/2476/Yolandas%20Meima.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Shelf Number: 135758 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention |
Author: Hann, Cheryl Title: Creating Change: Mobilising New Zealand Communities to Prevent Family Violence Summary: Key Messages - Community mobilisation is a complex and long-term approach but has the potential to transform communities. - Principles of community mobilisation include: a social change perspective; whole community engagement; collaboration; being community-led; and, a vision for - better world. - Community mobilisation approaches make theoretical and practical sense. As a recent approach, the necessary components of community mobilisation are still emerging, and projects are learning as they go. - Supporting this work to develop requires thinking in new ways from all involved, from funders and policy makers to NGO leaders, practitioners and community members. - It also requires some different and sustained investment in coordination roles, workforce development, and new leadership skills. - Internationally, there are a few examples which show promise in terms of effectiveness, and there are also promising NZ initiatives. However most have not been evaluated. There must be investment in research and evaluation to learn more about what works to create change. - Findings from international projects indicate that CM efforts can result in substantial reductions in violence in relatively short periods of time, e.g. 2-3 years. Details: Auckland, New Zealand: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 8: Accessed May 26, 2015 at: https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-8-creating-change-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: Shelf Number: 135784 Keywords: Community ParticipationFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Prevention |
Author: De Mel, Neloufer Title: Broadening gender: Why masculinities Matter. Attitudes, practices and gender-based violence in four distrists of Sri Lanka Summary: CARE International Sri Lanka's 'Empowering Men to Engage and Redefine Gender Equality'(EMERGE) project is a pioneering effort that addresses persistent issues of gender inequality and GBV through the engagement of men. The emphasis of the EMERGE project is on working with men and boys to transform attitudes, perceptions and practices of gender inequality. Childhood experiences, attitudes about relations between men and women, intimate relationships, fatherhood/motherhood, health and wellbeing, awareness about policies were some of the key themes explored in this survey. Details: Colombo : Care International, 2013. 170p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 28, 2015 at: http://www.care.org/sites/default/files/documents/Broadening-Gender_Why-Masculinities-Matter.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Sri Lanka URL: http://www.care.org/sites/default/files/documents/Broadening-Gender_Why-Masculinities-Matter.pdf Shelf Number: 129968 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Related ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Kesete, Nisan Zerai Title: Destitution Domestic Violence Concession - Monitoring Research Report Summary: In the UK, many migrant women who are victims of domestic violence have insecure immigration status and some have the restriction of 'no recourse to public funds' even when they have a valid leave to stay in the county. The No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) rule is a condition attached to a residence permit in the UK, showing that a person who is subject to immigration control or without secure immigration status has no entitlement to most welfare benefits, tax credits or housing assistance measures that are paid by the state. This rule applies to many migrants including those on spousal or partner visas, people on student visas and their dependants, people on work visa and their dependants, refused asylum seekers and over-stayers. The NRPF restriction, therefore, has made it very difficult for many women who are victims of domestic violence to leave abusive situations. In most cases these women are forced to either remain in the abusive relationship or face destitution. Since 1992, Southall Black Sisters (SBS), a women's organisation working for and with ethnic minority women, have led an extensive national campaign calling for reforms to the immigration rules and the NRPF requirement so that women experiencing violence are not facing the stark choice between abuse, deportation and destitution. Following this campaign, in 1999, the Government announced a concession, the Domestic Violence rule, to allow those on spousal or partner visa and whose relationship has broken down as a result of domestic violence, to obtain Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR) if they can prove that the relationship actually broke down due to domestic violence. Although this concession was a positive step forward, in terms of solving the immigration side of the problem, it still did not address the problem of destitution as the women concerned continue to have to find ways of supporting themselves financially as they remain under the NRPF rule whilst applying and waiting for an ILR decision to be made. To address this problem the Government set up the Sojourner pilot project in November 2009, a project run by Eaves, to provide financial support to those fleeing domestic violence while applying for ILR under the DV rule. In April 2012, a new scheme, the Destitution Domestic Violence (DDV) Concession scheme replaced Sojourner, mainstreaming the financial support provided to those applying for ILR under the DV rule. Following the introduction of the DDV Concession scheme, Eaves obtained funding from Unbound Philanthropy to monitor the implementation of the scheme and to provide training to professionals who work with women using the Concession across the UK. The DDV Concession scheme monitoring research project focused on four key areas: - Regularising immigration status through the scheme - Accessing financial support and benefits through the scheme - The support needs of women and the organisations supporting them through the DDV Concession scheme - Providing recommendations for future policy and practice. Details: London: Eaves For Women, 2013. 93p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 4, 2015 at: http://i2.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2013/12/DDV-Concession-Scheme-Monitoring-Report-Final-f14013.pdf Year: 2013 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://i2.cmsfiles.com/eaves/2013/12/DDV-Concession-Scheme-Monitoring-Report-Final-f14013.pdf Shelf Number: 135891 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceImmigration PolicyIntimate Partner ViolenceMigrantsViolence Against Women |
Author: Neilson, Carolyn Title: Will Somebody Lister to Me? Summary: This report outlines the experiences of local women who participated in 190 court-based surveys at Bendigo, Echuca and Maryborough, Kyneton and Swan Hill Magistrates' Courts. Twenty seven women later agreed to in-depth interviews. This project recognised that the justice system often fails to meet the needs of women and children experiencing family violence, their communities and offenders. It understood that the least we can do is to listen to women's stories and to use those stories to improve the justice system's response to family violence. Throughout the project and the final report, the voices of the women who spoke to us come through loud and clear. The report charts the journey undertaken by these women through family violence legal proceedings and gives voice to their experiences. Details: Bendigo, VIC, AUS: Loddon Campaspe Community Legal Centre, 2015. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 9, 2015 at: http://lcclc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FV_FULL_online_v2.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://lcclc.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/FV_FULL_online_v2.pdf Shelf Number: 135985 Keywords: Family ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Domestic violence typologies: What value to practice? Summary: When domestic violence was first recognised as an issue of societal significance in the 1970s, it was conceptualised and described as a quite homogenous offence perpetrated by a homogenous group of offenders (Capaldi & Kim 2007; Dixon & Browne 2003). In the traditional scenario, a male offender victimised their female partner in order to control and dominate her, perpetrating a series of violent and abusive acts that escalated in severity and frequency over the course of the relationship (Cavanaugh & Gelles 2005). Traditional understandings of domestic and family violence have also focused on relationship 'dysfunction' and understanding why women 'choose' to stay in relationships with their violent partners. However, over the last 25 years, understanding of domestic violence has changed significantly. People experience and are affected by domestic violence in different ways and the reasons underpinning domestic violence also differs between individuals and across relationships (Capaldi & Kim 2007; Huss & Langhinrichsen-Roling 2000; Johnston & Campbell 1993; Kelly & Johnson 2008; Lohr et al. 2005). Consequently, some commentators suggest that it is 'plausible that offender's behaviour is best described by categories' rather than at an overall, aggregate level (Dixon & Browne 2003: 109). The re-conceptualisation of domestic violence as a more heterogeneous phenomenon has been in part influenced by the growing number of theoretical and empirical domestic violence typologies such as those outlined in Table 1 (Johnson & Ferraro 2000). Typologies are a means of classifying or categorising subject matter into groups and aim to simplify 'social reality by identifying homogenous groups of crime behaviour that are different from other clusters of crime behaviours' (Miethe, McCorkle & Listwan 2006: 1). Generally speaking, the domestic violence typologies that have been developed to date have attempted to identify groupings of domestic violence offences, or of domestic violence perpetrators (male or female; Wangmann 2011). As demonstrated in Table 1, domestic violence typologies have typically differentiated between groups of offenders and incidents on a number of factors, including: the gender of the offender; frequency and severity of the violence; type of violence (physical, emotional, sexual etc); motivations/underlying causes of the violence; physiological responses of offenders to different stimuli; presence of personality/psychopathic/antisocial disorders and symptoms; and whether the violence is confined to intimates or includes non-intimates. While domestic violence typologies have been important for the development of more in-depth and sophisticated conceptualisations of domestic violence, their relevance and implications for practice is unclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the practical utility of domestic violence typologies for professionals who are directly responsible for responding to and managing domestic violence matters (eg police officers, legal representatives, domestic violence service providers and treatment practitioners). At this point, it is necessary to differentiate between domestic violence typologies and domestic violence risk assessment processes. The purpose of risk assessment processes is to assist practitioners to 'predict' or assess the likelihood of a domestic violence offender perpetrating similar abuse and violence in the future, or the severity of the offending escalating (Campbell, Webster & Glass 2009, Laing 2004). Domestic violence typologies are broader in scope than risk assessment processes, although as highlighted in later sections of this paper, they could potentially be used to inform the development of risk assessment processes. Domestic violence typologies involve the differentiation between groups of domestic violence offenders and offences on the basis of a set of evidence-based (either theoretical or empirical) criteria. These criteria inform the assessment of not only the individual's likelihood of offending in the future, but also the reasons underpinning their violent and abusive behaviours, the nature of their offending and (potentially) their responsiveness to certain types of treatment. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 494: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi494.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi494.pdf Shelf Number: 135991 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Boxall, Hayley Title: Identifying first-time family violence perpetrators: The usefulness and utility of categorisations based on police offence records Summary: Since emerging as an issue of social and political importance in the 1970s, it is now well established that family violence is one of the most prevalent and costly (personally, socially and economically) forms of violent crime in Australia (ABS 2013; Mouzos & Makkai 2004; McPhedran & Baker 2012; People 2005) and internationally (Jewell & Wormith 2010; Sartin, Hansen & Huss 2006; Tjaden & Thoennes 2000). Correspondingly, a large and expanding body of research has attempted to understand and explain the occurrence of family violence, with a view to preventing and minimising its incidence in the future. Within the literature, there has been consistent interest in the group of offenders hereafter referred to as 'first-time family violence perpetrators'; that is, family violence perpetrators (FVPs) who do not have a history of being violent or abusive towards their current or past intimate partners prior to the 'index' (first) offence. Interest in this group of FVPs is founded on consistent evidence that suggests that first-time FVPs are less likely than those with a more extensive offending history to reoffend (Hamilton & Worthen 2011; Trujillo & Ross 2005; Waaland & Keeley 1985) and are more likely to complete and benefit from treatment (Babcock & Steiner 1999; Daly & Pelowski 2000; Gover et al. 2011; Jewell & Wormith 2010). This is primarily because the behaviours and attitudes of this group of FVPs are not as 'entrenched' as those of other FVPs and so may be less stable and more susceptible to modification and affected by external influences, such as contact with the criminal justice system and treatment programs (National Crime Prevention 1999). Consequently, there is understandable interest among professionals who are responsible for responding to family violence matters to accurately identify first-time FVPs. Identification provides criminal justice and treatment agencies with an opportunity to intervene early in what could be - if ignored or not prioritized - a significant and long-term violent criminal career (National Crime Prevention 1999). By intervening early and attempting to address the underlying causes of the violent behaviour, individual offenders may be diverted away from a criminal career that would have significant and negative consequences for their intimate partners, families and the community more broadly (COAG 2010). While there are a number of ways family violence (also referred to as spousal assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence and wife battering) has been defined in Australia and overseas, for the purpose of this paper, the definition provided under s 7 of the Family Violence Act (2004) (Tas) has been used. This definition was used primarily because the data used for this study was extracted from Tasmanian data collection systems. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2015. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice no. 487: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi487.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://aic.gov.au/media_library/publications/tandi_pdf/tandi487.pdf Shelf Number: 136009 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Angus, Christopher Title: Domestic and Family Violence Summary: Domestic and family violence, aptly described as "intimate brutality", is an all too common crime in NSW, as it is in Australia generally. Nowhere is free of this crime, no country, city or region. Owing to lack of reporting by victims its true prevalence is unknown, but existing statistics show that a significant proportion of Australians, primarily but not exclusively women, suffer violence at the hands of a partner. Tragically, according to Linda Burney, NSW Labor's Deputy Leader, in the western region of NSW the prevalence of domestic and family violence is "past a state of emergency". Reducing domestic and family violence is once again on the agenda in NSW and the rest of Australia. This is evident from the awarding of the 2015 Australian of the Year to Rosie Batty, herself a survivor of such violence. Some key findings in the paper include: - Nearly 1.93 million Australians over the age of 15 years have experienced violence at the hands of a current or previous partner; - In 2010, 69.2% of NSW domestic assault victims were female and 30.8% were male; - Domestic and family violence contributes to death, ill health and disability amongst women aged under 45 more than any other factor; and - The NSW economy lost $4.5 billion as a result of domestic and family violence in 2011. As in any public policy debate, a key issue relates to the question of resources. Good intentions and legal or administrative reforms are one thing. Will they be backed by sufficient resources for women's refuges, legal and referral services for victims, and educational programs for perpetrators? For victims of domestic and family violence there is an urgent need to act on the practical issues at stake. Details: Sydney: NSW Parliamentary Research Service, 2015. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing Paper No. 5/2015: Accessed July 13, 2015 at: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/F7B7BE950DA7A1D6CA257E3B00811722/$File/Domestic%20and%20Family%20Violence%20Briefing%20Paper.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/publications.nsf/0/F7B7BE950DA7A1D6CA257E3B00811722/$File/Domestic%20and%20Family%20Violence%20Briefing%20Paper.pdf Shelf Number: 136015 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Gilchrist, Liz Title: Roles of Alcohol in Intimate Partner Abuse Summary: is little available evidence relating to the measurement of alcohol use in IPV relationships (McMurran & Gilchrist, 2008). This mixed-method, multi-phase project aimed to unpick some of the complicated roles that alcohol appears to have in intimate partner abuse. The study did not set out to focus on male to female abuse but the data available resulted in this being the focus. The mixed-method design comprised three phases: Phase 1 involved secondary data, incorporating statistical analysis of cases from Strathclyde Police's databases which provided details of almost a quarter of a million police call-outs to domestic incidents. Phase 2 involved 80 quantitative interviews with three groups who were termed as follows; the 'convicted' (male prisoners - including both those convicted of domestic offence and general offenders'), the 'conflicted' (mainly female clients of agencies dealing with domestic issues - comprising those who might be considered as 'victims'/survivors of domestic problems), and the 'contented'(male community football players - envisaged to be experiencing general population levels of relationship conflict). All three groups received the same questionnaire pack which included three validated screening tools that assess alcohol and/or violence risk, specifically The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), The Alcohol Related Aggression Questionnaire (ARAQ) The revised Conflict Tactics Inventory (CTS2) (Phase2); (Phase3). Phase 3 involved semi-structured one-to-one digitally recorded qualitative interviews with a subset of the prisoner group who had completed the questionnaire pack from Phase2. The police records phase indicated that most domestic call-outs involved alcohol use in some way (usually with the accused being recorded as 'under the influence'), with alcohol often being noted at more serious cases (those resulting in a crime being recorded, or physical violence). In the questionnaire phase, screening tool scores indicated high levels of risky alcohol use, alcohol-related aggression, and partner conflict among prisoners. Partner conflict, but not alcohol use, was also high amongst the agency clients. The qualitative interview phase indicated a high rate of problematic alcohol use in prisoners' family backgrounds, and conscious awareness of the effects of alcohol use in enabling violent behaviour and criminality. Also that participants considered alcohol to have a direct effect on their behaviour and did present alcohol as an exculpatory factor, sometimes. However multiple roles by which alcohol use may influence partner conflict were reported (not just intoxicated violence) including male entitlement to drink and alcohol spend harming limited family budgets. There were clear indications that cultural, sub-cultural, familial and contextual influences on gender and alcohol use were intertwined, for example that when women were drinking they were held more accountable for any relationship conflict (victim blaming), whilst if men were drinking they were held to be less accountable (accused excusing). We conclude that alcohol is a correlate of domestic abuse and thus does need to be addressed. The high levels of alcohol consumption in our convicted sample, and relationship conflict in our conflicted and convicted samples suggests that joint intervention might be appropriate for those experiencing relationship conflicts. However the strong beliefs in a direct causal effect of alcohol, and strong culturally shaped and gendered beliefs about men and women's drinking also demands that alcohol is addressed not as an individual risk factor but in terms of alcohol expectancies, related beliefs and as a gendered issue. Details: London: Alcohol Research UK,2014. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 16, 2015 at: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/downloads/finalReports/FinalReport_0117.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://alcoholresearchuk.org/downloads/finalReports/FinalReport_0117.pdf Shelf Number: 136087 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Wells, Lana Title: Preventing Domestic Violence in Alberta: A Cost Savings Perspective Summary: Recent studies show that Alberta has the fifth highest rate of police reported intimate partner violence and the second highest rate of self reported spousal violence in Canada, and despite a 2.3 percent decline over the last decade, the province's rate of self-reported domestic violence has stubbornly remained among the highest in Canada; rates of violence against women alone are 2.3 percentage points higher than the national average. In fact, every hour of every day, a woman in Alberta will undergo some form of interpersonal violence from an ex-partner or ex-spouse. Besides the devastating toll that domestic violence has on victims and their families, the ongoing cost to Albertans is significant. In the past five years alone it is estimated that over $600 million will have been spent on the provision of a few basic health and non health supports and that the majority of this cost ($521 million) is coming out of the pockets of Albertans in the form of tax dollars directed at the provision of services. Fortunately, investment in quality prevention and intervention initiatives can be very cost effective, returning as much as $20 for every dollar invested. Recent research on preventative programming in the context of domestic violence shows promising results in reducing incidents of self-reported domestic violence. The economic analysis of this preventative programming suggests that the benefits of providing the various types of programming outweighed the costs by as much as 6:1. The potential cost savings for the Alberta context are significant; the implementation of these preventative programs has been estimated to be approximately $9.6 million while generating net cost-benefits of over $54 million. Domestic violence is a persistent blight, and continues to have a significant impact on individuals and families in Alberta, but potent tools exist to fight it. This brief paper offers a cogent summary of its costs, and the benefits that could be reaped by investing in quality prevention and intervention programs, making it essential reading for policymakers and anyone else prepared to use them. Details: Calgary, AB: University of Calgary, School of Public Policy, 2012. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: SPP Research Papers, 2012: Accessed July 24, 2015 at: http://www.canadianwomen.org/sites/canadianwomen.org/files/PDF--domestic-violence-alberta.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Canada URL: http://www.canadianwomen.org/sites/canadianwomen.org/files/PDF--domestic-violence-alberta.pdf Shelf Number: 136148 Keywords: Cost-Benefit AnalysisDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Lazenbatt, Anne Title: Older Women's Lifelong Experience of Domestic Violence in Northern Ireland Summary: Although domestic violence in the second half of life is a common experience for approximately 15% of women aged over 55 years, little research has been given to the specific coping strategies of older women, who are experiencing, or have experienced domestic violence throughout their lifetime. Service providers and policy makers often assume that violence stops at age 55 and there is a noticeable lack of literature, research and policy guidelines on the issue. The greatest challenge for policy makers is that abuse remains hidden, with women remaining silent and finding it difficult to speak openly or seek help. This exploratory study aims to address this gap by giving older women a 'voice' through applying a theoretical model of 'sense of coherence' (SOC) or 'wellbeing' to their lived experience of domestic abuse. The main aims of the study were to increase our knowledge and understanding regarding domestic violence against older women in Northern Ireland, by allowing older women themselves to speak about their lifelong experience of living and coping with violence and abuse; and to increase our understanding of the views and experiences of professionals and service providers working to support older women experiencing domestic violence. The stories and narratives conveyed in this study provide a powerful picture of the lifelong domestic violence experienced by older women and how they make sense of their violent experiences. The major findings from the study highlight how their 'wellbeing' is weakened by living in a domestically abusive context. The required self-esteem and confidence that enables individuals to exercise control and make choices conducive to their wellbeing appeared to be different in the context of domestic violence compared to other contexts. Key findings from the research indicate that older women are less likely to seek help due to social expectations and a lack of specialist services for older victims, and that they are more likely to resort to misusing alcohol and prescription drugs in order to cope, with significant consequences for their mental and physical health. Psychological abuse had the strongest impact on their physical and mental health such as long-term depression and anxiety (94%), the use of psychoactive medication (100%), and the likelihood of becoming a heavy drinker and experiencing alcohol dependence (22%). The findings suggest that depression through the lifecourse may play some role in increasing the chance of becoming a victim of interpersonal violence, and may make it even harder to leave an abusive relationship. The majority of women revealed significant difficulty with coping and seeking help. Economic dependence and family support were cited as the most significant barriers to seeking support, or leaving an abusive relationship. Respondents cited serious lack of support from their GPs and the Police, as Police, as well as a lack of supportive programmes or settings that would allow them to 'tell their stories' safely and in private. Complicating service delivery for older women was the artificial boundaries that have been created in the service sector. Protective service systems designed for elders have few methods for dealing with domestic violence among older women, while women viewed domestic violence shelters as being unfamiliar with ageing issues and the special needs of older women, such as dealing with chronic illness, disabilities, or alcohol dependence and very few had separate programming targeting this group. Professional's failure to identify the abuse that women are suffering in later life is related to assumptions that domestic violence does not exist for this age group, through sexism or ageism. There is a need for greater professional awareness and support services that cater for the additional needs of older women as their physical health deteriorates. Development of services, support groups, and community outreach specifically suited to the needs and desires of older women who experience domestic violence is vital, such as the use of preventive health care which would allow GPs the opportunity to screen and make referrals during routine, non-emergency checkups. Professionals in all service sectors must more fully understand the help-seeking barriers that older victims face. To this end, the research community is challenged to replace myths and stereotypes about the nature and prevalence of DV among older people with research-based knowledge. Our findings have specific implications regarding psychological interventions for older women suffering domestic violence. First, the development of adaptive salutogenic coping strategies could promote psychological adjustment and, in consequence, encourage seeking of solutions to the abusive relationship. In particular, supporting women to reduce negative coping strategies could ameliorate the negative impact of violence on women's mental health and wellbeing, whereas the implementation of secondary control strategies, such as CBT, cognitive restructuring, acceptance, and positive thinking, could strengthen older victims of abuse. Details: Belfast: Queen's University, 2010. 100p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2010 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 136238 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceElder AbuseFamily ViolenceViolent Against Women |
Author: Bloomfield, Sinead Title: An outcome evaluation of the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP) and Community Domestic Violence Programme (CDVP) Summary: Two Domestic Violence interventions were delivered by the National Probation Service: the Integrated Domestic Abuse Programme (IDAP) and the Community Domestic Violence Programme (CDVP). This study evaluated the effectiveness of these two interventions in reducing three categories of reoffending (any offence, core violence and domestic violence) during a two year follow up period. The sample consisted of 6,695 offenders referred to either IDAP or CDVP between January 2002 and April 2007. A total of 4,537 had at least started IDAP or CDVP and formed the treatment group; a total of 2,158 had never started IDAP or CDVP and formed the control group. Key findings - The results indicated that both IDAP and CDVP were effective in reducing domestic violence and any reoffending in the two-year follow up period with small but significant effects; IDAP also produced significant small effects in reducing core violence reoffending. - A difference of 13.2 percentage points was observed between those who received treatment and those who did not for any reoffending across both programmes (13.3 for IDAP and 12.7 for CDVP). - A difference of 10.9 percentage points was observed for domestic violence reoffending across both programmes (11.0 for IDAP and 9.6 for CDVP). - A difference of 6.5 percentage points was observed for core violent reoffending across both programmes (7.1 for IDAP and 2.6 for CDVP, although the difference for CDVP was not significant). - For those participants who did go on to reoffend, those who received treatment took significantly longer to reoffend than the control group. - A difference of 1.3 months was observed between those who received treatment and those who did not for any reoffending across both programmes (1.3 months for IDAP and 1.8 for CDVP). - A difference of 0.9 months was observed for domestic violence reoffending across both programmes (0.9 months for IDAP and 1.8 months for CDVP). - A difference of 1.1 months was observed for core violent reoffending across both programmes (1.0 for IDAP and 0.9 for CDVP). Details: London: National Offender Management Service, 2015. 7p. Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary: Accessed July 30, 2015 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449008/outcome-evaluation-idap-cdvp.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/449008/outcome-evaluation-idap-cdvp.pdf Shelf Number: 136270 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterventionsReoffendingViolence Against Women |
Author: New Zealand. Office for Senior Citizens Title: Towards gaining a greater understanding of elder abuse and neglect in New Zealand Summary: The United Nations and the World Health Organisation define elder abuse as, "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person". Such abuse can be physical, psychological or emotional, sexual and/or financial in nature. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect. This research, based on the New Zealand Longitudinal Study of Ageing (NZLSA) shows that the vast majority of older people are safe and are not experiencing or at risk of abuse and neglect. This is the first time New Zealand has been able to gain an insight into the likely numbers of older people experiencing some form of elder abuse and neglect. The results show that there are relatively high rates of measures which can be related to elder abuse and neglect, loneliness and depression. A number of specific groups of older people face higher rates of abuse, including women, Mori and those who are separated, divorced or widowed. Key findings include: -- Around one in ten older people did report some form of abuse (most closely linked to vulnerability and coercion) -- There were significant differences between women and men. Across each measure, women experienced a greater sense of vulnerability, dependence and dejection. However men experienced higher levels of coercion. -- Older people who were divorced, separated or widowed people felt considerably more sad and lonely, or were uncomfortable with someone in their family -- Older Maori experienced a significantly greater level of abuse than non-Maori. Maori report being coerced more than 2.5 times the rate for non-Maori, meaning they are forced to do things they don't want to do and people take things from them without their permission -- Failure to address current levels of elder abuse is likely to have significant effects in the future. This is because the report shows statistically significant reductions in physical and mental health and wellbeing, as well as increases in loneliness and depression associated with elder abuse -- Projections indicate that the number of older people experiencing elder abuse and neglect will increase significantly in the next 20 years, alongside a doubling of the 65 and over population. It should be noted that the results record: -- the prevalence and types of abuse as measured by Vulnerability to Abuse Screening Scale (VASS) from the sub-sample of NZLSA participants aged 65 years -- the relationships between gender, marital status and ethnicity and the elder abuse data -- the associations between the VASS responses and the wellbeing, health, depression and loneliness scales -- projections of elder abuse prevalence in New Zealand over the next five decades, based on this data and using Statistics NZ Population Projections by Age. Details: Wellington, NZ: Office for Senior Citizens, 2015. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2015 at: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/our-structure/osc/elder-abuse-summary-report.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/about-msd/our-structure/osc/elder-abuse-summary-report.pdf Shelf Number: 136286 Keywords: Elder AbuseElderly VictimsFamily Violence |
Author: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria Title: Specialist Family Violence Services: The Heart of an Effective System Summary: DV Vic welcomes the opportunity created by the Royal Commission into Family Violence to interrogate and strengthen the family violence system in Victoria. We believe that a stronger, more effective system will improve the safety and well-being of women and children experiencing family violence and reduce the incidence of serious harm through more effective and earlier interventions. It would also address the social and structural causes of violence against women through community prevention and policy and legislative reforms for gender inequality. There is little doubt that a comprehensive review of the Victorian family violence sector is urgently required. Notwithstanding the well-acknowledged and serious limitations on accurate family violence data, the available statistics paint a dire picture of the prevalence of family violence in Victoria. There were 68,134 police incident reports in 2014, an increase of 82.2 per cent since 2010. Over 25,104 women and children sought help from homelessness services in 2013-14 as a result of family violence. Contacts to family violence services report dramatic increases, community legal services are unable to meet the increasing demand for family violence-related matters, and the national referral and counselling service is unable to meet demand, reporting over 18,000 calls going unanswered this year. And this is a very partial reflection of the true extent of family violence. It does not capture self-referrals to family violence services, women who do not require homelessness services nor the numbers of women who haven't been in contact with any services about family violence. Unsurprisingly, the family violence system - specialist family violence services, legal services, the police, the courts, corrections, child protection - is struggling to cope under the weight of this unprecedented and growing demand. As community awareness about family violence increases, so do the pressures on the system to provide safety and future security for those experiencing it. There is reasonable community expectation that the family violence system is able to provide timely and effective responses but the evidence is overwhelming to show that it currently cannot. DV Vic does not believe that this is evidence of a system that is 'broken', rather it reflects a system that has evolved and adapted over decades in response to the growing and changing needs of women and children experiencing family violence, in the absence of a coherent and consistent policy platform and appropriate funding. Despite this, the family violence sector has achieved some significant reforms and built capacity in skills and practice to meet the increasing demand for services which should not be disregarded by the Commission. That said, DV Vic is acutely aware of gaps, barriers and concerns about the ways the family violence system responds to the safety and long-term well-being of women and children. In particular we recognise that there is a gaping hole in relation to perpetrator accountability across the system. However, we argue that the important and innovative sectoral reforms developed through the comprehensive and collaborative processes from 2002-2010 under the previous Labor government are not disregarded. These reforms were not fully implemented, being sidelined a by the incoming Coalition government. In our view, it is critical that these reforms are used as the basis to build future reforms of the system. That reform process involved a collaborative critical examination of the system and generated a variety of strategies to address identified gaps and barriers. DV Vic believes that these strategies remain highly pertinent to the work of the Royal Commission. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Victoria, 2015. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2015 at: http://www.rcfv.com.au/getattachment/F655224B-FC9A-4F22-B7E5-63A720BA6FE1/Domestic-Violence-Victoria---02 Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.rcfv.com.au/getattachment/F655224B-FC9A-4F22-B7E5-63A720BA6FE1/Domestic-Violence-Victoria---02 Shelf Number: 136365 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictims of Family ViolenceVictims Services |
Author: Roguski, Michael Title: 'It's not OK' Campaign community evaluation report Summary: The 'It's not OK' Campaign has resulted in increased awareness of family violence and a number of attitude and behaviour changes at an individual, families/whanau and community level. However,. these changes have occurred incrementally. Within a context of intergenerational family violence and wider cultural antecedents that contribute to family violence there is a need for a long-term family violence Campaign. The evaluation found that the campaign had: - increased awareness and message infiltration; - increased willingness to discuss family violence; - inspired people to intervene; - led to young people changing their behaviour; - led to changes to organisational culture; - developed a sense of community ownership; and, - led to an increase in family violence reports to Police and lower thresholds for people reporting. The critical success factors in common across the seven communities show how the Campaign has supported change. They were identified as: - the national It's not OK media campaign - support and resourcing from the national It's not OK Campaign; - local leadership; - a dedicated local Campaign coordinator; - community awareness of family violent incidents; and, - local champions. The national Campaign and the campaign team were seen as critical in providing expertise, funding and resources to the projects. Local projects could leverage off the national media messages. The national Campaign team's partnership approach in encouraging local ownership and leadership of the Campaign, local messages and the development of local champions was also seen as a factor of success. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2015. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 10, 2015 at: http://www.areyouok.org.nz/assets/RUOK-Uploads/f-MDS17572-Evaluation-Doc-1a.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.areyouok.org.nz/assets/RUOK-Uploads/f-MDS17572-Evaluation-Doc-1a.pdf Shelf Number: 136374 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectCommunity ProgramsFamily ViolenceViolence Prevention |
Author: Fulu, E. Title: Why Do Some Men Use Violence Against Women and How Can We Prevent It? Quantitative Findings from the United Nations Multi-country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific Summary: How do masculinities relate to men's perceptions and perpetrations of violence against women? What do these gendered norms, identities and practices mean for violence prevention? From 2010 to 2013, over 10,000 men and women across Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Papua New Guinea were interviewed using the UN Multi-country Study on Men and Violence household survey to help answer these questions. The study derives from the Partners for Prevention (P4P) initiative, and focused on intimate partner violence and non-partner rape. The regional analysis found that between 26 and 80 percent of men reported using physical and/or sexual violence against a female partner. The research shows that sexual and gender-based violence is not caused by individual men's beliefs and practices alone, but are situated within wider societal contexts characterised by gender inequalities and power imbalances between men and women, which women also play a role in maintaining. Work to prevent violence against women must reflect this by working at the individual, relationship, community and greater society levels. Recommendations on how the data supports violence prevention initiatives are as follows: - Change social norms related to the acceptability of violence and the subordination of women; - Promote non-violence masculinities oriented towards equality and respect; - Address child abuse and promote healthy families and nurturing, violence-free environments for children; - Work with young boys to address early ages of sexual violence perpetration; - Promote healthy sexuality for men and address male sexual entitlement; - End impunity for men who rape; - Develop interventions that respond to specific patterns of violence in each context. Details: Bangkok: UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women and UNV, 2013. 121p. Source: Accessed August 13, 2015 at: http://www.partners4prevention.org/node/515 Year: 2013 Country: Asia URL: Shelf Number: 131395 Keywords: Abusive MenChild Abuse and NeglectFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention |
Author: Becher, Elizabeth Wieling Title: Narratives of Scholars in the Field of Intimate Partner Violence Summary: Historically, divisions have existed in the field of Intimate Partner Violence, with intense and sometimes acerbic debate ensuing in the literature between scholars affiliated with a "feminist" perspective and those affiliated with a "family conflict" perspective. New scholars just entering the field lack a historical understanding of how these divisions came to be, what are the core questions at the heart of the divide and how have leaders in the field navigated these questions along their own professional journeys? This dissertation is an effort to document from a first person perspective an extensive review of the scholarly literature related to these divisions and a narrative inquiry and analysis of how six leading scholars in the field, affiliated with both perspectives describe their journey. Details: Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 2014. 329p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/170897 Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://conservancy.umn.edu/handle/11299/170897 Shelf Number: 136403 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence Violence Against Women |
Author: Brooks, Oona Title: Dual reports of domestic abuse made to the police in Scotland: A summary of findings from a pilot research study Summary: This research summary highlights findings from a pilot study that used Scottish police data to undertake exploratory analysis of 'dual reports' of domestic abuse. Dual reports occur when both parties in a relationship are reported to the police as perpetrators of domestic abuse at the same time. This means that both partners are reported simultaneously as the perpetrator and the victim of domestic abuse. Dual reports present a particular challenge to both conventional understandings of domestic abuse and the police response to these offences. The pilot study examined the nature of dual report incidents, how common they are, and how the police respond to these incidents. Details: Dundee: Scottish Institute for Policing Research, School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, 2015. 5p. Source: Internet Resource: SIPR Research Summary No: 23: Accessed August 14, 2015 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Research_Summary_23.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Research_Summary_23.pdf Shelf Number: 136411 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolencePolice Policies and PracticesPolice Response |
Author: Robinson, Amanda Title: Development of the Priority Perpetrator Identification Tool (PPIT) for domestic abuse Summary: Our previous research into serial domestic abuse indicated the importance of shared multi-agency understanding when it comes to identification of and responses to the most serious forms of domestic abuse. Our last report, published in November 2014, questioned the prevailing assumption that serial abusers should be the focus of enhanced targeting and intervention, and instead recommended developing perpetrator-focussed responses that take into account serial alongside repeat and high-risk offending. Specifically, we recommended the development of a consistent definition and monitoring/flagging process for priority perpetrators. Informed by extensive experience and research indicating the efficacy of multi-agency responses to domestic abuse, we embarked on a project to create a Priority Perpetrator Identification Tool (PPIT), incorporating serial, repeat and high-risk offending into a single tool with input and agreement across relevant agencies (e.g., Police, Criminal Justice and Third Sector). The intention is for the PPIT to complement and draw upon other existing tools (e.g., DASH for victims, OASys and SARA for perpetrators) so that agencies can reliably identify those individuals whose offending behaviour requires priority action. The development of this tool represents the first stage of establishing a more robust identification and referral pathway for priority domestic abuse perpetrators in Wales. This report documents the development and consultation process which was undertaken January-March of this year to create the PPIT. Findings Based on the evidence collected from the consultation (n=15 participants in the stage one stakeholder event and n=25 participants in the stage two online survey), there appears to be a high level of support amongst both operational and strategic agency representatives (from a range of agencies in Wales and elsewhere in the UK), for a tool to assist with the identification of those committing the most serious and harmful forms of domestic abuse. It is noteworthy that an overwhelming majority of respondents felt that the ten items in the PPIT captured the most important aspects to consider, and the brief guidance accompanying the tool was largely fit-for-purpose. Despite the complexities of what is involved, the majority view is favourable to implementing the PPIT. Implications The PPIT is envisioned as an instrument to be used to trigger an intervention, rather than an intervention itself, and aims to support the identification of a commonly recognised priority cohort of individuals which will be the focus of the collective efforts all partners. Concept and planning work is already underway to address the 'what comes next' question raised by many of those involved in the consultation process. To maximise its efficacy and potential to be a reliable and useful tool for frontline use across a range of agencies, we recommend further testing of the PPIT. Further research is needed to assess the range of policy and practice implications likely to result from the implementation of the PPIT. Details: Cardiff, Wales: Cardiff Centre for Crime, Law and Justice, 2015. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/75006/1/Robinson%20%26%20Clancy%20%282015%29%20Development%20of%20the%20Priority%20Perpetrator%20Identification%20Tool%20%28PPIT%29%20for%20Domestic%20Abuse.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/75006/1/Robinson%20%26%20Clancy%20%282015%29%20Development%20of%20the%20Priority%20Perpetrator%20Identification%20Tool%20%28PPIT%29%20for%20Domestic%20Abuse.pdf Shelf Number: 136494 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Payton, Joanne Title: Motivating respect: A Welsh intervention into youth-perpetrated domestic abuse Summary: This report tackles the emerging issue of domestic abuse perpetrated by adolescents, explored through the experiences of Gwent Domestic Abuse Service (GDAS), a charity founded in 2003, providing support to both the perpetrators and victims of domestic abuse, delivered with a whole family approach. Domestic violence perpetrated by people under the age of 18 is an emerging problem, with violence and abuse directed towards parents and carers being a particularly prevalent but ignored issue, although violence against partners/ex-partners, siblings and peers are also found in Wales and may be under-recognised. So far, interventions to challenge abusive behaviour have overwhelmingly focussed upon adults. GDAS's pilot targeting young people is innovative, based on one-to-one encounters primarily using the techniques of Motivational Interviewing. These techniques are labour-intensive but allow for pro-active and tailored approach to young people's behavioural issues. GDAS's interventions are well-received by referring agencies and in much demand, particularly with regard to the emerging issue of the abuse of parents and carers in Wales. There is scope for development through securing reliable funding to underwrite and extend this much-needed service, and to provide additional in-house support to victims in line with GDAS's 'whole family' approach. Details: Cardiff, Wales: Cardiff University, 2015. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 19, 2015 at: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/72876/1/Payton%20%26%20Robinson%20%282015%29%20Motivating%20Respect.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/72876/1/Payton%20%26%20Robinson%20%282015%29%20Motivating%20Respect.pdf Shelf Number: 136495 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceJuvenile OffendersViolence Against WomenViolent Juvenile OffendersYouthful Offenders |
Author: Australia. Senate Finance and Public Administration References Committee Title: Domestic violence in Australia Summary: In 2013, the World Health Organisation found that more than one third of all women have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence and that these findings show it is a 'global public health problem of epidemic proportions requiring urgent action'. In Australia, women are over-represented in intimate partner homicides. 89 women were killed by their current or former partner between 2008-10 which equates to nearly one woman every week. However, in 2015, the statistics to date shows that this number is increasing with two Australian women killed by domestic violence each week. Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) notes that data from the 2012 Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Survey shows that one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence and Australian women are most likely to experience physical and sexual violence in their home at the hands of a male current or ex-partner. The most commonly reported reason for seeking assistance from specialist homelessness services was domestic and family violence. A study of Victorian women demonstrated that domestic violence carries an enormous cost in terms of premature death and disability. As VicHealth stated: 'It is responsible for more preventable ill-health in Victorian women under the age of 45 than any other of the well-known risk factors, including high blood pressure, obesity and smoking'. In addition, more than one million children in Australia are affected by domestic violence which can leave them with serious emotional, psychological, social, behavioural and developmental consequences. The committee acknowledges that the cost of domestic and family violence is great in terms of lives lost, the effects on children, physical and mental health, employment, risk of homelessness and financial security. The economic cost is also substantial with a 2009 study by KPMG finding that violence against women, including domestic violence, cost the nation $13.6 billion and this was expected to reach $15.6 billion in 2021-22 if steps were not taken. The committee heard there are a broad and complex range of social and personal factors that can contribute to the incidence and severity of domestic and family violence. These include gender inequality, social norms and attitudes as well as exposure to violence, social isolation, relationship conflict, income, divorce or separation and the use of alcohol and drugs. The committee is particularly concerned by the statistic that alcohol is involved in up to 65 per cent of family violence incidents reported to police (see chapter 10). The terms of reference referred to the prevalence of domestic violence as it affects vulnerable groups including 'women living with a disability' and 'women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds'. The committee recognises these are not the only vulnerable groups which also include culturally and linguistically diverse, non-English speaking new and emerging migrant communities, people experiencing mental health issues, people in same sex relationships, transgender and intersex persons. The committee recognises that there is no silver bullet to stop domestic and family violence. Rather, a coherent, strategic and long term effort by all levels of governments and the community is required to take effective action. The committee heard the areas which will make a real difference are: - understanding the causes and effects of domestic violence (chapters 1 and 2) - the need for cultural change which involves prevention work to change attitudes and behaviours towards women (chapter 6); - a national framework and ensuring ongoing engagement with stakeholders (chapter 3); - early intervention measures (chapter 7); - effective data collection to ensure programs and policies for women, their children and men are evidence-based (chapters 4 and 5); - coordination of services (chapter 8); - more information sharing between stakeholders (chapter 8); - better legal responses/enforcement to hold perpetrators to account (chapter 9); - sufficient and appropriate crisis services (chapter 8); and - providing long term support to victims of domestic and family violence (chapter 10). Work in these areas is underway and it will take time to see the effects of this work flow through. The long term nature of this challenge is recognised in the National Plan to reduce Violence against Women and their Children which spans the period 2010-2022. Over the course of the inquiry the committee spoke to many people working in the sector, policy and law makers, victims, as well as people in the community who have been appalled at the unacceptable toll domestic and family violence has taken in women and children's lives. The committee was heartened by their view that there is the beginning of a genuine shift in attitudes on violence and also the will to fund, educate and resource the programs, services and victims of domestic and family violence. Details: Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2015. 208p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 25, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/resources/senate_finance_and_public_administration_references_committee/56741-domestic_violence_in_australia.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/resources/senate_finance_and_public_administration_references_committee/56741-domestic_violence_in_australia.pdf Shelf Number: 136572 Keywords: Children Exposed to ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Wilson, Denise Title: The People's Blueprint: Transforming the way we deal with child abuse and domestic violence in New Zealand Summary: People have a basic right to live free from violence. To continue to allow violence to occur in families/ whanau, the fabric of our society, is unjust and unfair. Janice's story illustrates the ways violence and abuse in families is hidden under a veil of secrets, silence, stigma and shame - because of this it continues to fester in our families and communities. The People's Report, based on 500 people's stories, brought to our attention that seeking help for abuse and violence for many women and children puts them at risk of further harm. New Zealand can no longer continue to respond to family violence by treading carefully around its edges. Those affected by family violence must carefully navigate their daily lives to keep themselves and their children safe. Many are not successful and are seriously harmed or killed. Many people told us that they were likely to encounter disrespectful and unhelpful people working in the system supposed to help and protect them. They said they were re-traumatised in numerous ways while seeking help. At the same time, many people living or working with those affected by family violence do not get involved. Instead they choose to avoid the conflict and tension associated with responding. Family violence seems to "sew people's lips, eyes, and ears shut and turns them to stone." People often know that abuse is occurring in their homes, their neighbourhood, or when they are out and about in their communities. Their hearts and minds tell them it is not right, but often they do not know what to do. Instead, as The People's Report confirms, most are likely to do either little or nothing. Actively responding to the plight and desperation of children, women and men affected by family violence is essential if we are to keep them safe, and importantly, prevent serious harm or death. People affected by family violence, and those helping, need to have trust that the system, its processes and services designed to address this problem, will help them. They need to have trust that seeking help will not make their violence and abuse worse, and re-traumatise them. The People's Report provides evidence that many people in New Zealand have poor understanding about child abuse, domestic violence, and the violence that happens in many families/whanau. This includes government officials, policy-makers, legislators and those working in family violence services for children, women and men. This lack of knowledge and understanding permits child abuse and domestic violence to thrive. Details: Auckland, NZ: The Glenn Inquiry, 2014. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: https://glenninquiry.org.nz/uploads/files/The_Peoples_Blueprint_Electronic_Final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: https://glenninquiry.org.nz/uploads/files/The_Peoples_Blueprint_Electronic_Final.pdf Shelf Number: 136623 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDomestic ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: Napier, Sarah Title: Who goes to prison for breaching an Apprehended Domestic Violence Order? An analysis of police narratives Summary: Aim: To identify the situational and offender characteristics associated with prison sentences for Apprehended Domestic Violence Order (ADVO) breaches. Method: Case narratives from police incident reports of ADVO breach incidents in NSW were analysed. Two samples were examined: (1) breach incidents where the offender involved was imprisoned (n=250) and (2) breach incidents where the offender involved received a non-custodial sentence (n=250). The nature of the breach and the characteristics of persons involved in these two breach samples were compared using descriptive data and logistic regression models. Results: The majority of ADVO breaches in both samples involved male to female offending in spousal/ex-spousal relationships, occurred in the victim's house and involved face-to-face contact. Compared with offenders in the non-prison group, a higher proportion of offenders who received a custodial penalty for the breach ADVO matter were male, Indigenous, had 5 or more prior court appearances (including prior offences for domestic violence (DV), assault and breach ADVO), had 3 or more prior prison penalties and had breached two or more conditions of their order. Breaches resulting in prison also had a higher proportion of matters involving physical assault, property damage, psychological aggression and parties who had a history of violence. After controlling for other factors, the following factors were independently associated with imprisonment for ADVO; the offender's gender, prior imprisonment, prior proven DV offence, history of violence, involvement of physical assault in the breach, victim/offender relationship and residing with the victim. Conclusion: The profile of offenders who receive imprisonment for a breach ADVO offence is significantly different from those who receive a non-custodial penalty for these offences. The nature of the breach and the circumstances surrounding the event also vary for matters where prison is imposed for an ADVO breach. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Bureau Brief, Issue Paper no. 107: Accessed September 14, 2015 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report_Apprehended_Domestic_Violence_Order_bb107.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report_Apprehended_Domestic_Violence_Order_bb107.pdf Shelf Number: 136748 Keywords: Court OrdersDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceRestraining OrdersViolence Against Women |
Author: Smallwood, Emma Title: Stepping Stones: Legal barriers to economic equality after family violence Summary: Women's Legal Service Victoria has observed that there are legal and economic problems arising from family violence which result in serious financial hardship for women and, at present, there are no accessible legal remedies to these problems. We have researched the problems in the Stepping Stones project. This report contains the findings of the project and recommendations for solutions. In interviews with women, we explored the consequences of family violence on women's financial circumstances. We specifically directed our attention to systemic barriers women faced in their economic recovery. Common themes emerged from the interviews including: - A lack of police understanding of the financial consequences arising from family violence, and a lack of police action in stopping economic abuse. - The conditions included in intervention orders of the Magistrates' Court are largely unhelpful in preventing economic abuse. - Women who are victims of family violence often have to flee their home; this has serious financial implications and there is a major shortage of available housing for women. - Service providers such as energy retailers, telecommunication services and banks have low awareness of the difficulties faced by women experiencing family violence and are unhelpful when interacting with these customers. - The energy, telecommunications and banking industries insist on their right to enforce joint debts, even in circumstances of family violence. This places women and their financial recovery at risk. - Women have little knowledge of their legal and financial rights following violence and separation. This lack of knowledge can result in women staying in unsafe relationships. - Women who are involved in family law proceedings to resolve financial issues experience a lengthy and stressful process, and achieve outcomes that are often inequitable. Many women choose not to pursue financial settlements after relationship breakdown because of the particular barriers created by family violence. This causes further financial disadvantage for women. Perpetrators use joint debt to continue to perpetrate violence against women and there is no legal recourse to sever the joint liability. Although there are legal mechanisms available to address some of the problems women encounter, women's access to these mechanisms is hindered. There is potential to make better use of intervention orders in dealing with some of the debt and small property issues that arise. There are also existing mechanisms in the family law jurisdiction that could better assist women. Improving the accessibility of available legal remedies for family violence victims is key to economic equality. During our research it became clear that reform to: family law, the family violence legal system and the regulation of energy, telecommunications and credit is needed. This law and regulation reform needs to be coupled with the adoption of better policies by industry and government departments which: - recognise family violence - formally recognise intervention orders or family law orders that seek to address abusive behaviour, and - provide training to staff on the nature and impacts of family violence, including economic abuse. Implementing these system-wide changes will remove the financial and legal barriers to women achieving economic independence after family violence. Details: Melbourne: Womens Legal Service Victoria, 2015. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 24, 2015 at: http://www.womenslegal.org.au/files/file/Stepping%20Stones%20Report(1).pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.womenslegal.org.au/files/file/Stepping%20Stones%20Report(1).pdf Shelf Number: 136858 Keywords: Family ViolenceFinancial AbuseIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Harris, Anita Title: Young Australians' attitudes to violence against women. Findings from the 2013 National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey for respondents 16-24 years Summary: Violence against women is widely recognised as a global issue. It is an often invisible, but common form of violence, and an insidious violation of human rights. It has serious impacts on the health and wellbeing of those affected and exacts significant economic costs on communities and nations. Australia is not immune. The National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey was developed by VicHealth in partnership with The University of Melbourne, the Social Research Centre and experts across Australia, and supported by the Australian Government Department of Social Services as part of the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022. This is the third survey of its kind, with the first undertaken in 1995 and the second in 2009. The survey tells us that we have been able to challenge a culture that allows violence against women to occur. There have been sustained improvements since 1995 in a number of areas. However, there are other areas in which progress has been minimal, along with some concerning negative findings. This report focuses on the responses given by 1,923 young people aged between 16 - 22 years who participated in NCAS. These findings are compared with those aged 35 - 64 years of age, enabling results to be compared between two generations: young people and their parents. The report identifies positive attitudes and some areas of concern with regard to the attitudes of young people on violence. Details: Carlton South, Victoria: VICHealth, 2015. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/research/young-australians-attitudes-violence-against-women Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/research/young-australians-attitudes-violence-against-women Shelf Number: 136950 Keywords: Abused womenFamily violenceInterpersonal ViolenceOpinion SurveyPublic OpinionViolence Against Women |
Author: Parker, Imogen Title: A link in the chain: The role of friends and family in tackling domestic abuse Summary: A link in the chain examines the role of informal networks (friends, family, colleagues and neighbours) in minimising domestic abuse. Despite the harm domestic abuse causes, victims struggle to acknowledge and disclose what's happening to them and seek support. They face complex personal and practical barriers to admitting abuse and accessing help, as their lives are often intricately intertwined, in terms of emotions, networks and resources, with that of the perpetrator. As individuals struggle to proactively seek help, many victims remain invisible to services, never accessing effective support. Few victims engage with police or specialist services, with abusive relationships escalating, going unrecognised and undiscussed, sometimes for years. Victims can become increasingly isolated, making the gap to trained specialist services (helplines, refuges, police or health professionals) yawn large. Friends and family can be a key link in the chain to leaving abuse behind, as these are the individuals most likely to be aware of abuse early on. Informal networks can offer help by encouraging victims to reach out to specialist services or the police (acting as a conduit), or by offering practical and emotional aid themselves (supporter), from bolstering self-esteem to providing somewhere to stay. However, informal networks face complex barriers to engaging: they may struggle to recognise abuse, and feel ill-equipped to intervene, fearful of causing problems or nervous about intruding. This report argues that to successfully minimise abuse, policy and practice must consider the social context of abusive relationships, to equip and support friends and family who may be aware of abuse. We consider how social and professional networks can help bridge the gap between victims and specialist support. This report draws on new primary data to explore: 1.what barriers prevent victims speaking up about abuse, and how these can be overcome 2.how we can widen the net of people aware and involved in aiding victims of abuse, whilst ensuring those supporters feel confident and able to engage safely and appropriately 3.what structures need to be in place to ensure there is emotional and practical specialist support in place following disclosure, both for the victim and supporter Details: London: Citizens Advice, 2015. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/policy/policy-research-topics/crime-and-justice-policy-research/a-link-in-the-chain-the-role-of-friends-and-family-in-tackling-domestic-abuse/ Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/policy/policy-research-topics/crime-and-justice-policy-research/a-link-in-the-chain-the-role-of-friends-and-family-in-tackling-domestic-abuse/ Shelf Number: 136994 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of ViolenceViolence Prevention |
Author: Callaghan, Jane E.M. Title: Understanding Agency and Resistance Strategies (UNARS): Children's Experiences of Domestic Abuse Summary: Children who experience domestic violence between their parents, or other adults at home, are not just passive observers. They are profoundly impacted by violence and coercive behaviour at home, and they find complex, creative ways to manage and cope with these experiences. This is a key finding of the research project 'Understanding Agency and Resistance Strategies - Children in Situations of Domestic Violence', which today has published its final project report. This two year project, funded by the European Commission and led by Dr. Jane Callaghan at the University of Northampton, is the largest qualitative study of children's experiences of domestic violence conducted to date. Researchers in Greece, Italy, Spain and the UK interviewed 110 children and young people who had experienced domestic violence, focused on how they experienced the violence, and how they found ways to manage their experiences. Using the insights gained from this research, the team developed a group-based therapeutic intervention to support children to build on their existing strengths and coping strategies. The intervention aims to help the young people develop resilience and a positive sense of self, as they recover from living with domestic violence. The UNARS researchers argue that we should challenge passive images of children who experience domestic violence has been skewed by media coverage and images, which portray them as passive, helpless victims, doomed to repeat cycles of violence in their own later relationships. The UNARS research is not suggesting that domestic violence is not an acutely painful experience for children - of course it is frightening, distressing, and children are hurt and wounded by the violence they live with, and the coercive and controlling behaviours that often pervade their homes. However, it is also clear, in children's accounts, that there is an inextricable intertwining of their experiences of damage and of coping. Children's experiences of domestic violence is a little like a double helix, with the twin strands of coping and damage very closely interlinked. Children's capacity to be strong, to be agentic, to be resilient can only be read in the context of the actions that function to undermine their development of agency and resilience, forms of relating that characterise violence, abuse and coercive control. Jane Callaghan explained: "Consider, for instance, the examples of children hiding away in cupboards, hidey holes and dens. In some senses this looks like an accession to abuse and control - children might be seen by professionals and academics as hiding away, as cowering in corners. But if we only see this painful and difficult aspect of the child's behaviour, and don't try to make sense of the meaning they attach to it, we do not see how it is also resistant and resilient. Children are not just frightened, they are not just hiding. They are creating spaces for themselves, where they can feel just slightly safer, just a little more secure and in control." The research team also completed an analysis of European and national policies on domestic violence. Their most significant finding is that children are startlingly absent from legal and policy frameworks. The Istanbul Convention, introduced by the Council of Europe to galvanise action around violence against women and domestic violence. Children are not explicitly defined as victims either in the Istanbul convention, or the national and regional legal and policy frameworks that implement it. In this sense, children are absent from legal definitions (except as victims of dating violence). Children who 'witness' domestic violence do not have a legal status as 'victim'. (This is changing in Spain, where the distinction between 'direct' and 'indirect' victims is being removed from Spanish statutes). This means that children are seen in law and policy as an absence, as 'collateral damage' to adult domestic violence, and this has consequences for how they are understood and treated in criminal justice, social services and voluntary sector organisations. Services for children who experience domestic violence are typically a 'bolt on' to adult oriented services, as adults, and particularly women, are seen as its main victims. "We think this is because children are seen as 'silent witnesses', helpless in families where domestic violence occurs", says Dr Callaghan. "By focusing on children's voice, on their capacity to make sense of the situation they are in, and to take creative action to make their lives a little better, we have been able to highlight both the profound impact of violence on children's lives and the complex and often paradoxical ways that they find to cope." The UNARS project has highlighted that children experience the negative impact of domestic violence, and cope with domestic violence, in much the same way that adult victims do, and that the distinction between 'direct' and 'indirect' victim, or between 'adult victim' and 'child witness' is not sustainable. When policy frameworks do not include children as victims, this contributes to the erosion of children's representation and voice in professional and policy discourses. By focusing on children's capacity for conscious meaning making and agency in relation to their experiences of domestic violence, we have highlighted the importance of recognising the impact domestic violence has on children, and their right to representation as victims in the context of domestic violence. Details: Northampton, UK: University of Northampton, 2015. 272p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 19, 2015 at: http://www.unars.co.uk/resources/UNARS%20Final%20Project%20Report%20(1).pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://www.unars.co.uk/resources/UNARS%20Final%20Project%20Report%20(1).pdf Shelf Number: 136995 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: United Nations Children's Fund - UNICEF Title: Violence Against Children in Kenya: Findings from a 2010 National Survey Summary: The 2010 Kenya Violence against Children Study (VACs) is the first national survey of violence against both female and male children in Kenya. The survey is the most up to date National assessment of households covering 1,306 females and 1,622 males aged between 13 to 24 years. The Kenya VACs was designed to yield lifetime and current experiences of emotional , physical and sexual violations for female and male children from the following age groups: - 18 to 24 year olds who experienced acts of violence prior to age 18 (lifetime events). - 13 to 17 year olds who experienced acts of violence during the 12 months prior to the survey (current events). The 2010 Kenya VACs was guided by a Technical Working Group (TWG). The group was assembled in view of their expertise in issues of children in Kenya and the mandates of their organizations. The findings from the survey indicate that violence against children is a serious problem in Kenya. Levels of violence prior to age 18 as reported by 18 to 24 year olds (lifetime experiences) indicate that during childhood, 32% of females and 18% of males experience sexual violence . 66% of females and 73% of males experienced physical violence and 26% of females and 32% of males experience any violence as a child. 13% of females and 9% of males experienced all three types of violence during childhood. The most common perpetrators of sexual violence for females and males were found to be boyfriends/girlfriends/romantic partners comprising 47% and 43% respectively followed by neighbors, 27% and 21% respectively. Mothers and fathers were the most common perpetrator of physical violence by family members. For males, teachers followed by Police were the most common perpetrators of physical violence by an authority figure. Emotional violence for both females and males was most often inflicted by parents. Regardless of the type of violence, less than one out of every females or males who experienced sexual, physical, or emotional violence as a child knew of a place to go to seed professional help. Most importantly, less than 10% of females and males who experienced sexual, physical or emotional violence as a child actually received some form of professional help. Females aged 18 to 24 who reported experiencing sexual violence in childhood were significantly more likely to report feelings of anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts and fair/poor health than those females who did not experience sexual violence. Three out of every ten females 30% aged 18 to 24 who reported experiencing unwanted completed intercourse before the age of 18 (i.e., sex that was physically forced or pressured ) became pregnant as a result. About 90% of females and males who experienced sexual violence as a child reported of a place to go for HIV testing. Among females aged 18 to 24 who experienced sexual violence as a child, about 7% had received money for sex compared to 2% of those who did not experience violence prior to age 18. Females and males age 18 to 24 who experienced sexual violence prior to age 18 (7% versus 2% for females; 53% versus 35% for males). Over half females and males age 18 to 24, regardless of whether they experienced violence prior to 18, believe that it is acceptable for a husband to beat his wife. Furthermore, 40% of females and 50% of males believed that a woman should tolerate spousal violence in order to keep her family together. Details: Nairobi: UNICEF - Kenya Office, 2012. 178p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2015 at: https://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/documents/docs/VAC_in_Kenya.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Kenya URL: https://srsg.violenceagainstchildren.org/sites/default/files/documents/docs/VAC_in_Kenya.pdf Shelf Number: 137028 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentEmotional AbuseFamily ViolenceRapeSex OffensesSexual ViolenceViolence Against Children |
Author: Cox, Peta Title: Sexual assault and domestic violence in the context of co-occurrence and re-victimisation: State of knowledge paper Summary: This state of knowledge paper examines the intersection between sexual assault and domestic violence, focusing on two forms of concurrent victimisation: re-victimisation (when a woman, over her lifetime, experiences both sexual assault and domestic violence) and intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV). The paper looks at the complexity of these experiences to identify the common impacts of domestic violence and sexual assault, and to critically examine how re-victimisation and IPSV can shift the ways in which we think about, and provide services for, women affected by domestic violence and sexual assault. Key findings include: - The lack of longitudinal studies of re-victimisation reduces our ability to make conclusions about causal factors or the nature of victimisation over time. - Much of the available research on IPSV and re-victimisation is unable to be extrapolated to findings about the general population, as it focuses on non-representative groups such women who were attending psychology clinics. - Research indicates that women who experience child sexual abuse (CSA) are more likely to experience IPSV than women who have not experienced CSA. Similarly, women who have experienced CSA are more likely to experience DV (not limited to sexual violence) in their adult relationships. - IPSV generally occurs in the context of other forms of violence and was often part of a larger pattern of coercive control in a relationship. IPSV should be considered a tactic of DV, and not a separate phenomenon. - Heteronormative beliefs and conservative gender norms were associated with acceptance and experience of sexual coercion for both men and women. - IPSV victims are less likely to seek help than victims of other forms of DV. - Drug and alcohol use may be a precursor, consequence or risk factor associated with IPSV and re-victimisation. Similarly, emotional distress and psychiatric conditions may increase a person's vulnerability to violence, place them in high risk contexts and/or may be a consequence of violence. - A wide range of communities, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and women with a disability, have discrete patterns of victimisation, including distinct behaviours and norms that may increase the risk of victimisation. - Normative understandings of what constitutes "real rape" affect how victims, perpetrators and bystanders interpret experiences of sexual assault. These norms particularly affect interpretations of IPSV incidents. - Both IPSV and re-victimisation had significant physical and mental health consequences. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2015. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: State of Knowledge Paper, Issue 13: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://anrows.org.au/publications/landscapes/co-occurrence-and-re-victimisation Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://anrows.org.au/publications/landscapes/co-occurrence-and-re-victimisation Shelf Number: 137316 Keywords: Family ViolenceRepeat VictimizationSex CrimesSexual AbuseSexual AssaultSexual ViolenceVictims of ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Violence Policy Center Title: When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of 2013 Homicide Data Summary: Intimate partner violence against women is all too common and takes many forms. The most serious is homicide by an intimate partner. Guns can easily turn domestic violence into domestic homicide. One federal study on homicide among intimate partners found that female intimate partners are more likely to be murdered with a firearm than all other means combined, concluding that "the figures demonstrate the importance of reducing access to firearms in households affected by IPV [intimate partner violence]." Guns are also often used in non-fatal domestic violence. A study by Harvard School of Public Health researchers analyzed gun use at home and concluded that "hostile gun displays against family members may be more common than gun use in self-defense, and that hostile gun displays are often acts of domestic violence directed against women." The U.S. Department of Justice has found that women are far more likely to be the victims of violent crimes committed by intimate partners than men, especially when a weapon is involved. Moreover, women are much more likely to be victimized at home than in any other place. A woman must consider the risks of having a gun in her home, whether she is in a domestic violence situation or not. While two thirds of women who own guns acquired them "primarily for protection against crime," the results of a California analysis show that "purchasing a handgun provides no protection against homicide among women and is associated with an increase in their risk for intimate partner homicide." A 2003 study about the risks of firearms in the home found that females living with a gun in the home were nearly three times more likely to be murdered than females with no gun in the home. Finally, another study reports, women who were murdered were more likely, not less likely, to have purchased a handgun in the three years prior to their deaths, again invalidating the idea that a handgun has a protective effect against homicide. While this study does not focus solely on domestic violence homicide or guns, it provides a stark reminder that domestic violence and guns make a deadly combination. Firearms are rarely used to kill criminals or stop crimes. Instead, they are all too often used to inflict harm on the very people they were intended to protect According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Uniform Crime Reports, in 2013 there were only 270 justifiable homicides committed by private citizens. Of these, only 23 involved women killing men. Of those, only 13 involved firearms, with 11 of the 13 involving handguns. While firearms are at times used by private citizens to kill criminals, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the most common scenarios of lethal gun use in America in 2013, the most recent final data available, are suicide (21,175), homicide (11,208), or fatal unintentional injury (505). When Men Murder Women is an annual report prepared by the Violence Policy Center detailing the reality of homicides committed against females by single male offenders. The study analyzes the most recent Supplementary Homicide Report (SHR) data submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The information used for this report is for the year 2013. Once again, this is the most recent data available. This is the first analysis of the 2013 data on female homicide victims to offer breakdowns of cases in the 10 states with the highest female victim/male offender homicide rates, and the first to rank the states by these rates. This study examines only those instances involving one female homicide victim and one male offender. This is the exact scenario-the lone male attacker and the vulnerable woman-that is often used to promote gun ownership among women. This is the 18th edition of When Men Murder Women. From 1996 to 2013, the rate of women murdered by men in single victim/single offender incidents dropped from 1.57 per 100,000 women in 1996 to 1.09 per 100,000 women in 2013, a decrease of 31 percent. Details: Washington, DC: Violence Policy Institute, 2015. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.vpc.org/studies/wmmw2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137331 Keywords: Crime Statistics Family Violence Gun-Related Violence Homicide Intimate Partner Violence Murders Violence Against Women |
Author: Vaughan, Cathy Title: Promoting community-led responses to violence against immigrant and refugee women in metropolitan and regional Australia: The ASPIRE Project: State of knowledge paper Summary: This state of knowledge paper examines a broad range of national and international research to present the current knowledge about family violence against immigrant and refugee women. While the paper identifies critical evidence on the topic, it acknowledges that much of the available literature has methodological issues, including incomplete and inconclusive prevalence data; small sample sizes; and conceptualising family violence in ways that are not recognised by immigrant and refugee communities. The paper finds: - Overall immigrant and refugee report similar forms of family violence as women from non-immigrant backgrounds, however there are some differences in the types of violence experienced and the structural contexts where it takes place. - The constraints produced by immigration policies are of significant concern, where women depend on perpetrators for economic security and residency rights. - Many immigrant and refugee women are motivated to resolve family violence without ending relationships and breaking up families, for reasons including immigration concerns and family and community pressures. - There is scant evidence that the increase in criminal justice responses to family violence, such as "mandatory arrest" and "pro-prosecution" approaches, are helpful for immigrant women, and may deter them from seeking assistance in crisis situations. The paper also identifies key gaps in literature on this issue, particularly in connection to the ways immigration policies, structural disadvantage and location interact with immigrant and refugee women's experiences of family violence. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS): 2015. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: State of Knowledge Paper: Accessed November 24, 2015 at: http://anrows.org.au/publications/landscapes/promoting-community-led-responses-violence-against-immigrant-and-refugee Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://anrows.org.au/publications/landscapes/promoting-community-led-responses-violence-against-immigrant-and-refugee Shelf Number: 137334 Keywords: Ethnic GroupsFamily ViolenceImmigrantsIntimate Partner ViolenceRefugeesViolence Against Women |
Author: Our Watch Title: Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence Summary: No country in the world has a national, evidence-based road map to prevent violence against women and their children in a coordinated way. Our Watch partnered with VicHealth and ANROWS to create Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Ending violence against women and their children is a national priority. Work is already being undertaken across a range of sectors - by governments, nongovernment organisations, researchers and practitioners - to change the attitudes, behaviours and environments that perpetuate this violence. But much of this work happens on a small-scale or in isolation from other projects. Violence cannot be prevented project by project - coordination and collaboration is fundamental to our success. The National Framework to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children brings together the international research, and nationwide experience, on what works to prevent violence. It establishes a shared understanding of the evidence and principles of effective prevention, and presents a way forward for a coordinated national approach. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, VicHealth, ANROWS, 2015. 75p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/1462998c-c32b-4772-ad02-cbf359e0d8e6/Change-the-story-framework-prevent-violence-women-children.pdf.aspx Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/1462998c-c32b-4772-ad02-cbf359e0d8e6/Change-the-story-framework-prevent-violence-women-children.pdf.aspx Shelf Number: 137351 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectFamily ViolenceGender-Related ViolenceViolence Against Women, GirlsViolence Prevention |
Author: Macvean, Michelle Title: The PATRICIA project: PAThways in research In collaborative inter-agency working Summary: This paper details a review conducted by the Parenting Research Centre (PRC) and the University of Melbourne at the request of Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS). It forms part of a broader project - PAThways and Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency working, or the PATRICIA project - led by the University of Melbourne with partners from five universities, three government departments and eight community sector organisations which specialise in domestic and family violence (DFV). The PATRICIA project focuses on the relationship between statutory child protection, family law, and community-based services which seek to support women and children exposed to domestic violence. This review aims to address the following research question: What processes or practices do child protection services and specialist domestic violence services or family law engage in so that they can work better together to improve service responses for women and children living with and separating from family violence? Details: Melbourne: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS), 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/14_4.5_landscapes_patricia_f.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/14_4.5_landscapes_patricia_f.pdf Shelf Number: 137353 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentChild ProtectionCollaborationCommunity-Based ServicesDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Related ViolencePartnerships |
Author: Sutherland, Georgina Title: Media representations of violence against women and their children: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper provides an overview of the best available contemporary evidence on the way news and information media portray violence against women. In the paper studies are grouped into three broad areas of inquiry: 1) media representation (how content and discourse are used in news items on violence against women); 2) audience reception (how audiences interpret news on violence against women and how risk is perceived and managed); and 3) news production (what practices are used in reporting on violence against women and their children). The paper finds that: To date, most research attention has focused on how the media represents violence against women and their children. Collectively these studies illustrate that the media frequently mirrors society's confusion and ambivalence about violence against women. The audience reception literature shows an association between representations of violence against women in the news and audience attitudes and perceptions of blame and responsibility. There is also emerging evidence of an association between televised news reports of intimate partner violence and observed rates in the community. The few studies available on news production confirm that the pressures of newsworthiness and profitability present formidable challenges to the task of responsible and sensitive reporting of violence against women. Despite an expanding body of research, gaps in our knowledge remain. For example, there is a need to better align media representation studies with the emerging work on audience reception and news production, and for a better understanding of online news production, reporting and audience contribution. Details: Melbourne: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes, Issue 15: Accessed November 28, 2015 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/FINAL%20Co-branded%20Media%20Representations_WEB.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/FINAL%20Co-branded%20Media%20Representations_WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 137354 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceMedia Violence Against Women, ChildrenViolence Prevention |
Author: Phillips, Janet Title: Domestic violence: Issues and policy challenges Summary: Domestic violence is a serious issue affecting millions around the world. - The most pervasive form of violence experienced by women in Australia is violence perpetrated by a male intimate partner, commonly referred to as domestic violence. However, it is important to acknowledge that men and same sex relationships partners can also experience this form of violence. - The underlying causes of domestic violence are complex with the result that there is a great deal of confusion and misinformation reflected in the public debate. However, there is general agreement that gender inequality, power imbalances and controlling behaviours within relationships are key determinants. - Community attitudes towards gender roles, sexuality, domestic violence and sexual assault can strongly influence both the prevalence of domestic violence and disclosure/reporting rates. The language commonly used around this form of violence in the community can also trivialise or minimise the seriousness of the experience. Surveys have found that demographic factors such as age, country of birth and socio-economic status have only a limited influence on attitudes, but that those with low levels of support for gender equality are the strongest predictors for holding violence-supporting attitudes. - Reasons for non-reporting incidents of domestic violence are complex but may include fear of the perpetrator, fear of not being believed or of being blamed, feelings of confusion, shame and embarrassment, fear of psychologically reliving the incident, or a reluctance to acknowledge the incident ever occurred. - While most do not report incidences of domestic violence to the authorities, many seek advice or support from family members, friends or community services. Given that psychological responses to domestic violence can be complex, experts argue that proactive support services focusing on therapeutic emotional and psychological interventions may be more effective in encouraging disclosure and providing assistance than the criminal justice system in many instances. - A wide variety of strategies have been employed to tackle domestic violence in Australia and internationally. Although many of the strategies to prevent domestic violence have now been ongoing for some decades, there is still a lack of reliable evidence as to what works. However, there is some evidence in the US that an integrated approach supported by sustained government funding may be effective in addressing the issues. - Australia and comparable countries have much lower rates of domestic violence than many countries with higher levels of gender inequality. A WHO international review on the prevalence of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence notes that the global variation in the prevalence of violence against women highlights that this form of violence is not inevitable and can be prevented or reduced. - The Council of Australian Government's central initiative designed to address domestic violence is the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children. The National Plan has been received very positively by most stakeholders and commentators, but some argue that ongoing, integrated resourcing and funding across all jurisdictions is crucial in order to effect long-term change. - Most are in agreement that this is a difficult problem requiring complex and coordinated responses, not one-off, sporadic initiatives and funding commitments. It is generally argued by most stakeholders and commentators that integrating responses and initiatives across the community, all jurisdictions and all levels of government is the best way to promote equality and reduce this form of violence. Details: Sydney: Parliamentary Library, 2015. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Paper Series, 2015-16: http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1516/DVIssues Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1516/DVIssues Shelf Number: 137421 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Volmert, Andrew Title: "You Only Pray that Somebody Would Step In": Mapping the Gaps Between Expert and Public Understandings of Elder Abuse in America Summary: Elder abuse is an issue that has continually struggled to rise to prominence on our national agenda. Despite apparent breakthroughs, such as the passage of the Elder Justice Act in 2010, momentum has been difficult to sustain, and the issue remains low on the list of public priorities. The Elder Justice Act is underfunded, and resources for state and local Adult Protective Services remain woefully insufficient. While elder abuse receives some media coverage and advocates work tirelessly to bring attention to the issue, policymakers and the public largely ignore the issue in favor of other concerns. The first step in reframing elder abuse is gaining an understanding of the deep cultural patterns of thinking that shape how people reason about and make sense of this issue. This report analyzes how the public thinks about elder abuse and compares these patterns of thinking to the views of issue experts. By understanding how the public thinks about elder abuse, communicators can better predict how their messages are likely to be received, avoid triggering unproductive ways of thinking about the issue, and leverage productive understandings to get their message across. Moreover, identifying the places where public understandings consistently impede productive thinking about elder abuse lays the groundwork for future research by identifying those areas where strategies must be developed in order to successfully reframe the issue. Details: Washington, DC: FrameWorks Institute, 2016. 40p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 11, 2016 at: http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/assets/files/elder_abuse_mtg_report_formatted_final.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.frameworksinstitute.org/assets/files/elder_abuse_mtg_report_formatted_final.pdf Shelf Number: 137444 Keywords: Elder Abuse Elderly Victims Family Violence |
Author: Hooker, Leesa Title: Domestic and family violence and parenting: Mixed methods insights into impact and support needs: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper examines the current state of knowledge on the impact of domestic and family violence (DFV) on parenting. It considers how often DFV occurs among parents; the impact of DFV on parenting; the methods and behaviours used by perpetrators to disrupt the mother-child relationship; and interventions used to strengthen and support a healthy mother-child relationship. The paper finds that approximately one third or more of parents in the general community experience DFV, but there is limited evidence on DFV among marginalised parent populations such as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD), rural, disabled and same-sex parents. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, women and children suffer considerable DFV, but the true prevalence of abuse among parents is hard to determine due to a lack of reporting, limited screening for DFV, and methodological issues. Most evidence suggests that DFV during pregnancy can result in poor pregnancy outcomes and reduced attachment. It also impacts on an abused woman's ability to parent effectively; women will attend to their abusive partner's demands and needs, and control and discipline children to keep them safe. Attachments/relationships can improve over time, and parenting and child health outcomes also improve once DFV stops. There is limited information on the parenting style of abusive fathers, but researchers and victims have characterised them as authoritarian, under-involved, self-centred and manipulative. They aim to isolate, control and undermine women's authority to parent and have meaningful relationships with their children. The paper recommends supportive care for mothers experiencing DFV and their children as an alternative to reporting all DFV to child protection services. Home visiting programs have been shown to be effective in reducing child maltreatment, improving parenting skills and children's behaviour, but not necessarily effective in preventing or reducing DFV. New programs with an additional DFV focus are currently being assessed. Victims of abuse need more intense and targeted therapy; the paper recommends psychotherapeutic interventions with combined mother-child sessions as they have shown good results. Interventions with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families show client satisfaction but are yet to show other effective outcomes. There are considerable gaps in Australian research on DFV and parenting. This paper recommends further research in areas including prevalence of DFV in diverse groups of parents; qualitative research on the experiences of motherhood and fatherhood in the context of DFV; and interventions measuring parenting and the parent-child relationship as primary outcomes, with larger, more representative samples. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 01/2016) Accessed January 11, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/L1.16_1.8%20Parenting.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/L1.16_1.8%20Parenting.pdf Shelf Number: 137457 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceParentingViolence Against Women |
Author: Olsen, Anna Title: Existing knowledge, practice and responses to violence against women in Australian Indigenous communities: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper is a comprehensive review of published literature to present the current state of knowledge, practice and responses to violence against women in Australian Indigenous communities. It was guided by the following questions: - What is known about violence against Indigenous women? - How do Indigenous women and communities see and experience violence against women (including how do they define family violence)? - What are the current responses (programs or approaches) to violence against women in Indigenous communities? - What are the Indigenous viewpoints on what works and what is needed? The review found that the cumulative nature of socio-economic disadvantage (such as personal, family and economic related stressors) and the lasting effects of colonisation are thought to be linked to violence against women in Indigenous communities. Any attempts to reduce violence in Indigenous communities requires a multi-faceted and holistic approach including efforts to improve the wider social, economic and health of Indigenous communities. Much of the grey literature contained information about Indigenous viewpoints on "what works" to prevent violence against women. Approaches to dealing effectively with violence, and which are valued by Indigenous communities, include cultural based leadership and governance, and programs focused on preventing the transfer of intergenerational trauma. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 02/2016): Accessed at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/FINAL%2002.16_3.2%20AIATSIS%20Landscapes%20WEB.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/FINAL%2002.16_3.2%20AIATSIS%20Landscapes%20WEB.pdf Shelf Number: 137654 Keywords: AboriginalsFamily ViolenceIndigenous PeoplesIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Mackay, Erin Title: Perpetrator interventions in Australia: Part one - Literature review. State of knowledge paper Summary: An Australian first, this state of knowledge paper maps the pathways and interventions for perpetrators of domestic/family violence and sexual assault through civil and criminal legal systems; and examines the responses and service systems currently available to DFV and sexual assault perpetrators in each jurisdiction. Violence against women is an insidious and entrenched problem in our society. In Australia, since the age of 15, one in six women has experienced physical violence by a current or former intimate partner and one in five women has experienced sexual violence (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012). Nationwide, nearly one woman is killed every week by a current or former partner (Bryant & Cussen, 2015). With sexual assault and domestic violence still being significantly under reported, these statistics only provide a limited snapshot of the true number of women and children that have experienced violence and abuse (Marcus & Braaf, 2007; Gelb, 2007). This violence has devastating physical, emotional and psychological consequences for women and their children, as well as profound social and economic consequences for society. In Australia, the Commonwealth and state and territory governments have committed to the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan)(Council of Australian Governments [COAG], 2011). The National Plan was formulated around a vision that "Australian women and their children live free from violence in safe communities" (COAG, 2011, p. 10), and contains a number of national outcomes to be delivered by all governments over a 12-year period. This paper focuses on the sixth outcome of the National Plan, which is that "perpetrators stop their violence and are held to account" (COAG, 2011, p.29). The Second Action Plan (2013-16) of the National Plan contains action items directed towards supporting governments to implement high quality and consistent responses to perpetrators across systems (Australia. Department of Social Services, 2014). In particular, it focuses on improving the evidence-base and the quality of, and access to, perpetrator interventions. It identifies that systems including police, justice, corrections, and community services need to work together in consistent and integrated ways to increase the effectiveness of perpetrator interventions and stop perpetrators reoffending. In addition, the Commonwealth, state and territory governments have agreed to finalise a set of National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions during the life of the Second Action Plan (2013-16) of the National Plan. To support the Federal/state government collaborative efforts needed to achieve this, the Prime Minister announced in January 2015, that the issue of violence against women and their children, including the development of a set of national standards, would be elevated to COAG in 2015. COAG ministers agreed at their April 2015 meeting to consider a set of National Outcome Standards for Perpetrator Interventions (the National Standards) before the end of 2015. In this paper, Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) contributes to strengthening the evidence base on perpetrator interventions by identifying the current "state of knowledge" on Australian perpetrator interventions for sexual assault and family/domestic violence. Part one of this paper identifies, synthesises and describes the large body of Australian and international academic and grey literature on specific perpetrator programs, with attention to the definition, history, development and effectiveness of perpetrator interventions for sexual assault and family/domestic violence. The vast literature on perpetrator intervention considered in part one largely considers perpetrator programs (see Terminology section below), however, programs are just one type of perpetrator intervention. In recognition of this, part two of this paper sets out perpetrator pathways through the civil and criminal legal system in all states and territories in Australia, providing an overview of key legislative and policy frameworks in each jurisdiction for both sexual assault and family/domestic violence, in addition to mapping several specific programs in each jurisdiction back against these pathways. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes: State of knowledge. Issue PP01/2015: Accessed January 26, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/_Landscapes%20Perpetrators%20Part%20ONE.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/_Landscapes%20Perpetrators%20Part%20ONE.pdf Shelf Number: 137659 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterventionsIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual AssaultViolence Against Women |
Author: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics Title: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, 2014 Summary: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile is an annual report produced by the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics under the Federal Family Violence Initiative. Since 1998, this annual report has provided the most current data on the nature and extent of family violence in Canada, as well as trends over time, and has been used to monitor changes that inform policy makers and the public. The layout of the Family Violence report has changed, and presents sections in a fact sheet format allowing readers to find data points quickly. Using 2014 police-reported data from the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (UCR) and Homicide Survey, each section contains detailed data tables accompanied by highlights of the key findings. This year's report also features an in-depth analysis of self-reported incidents of spousal violence, using data from the 2014 General Social Survey on victimization. This featured section examines the nature and prevalence of self-reported spousal violence in Canada. The analysis examines rates of spousal violence from 2004 to 2014, and because the information provided in this section is collected from individuals (self-reported), it includes incidents that were reported to police as well as those that were not. The featured section also provides analysis of the socio-demographic risk factors linked to spousal violence, the impacts and consequences for victims and the police reporting behaviour of victims. In this report, 'family' refers to relationships defined through blood, marriage, common-law partnership, foster care, or adoption; 'family violence' refers to violent criminal offences, where the perpetrator is a family member. Details: Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2016. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Juristat: Accessed January 27, 2016 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2016001/article/14303-eng.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2016001/article/14303-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 137663 Keywords: Crime StatisticsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Title: ReCharge Women's Technology Technology Safety, Legal Resources, Research and Training Summary: In 2013, the Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria (DVRCV) conducted research examining how technology is being used by perpetrators to stalk and abuse women, as well as how these technologies may be used to support and improve women's safety. This research, titled SmartSafe, is one of the few studies conducted internationally on technology-facilitated stalking and abuse in the context of family violence. In 2015, DVRCV has collaborated with Women's Legal Services NSW and WESNET in a national women's technology safety project, funded by ACCAN, called ReCharge: Women's Technology Safety, Legal Resources, Research & Training. As part of this project, DVRCV conducted a national survey of technology-facilitated abuse drawing on the experience of family violence practitioners across Australia. In 2013, DVRCV conducted the first Australian study into the use of technology by perpetrators in the context of domestic violence. This Victorian-based study, called SmartSafe, utilised a multiple-methods approach and included two surveys: one with 152 domestic violence sector practitioners, and one with 46 women who had experienced domestic violence. The findings showed that the use of technology by perpetrators to stalk and abuse women was a significant emerging issue in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: SmartSafe, Domestic Violence Research Centre Victoria, 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 28, 2016 at: http://www.smartsafe.org.au/sites/default/files/National-study-findings-2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.smartsafe.org.au/sites/default/files/National-study-findings-2015.pdf Shelf Number: 137695 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceOnline VictimizationStalkingViolence Against Women |
Author: Foote, Jeff Title: Selecting interventions to reduce family violence and child abuse in New Zealand Summary: This report provides an intervention framework to support the review, selection and implementation of initiatives to reduce child abuse and/or family violence in New Zealand. The intervention framework builds on previous work to specify what a transformed system to address child abuse and family violence may look like as well as separately reported literature reviews in relation to high performing systems and effectiveness of family violence and child abuse interventions. The research team was mindful of the stories submitted by both victim/survivors and perpetrators of family violence to The People's Inquiry. These accounts made painful and oftentimes disturbing reading. Research deals with processed data but there is no doubt that the voices of victim/survivors helped to keep the research team grounded in the reality of the long term impacts of family violence. Many of the recorded experiences resonated with the research that was reviewed. At all times our priority has been to uphold the protection of human rights in which safety is paramount and must be the overriding goal of theories and approaches to violence. There is on-going debate about the terms that have been used to describe family violence throughout both Parts One and Two of this report. It was not possible to resolve such debates; instead we chose the generic terms 'family violence' (FV) and 'child abuse and neglect'(CAN) in an attempt to reflect the many types of relationships and types of conflict represented within both sectors. The decision to consistently focus on the interface between FV and CAN illustrates the overall holistic approach taken by the research team. Family violence (FV), in this report, includes intimate partner violence, child abuse and neglect, elder abuse, inter-sibling abuse and parental abuse. We recognise that, for some purposes, dealing with particular forms of family violence requires particular strategies and treatments. Details: Wellington, NZ: Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, 2014. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: https://www.esr.cri.nz/assets/SOCIAL-CONTENT/TGI.-Intervention-framework-report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: https://www.esr.cri.nz/assets/SOCIAL-CONTENT/TGI.-Intervention-framework-report.pdf Shelf Number: 137773 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDomestic ViolenceFamily InterventionsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Prevention |
Author: Foote, Jeff Title: Toward a transformed system to address child abuse and family violence in New Zealand Summary: The Glenn Inquiry (TGI) has contracted ESR to bring together the relevant experience and expertise to collaboratively model a transformed system to address child abuse and neglect (CAN) and family violence (FV) in New Zealand. Our approach We have treated the task of reducing FV and CAN as a 'wicked problem'; that is, reducing FV and CAN is a problem that cannot be solved once and for all, and is not a matter of simply applying expert knowledge. The methods used in this project have been chosen because they are appropriate for working with wicked problems: stakeholder engagement, systems thinking and inter-disciplinary analysis. In this report, we refer to both CAN and FV. We recognise that, for some purposes, dealing with CAN requires particular strategies and treatment; however, the purpose of this report is to develop a transformed system that will reduce both CAN and other forms of FV. While the underlying causes of CAN and other FV may be considered independently, and some responses to each form of abuse will need to be particular, this report proposes a wider system of responses that will enable targeted interventions for each form of abuse. We use the term 'family violence' in this report in the sense it has come to be understood in Aotearoa, and is used in Te Rito: New Zealand Family Violence Prevention Strategy. In this use, FV includes intimate partner violence, child abuse and neglect, elder abuse, inter-sibling abuse and parental abuse. The project consisted of four work-streams: 1. A review of the international and national literature on what would constitute a high performing system to address CAN and FV, including a review of New Zealand's current approach with a focus on government legalisation, policies and initiatives; 2. Qualitative modelling of the system dynamics associated with the existing way in which New Zealand has responded to CAN and FV; 3. A secondary (sociological) analysis of suggestions for system improvement from the People's Report; and, 4. Developing a systemic model of a transformed system through collaborative workshops with sector experts. Literature Four appraisals of the literature have been carried out to inform what would constitute a high performing system to reduce CAN and FV: 1. New Zealand's current approach to addressing CAN/FV, with a focus on government legalisation, policies and initiatives; 2. Research on prevalence, incidence, different types, impacts and challenges in responding to intimate partner violence; 3. Research on the prevalence, incidence, risk and protective factors and key interventions associated with child maltreatment/sexual abuse, including the interface between intimate partner violence and child abuse; and 4. Review of international frameworks for addressing violence against women, including the need to adopt a holistic framework to guide interventions. Details: Wellington, NZ: Institute of Environmental Science and Research Limited, 2014. 150p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: https://www.esr.cri.nz/assets/SOCIAL-CONTENT/TGI.-Towards-a-transformed-system.-Final-report.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: https://www.esr.cri.nz/assets/SOCIAL-CONTENT/TGI.-Towards-a-transformed-system.-Final-report.pdf Shelf Number: 137774 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Domestic Violence Family Interventions Family Violence Intimate Partner Violence Violence Prevention |
Author: Carswell, Sue Title: Formative Evaluation of the Christchurch Metro Police Safety Order Project Summary: This report presents the findings of a formative evaluation of the Christchurch Metro Police Safety Order Project. The project is a joint collaboration between the New Zealand Police, Stopping Violence Services (SVS), Battered Women's Trust (BWT), Otautahi Maori Women's Refuge (OWR), West Christchurch Women's Refuge (WWR) and Aviva (formerly known as Christchurch Women's Refuge). The Metro PSO Project commenced as a pilot project on the 25th December 2012. The evaluation examines pilot implementation from January - December 2013. Police Safety Orders (PSO) were introduced nationally on the 1st July 2010 by the Domestic Violence Amendment Act 2009 (Domestic Violence Act insertion Part 6A, sections 124A - 124S). A PSO is issued by Police at family violence events to persons at risk of committing family violence (bound person) where there is no arrest; however an officer has reasonable grounds to believe that temporary separation is necessary to ensure the safety of persons at risk in the household. A PSO aims to deescalate a violent situation as the person bound by the order has to leave the household and cannot contact the persons at risk or the children who reside with them. The effect of the PSO can last up to five days. The Christchurch Metro Police Safety Order Project aims to improve safety within families by providing early intervention/prevention services to bound persons within the PSO timeframe where possible. The intervention services are provided by Stopping Violence Services, who contact bound persons to provide brief intervention including planning safety strategies to reduce the likelihood of family violence. SVS offers bound persons free access to further SVS services and information about other services they can access. The SVS approach is based on enabling people to take responsibility and be accountable for their behaviour. The Metro Project is based on a collaborative approach towards family safety and complements the crisis intervention already provided by Refuges to persons identified as being at risk on Police family violence reports (POL1310) where a PSO had been served. Similar to Refuge, SVS endeavour to contact bound persons as soon as possible services separately to avoid any inadvertent disclosure of information that may compromise safety. The pilot is integrated into the Family Violence Interagency Response System (FVIARS) and the FVIARS coordinator has oversight of referral processes. Bound persons are under no obligation to engage with SVS services and any engagement would be voluntary. The timing of offering intervention services was hypothesised as optimal for engagement as the bound person may be more receptive and motivated to engage shortly after receiving a PSO. The pilot has been managed by an interagency Project Management Team including NZ Police, SVS and Refuges, and is supported by an Advisory Group from the wider sector. A cross-agency professional supervision group supports operational staff after the incident. Details: Christchurch, NZ: Te Awatea Violence Research Centre, University of Canterbury, 2014. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: http://www.vrc.canterbury.ac.nz/docs/Formative%20Evaluation%20of%20Christchurch%20Metro%20Police%20Safety%20Order%20Project%2028.3.14.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.vrc.canterbury.ac.nz/docs/Formative%20Evaluation%20of%20Christchurch%20Metro%20Police%20Safety%20Order%20Project%2028.3.14.pdf Shelf Number: 137775 Keywords: Battered WomenCollaborationFamily ViolenceFamily Violence PreventionPolicingProtection OrdersVictims of Family ViolenceViolence Prevention |
Author: Foote, Jeff Title: Measuring the effectiveness of 'whole-of-system' response to prevent family violence Summary: Around the world government and non-government organisations are struggling to assess and report how well they are doing in areas of the health, social and justice sectors. We need to be able to estimate and measure effectiveness in order to measure outcomes of our interventions. Considerable work has been done in comparing performance of particular initiatives but when our interest is on the 'system' there is no consensus as to how it should be measured. Superu commissioned the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) to develop and test a proof of concept systems approach to measure the effectiveness of the 'whole-of-system' response to prevent family violence - one of society's complex social issues. The approach developed by ESR drew on three methodologies for interpreting complex systems: system dynamics, the balanced scorecard approach and sense-making. The approach use by ESR demonstrated the potential of using a combination of systems approaches to measure a whole-of-system response to prevent family violence. A review of New Zealand and international literature similarly supports the promise of system approaches. The proof of concept work also highlighted limitations and challenges in taking a whole-of-system perspective. This included lack of quality data, the need for intensive interaction in mapping the system, and lack of capability within government agencies to engage and use system approaches in developing and implementing policy. Superu concluded that there is potential in using system approaches to better understand complex social issues, but Superu is uncertain of the efficacy or practicality of using the approach to measure effectiveness of the family violence system. We would like further exploration of the use of system approaches. Details: Christchurch, NZ: Institute of Environmental Research Limited; Wellington, NZ: Superu, 2015. 83p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/Measuring%20Whole%20System%20Report_0.pdf Year: 2015 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.superu.govt.nz/sites/default/files/Measuring%20Whole%20System%20Report_0.pdf Shelf Number: 137778 Keywords: Family InterventionsFamily ViolenceFamily Violence PreventionIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Rivas, Carol Title: Advocacy Interventions to Reduce or Eliminate Violence and Promote the Physical and Psychosocial Well-being of Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Abuse: A Systematic Review Summary: Intimate partner abuse is common worldwide, damaging the short- and long-term physical, mental, and emotional health of survivors and children. Advocacy may contribute to reducing abuse, empowering women to improve their situation by providing informal counselling and support for safety planning and increasing access to different services. Advocacy may be a stand-alone service, accepting referrals from healthcare providers, or part of a multi-component (and possibly multi-agency) intervention provided by service staff or others. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of advocacy interventions within or outside healthcare settings in women who have experienced intimate partner abuse. SEARCH METHODS In April 2015, we searched CENTRAL, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, and 10 other databases. We also searched WHO ICTRP, mRCT, and UK Clinical Research Network (UKCRN), and examined relevant websites and reference lists with forward citation tracking of included studies. For the original review we hand-searched six key journals. We also contacted first authors of eligible papers and experts in the field. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials comparing advocacy interventions for women with experience of intimate partner abuse versus no intervention or usual care (if advocacy was minimal and fewer than 20% of women received it). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors independently assessed risk of bias and undertook data extraction. We contacted authors for missing information needed to calculate statistics for the review and looked for adverse events. MAIN RESULTS We included 13 trials involving 2141 participants aged 15 to 65 years, frequently having low socioeconomic status. The studies were quite heterogeneous in terms of methodology, study processes and design, including with regard to the duration of follow-up (post-intervention to three years), although this was not associated with differences in effect. The studies also had considerable clinical heterogeneity in relation to staff delivering advocacy; setting (community, shelter, antenatal, healthcare); advocacy intensity (from 30 minutes to 80 hours); and abuse severity. Three trials evaluated advocacy within multi-component interventions. Eleven measured some form of abuse (eight scales), six assessed quality of life (three scales), and six measured depression (three scales). Countries and ethnic groups varied (one or more minority ethnic groups in the USA or UK, and local populations in Hong Kong and Peru). Setting was associated with intensity and duration of advocacy. Risk of bias was high in five studies, moderate in five, and low in three. The quality of evidence (considering multiple factors such as risk of bias, study size, missing data) was moderate to low for brief advocacy and very low for intensive advocacy. Incidence of abuse Physical abuse Moderate quality pooled data from two healthcare studies (moderate risk of bias) and one community study (low risk of bias), all with 12-month follow-up data, showed no effect on physical abuse for brief (< 12 hours) advocacy interventions (standardised mean difference (SMD) 0.00, 95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.17 to 0.16; n = 558). One antenatal study (low risk of bias) showed an association between brief advocacy and reduced minor physical abuse at one year (mean difference (MD) change - 1.00, 95% CI - 1.82 to - 0.18; n = 110). An antenatal, multi-component study showed a greater likelihood of physical abuse ending (odds ratio (OR) 0.42, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.75) immediately after advocacy (number needed to treat (NNT) = 8); we cannot exclude impact from other components. Low to very low quality evidence from two intensive advocacy trials (12 hours plus duration) showed reduced severe physical abuse in women leaving a shelter at 24 months (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.20 to 0.77; NNT = 8), but not at 12 or 36 months. Sexual abuse Meta-analysis of two studies (n = 239) showed no effect of advocacy on sexual abuse (SMD - 0.12, 95% CI - 0.37 to 0.14), agreeing with the change score (MD - 0.07, 95% CI - 0.30 to 0.16) from a third study and the OR (0.96, 95% CI 0.44 to 2.12) from a fourth antenatal, multi-component study. Emotional abuse One study in antenatal care, rated at low risk of bias, showed reduced emotional abuse at - 12-month follow-up (MD (change score) - 4.24, 95% CI - 6.42 to - 2.06; n = 110). Psychosocial health Quality of life Meta-analysis of two studies (high risk of bias) showed intensive advocacy slightly improved overall quality of life of women recruited from shelters (MD 0.23, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.46; n = 343) at 12-month follow-up, with greater improvement in perceived physical quality of life from a primary care study (high risk of bias; MD 4.90, 95% CI 0.98 to 8.82) immediately postintervention. Depression Meta-analysis of two studies in healthcare settings, one at high risk of bias and one at moderate risk, showed that fewer women developed depression (OR 0.31, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.65; n = 149; NNT = 4) with brief advocacy. One study at high risk of bias reported a slight reduction in depression in pregnant women immediately after the intervention (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.20 to 1.29; n = 103; NNT = 8). There was no evidence that intensive advocacy reduced depression at - 12-month follow-up (MD - 0.14, 95% CI - 0.33 to 0.05; 3 studies; n = 446) or at two years (SMD − 0.12, 95% CI − 0.36 to 0.12; 1 study; n = 265). Adverse effects Two women died, one who was murdered by her partner and one who committed suicide. No evidence links either death to study participation. Details: Oslo: Campbell Collaboration, 2016. 203p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Review 2016:2: Accessed February 5, 2016: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/84/ Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/84/ Shelf Number: 137780 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceEmotional AbuseFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner AbuseSexual Abuse |
Author: Women's Aid Title: Nineteen Child Homicides Summary: This report should not need to be written, that much is disturbingly obvious. First, while it is impossible to prevent every killing of a child, when the risks are known no other consideration should be more important - yet there is evidence here that other considerations were rated more highly. Second, starkly similar findings more than 10 years ago led to the publication of guidance which, if followed, would have made these killings less likely. Yet here we are. Nothing in this report should be used to blame individual professionals for the deaths of these children. Only those who killed them deserve blame. But we have a duty to the children and their families to identify what more should have been done to protect them - particularly when guidance on how to do so has been available since 2008, following the publication of Women's Aid's previous report on child homicides and child contact arrangements, a decade ago. This report shows, that whatever the stated requirements on the family courts, there is a deeply embedded culture that pushes for contact with fathers at all costs. This is supported by the testimony to Women's Aid of mothers who have survived domestic abuse and the specialist services that support them. The knowledge that severe abuse has taken place does not stop this relentless push to maintain as close a bond between father and child as possible. A father who has abused his child(ren)'s mother is routinely seen as a "good enough" dad. The impact of abuse on the whole family, particularly persistent, coercive and controlling behaviour which continues after the relationship has officially ended, is routinely misunderstood. The evidence here is a stark reminder of the dangers of power without accountability: perpetrators of abuse who have accumulated all power over their partners' and children's lives, and courts which persist in dangerous misunderstandings and assumptions, effectively colluding in the terrorising - and in some cases serious harm - of women and children. We call on Government and the senior judiciary to ensure that no more children die as a result of a simple failure to follow the guidance that exists. We call on judges to take responsibility for their own understanding of coercive control, how it works, and how it affects both women and children. And then, finally, to act on that understanding. In another ten years, we must not yet again be repeating the same investigation, with the same findings. In fact, of course, ten years is far too long. Details: Bristol: Women's Aid, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 5, 2016 at http://www.benhoarebell.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Womens-Aid-Nineteen-Child-Homicides-Jan-2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.benhoarebell.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Womens-Aid-Nineteen-Child-Homicides-Jan-2016.pdf Shelf Number: 137781 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild HomicidesChild ProtectionFamilicideFamily ViolenceHomicides |
Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Sentencing for Contravention of Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Second Monitoring Report Summary: intervention order (FVIO) or a family violence safety notice (FVSN) made under the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 (Vic). In particular, this report examines sentencing for the offences of: - contravention of an FVIO; - contravention of an FVSN; - contravention of an FVIO intending to cause harm or fear for safety; - contravention of an FVSN intending to cause harm or fear for safety; and - persistent contravention of notices and orders. This report examines sentencing for contravention of an FVIO and contravention of an FVSN over two three-year periods: 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2012, and 1 July 2012 to 30 June 2015 (the reference periods). In addition, this report examines sentencing for contraventions intending to cause harm or fear for safety and persistent contravention of notices and orders for the period 2012-13 to 2014-15. These aggravated contravention offences were introduced on 17 April 2013 to address particularly serious or repeated instances of contravention. This report is a continuation of the Sentencing Advisory Council's (the Council's) previous work on monitoring sentencing patterns for contravention of FVIOs and FVSNs. Previous reports include: - Sentencing Practices for Breach of Family Violence Intervention Orders: Final Report (2009), which examines sentencing practices for the offence of breaching an FVIO under the Crimes (Family Violence) Act 1987 (Vic) from July 2004 to June 2007 and includes a discussion on guiding principles for sentencing this offence; and - Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Sentencing for Contravention (2013), which examines sentences for contravention of an FVIO over two periods (2004-05 to 2006-07 and 2009-10 to 2011-12) and contravention of an FVSN (from 2009-10 to 2011-12). Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 66p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20for%20Contravention%20of%20Family%20Violence%20Orders.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Sentencing%20for%20Contravention%20of%20Family%20Violence%20Orders.pdf Shelf Number: 137798 Keywords: Family ViolenceInterventionsIntimate Partner ViolenceSentencing |
Author: Rayner-Thomas, Margaret Title: Intimate partner violence and the workplace Summary: Key Messages - Intimate partner violence is common. - Many victims and perpetrators are in paid work. - Workplaces provide an ideal place for intervention and raising awareness about intimate partner violence. - Barriers to action by workplaces can include: a lack of understanding of the size, nature and impact of the problem and not knowing how to respond to the issue; not recognising the high cost to their businesses. - Active adoption of strategies to support those who experience intimate partner violence is important to secure their long-term safety. There are local and international examples of these strategies. These include: - Adopting workplace practices and policies (e.g. flexible work hours, flexible work locations, security practices, awareness raising) - The inclusion of entitlements that support victims' safety in collective agreements - Partnering with specialised family violence agencies to support in-house training and facilitate referrals - Legislation, related to work leave, anti-discrimination and occupational safety and health. - By actively engaging with the realities of intimate partner violence, organisations can avoid taking on the financial and resource costs associated with its occurrence and impacts in the workplace. Most importantly, it will help establish healthier and more equitable workplaces for all employees. Details: Auckland, NZ: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2014. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 7: Accessed February 23, 2016 at: https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-7-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: New Zealand URL: https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/issues-paper-7-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 137943 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceWorkplace Violence |
Author: New Zealand. Ministry of Social Development Title: Adult gang members and their children's contact with Ministry of Social Development service lines Summary: The harm inflicted by gangs is a serious issue in New Zealand. We have a complex gang problem that spans social, economic and justice issues. Almost half of the serious offences committed by gang members are family violence-related. A high proportion of gang members' children experience multiple incidents of abuse or neglect. Adult gang members and their children's contact with Ministry of Social Development service lines seeks to quantify the scope and scale of the societal impact of adult gangs in New Zealand as it relates to contact with the Ministry. The report establishes baseline figures on how many known adult gang members, and how many of their children, come into contact with the Ministry of Social Development's service arms, and the types and estimated total costs of contacts that occur. This report, as a first step, gives a much more comprehensive picture of the social costs associated with gang members. There is further opportunity for government agencies to work more collaboratively to address the social harms noted throughout this report. Most notably, there would be an added benefit in incorporating further social sector data to enhance the profile we have of gang families. Key findings Profile of known adult gang members as at July 2014 - Most (86 per cent) of the 3,960 known adult gang members were patched, with the other 14 per cent being prospects. Patched members and prospects were all male. - The two largest adult gangs, the Mongrel Mob and Black Power, accounted for two-thirds of all known adult gang members in New Zealand as at July 2014. - Over three-quarters of adult gang members were Maori, 14 per cent were European and eight per cent were Pacific peoples. - Adult gang members' ages were spread with 20 per cent being in their twenties, 29 per cent in their thirties, 31 per cent in their forties and 17 per cent in their fifties. The average age of gang members was nearly 40 years. Welfare assistance received by gang members - Nine out of every ten gang members have received main benefits. - Ninety-two per cent (3,627) of the total 3,960 known gang members received main benefits from MSD at some stage between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2014. - The 3,627 gang members spent on average 8.9 years on a main benefit (not necessarily continuously). Over half the time was receiving job seeker-related benefits and nearly a quarter of the time was receiving health or disability-related benefits. - Eighteen per cent of all gang members had received a main benefit for a total of over 15 years, whereas 13 per cent received main benefits for two years or less, and eight per cent had not received main benefits at all. - As at the end of 2014, the gang members had been paid an estimated total of $525 million in welfare assistance - The total cost of all main benefits paid to the gang members between 1 January 1993 and 31 December 2014 was estimated to be $382m. - Over the same period, an estimated $143m was paid to the gang members in supplementary benefits (e.g. Accommodation Supplement) and ad-hoc payments (e.g. hardship assistance). - In total, an estimated $525m in welfare assistance was paid to the gang members, an average of around $132,000 per person. - Over 7,000 dependent children were included at some point in time in benefit spells with the gang member cohort - Over half (59 per cent) of all gang members had benefit spells that included a total of 7,075 dependent children. These children spent an average of 2.8 years included in benefit - most commonly in either sole parent-related or job seeker-related benefits. - A total of 1,393 children spent more than five years included in benefit with a gang member, including 319 who spent more than 10 years included in benefit. - Nearly 40 per cent of the children of gang members were first included in benefit before their first birthday. - One per cent (32) of the 3,055 gang members who have received a main benefit in the last five years have been prosecuted for welfare fraud. Gang members as the perpetrators of abuse or neglect of children - Over a quarter of adult gang members were recorded by Child, Youth and Family as the alleged perpetrators of abuse or neglect of children - Of the total 3,960 known gang members, 27 per cent (1,056) were recorded by Child, Youth and Family as being the alleged perpetrators of substantiated abuse or neglect of children (noting limitations around the completeness of historical data). - Most commonly this was emotional abuse of children, recorded for 21 per cent of all gang members. Six per cent of gang members were recorded as being the alleged perpetrators of physical abuse of children, and two per cent for the sexual abuse of children. Seven per cent of gang members were recorded as having allegedly neglected children. - The 1,056 gang members were recorded as the alleged perpetrators in a total of 4,944 substantiated findings involving 2,953 distinct children. The relationship of the gang member to the victim in these 4,944 findings was recorded as the parent in 77 per cent of cases, and as the step-parent or mother's partner in 15 per cent of cases. In three per cent of findings, the gang member was recorded as some other relative to the victim, and in two per cent of cases had a non-familial type of relationship to the victim. Gang members' children known to Child, Youth and Family - Analysis was carried out on whether gang members' children had ever had contact with the Care and Protection or Youth Justice service arms of Child, Youth and Family. - Sixty per cent of the 5,890 children of gang members known to Child, Youth and Family have been abused or neglected. - A total of 3,516 children of gang members were recorded as being the victims of abuse or neglect that had been substantiated on investigation by Child, Youth and Family. This is 60 per cent of the total 5,890 known children of gang members. - Of the total 5,890 known children of gang members, 44 per cent were emotionally abused, 28 per cent were neglected, 13 per cent were physically abused and four per cent were sexually abused in terms of substantiated findings. - The alleged perpetrator of abuse or neglect of gang member's children was more often recorded as the child's mother than the gang member father. However, caution should be taken with this finding as the relationship was not recorded for 20 per cent of cases. - Nearly a quarter of the children of gang members aged 10 years or older had youth justice involvement with Child, Youth and Family. - Of the total 5,890 known children of gang members, 3,372 were aged 10 years or older at the time of this analysis. Of these 3,372 children, 23 per cent (762) had at least one referral to Child, Youth and Family for a Youth Justice Family Group Conference (FGC). Estimated costs to Child, Youth and Family associated with gang members - The estimated lifetime-to-date total cost to Child, Youth and Family from the adult gang members and their children was at least $189 million. - We estimate the direct and indirect costs of the 3,960 known gang members lifetime-to-date contact with the Child, Youth and Family service arms was in the vicinity of $58m. This is likely to be an under-estimate due to data limitations. Estimated costs cover both the care and protection and youth justice areas. - We estimate that the direct and indirect costs to Child, Youth and Family of the 5,890 known children of gang members was in the vicinity of $131m, making an overall estimated total of $189m. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry of Social Development, 2016. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 10, 2016 at: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/research-on-gangs-and-their-cost/ Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/research-on-gangs-and-their-cost/ Shelf Number: 138168 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChildren Exposed to ViolenceFamily ViolenceGang ViolenceGangs |
Author: On, Miriam Lum Title: Examination of the health outcomes of intimate partner violence against women: State of knowledge paper Summary: This paper systematically reviews evidence on the health outcomes for women in Australia experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV), noting that causal pathways are complex and subject to a rapidly growing body of knowledge. It also describes current data sources on the prevalence of IPV and possible ways to address the gap in exposure data for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women. The paper will inform the inputs required to produce estimates of IPV's burden of disease estimates in Australia. These findings will be released as a Horizons report later this year. Based on forty-three studies found to have sufficient evidence to be potential inputs for the disease burden calculations, there is strong evidence that women in Australia who experience IPV have an increased risk of depression, pregnancy termination and homicide. There was also a possible increased risk for anxiety, premature birth and low birth weight, cardiovascular conditions and self-harm. The evidence found the impact of exposure to IPV on alcohol and drug use disorders was bi-directional, and risk should be carefully interpreted. The paper identified a number of research gaps that could inform future research on the health outcomes of women who experience IPV. Where there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate causality (between IPV and health outcomes), there may be potential for further analysis of existing datasets to derive measures of association, and to use direct evidence based on existing datasets for health outcomes such as non-fatal injuries. The health outcomes from emotional abuse are an emerging area for further exploration, due to the availability of exposure data (independent of physical and sexual violence) collected in the Australian Bureau of Statistics' 2012 Personal Safety Survey. Details: Alexandria, NSW: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes : State of knowledge: 03/2016): Accessed March 30, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/160324_1.7%20Burden%20of%20Disease%20FINAL.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/160324_1.7%20Burden%20of%20Disease%20FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 138473 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: European Parliament. Directorate-General for Internal Policies. Policy Department C Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs Title: The Issue of Violence Against Women in the European Union Summary: This study provides an update of the 2011 study on the Issue of Violence against women in the European Union. The different forms and interrelated factors of violence against women are examined. The study also provides an overview of the current international and European political and legal framework on violence against women. Other issues such as the difficulty of the monitoring and gathering of data, the protection of victims, and the prevention of violence against women are also discussed. Details: Brussels: European Parliament, 2016. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 31, 2016 at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/556931/IPOL_STU(2016)556931_EN.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Europe URL: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2016/556931/IPOL_STU(2016)556931_EN.pdf Shelf Number: 138506 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Related ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims of ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: McKenzie, Mandy Title: Out of character? : legal responses to intimate partner homicides by men in Victoria 2005 - 2014 Summary: Over a 10-year period (2002-2012) in Australia, 488 women were killed by an intimate partner or ex-partner (Cussen & Bryant 2015a). These homicides are the extreme end of a continuum of violence against women and children in families. Domestic and family violence (hereafter referred to as family violence) has become the focus of increasing community concern in Australia over recent years. There is a growing awareness of the scale, impact and costs associated with family violence. Research and death reviews in Australia and internationally over the last two decades have highlighted that systemic failures in legal responses to family violence contribute to these deaths. For example, in the 1990s in Victoria, the Women's Coalition Against Family Violence (WCAFV) documented the impact of domestic murders of women and children in Blood on whose hands? The killing of women and children in domestic homicides (WCAFV 1994). The book outlined the stories of women and children who had been killed in domestic homicides in Victoria. The accounts demonstrated the failure of the police, legal and support services. This study examined risk factors and legal responses in 51 homicides by men between 2005-2014. A history of family violence and relationship separation were key factors in these deaths. Details: Melbourne, Vic.: Domestic Violence Research Centre Victoria, 2016. 164p. Source: Internet Resource: DVRCV Discussion Paper, No. 10): Accessed May 11, 2016 at: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/sites/default/files/out_of_character_dvrcv.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.dvrcv.org.au/sites/default/files/out_of_character_dvrcv.pdf Shelf Number: 138965 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Rosay, Andre B. Title: Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men: 2010 Findings From the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey Summary: This report examines the prevalence of violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men, using a large nationally representative sample from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS). More specifically, it provides estimates of sexual violence, physical violence by intimate partners, stalking, and psychological aggression by intimate partners. It also provides estimates of interracial and intraracial victimizations and briefly examines the impact of violence. Results should be used to raise awareness and understanding about violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men. National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey The NISVS was launched in 2010 by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support of the National Institute of Justice and the Department of Defense. This survey provides detailed information about sexual violence, physical violence by an intimate partner, stalking, and psychological aggression by an intimate partner. The analysis in this report is based on two of the samples that were included in the 2010 NISVS - the general population sample and the American Indian and Alaska Native over-sample. These two samples provide information from 2,473 adult women and 1,505 adult men who identified themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native, alone or in combination with another racial group. Most women (83 percent) and most men (79 percent) were affiliated or enrolled with a tribe or village. For both women and men, more than half (54 percent for both) had lived within reservation boundaries or in an Alaska Native village in the past year. The NISVS has important limitations: Only certain types of victimizations were included, the survey was only administered by phone, and it was not conducted in any indigenous languages. As with other victimization surveys, estimates may be impacted by recall errors and by the continuing stigma associated with disclosing victimizations. Some estimates have large margins of error. Despite these limitations, the survey also has important strengths: It uses behaviorally specific questions and it was administered to a large, nationally representative sample. The survey results provide the most thorough assessment on the extent of violence against American Indian and Alaska Native women and men. Details: Washington, DC: U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2016. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 25, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/249736.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/249736.pdf Shelf Number: 139150 Keywords: American IndiansFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceNative AmericansSexual AssaultSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Hester, Marianne Title: Overview and Analysis of Research Studies Evaluating European Perpetrator Programmes Summary: Evaluating whether domestic violence perpetrator programmes contribute to the safety of women and children victims/ survivors is essential for both policy makers and for practitioners1. However, until very recently there was no synthesised body of European evidence on 'what works' in domestic violence perpetrator programmes and issues of transferability means that existing evidence (e.g. from North American studies) cannot easily be generalised to a European context. In order to fill the existing knowledge gap about evaluations of perpetrator programmes across Europe, the Daphne III IMPACT project aimed to: - Provide an overview of outcome monitoring practices within perpetrator programmes across Europe (workstream 1) - Provide an overview of the research /evaluations of these programmes (workstream 2) - Identify the possibilities and challenges of a multi-country, European-wide evaluation methodology (workstream 3) - Develop a monitoring/evaluation toolkit that can be used by perpetrator programmes in future (workstream 4). This working paper describes the methodology and results of the work undertaken in workstream 2. The main objective of workstream 2 was to provide detailed analysis of a range of evaluation research studies linked to European perpetrator programmes, in order to provide criteria for robust evaluations and to feed into the development of a monitoring/evaluation toolkit [workstream 4]. The focus was not on the day-to-day outcome monitoring practices of perpetrator programmes but on the scientific process and outcome research. Specifically, workstream 2 aimed to develop - detailed knowledge about the approaches used in evaluation research studies across Europe, with particular emphasis on the methods, input, output and measures of outcome - a set of criteria related to scientific robustness that can accomodate realistic approches and a variety of methods and thus point to a 'new generation' of evaluation research. Details: s.l.: Dissens, 2014. 39p. Source: Internet Resource: Working paper 2 from the Daphne III project "IMPACT: Evaluation of European Perpetrator Programmes": Accessed May 27, 2016 at: http://www.work-with-perpetrators.eu/fileadmin/WWP_Network/redakteure/IMPACT/Daphne_III_Impact_-_Working_paper_2_-_Overview_and_Analysis_of_Research_Studies_-_Evaluating_European_Perpetrator_Programmes.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Europe URL: http://www.work-with-perpetrators.eu/fileadmin/WWP_Network/redakteure/IMPACT/Daphne_III_Impact_-_Working_paper_2_-_Overview_and_Analysis_of_Research_Studies_-_Evaluating_European_Perpetrator_Programmes.pdf Shelf Number: 139335 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: National mapping and meta-evaluation outlining key features of effective Summary: This research project provided a national mapping and meta-evaluation of the key features of "safe at home" programs. "Safe at home" programs enhance safety and prevent homelessness for women and their children who have experienced domestic and family violence. The first stage, a state of knowledge paper, provided a comprehensive review of the literature and a national mapping of current "safe at home" programs by jurisdiction, including details of legislation underpinning "safe at home" programs in each jurisdiction. The second stage, the final research report, was a meta-evaluation of select evidence about Australian "safe at home" programs and practices. The meta-evaluation examined 20 evaluations of "safe at home" programs across Australia to identify the key features of effective programs and to provide recommendations for policy-makers, practitioners and researchers. The report found that "safe at home" programs had four common underlying themes, but each focused primarily on maximising women's safety, using protection orders and ouster/exclusion provisions to reduce the risk of a perpetrator returning, or preventing homelessness, using case-management to assess risk, manage safety planning and consider women's needs over time. Overall, one or more of the themes were identified across the "safe at home" evaluations, but the emphasis varied by program and at different points during the response provided. It also found: - The lead agency in each state or territory appears to determine how "safe at home" is rolled out and whether it is focused on housing ("stay at home") or criminal justice ("safe at home"). "Stay at home" responses are mostly offered over a longer period of time, compared with many first-response services involving specialist homelessness services. A longer period of service provision allows for ongoing and dynamic assessment of risk and for women's changing needs to be met at different points of time. - It is still unclear whether independent strategies which could be used in any domestic violence-related intervention (e.g. risk assessment, brokerage, safety alarms and specialised police response) should be considered "safe at home" responses in their own right; or whether these strategies are most useful and of greater impact when embedded in a more comprehensive program, and offers case management beyond the initial crisis period. - Monitoring data indicates that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women are accessing "safe at home" responses, but little is known of the usefulness of such interventions for these groups. As emphasised in all of the Australian evaluations included in this meta-evaluation, "safe at home" is not intended to be the only response for women leaving a violent relationship. While not replacing the need for refuges or specialist homelessness services, "safe at home" programs are an important complementary offering which allows more women to leave a violent relationship. "Safe at home" options are also intended to be a socially just response for some women in certain circumstances to have the important choice to not uproot their lives and those of their children by fleeing their family home. Details: Alexandria, NSW: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS)132p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Horizons, Issue 01/2016: Accessed May 31, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/Safe%20at%20home%20meta-evaluation%20final%20report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/Safe%20at%20home%20meta-evaluation%20final%20report.pdf Shelf Number: 139242 Keywords: Abused WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: New Zealand. Law Commission. Title: Strangulation: The Case for a New Offence Summary: The Commission has been asked to report on a possible new crime of strangulation. This Report discharges that obligation. The Commission has considered: the rationale for establishing such a crime; if a crime of non-fatal strangulation is to be created, what the appropriate elements of the offence should be; what the maximum penalty should be having regard to the structure and terms of other offences in the Crimes Act 1961; and whether there are other legislative or operational options that would better address the concerns the proposed crime is intended to address. This reference forms part of a range of initiatives the Minister of Justice is considering in respect of family violence. The current government has made the scourge of family violence in New Zealand one of its highest priorities. The Police deal with over 100,000 family call-outs per year. Studies have shown that strangulation, often to the point of unconsciousness, is a common form of family violence. It is a dreadful tool for coercion and control within a domestic relationship. It is not well accommodated within the existing offences in the Crimes Act. Summary of recommendations STRANGULATION OFFENCE Part 8 of the Crimes Act 1961 should be amended to make a person who strangles or suffocates another person liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years. In that offence, "strangles or suffocates" should mean impedes normal breathing or circulation of the blood by intentionally applying force on the neck or by other means. NOTING FAMILY VIOLENCE ON THE CRIMINAL RECORD The Crimes Act should be amended to require that, if a person pleads guilty to the strangulation offence or is found guilty of the strangulation offence, and the court is satisfied that the offence was a family violence offence, the court must direct that the offence be recorded on the person's criminal record as a family violence offence. AGGRAVATING FACTOR FOR SENTENCING Section 9 of the Sentencing Act 2002 should be amended to include strangulation as an aggravating factor that must be taken into account in sentencing. OPERATIONAL CHANGES The Police family violence incident report (POL 1310) should be amended to include questions designed to screen for strangulation. The Police National Intelligence Application (NIA) should be amended to record specifically whether or not a family violence incident included an allegation of strangulation. Police who attend family violence call-outs should receive education about the prevalence, signs, symptoms and lethality of strangulation. Similar education should also be offered to judges who undertake criminal law or family law work. Details: Wellington: New Zealand Law Commission, 2016. 84p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 10, 2016 at: http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/projectAvailableFormats/NZLC-R138.pdf Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.lawcom.govt.nz/sites/default/files/projectAvailableFormats/NZLC-R138.pdf Shelf Number: 139364 Keywords: Family ViolenceHomicideIntimate Partner ViolenceMurderStrangulation |
Author: Molina, Noemy Title: No Peace, No Truce for Women in El Salvador: A study of the meaning of domestic violence from the perspective of women in one of the many invisible community of San Salvador Summary: In a country where violence has become part of everyday life for its citizens, certain forms of violence appear to be silenced by the enormous weight of the social context. In particular, violence against women (VAW), VAW, seems to have been sidelined by the importance of violent murders of young men and gang violence. Thus, VAW receives less attention in the mainstream social and political discourses. Given this vacuum, the focus of this research is to understand "How do women perceive their experiences of domestic violence, and react to these, in a violent community of El Salvador". By approaching institutional authorities and women who have suffered violence and using in-depth interviews, I sought to explain how VAW is understood in a small marginalized community of the Metropolitan Area of San Salvador; and how these women explain, justify, and respond to their realities. At the same time, I explored how the community and political contexts influence how these realities are seen in El Salvador. Details: Bielefeld, Germany: Universitat Bielefeld, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Violence Research and Development Project - Papers - No. 7: Accessed June 11, 2016 at: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/icvr/docs/molina.pdf Year: 2015 Country: El Salvador URL: http://www.uni-bielefeld.de/icvr/docs/molina.pdf Shelf Number: 139383 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Hartley, Carolyn Copps Title: The Longer-Term Influence of Civil Legal Services on Battered Women Summary: Civil legal services are an under-recognized and under-studied response to intimate partner violence (IPV). We conducted a two-year, panel study of how the receipt of civil legal services provided by Iowa Legal Aid (ILA), influences safety, psychological well-being and economic self-sufficiency outcomes for women who experienced IPV residing in metro and non-metro communities in Iowa. We also examined the impact of the quality of the attorney-client relationship on women's sense of empowerment on these outcomes. The research questions (RQs) that guided our study were: 1) What is the direct relationship between civil legal services and revictimzation, psychological well-being, and economic self-sufficiency for women who experience IPV?, 2) Does the quality of the attorney-client relationship mediate the relationship between civil legal services and women's sense of empowerment?, 3) Does women's sense of empowerment mediate the relation between civil legal services on the study outcomes?, and 4) Are there differences in the relationship between the type of civil legal services received and outcomes for women residing in metro and non-metro communities? Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2016. 115p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249879.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/249879.pdf Shelf Number: 139412 Keywords: Battered WomenFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceLegal AidRe-victimizationVictim ServicesViolence Against Women |
Author: Bjornsen, Ulla Title: National Study on Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (DGBV) and Elaboration of a Victims Support Model (VSM): Legal, Institutional and Policy Analysis Summary: Although throughout the last decade the Bulgarian authorities have adopted a number of acts and subsidiary legislation, as well as improved the existing ones, related to domestic and gender-based violence (DGBV), the country still has a long way to go to bring its legislation and practices in full compliance with EU and Council of Europe standards. The present analysis will attempt to show that Bulgaria has a fairly comprehensive legal framework for counteracting violence, affecting disproportionately women and girls. It includes, inter alia, the Law on Protection against Domestic Violence and the Regulation for its implementation, stipulating a civil law procedure for protecting those harmed; relevant provisions in the Criminal Code, criminalising bodily injury and other forms of violence against the person, plus a provision on punishing non-compliance with a domestic violence protection order; a body of legislation for protection and (financial) assistance of victims of crime, including a dedicated law, relevant provisions in the Criminal Procedure Code. In addition, a number of policy documents guide the work of institutions in co-ordinating their efforts to combat violence and protect groups of persons harmed, especially those with multiple vulnerabilities, such as Roma women and girls. Details: Sofia, Bulgaria: Center for the Study of Democracy, 2015. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 13, 2016 at: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17581 Year: 2015 Country: Bulgaria URL: http://www.csd.bg/artShow.php?id=17581 Shelf Number: 139431 Keywords: Battered Women Domestic Violence Family ViolenceGender-Based Violence Violence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Garber, Melissa L. Title: An analysis of restorative justice and intimate partner violence policy and practice: Professionals' perspectives and perceptions Summary: This qualitative research project endeavoured to open up the conversation around RJ and IPV and highlight gaps in policy in order to give voice to an area in the RJ process that has, up to this point, been virtually silent. There were two overarching aims. The first was to identify the underlying practice assumptions and values evident in the New Zealand Ministry of Justice (MOJ) restorative justice (RJ) standards for family violence (FV) cases (MOJ, 2013). These would be viewed from the perspective of working with intimate partner violence (IPV) cases in particular. The intention was to compare these assumptions and values with RJ and IPV international theory and New Zealand practice. The second aim was to clarify the processes and criteria used to determine/assess IPV offender suitability and readiness for RJ, ascertain the ways in which these practices were theoretically justified, and to compare the implementation of practice to the explicit and implicit guidelines present in New Zealand policy. To these ends, a collection of 30 criminal justice professionals (judges, lawyers, police officers) and restorative justice facilitators involved in the referral and assessment process of IPV offenders participated in interviews in person, over the phone, or via Skype, which were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and then subject to analysis in order to create a conceptual framework. The analysis identified 18 main themes that were grouped into four main categories: RJ IPV conceptualization, effective RJ IPV assessor qualities, IPV offender assessment for RJ suitability/readiness, and RJ IPV practice issues. These results were compared with policy and with the international literature in order to identify consistencies and inconsistencies and to discover where gaps in policy may become clarified. Results showed that a great deal of the policy was supported by the international literature, however there were several gaps and inconsistencies. Several issues were of interest - namely the lack of clarity in the framework of RJ for IPV (i.e. where does it sit in relation to the traditional criminal justice system, intervention vs. pathway vs. overarching framework), the timing of RJ assessment in terms of treatment and interventions, siloing of agencies, and funding/resourcing issues. A final question that arose for me during analysis was regarding the purpose and value of assessment in these cases. Rather than making a decision regarding suitability in order to exclude an IPV case from the RJ process, if the process was truly restorative, perhaps the outcome of an assessment of IPV offender/case suitability should, instead, be to determine what resources are necessary in order to support any IPV case through the RJ process. Details: Wellington, NZ: Victoria University of Wellington, 2016. 223p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 28, 2016 at: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10063/5143/thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://researcharchive.vuw.ac.nz/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10063/5143/thesis.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 139521 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRestorative Justice |
Author: KM Research and Consultancy Ltd. Title: Evaluation of the Caring Dads Cymru Programme Summary: 1 Executive Summary What is Caring Dads? Caring Dads Cymru (CDC) is a group work voluntary programme for men who are at risk of committing domestic viol ence and therefore, at risk of causing harm to their children. The Caring D ads programme originated in Canada but the programme content and theory wa s adapted and applied in Wales. CDC was delivered by the NSPCC and included group 'facilitators', who delivered the group work, central coordina tion and management and partner Support Workers who worked with clients' part ners or ex partners to ensure their safety and wellbeing. A central theory behind CDC is that men will be more motivated to engage in an intervention to address their abusive behaviour if the focus is ostensibly on their relationship with their children. The CDC programme was first initia ted in 2006 and funded by the Welsh Government. The programme was run by NSPCC Cymru. The Evaluation of Caring Dads Cymru The aim of the evaluation, which spanned two years of the Programme, was to establish the effectiveness of th e programme in changing men's abusive attitudes and behaviours thus preventing them from doing harm to children and children's mothers. Methods The evaluation included the following methods: - Interviews with Caring Dads facilitators and clients - Interviews with partners or ex part ners of Caring Dads clients, not necessarily connected to the client research participants - Standardised psychological measures given by CDC clients at the beginning and end of the programme - Interviews with staff who had referred men to CDC - A research and practitioner symposium to explore the purpose of Caring Dads and make recommendati ons for accreditation of the scheme. Details: Merthyr Tydfil, Wales: Welsh Government Social Research, 2012. 101p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/15837/1/120706caringdadsen.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/15837/1/120706caringdadsen.pdf Shelf Number: 139498 Keywords: Abusive MenChild Abuse and NeglectDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceParenting |
Author: McConnell, Nicola Title: Caring Dads: Safer Children. Evaluation Report Summary: Caring Dads: Safer Children 8 keY finDings: Young people's version Caring Dads: Safer Children (CDSC) is a training course that helps fathers who bully or are unkind to their family. The NSPCC has done some research to find out if the fathers were better dads after the course. - Some children felt happier and safer after their fathers had been on the course. Other children said their fathers could still be unkind or angry. - Most fathers said that they found it easier to be a good dad after the course. - Some of the children's mothers were very unhappy before the course. After the course, some mothers were happier. - Some mothers said that the father stopped bullying or being nasty after the course. Details: London: NSPCC, 2016. 168p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 11, 2016 at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/evaluation-of-services/caring-dads-safer-children-evaluation-report-large-text.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/evaluation-of-services/caring-dads-safer-children-evaluation-report-large-text.pdf Shelf Number: 139599 Keywords: Abusive MenChild Abuse and NeglectDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceParenting |
Author: Torrey, E. Fuller Title: Raising Cain: The Role of Serious Mental Illness in Family Homicides Summary: Most individuals with serious mental illness are not dangerous. However, a small number of them, most of whom are not being treated, may become dangerous to themselves or to others. Some of these individuals may assault or even kill family members. This problem has received insufficient attention. - Although there have been previous studies of particular types of family homicides, such as children killed by parents, this is the first study of the role of serious mental illness in all family homicides. - For a sample of the nation's homicides, local law enforcement agencies voluntarily submit Supplementary Homicide Reports (SHRs) to the FBI that include the relationship between the person committing the homicide (offender) and the victim. In 2013, 25% of homicides detailed in SHRs involved the killing of one member of a family by another. The National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) is the most comprehensive source of homicide data in the United States. The NVSS reported that in 2013 there were 16,121 total homicides in the nation. Applying the SHR prevalence rate for family relationships, 4,000 of these deaths would have been family homicides. The role of serious mental illness in these homicides is not identified by any federal database, including the SHRs. However, studies of family homicides consistently find psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder to be vastly overrepresented among people who commit family homicides. Based on a review of the relevant literature from 1960 to 2015, the role of serious mental illness in family homicides is estimated to be a factor as follows: - 50% when parents kill children - 67% when children kill parents - 10% when spouses kill spouses - 15% when siblings kill siblings - 10% for other family relationships . Raising Cain : THE ROLE OF SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS IN FAMILY HOMICIDES Based on these estimates, there would have been 1,149 family homicides in 2013 in which the offender had a serious mental illness. This would have been 29% of family homicides and 7% of all homicides. These 1,149 homicides outstrip the number of deaths attributed to meningitis, kidney infection or Hodgkin's disease in 2013. Although there has been a marked decrease in the overall homicide rate in the United States in recent years, there has been no decrease in family homicides in which parents kill children or children kill parents. These are the family homicides most strongly associated with serious mental illness. Women are responsible for only 11% of all homicides in the United States. However, they commit 26% of family homicides. Family homicides identified in the independent Preventable Tragedies Database in 2015 illustrate the statistics. All the homicides in this database were reported in the media to be associated with serious mental illness. In 2015, the database reported 100 family homicides. Among the 141 victims of these 100 family homicides, 25 (17.7%) were people 65 and older, including 13 (9.2%) who were 75 and older. In contrast, among all homicides in the United States, only 5.1% of the victims are 65 and older, and 2.2% are 75 and older. Thus among family homicides associated with serious mental illness, elderly individuals are victimized three to four times more frequently than would be expected among homicides in the general population. Knives and other sharp objects are used as weapons more often than guns in family homicides. Abuse of alcohol or drugs and failure to take medication prescribed for serious mental illness are major risk factors for committing a family homicide. Family homicides are merely the most visible of the problems associated with having a seriously mentally ill family member who is not being treated. In order to decrease family homicides, it will be necessary to provide adequate treatment for individuals with serious mental illness, focusing especially on those with the greatest risk factors. Clozapine, long-acting injectable antipsychotics and assisted outpatient treatment are especially useful in this regard. If the offenders had received such treatments, the majority of these 1,149 family homicides could have been prevented. Details: Arlington, VA: Treatment Advocacy Center, 2016. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2016 at: http://www.tacreports.org/storage/documents/raising-cain.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.tacreports.org/storage/documents/raising-cain.pdf Shelf Number: 139640 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicidesMental IllnessMentally Ill Offenders |
Author: Spinney, Angela Title: Reducing the Need for Women and Children to Make Repeated Use of Refuge and Other Crisis Accommodation Summary: This report sets out the findings of a res earch project investigating Early Intervention Strategies to Reduce the Need for Women and Children to Make Repeated Use of Refuge and Other Crisis Accommodation. The project is intended to bring forward knowledge of the reasons for the decisions made by women who have been subject to domestic and family violence regarding whether to leave the family home for a refuge in order to escape the abuse, whether to return to the perpetrator and whether to leave again. It also explores the efficacy of primary prevention and early intervention schemes, including perpetrator behaviour change programs, in reducing women's and children's multiple experiences of refuge and other emergency accommodation. Finally, the project explores what best practice and service standards would be needed if Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) models were to be implemented more widely in Australia. The research has been funded by the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) under the National Homelessness Research Partnership. The research questions are: - Why is it that women and children often leave home and return several times before an abusive situation of domestic and family violence ends? - What Australian evidence is there about the number of incidents of violence and abuse experienced by a woman, and the number of separate occasions a woman may access homelessness accommodation services, prior to resolution of her domestic violence situation? - How and to what extent have innovative early intervention schemes introduced in Australia since the mid-1990s been successful in enabling women and children to reduce their multiple experiences of violence and multiple use of refuge and other emergency accommodation? - What are the advantages and disadvantages of different responses in terms of service provision and from the point of view of the woman and her children? - What best practice risk assessment processes and service standards and arrangements are needed if Safe at Home/SHLV models are to be implemented more widely? - Do these findings have other implications for Australian policy and practice ? Details: Melbourne: Swinburne Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology, 2012. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/spinney_2012_-_reducing_the_need_for_women_and_children_to_make_repeated_use_of_refuge_and_other_crisis_accommodation.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/spinney_2012_-_reducing_the_need_for_women_and_children_to_make_repeated_use_of_refuge_and_other_crisis_accommodation.pdf Shelf Number: 139643 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomelessness (Australia)HousingVictim Services |
Author: Asia Foundation Title: Understanding Violence against Women and Children in Timor-Leste: Findings from the Nabilan Baseline Study. Main Report Summary: This research contributes ground-breaking knowledge on violence against women in Timor-Leste, and directly addresses the gap in reliable, representative quantitative data on women's experiences and men's perpetration of violence. The significant work that national civil society organizations, key government stakeholders, academics, international non-governmental organizations and United Nations agencies have conducted in Timor-Leste illustrates that women in this country routinely suffer multiple dimensions of violence. The Nabilan Health and Life Experiences Baseline Study adds new insights into this issue and into the immense implications of violence on women's health and wellbeing, as well as that of their children, their families and their communities. This research also reveals, for the first time, information on men's use of violence against women - information which is crucial for programs working with men and boys to prevent violence. In addition, through an analysis of statistically significant risk and protective factors for violence against women, the Study provides tangible and evidence-based recommendations for the approaches that will be most effective in preventing violence against women in Timor-Leste. One such risk factor that must urgently be addressed, for example, is child abuse - the rates of which, as this research shows, are extremely high. While the rates of violence in this study are considerably higher than the 2009-2010 Demographic Health Survey, this should not be interpreted as indicative of a major rise in the rates for Timor-Leste, rather that the rates are actually higher than previous estimates. The Study findings unequivocally illustrate that violence against women is a critical development issue for Timor-Leste. Without breaking the cycle of violence, which includes the normalization of physical, sexual and intellectual abuse of women, Timor-Leste will not be able to advance as a modern, liberal, thriving democracy with a healthy population. Through its struggles for independence and journey to nationhood, Timor-Leste has shown itself to be a nation of great resolve and strategic thinking. This matter of violence against women and children must be seen in the same light, and it will have far reaching implications not just for women and children, but for the nation as a whole, both domestically and internationally. Details: Dili, Timor-Leste: The Asian Foundation, 2016. 352p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: http://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nabilan-main-report-screen-2016-06-01.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Asia URL: http://asiafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/nabilan-main-report-screen-2016-06-01.pdf Shelf Number: 139799 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Dao The Duc Title: 'Teach the wife when she first arrives': Trajectories and pathways into violence and non-violent masculinities in Hue Citiy and Phu Xuyen district, Viet Nam Summary: This life history qualitative study explores men's trajectories and pathways into gendered beliefs, attitudes and practices in Viet Nam, and how this relates to men's perceptions and practices of violence. Details: Hanoi: Partners for Prevention, 2012. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 5, 2016 at: http://www.partners4prevention.org/sites/default/files/resources/qualitative_study_on_masculinities_gbv_eng.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Vietnam URL: http://www.partners4prevention.org/sites/default/files/resources/qualitative_study_on_masculinities_gbv_eng.pdf Shelf Number: 130034 Keywords: Abusive MenFamily ViolenceMasculinityViolence Against Women |
Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Contravention of Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Prior Offences and Reoffending Summary: Building on the Council's previous work, this study examines factors associated with reoffending by, and the prior offences of, the 1,898 offenders sentenced for breaching a family violence intervention order or family violence safety notice in Victoria in the financial year 2009-10. The study examines offending by this group in the five years before, and the five years after, 2009-10. Details: Melbourne: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2016. 130p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 2, 2016 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Contravention%20of%20FVIOs%20and%20FVSNs%20Prior%20Offences%20and%20Reoffending.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/Contravention%20of%20FVIOs%20and%20FVSNs%20Prior%20Offences%20and%20Reoffending.pdf Shelf Number: 140128 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProtection OrdersRecidivismReoffending |
Author: Mallik-Kane, Kamala Title: What is Elder Abuse? A Taxonomy for Collecting Criminal Justice Research and Statistical Data Summary: This report presents a working definition of elder abuse so research and statistical data may be collected uniformly across states and localities with different legal and programmatic definitions of elder abuse. Consistent definitions and counting rules are needed to permit comparisons across jurisdictions and over time. At present, there is no uniform, national-level definition of elder abuse because the social response to elder abuse has mostly occurred at the state and local levels. However, broadly speaking, "elder abuse" and its many variants are understood to encompass a range of violations against vulnerable older adults perpetrated by individuals whom the victim may be expected to trust. For example, the National Research Council has described elder abuse as "(a) intentional actions that cause harm or create a serious risk of harm to a vulnerable elder by a caregiver or other person who stands in a trust relationship to the elder, or (b) failure by a caregiver to satisfy the elder's basic needs or to protect the elder from harm" (Bonnie and Wallace 2003, 1). Correspondingly, not all victimizations of older adults constitute elder abuse. Similar acts without particular victim attributes or victim-perpetrator relationship dynamics might more simply be characterized as assault, rape, theft, or fraud. The taxonomy we present here defines elder abuse along three dimensions - (1) the acts that constitute elder abuse, (2) the characteristics of the victim, (3) the relationship between the victim and perpetrator- and incorporates a fourth dimension to distinguish between criminal and noncriminal acts based on their severity. This taxonomy builds on work conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2014) to define the acts that constitute elder abuse and is supplemented by extant reviews of states' APS laws, policies, and practices, as well as information that the Urban Institute gathered directly from state APS representatives. However, APS agencies may have difficulty reporting statistical data according to this taxonomy because (1) their operational scopes often extend beyond elder abuse and (2) they may lack the data system capacity to distinguish between elder abuse and other types of cases. In the coming months, the Urban Institute will be assessing APS agencies' capacity to collect statistical data on elder abuse. Consequently, this report also presents recommendations on aspects of APS operations and data capacity to assess in support of potential future statistical and research data collection from APS agencies Details: Washington, DC: Urban Institute, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 22, 2016 at: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000813-What-Is-Elder-Abuse-A-Taxonomy-for-Collecting-Criminal-Justice-Research-and-Statistical-Data.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United States URL: http://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/2000813-What-Is-Elder-Abuse-A-Taxonomy-for-Collecting-Criminal-Justice-Research-and-Statistical-Data.pdf Shelf Number: 146056 Keywords: Crime StatisticsElder AbuseFamily Violence |
Author: Centre for Justice and Crime Prevention Title: The Optimus Study on Child Abuse, Violence and Neglect in South Africa Summary: The Optimus Study provides the first-ever representative data in South Africa on child maltreatment and exposure to other forms of violence. This research bulletin addresses the lifetime prevalence of violence against children, as reported by 15-17 year old South Africans. These issues were explored both in a household survey and a school survey: in each setting, young people were interviewed about their experiences by trained enumerators, and were also given the opportunity to respond to a small set of questions on a more confidential questionnaire which they completed themselves. The highest reporting rates were obtained from these self-administered questionnaires, particularly in schools. Since violence and abuse are stigmatising and are typically under-reported, it seems that this was the situation in which young people felt most comfortable disclosing their experiences and these rates, therefore, may be the most trustworthy. The study explored several forms of maltreatment (abuse and neglect), and exposure to violence, and most of the figures below are based on the findings from the self-administered questionnaires completed in schools. Details: Rondebosch, South Africa: The Centre, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Bulletin: Accessed October 19, 2016 at: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/cjcp_ubs_web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: South Africa URL: http://www.cjcp.org.za/uploads/2/7/8/4/27845461/cjcp_ubs_web.pdf Shelf Number: 140791 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentChildren and ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: McCulloch, Jude Title: Review of the Familiy Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (CRAF): Final Report Summary: The Family Violence Risk Assessment and Risk Management Framework (often referred to as the common risk assessment framework, or the CRAF) has been in use in Victoria since 2007. The CRAF is used by many different professional groups who come into contact with family violence in a range of services: its key objective is to prevent the repetition and escalation of family violence. The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended a review of the CRAF to ensure that it reflects best practice internationally. The Commission suggested that the review and redevelopment of the CRAF should aim to enhance processes of risk assessment for children, pay attention to more effective inclusion of all the forms of family violence covered by the Family Violence Protection Act 2008 [Vic] and should incorporate a rating and/or weighting of risk factors to identify the risk of family violence as low, medium or high. Overall, this Review found that the CRAF has worked effectively to build shared understanding of, and responsibility for, risk assessment of intimate partner violence as the most prevalent form of family violence. While acknowledging its limitations, those who consistently use the framework, testify to its utility in working with women on identifying and understanding their own risk and supporting the professional judgement of support workers in a range of professional contexts. The current CRAF is grounded in well-established international evidence about known risks to women from male intimate partners. The CRAF is recognised nationally and internationally as a practice leader in risk assessment and it has spread more widely and lasted longer than many other similar tools. Recent and emerging research suggests that attention to new risks associated with smart technologies and the importance of coercive and controlling behaviours in risk assessment should be included in the redevelopment of the CRAF. Risk assessment beyond the context of intimate partner violence is much less developed and this limitation influences the utility and application of the CRAF in assessing diverse forms of family violence. The Review provides a snapshot of the use, usability, strengths and limitations of the CRAF. Its recognised strengths are linked most strongly to building a shared understanding of risk and family violence across service providers. It was considered that the CRAF addresses risk assessment in cases of male perpetrated intimate partner violence reasonably well. However, it was identified that it is important to clarify the limits of risk in assessing the needs of victims and to develop more standardised understandings about what risk is being assessed, when assessment should happen, and the roles and responsibilities of different occupational groups in relation to risk identification and assessment. The aspiration of the CRAF to provide appropriate referral pathways and information sharing is not yet realised and there is considerable work to be done in developing, embedding and monitoring effective and optimal pathways for victim/survivors. Details: Clayton, VIC: Monash University, School of Social Sciences, 2016. 156p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 20, 2016 at: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/974551/Review-of-the-Family-Violence-Risk-Assessment-and-Risk-Management-Framework-CRAF-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/974551/Review-of-the-Family-Violence-Risk-Assessment-and-Risk-Management-Framework-CRAF-Final-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 145995 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRisk Assessment |
Author: Mahan, Margo M. Title: The 'Bitch Tape': How Male Batterers Find the Women in the State Summary: Women's experiences have been the nucleus of domestic violence literature, discourse, and policy, and have shaped the therapeutic and/or punitive measures that are characteristic of domestic violence prevention - measures that research has shown are largely ineffective in curbing violence. Consequently, we still know relatively little about why men batter, and how they make sense of the negative "batterer" credential that corresponds with their offense. The few studies that explore batterer behavior are primarily psychological, reducing their violence to individual pathology that can be "treated" in therapy. Accordingly, non-psychological studies are characterized by evaluations of the utility, effectiveness, and/or therapeutic techniques of Batterer Intervention Programs, thus missing the sociological roots of batterer behavior. Drawing from in-depth interviews with 15 male batterers, my research shows that these men make sense of the offenses of which they have been accused in different ways, both with regard to the role they attribute to the state in their felt disempowerment and emasculation, and the role they attribute to their female victims. These different meanings are attributable to a number of factors - factors I argue must be addressed to the extent that they are linked to recidivistic risks of battering. The analysis presented in this paper therefore provides a foundation for creating more effective social remedies for battering behavior, and it provides an opportunity to reconsider gender-based theories of interpersonal violence more generally. Details: Berkeley, CA: University of California Berkeley, Institute for the Study of Societal Issues, 2013. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: ISSI Fellows Working Paper: Accessed October 20,. 2016 at: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/66m719kv Year: 2013 Country: United States URL: http://escholarship.org/uc/item/66m719kv Shelf Number: 140814 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterpersonal ViolenceMale Batterers |
Author: Cortis, Natasha Title: Domestic violence and women's economic security: building Australia's capacity for prevention and redress: Final report Summary: The research report builds on the literature review contained in the ANROWS Landscapes paper "Building effective policies and services to promote women's economic security following domestic violence: State of knowledge paper" (Cortis and Bullen, 2015). That paper discussed how economic abuse is a frequent, yet under-researched tactic of violence. Financial issues, including the prospect of leaving property or assets behind, are major factors in women's decisions about leaving or staying in violent relationships, and the economic difficulties arising from violence, including loss of wealth upon separation, reverberate through women's lives and increase hardship in the long-term. The Landscapes paper also highlighted evidence of inadequacies in the systems intended to identify, prevent and respond to the economic harms arising from violence. This report builds on the Landscapes paper with new statistical analysis and qualitative evidence. The statistical material reinforces how domestic violence contributes to alarming levels of financial stress among Australian women. Domestic violence is associated with economic stressors which penalise women for a number of years after violence is experienced. Interviews with stakeholders demonstrate widespread perceptions that although Australia has some highly effective initiatives in place, these operate on too small a scale to fully address the extent or range of women's needs. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2016. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Research Report; Issue 5: Accessed October 27, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/page-attachments/ANROWS%20Horizons%20Report%20-%20Domestic%20violence%20and%20womens%20economic%20security.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/s3fs-public/page-attachments/ANROWS%20Horizons%20Report%20-%20Domestic%20violence%20and%20womens%20economic%20security.pdf Shelf Number: 145014 Keywords: Abused WomenDomestic ViolenceEconomic ConditionsFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Mellish, Madison Title: Gender-Based Violence in Malawi: A Literature Review to Inform the National Response Summary: The government of Malawi has taken important actions to address gender-based violence (GBV), recognizing its detrimental impact on the people of Malawi and the progress of the country. The Department of Gender Affairs of the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare (MoGCDSW) coordinates the national GBV response and is working to strengthen GBV data systems and improve the use of data for GBV policy development and program implementation. In support of this effort, the USAID- and PEPFAR-funded Health Policy Project (HPP) conducted a literature review to identify and synthesize existing studies and key government documents on GBV in Malawi. The literature review focused on the following questions: • What are the various forms of GBV that exist in Malawi, and how prevalent are they? What are the trends? • What is known about GBV among specific populations or in specific settings? • What factors are associated with GBV? • What is the impact of GBV? • What interventions have been undertaken to address GBV and how effective have they been? • What key government documents on GBV exist and what do they say? This literature review provides answers to these questions by compiling information from available published and unpublished sources and presenting it in a succinct format so that researchers and policymakers can familiarize themselves with existing research and key documents, use it to inform policy and program decision making, and build a research agenda and portfolio that targets knowledge strengths and gaps. The review includes 74 documents related to GBV in Malawi. Most focus on various forms of violence experienced by women, including domestic or intimate partner violence (IPV). Several large nationally representative surveys have been conducted, notably the Malawi Demographic and Health Surveys 2004 and 2010, as well as a national GBV study that focused on IPV (Pelser et al., 2005). These provide prevalence estimates for GBV and a wealth of other information on factors associated with GBV experienced by women. Also, a large portion of the reviewed studies and policy documents examined GBV among children. One nationally representative study looked at the prevalence of several forms of violence experienced by school-aged children, both inside and outside the school environment (Burton, 2005). Another looked at experiences of GBV among girls and young women, and focused on educational impact (Bisika et al., 2009). A third nationally representative survey examined prevalence of coerced first sex in Malawi and three other African countries (Moore et al., 2007). About one-third of the reviewed research studies addressed GBV among specific populations, including people living in specific geographic locations, school children, employees, female domestic workers, female university students, prisoners, street children, people living with HIV, women with disabilities, and refugees. A slightly larger number of studies examined knowledge and attitudes related to GBV and other associated factors, including demographics, harmful traditional practices, the school environment, controlling behaviors, and substance use. Several of the reviewed studies examined the impact of GBV in Malawi, focusing on individuals’ health and education, as well as Malawi’s economy. Only a few studies were found that evaluated GBV interventions, despite the fact that many GBV interventions are occurring in Malawi. Summaries of findings from all reviewed studies are included in this report. Details: Washington, DC: Futures Group, Health Policy Project, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 3, 2016 at: http://www.healthpolicyproject.com/pubs/436_FINALHPPMalawiGBVLiteratureReview.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Malawi URL: http://www.healthpolicyproject.com/pubs/436_FINALHPPMalawiGBVLiteratureReview.pdf Shelf Number: 144998 Keywords: Domestic WorkersFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceStreet ChildrenViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Poynton, Suzanne Title: Breach rate of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders in NSW Summary: Aim: To estimate the proportion of ADVOs breached and identify factors associated with a breach of a final order. Method: Details of all ADVOs granted between 1 July 2013 and 30 June 2014 (inclusive) were extracted from the NSW COPS database and linked to breach ADVO incidents occurring after 1 July 2013 and before 30 June 2015 using defendant and victim identifying information. Breaches were assigned to a particular order if they occurred after the order issue date and before the order expiry date or before a higher ADVO order was issued. Multivariate analysis was undertaken to examine factors independently associated with the time to first breach of a final ADVO. Results: Overall 23,240 provisional orders, 18,045 interim orders and 24,458 final orders were issued during the observation period. The breach rate was much higher for final orders (20%), which are longer in duration, than for provisional (5%) or interim (9%) orders. When breaches occurred, most often only one incident per order was recorded (88% of provisional order breaches, 73% of interim order breaches and 64% of final order breaches). Of all ADVOs which did record a breach, 34% were breached within one month of being granted, 23% within 1-3 months and 18% within 3-6 months. Male, Indigenous and younger POIs breached their final order sooner than other defendants. Final orders protecting just one victim, non-Indigenous victims or victims aged less than 20 took longer to be breached. Conclusion: Only a minority proportion of ADVOs record a breach whilst the order is in effect. Where a breach does occur it most often happens soon after the order is issued and involves a single incident. Details: Sydney: New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2016. 6p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue paper no. 119: Accessed November 16, 2016 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Breach-rate-of-Apprehended-Domestic-Violence-Orders-in-NSW-BB119.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/Report-2016-Breach-rate-of-Apprehended-Domestic-Violence-Orders-in-NSW-BB119.pdf Shelf Number: 147315 Keywords: Court OrdersDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProtection OrdersRestraining Orders |
Author: Millsteed, Melanie Title: Predictors of recidivism amongst police recorded family violence perpetrators Summary: Prior research has identified that a number of factors are associated with an increased risk of recidivism amongst perpetrators of domestic violence and that the risk assessment tools currently available have limited statistical capacity to accurately predict recidivism. In Victoria, police complete a risk assessment form (the L17 form) for each family incident reported to them. This study sought to analyse the relationship between repeat family incidents, and factors that may predict such incidents including alleged perpetrator characteristics and L17 risk factors recorded by police. Logistic regression modelling identified statistical relationships between some, but not all, of the alleged perpetrator characteristics and risk factors recorded, and the perpetration of further family incidents. Opportunities for further research are identified, including piloting and evaluation of any new or revised risk assessment tools developed in Victoria. Details: Melbourne, AUS: Victoria Crime Statistics Agency, 2016. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: In Brief, no. 4: Accessed November 21, 2016 at: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/06/96/97f49b66e/20160530_final_in_brief4.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.crimestatistics.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/embridge_cache/emshare/original/public/2016/06/96/97f49b66e/20160530_final_in_brief4.pdf Shelf Number: 147852 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRe-offendingRecidivismRisk Assessment |
Author: Allnock, Debra Title: Exploring the relationship between neglect and adult-perpetrated intrafamilial child sexual abuse: Evidence Scope 2 Summary: This scope aims to explore the relationship between neglect and intra-familial child sexual abuse (IFCSA). Current approaches to the study of child abuse and neglect increasingly highlight the weaknesses in solely focusing on single forms of harm in understanding prevention, identification, impact and overcoming maltreatment and victimisation. While not all children experience multiple forms of harm, the recent literature clustered under areas of study such as ‘poly-victimisation’ (Finkelhor, Ormrod and Turner, 2007), multiple adversities (Davidson, Bunting and Webb, 2012), adverse childhood experiences , multitype maltreatment (Higgins and McCabe, 2001) and revictimisation (Classen, Palesh and Aggarwal, 2005) draw attention to the cumulative nature of harm for a significant group of other children and young people. Researchers in these areas assert the importance of understanding the full victimisation profiles of children and young people in order to address the cumulative impacts of harm comprehensively. This literature has importantly highlighted the complexity of children's victimisation but is in the early phases of describing the factors that may explain these complex experiences. Neglect is one of the most common forms of child maltreatment. In England 43% of child protection plans are initiated in response to identified neglect (Department for Education, 2015a) and in other UK nations neglect is the most common reason for children being on the child protection register (Jütte et al, 2015)2 . Cases recorded in child protection systems are likely to be merely the tip of the iceberg, however; many more cases fall below the threshold for criminal intervention (Dickens, 2007) and Radford et al's general population study (2011) found neglect was the most common form of maltreatment reported within the family. The most recent triennial review of serious case reviews (SCRs)3 found that, of the 175 SCRs reviewed in detail, neglect was a factor in 62% of all cases of non-fatal harm and in 52% of cases where a child had died (Sidebotham et al, 2016). Despite its significance, neglect is one of the least researched areas of maltreatment (see Allnock, forthcoming; Stoltenborgh, BakermansKranenburg and van IJzendoorn, 2013; Stoltenborgh et al, 2015). Oral evidence submitted to the Children's Commissioner’s Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse in the Family Environment suggests there may be considerable numbers of children who are identified as experiencing neglect where there are additional concerns around sexual abuse in the family environment (Children’s Commissioner, 2015). It is imperative, then, to think critically about the overlap between neglect and IFCSA and to ask questions of our practice and policy in this regard. Although the evidence is complex, and in some cases lacking altogether, it is important to understand co-occurrence and to think about ways of supporting families to ensure that perpetrators find fewer opportunities to target and abuse children. The scope’s areas of focus and structure This scope is the second of three linked evidence scopes commissioned by Action for Children and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) with Research in Practice. Scope 1 considers the potential relationship between neglect and child sexual exploitation (CSE) (Hanson, 2016); Scope 3 considers the potential relationship between neglect and harmful sexual behaviours (Hackett, 2016). This scope explores three key questions: 1) Do neglect and intra-familial child sexual abuse cooccur? And if so, to what extent? 2) How might features, types and impacts of neglect increase the vulnerability of children and young people to perpetrator methods of targeting, grooming, abusing and silencing children in the family environment? 3) How might IFCSA contribute to neglect? The focus on neglect and IFCSA in this scope does not seek to locate blame for IFCSA within individual parents (and in particular mothers, which is too often the case in the discourse about neglect) and within parenting styles/behaviours (particularly mothers' parenting styles/ behaviours). Such an approach would deflect responsibility away from the perpetrator, without whom there would be no abuse in the first place. Moreover, focusing on individual parents (mothers) would be at the expense of recognising the wider social determinants of neglect, including the ‘wide range of adverse experiences’ associated with what Hooper et al (2006) call 'societal neglect'. These points will be returned to in more detail later in the scope. Additional points to note in relation to this scope include: > The focus of this scope is on concurrent experiences of neglect and IFCSA. (Scope 1 focuses on the relationship with neglect and additional separate forms of victimisation through CSE.) > The focus of this scope is on adult-perpetrated IFCSA. (Scope 3 focuses on the relationship between neglect and harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people, touching briefly on sibling-abuse.) > There is particular emphasis on the specific emotional harm associated with betrayal by a parent, guardian or other family member. This is why the focus of this scope is on the relationship with the perpetrator, rather than the setting in which abuse takes place. > The scope focuses on concurrent experiences of neglect and IFCSA across childhood to adolescence, recognising that neither IFCSA nor neglect is confined to early childhood. > This scope is not intended to be an exhaustive review of the literature; rather it is intended to begin to interrogate these associations and raise questions where relevant about the nature of these forms of harm. Constraints of the current evidence base Very few (almost no) studies were identified that specifically considered neglect and IFCSA. There are also other important limitations to the research evidence considered for this scope (these are described more fully in Appendix A). First, there are very few prospective longitudinal studies on child maltreatment, either in the UK or abroad, and it is these that would provide the best evidence for a link between neglect and IFCSA. Second, despite neglect being the most commonly reported form of maltreatment, research on CSA is far more prevalent than on neglect. Third, research studies have historically focused on one form of abuse only; while studies acknowledging overlapping forms of abuse and adversity are now emerging, this remains an early field of study. Finally, studies on neglect and CSA use varying definitions and measurements of neglect, which makes it difficult to draw comparisons, and studies commonly do not distinguish between IFCSA and other forms of CSA. Despite these limitations, however, there is enough information in the separate literature bases (on neglect and CSA) to begin some commentary on possible ways in which neglect may increase a child’s vulnerability to IFCSA, and how IFCSA might contribute to increased risk of neglect. Details: Totnes, Devon, UK: Research in Practice, 2016. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 7, 2016 at: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/neglect-intrafamilial-child-sexual-abuse-evidence-scope-2.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/globalassets/documents/research-reports/neglect-intrafamilial-child-sexual-abuse-evidence-scope-2.pdf Shelf Number: 147939 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentChild ProtectionChild Sexual AbuseChild Sexual ExploitationFamily Violence |
Author: Cameron, Prue Title: Expanding early interventions in family violence in Victoria Summary: The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence (RCFV) envisaged a family violence system in which all universal services are enabled to engage in early interventions in family violence. Such a significant broad-based reform has major implications for organisations and their staff. This project scoped a range of specialist family violence and universal services and organisations in Victoria to ascertain their capability and perspectives on early intervention in family violence. Its findings reveal a readiness to engage with the issue across these services. The organisations interviewed shared the expectation that they had a role and a responsibility to help address family violence in their client group and within their workforce, although there was uncertainty about what that role would be. The insights of women affected by family violence provide the foundation for this work. Their experiences illustrate the complex nature and dynamics of family violence, including the often covert effects of coercive and controlling behaviours. Understanding these dynamics is the foundation for all practitioners in all universal services engaging in early intervention responses. The project provides a qualitative snapshot of the early intervention landscape through the perspectives of specialist family violence practitioners and universal service providers in education, early childhood and health settings, as well as women who have experienced family violence. Details: Melbourne: Domestic Violence Victoria, 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/expanding_early_interventions_in_family_violence_in_victoria_report_dv_vic_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/files/Resource/expanding_early_interventions_in_family_violence_in_victoria_report_dv_vic_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 146154 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse Title: Family violence prevention programs in Indigenous communities Summary: Family violence is a serious and widespread issue in Australia, and is a key priority area for government. This resource sheet investigates the effectiveness of current mainstream, international, and Indigenous prevention programs and identifies the principles behind successful programs. Background information is also provided on the extent and nature of the problem in Australia, including impact and risk factors, The resource sheet examines what works, what doesn't, and what further research is needed. Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2016. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Resource sheet no. 37: Accessed December 20, 2016 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129557831 Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=60129557831 Shelf Number: 147303 Keywords: Family ViolenceIndigenous PeoplesViolence Prevention Programs |
Author: Mitra-Kahn, Trishima Title: Invisible women, invisible violence: Understanding and improving data on the experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault for diverse groups of women: State of knowledge paper Summary: Women from all cultures, ages and socio-economic groups are affected by domestic and family violence and sexual assault, but the extent, nature and impact is not evenly distributed across communities in Australia. Women from diverse backgrounds are disproportionally affected by violence. The differential nature and effects of this violence is often compounded by various forms of marginalisation for diverse groups of women such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and linguistically diverse and women with disability. Invisible women, invisible violence establishes the state of knowledge about the experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault among women from diverse groups. Reviewing existing knowledge and data on the experiences of violence and identifying key gaps in data as they relate to diverse women, it also affirms the more complex message that, while we know there is disproportionate impact, the exact nature and scale of this difference is extremely difficult to quantify. Despite not knowing the exact quantum of the violence, there is significant evidence that expressions of violence in these communities are distinct, and that these differences require considered and specific service and policy responses, for which data that is coherent, accessible, relevant and accurate is needed. This paper finds there are challenges within the Australian research and data landscapes in understanding the experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault for the diverse groups. Four key gaps in information in the current Australian research landscape were identified: · Limitations in quantitative evidence on the prevalence and perpetration of violence; · The complexity and specificity of violence; · Multiple, intersecting barriers to reporting violence and accessing appropriate services and; · "Diversity within diversity" the intersections of identity and disadvantage. In the process of mapping the current Australian data landscape, this paper identified that while a wide range of data are currently being collected administratively and via surveys, there are limitations of individual data sources and across the Australian data landscape as a whole. The analysis identified the following five key data gaps as they relate to the diverse experiences of domestic and family violence and sexual assault: 1) Design and methodological gaps in data sources; 2) Definitional complexities within data sources; 3) Gaps in the quality of existing data sources; 4) Gaps in recording and reporting of data; and 5) Gaps in the leveraging of existing data for the creation of new statistical information. This project provides 36 options for enhancing Australia's domestic and family violence and sexual assault data landscape in the short to medium term. Options for improvement range in cost from under $250,000 to several million dollars and provide both discrete and ongoing improvements. While each option provides valuable enhancements to the data landscape, decisions regarding which options to progress will always reflect complex policy and budgetary considerations and, as such, may or may not align with these suggestions. A long term commitment to fit-for-purpose data collection and analysis through the implementation of the Foundation for a "National Data Collection and Reporting Framework for family, domestic and sexual violence" (DCRF) is also crucial to ensuring systemic change and improvement in policy and practice. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2016. 110p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Landscapes: Accessed December 21, 2016 at: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/DiversityData_UPDATED191216.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: http://media.aomx.com/anrows.org.au/DiversityData_UPDATED191216.pdf Shelf Number: 147777 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceSexual AssaultsSexual ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Polaschek, Devon Title: Responding to perpetrators of family violence Summary: Key Messages Integrated response systems offer the most promise for responding to family violence in New Zealand. Integrated systems: • Are built from the perspective of system users, not individual service providers • Include crisis services but also continue to provide support until change is firmly established • Include response subsystems that cater for perpetrators, but also victims and families • More New Zealand research is needed before any redesign proceeds, because good design requires knowledge about service users, and about current responses that is lacking • Our communities hold expertise that is important to harness in any redesign. More researcher-practitioner collaboration should be built into any ongoing research and evaluation, because evidence-based practice is a process, not an outcome. Victims and victim advocates also hold expertise that is valuable to this research. An integrated perpetrator response system includes co-ordination between crisis response and immediate containment, criminal and civil court proceedings, sentence or order compliance, risk monitoring and behaviour change components, and provides services based on risk and need. Necessary components include: • "Best practice" risk assessment and reassessment processes that are used consistently with findings well documented • Providing more dangerous perpetrators more oversight and assistance than less dangerous cases • Prompt detection of increases in risk status, with a corresponding change in response • Providing case managers for those with high and complex needs (e.g., mental health, alcohol and other drugs, housing) who co-ordinate and monitor planned responses. These response systems offer more opportunities to hold perpetrators to account, and in turn, better account to victims for their efforts in keeping them safe. New Zealand currently has no such system, and integrated systems are difficult to build and challenging to make work. Developing a system like this in New Zealand will require a significant investment in funding and the development of the necessary human resources. Current responses are piecemeal and insufficient, and mired in a complex web of bureaucracy. • Four government departments provide funding for short term perpetrator non-violence programmes in the community • More work is needed to develop better risk assessment and risk management practices across different parts of the system • Behaviour change-oriented programmes are relatively short with limited scope for tailoring to the heterogeneity of perpetrators • Level and type of service is based on referral pathway rather than risk or need • Self-referrals are growing, but most are unfunded • Methods for engagement with victims and families for safety monitoring are still developing • There is a lack of recognition in service provision models that contact between perpetrators, victims and families often continues or resumes after a specific episode • A sustained programme of public education similar to road safety campaigns is needed "at the top of the cliff", to increase the impact of these "bottom of the cliff" efforts. Details: Auckland: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, University of Auckland, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Issues Paper 11: Accessed January 27, 2017 at: https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/NZFVC-issues-paper-11-responding-perpetrators.pdf Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: https://nzfvc.org.nz/sites/nzfvc.org.nz/files/NZFVC-issues-paper-11-responding-perpetrators.pdf Shelf Number: 144921 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceDomestic Violence PreventionFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim Services |
Author: Klein, Andrew R. Title: Practical Implications of Current Domestic Violence Research for Probation Officers and Administrators Summary: This booklet looks at the recent research on intimate partner violence and analyzes what it reveals that probation officers and administrators should know to do their jobs better in terms of completing PSI for defendants convicted of intimate partner violence, supervising abusers on their caseloads, and dealing with the victims of these abusers on probation and victims who have also ended up on probation caseloads. Although much of the research is not focused directly on probation, what it tells us about abusers, victims and the responses of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts directly bears on probation. Other research reviewed looked specifically at probation’s response to IPV. Although the title of this booklet refers to “domestic violence (DV),” this term has come to mean different things over the past few decades. In the following text, we are focusing specifically on “intimate partner violence (IPV),” that is physical assaults, terroristic threats, stalking, sexual abuse and other criminal abuse by current and former spouses, boy/girl-friends, and dating couples, not intra-family violence (other than marital), child abuse, or abuse among members of the same household. However, some of the research reviewed lumped DV and IPV together or failed to define whether the study included non-intimates. For this reason, we use the term “DV” when the study was clearly not limited to IPV only or when we when the precise relationships included were not defined. It should be noted, for example, that many of the criminal justice related studies define DV consistent with state statutes and state statutes vary in terms of relationships and criminal behaviors covered. Notwithstanding this, despite the broader focus of DV than just IPV, most of the subjects in DV studies are, in fact, intimate partners so the "DV" research substantially overlaps with what we are specifically interested in and helps inform our specific area of interest. Details: Minneapolis: Battered Women’s Justice Project, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 24, 2017 at: http://www.bwjp.org/assets/documents/pdfs/practical_implications_of_current_domestic_violence_research_for_probation_officers_and_administrators.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://www.bwjp.org/assets/documents/pdfs/practical_implications_of_current_domestic_violence_research_for_probation_officers_and_administrators.pdf Shelf Number: 141215 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProbation OfficersViolence Against Women |
Author: Tasmania. Department of Justice, Sentencing Advisory Council. Title: Sentencing of Adult Family Violence Offenders Summary: This Report provides advice on the sentencing of adult family violence offenders in Tasmania and includes consideration of the range and adequacy of sentencing options and support programs available and the role of specialist family violence lists or courts in dealing with family violence matters. The request to the Sentencing Advisory Council was made by the then Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, the Hon Brian Wightman MP in October 2013. The Council was not required to provide recommendations but instead the Report offers a number of observations about current sentencing practices for family violence offences. Details: Hobart: Sentencing Advisory Council, 2015. 68p. Source: Internet Resource: Final Report no. 5: Accessed March 3, 2017 at: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/333324/SAC_-_family_violence_report_-_corrected_accessible_version_for_web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.sentencingcouncil.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/333324/SAC_-_family_violence_report_-_corrected_accessible_version_for_web.pdf Shelf Number: 141304 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSentencingViolence Against WomenViolent Offenders |
Author: AMES Australia Title: Violence against women in CALD communities. Understandings and actions to prevent violence against women in CALD communities Summary: The problem of violence against women (VAW) was first raised by the Australian women's movement in the 1970s. Due largely to those efforts it has now been accepted as a key public policy concern in Australia. To date the focus has been on establishing service systems designed to respond to the needs of women who have experienced violence and to prevent violence from reoccurring. While the potential to prevent the problem in the first place has been well understood, until recently this has been an aspirational goal. However, given both the continuing prevalence of the problem and its serious health, social and economic consequences, there is increasing recognition of the need to turn attention to preventing violence against women (PVAW) before it occurs. There is now a broad consensus among women's services, governments, non-government organisations and community leaders that VAW is serious and unacceptable, and that prevention of this violence requires a continuum of interlinked and interdependent approaches. These include responses to women affected by violence to limit its consequences and prevent violence from reoccurring, intervening early with high-risk individuals, and efforts to prevent violence from occurring in the first place. The latter - preventing violence before it occurs (sometimes referred to as primary prevention) is the focus of this report. Australia's commitment to PVAW is encapsulated in the National plan to prevent violence against women and their children 2010-2022 (the National Plan), to which all state and territory governments are signatories. Australia was the first country to develop a comprehensive approach to PVAW, with the Australian Government establishing two new centres to support the implementation of this plan: Our Watch and Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS). Progress is being monitored through a range of mechanisms including the Personal Safety Survey (PSS), designed to monitor the experience of violence, and the National Community Attitudes towards Violence Against Women Survey (NCAS), designed to gauge the extent of cultural support for violence and the factors underpinning it in the Australian community. To date, action to PVAW has focused largely on the community as a whole, with minimal attention being paid to addressing factors relevant to particular groups. The risk of such "universal" approaches - when not accompanied by efforts to tailor strategies to the needs and contexts of particular groups - is that the gains made in prevention may not be shared equally In the development of the National Plan, two challenges were identified. The first of these was the need to strengthen commitment to the primary prevention of VAW. The second was ensuring that efforts in primary prevention are extended to meet the needs of specific sub-populations, including culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities. Almost half of Australians were either born overseas or have at least one parent born overseas (ABS 2013a). We are a nation proud of our cultural diversity and have developed legislation and policies to ensure that all citizens are provided with equal opportunities, rights and entitlements. Among these is the right of women to live free from violence and the fear of violence. Extending efforts to PVAW in CALD communities is critical to ensuring that this right is realised. This document summarises the outcomes of a project focusing on the primary prevention of VAW in CALD communities. Based on community consultation and research it identifies issues that need to be considered when working with CALD communities to PVAW and recommends future actions for consideration. Details: Melbourne: AMES Australia, 2017. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 4, 2017 at: https://www.ames.net.au/files/file/Research/20832%20AMES%20Actions%20Report%20Web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ames.net.au/files/file/Research/20832%20AMES%20Actions%20Report%20Web.pdf Shelf Number: 141341 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceEthnic MinoritiesFamily ViolenceImmigrantsIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Campbell, Lesley Title: Sexual Assault Support Service for Canterbury: Research to Inform Service Design Summary: Sexual violence is a serious public health and human rights issue. While there is a growing understanding of its prevalence and the short- and long-term negative psychosocial and economic impacts for individuals, families/whānau and communities, both in New Zealand and across international jurisdictions the focus of attention has shifted to defining intervention strategies that are effective for those affected by sexual violence and offer a return on investment. The evidence suggests that an optimal, comprehensive and effective strategy for reducing and ultimately eliminating sexual violence should include interventions that are designed to target the individual-, interpersonal-, community- and societal-level factors that influence its occurrence. This targeted, four-level ecological model of interventions would enable risk factors to be modified and protective factors to be built and sustained. In essence, a continuum of primary, secondary and tertiary prevention specialist sexual violence interventions and services would operate contemporaneously, with each level of intervention supporting the efforts of the others. Primary sexual violence prevention services are implemented before sexual violence occurs and aim to prevent victimisation. Secondary sexual violence prevention services include a range of responses that seek to prevent further harm and reduce re-offending. They are delivered in the immediate- and intermediate term following a sexual assault. Tertiary prevention services include long-term responses, such as counselling for victims/survivors and sex offender treatment programmes. It is the domain of the secondary prevention specialist sexual violence services that is the focus of this research project – a service, for those who have acute and/or historic experiences of sexual violence, that is positioned to respond in the immediate and intermediate term following a traumatic event that resulted in help seeking by a victim/survivor and/or those in their natural ecology. Sexual assault support services throughout the world are set up in many different ways, however their services will include some or all of the following elements: free 24/7 telephone and/or other information communication technology support services; face-to-face emotional and practical support, including support immediately following a sexual violence incident as well as follow-up and outreach support; group and peer support; information services; advocacy and accompaniment within police, health and court settings; brokerage and referral to other cross-agency and cross-discipline services; training and consultancy to other mainstream agencies; and community education programmes. Details: Christchurch, NZ: Aviva Family Violence Services, 2016. 365p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2017 at: http://www.avivafamilies.org.nz/resources/file/sassc_research_report_v2_final__delivered_07_april_2016_(2).pdf Year: 2016 Country: New Zealand URL: http://www.avivafamilies.org.nz/resources/file/sassc_research_report_v2_final__delivered_07_april_2016_(2).pdf Shelf Number: 144510 Keywords: Family ViolenceSex Offenders Sexual Assault Sexual Violence Victim Services Victims of Crime |
Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: A National System for Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Summary: 1.1 Report aims This Report aims to: - highlight the importance of domestic and family violence death review mechanisms in Australia, - identify the steps needed to expand the function to jurisdictions where it does not exist; namely Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory. identify how to better ensure national coherence of data, and - identify mechanisms to ensure that recommendations made to Federal Government agencies in Death Review processes are actioned. 1.2 Report methodology This Report was developed using the following methods: - Literature review - Questionnaire to Coroners, the Western Australian Ombudsman, and Domestic and Family Violence Death Review Teams - Meetings with Coroners and the Western Australia Ombudsman - Meetings with the Australian Domestic Violence Death Review Network members - Meetings with National Coronial Information Service and Australia's National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety. 1.3 Report terminology The Report recognises that there is variance in the use of terms 'domestic violence', 'family and domestic violence' and 'domestic and family violence'. It also recognises that consistency of terminology in the context of statistical data and evidence based reform is critical. In this regard the work undertaken by the Australian Law Reform Commission and the Australian Bureau of Statistics in this area is key. For the purposes of this report the term 'domestic and family violence' is used in relevant contexts. 1.4 Report structure This Report is divided into the following 5 sections with 2 appendices: 1. Executive summary 2. Human rights obligations 3. Models of domestic and family violence death review 4. Guiding principles for the death review process 5. National data collection, monitoring and reporting Appendix A: Coroner and Death Review Function and remit by Jurisdiction Appendix B: Compiled responses to the Commission questionnaire sent to Australian Coroners and the Western Australian Ombudsman in 2015. Details: Sydney: AHRC, 2016. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 1, 2017 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_2016_12_19_Expanding_DV_Death_Review.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/AHRC_2016_12_19_Expanding_DV_Death_Review.pdf Shelf Number: 144687 Keywords: Crime StatisticsDomestic Violence Family ViolenceGender-Related ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Australian Human Rights Commission Title: Australian study tour report - Visit of the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women 2012 Summary: From 10-20 April 2012, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences, Ms Rashida Manjoo, undertook a study tour in Australia. The study tour was co-hosted by the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Australian Government (Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)). The objectives of the study tour included: - gathering information on violence against women, its causes and consequences, from government and non-governmental organisations, including women's organisations; - gathering information on culture and violence against women in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; and - identifying strategies to eliminate all forms of violence against women and its causes, and remedy its consequences. Although the Special Rapporteur had highlighted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and communities as a particular focus of her visit, the study tour was structured to enable her to meet a cross-section of organisations and individual women. The tour encompassed meetings with the Federal Attorney-General, federal, state and territory government representatives, service providers, business representatives, academics and community representatives, including representatives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities from both urban and rural areas, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, women with disability, women of diverse sex, sexuality and/or gender, young women, and older women. In the course of the study tour, 27 roundtables, meetings and site visits were held across four states and territories, including: - Sydney, New South Wales - Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia - Alice Springs, Northern Territory - Melbourne, Victoria - Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Key issues Violence against women as a human rights issue - The failure to articulate violence against women as a human rights issue was a common concern in discussions. - The National Plan recognises the right to live safe and free from violence and this should also inform the implementation of the National Plan. - Where governments fail to address the issue in human rights terms it can lead to an inappropriate and inadequate response by government and state agencies with long-term social and economic consequences. -It was frequently noted that discrimination against women is a cause and consequence of violence against women. The risks of 'mainstreaming' and the need to ensure specificity and intersectionality in plans, programs and services addressing violence against women - 'Mainstreaming' violence against women programs results in a formal rather than substantive equality approach to program design and content. - Men's programs can often divert essential resources from critical women's services. - Integrating the specific needs of women with disability, women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander or migrant and refugee communities into plans, programs and services aimed at the prevention and redress of violence against women is essential to effective outcomes. - The lack of recognition of the impact of intersectional discrimination based on sex, race, disability, and sex/gender identity on violence against women, often undermines the utility or effectiveness of plans and programs aimed at reducing violence. - The absence of integration of the role and impact of cultural, political, social historical and inter-generational trauma in understanding and addressing violence against women leads to simplistic justifications of violence and one-size-fits-all formulations of programs that lack requisite cultural and psychological training components. Effective program design and service delivery require comprehensive consultation, adequate funding, appropriate coordination and regular monitoring and evaluation - The disconnection between government plans, programs and projects aimed at preventing, addressing and reducing violence against women and the needs of women 'on the ground' is a manifestation of: " an inadequate meaningful and effective consultation with women, particularly in the implementation of the National Plan; - a lack of dedicated, sustainable resources and funding models for both preventative and response based services (which recognise the long-term, protracted nature of the crisis rather than short-term, quick-fix approaches); - a lack of service providers transferring skills and building capacity within communities who are well-positioned to deliver effective services; and - a lack of regular monitoring and evaluation of programs, in particular the lack of independent monitoring and evaluation of the National Plan, and of service providers to inform programs; this is exacerbated by the lack of disaggregated data and analysis. - Although many state governments have developed impressive integrated (cross-departmental) models to address and prevent violence against women, there was a concern around the lack of coordinated implementation of the National Plan, within and across governments. - In the absence of the Council of Australia Governments (COAG) first three-year implementation plan, the execution of the National Plan to date has been ad-hoc and implemented without adequate consultation. - The need for governments across all jurisdictions to demonstrate their leadership to addressing violence against women and fully commit to the effective implementation of the National Plan was repeatedly noted. - There is a need for central focal points within government to address violence against women and ensure cross-departmental or integrated development of programs. For example: - the lack of adequate housing and homelessness arose as a constant issue, especially within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities: dire over-crowding exposes children to violence and alcohol/substance abuse and early sexualisation due to lack of privacy; limited opportunities for learning and playing exist; refuges meet a limited short-term need, but are unable to effectively provide follow-up services; - workplace/industrial relations and health departments need to work collaboratively on the long-term impact (physical and emotional) of domestic violence in workplaces; and - the lack of gender-specific correctional facilities gives rise to women prisoners (often victims with a history of domestic violence) being held in maximum security prisons with male prisoners leading to an increased risk of abuse. Impacts of violence against women on children - Although the study tour had a specific focus on women experiencing violence, the immediate and long-term impact of violence on children - both as victims and observers - was a key issue of discussions. Educational initiatives (the development of healthy and respectful relationships) were seen as important, but the urgent need to address impact meant that crisis services were under considerable and increasing pressure and prevention strategies are, consequently, under-resourced. Details: Sydney: The Commission, 2012. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 22, 2017 at: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/UNSRVAW%202012%20Web%20Version.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Australia URL: https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/UNSRVAW%202012%20Web%20Version.pdf Shelf Number: 145155 Keywords: Children Exposed to ViolenceFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceHuman RightsIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Mucina, Mandeep Kaur Title: Transgressing Boundaries of IZZAT: Voices of Second-Generation Punjabi Women Surviving and Transgressing "Honour" Related Violence Violence in Canada Summary: This study is an act of witnessing second-generation Punjabi women who have survived displacement/excommunication/exile from their family and/or community after transgressing boundaries of izzat. Izzat is a cultural construct that holds particular importance in the Punjabi community of Northern India and is translated into English as meaning "honour". The life histories collected in this study are a result of in-depth interviews through narrative inquiry with 5 second-generation Punjabi women living across Canada. The women's stories speak to the complexities of "honour" related violence in the West, they challenge the dominant discourses that frame family violence in South Asian communities, and they allow the reader to hear how they resisted/reclaimed izzat while challenging/surviving layers of heteropatriarchy, violence and racism throughout their lives. This study aims at shifting dominant discourses that use "honour" related violence as a tool to justify Orientalism/war and cultural racism towards South Asian bodies and it does so through the use of stories. Critical race theory, post-structural feminist theory and narrative inquiry are the lens through which the central question is asked, how can second-generation Punjabi women's voices be heard and contribute to change inside their families and community, while challenging dominant discourses surrounding "honour" related violence? As the researcher, my story and autoethnographic voice is layered throughout the writing and I share my own story of displacement/exile/excommunication throughout this study. In order to understand the history of izzat and violence in the Punjabi community I conduct a genealogy of izzat and trace its development from Northern India to Canada, from a system of morality to a tool of violence against women. Finally, action research informs the final aim of this study. The women gathered and created a piece of collective writing to raise critical consciousness in the Punjabi community, as well as in dominant Canadian society, about the impact of izzat on their lives. Their words and action push us to question how we engage with violence in our communities and instill the importance of listening to young second-generation women's voices and stories of everyday survival against racism, colonialism and heteropatriarchy, Details: Toronto: University of Toronto, 2015. 330p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed May 1, 2017 at: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/69458 Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/handle/1807/69458 Shelf Number: 145209 Keywords: Family ViolenceHonor-Related Violence Violence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Sutton, Heather Title: How Safe Are Caribbean Homes for Women and Children? Attitudes toward Intimate Partner Violence and Corporal Punishment Summary: This policy brief uses data from the 2014/2015 Latin American Public Opinion Project survey to examine attitudes toward intimate partner violence and child physical discipline in six Caribbean countries. Although Latin America has a reputation for a particularly macho culture, Caribbean adults were 10.8 percent more likely to tolerate a man beating his wife if she neglects the household chores and 5.7 percent more likely to if she is unfaithful. Characteristics of those who were more tolerant of intimate partner violence included being lower income, younger, resident of a rural area, and not completing secondary education. Similarly, those who say it is necessary to physically punish children in the Caribbean - and those who experienced physical punishment frequently themselves - were more prevalent than in Latin American countries. Experiencing frequent physical punishment during childhood was found to be a statistically significant correlate of male tolerance of intimate partner violence after controlling for other individual characteristics. Policy options to prevent intimate partner violence and childhood violence are examined. Details: Washington, DC: Inter-American Development Bank, 2016. 21p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Brief No. IDB-PB-258: Accessed May 8, 2017 at: https://publications.iadb.org/bitstream/handle/11319/7998/How-Safe-Caribbean-Homes-Women-Children-Attitudes-toward-Intimate-Partner-Violence-Corporal-Punishment.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2016 Country: Caribbean URL: https://publications.iadb.org/bitstream/handle/11319/7998/How-Safe-Caribbean-Homes-Women-Children-Attitudes-toward-Intimate-Partner-Violence-Corporal-Punishment.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 145356 Keywords: Corporal PunishmentFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices: Sentencing for Contravention Monitoring Report Summary: Family Violence Intervention Orders and Safety Notices examines sentences for contravention of family violence intervention orders over two periods: 2004-05 to 2006-07 and 2009-10 to 2011-12. It also considers sentences for contravention of family violence safety notices, which became available in December 2008. Details: Melbourne: The Council, 2013. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 10, 2017 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/publications/family-violence-intervention-orders-and-safety-notices Year: 2013 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/publications/family-violence-intervention-orders-and-safety-notices Shelf Number: 131181 Keywords: Family Violence Interventions Intimate Partner Violence Sentencing |
Author: Humphreys, Cathy Title: PAThways and Research Into Collaborative Inter-Agency practice: Collaborative work across the child protection and specialist domestic and family violence interface: The PATRICIA Project. Final report Summary: PAThways and Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency practice (the PATRICIA Project) is an action research project focused on the collaborative relationship between specialist community-based domestic and family violence (DFV) support services for women and their children, and statutory child protection (CP) organisations. Drawing together a diverse range of participants from five states of Australia, it comprised five components of research, each with its own methodology, set within an action research framework that facilitated a process of changing things while simultaneously studying the "problems" of developing collaborative work and strengthening perpetrator accountability. The intended outcome was to use evidence to foster greater collaboration to support the safety and wellbeing of women and their children, and strengthen accountability for perpetrators of DFV. Its key findings include: - DFV and CP collaboration has not always been straightforward. The PATRICIA project found no silver bullet for making collaborations productive and constructive. However a range of factors were essential to engage in collaborative DFV partnerships. Specifically, the focus on the issues of safety and shifting attention to the risks of the perpetrators' use of violence to the safety and well-being of children and their mothers. The project also found that an authorising environment is foundational to partnership work between statutory and non-statutory organisations. - A Collaborative Practice Framework for Child Protection and Specialist DFV services has been developed to guide and sustain collaboration where DFV involving children occurs. - The case reading project, based on Safe and Together principles developed by David Mandel and colleagues, highlighted practitioners' inattention to the impact of DFV on children and family functioning. The case reading process provided a powerful tool to interrogate DFV practice and for statutory and non-statutory workers to work together using common principles and auditing template for review. - The analysis of specialist case studies pointed to strategies for creating a differential response which ensured that notifications were only made for children who reached the threshold for an investigation. The studies also pointed to the need for stronger community based services for children and their families. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 98p. Source: Internet Resource: Horizons Research Report: Accessed June 29, 2017 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Patricia_Horizons_final.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Patricia_Horizons_final.pdf Shelf Number: 146452 Keywords: Child ProtectionDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Connolly, Marie Title: The Collaborative Practice Framework for Child Protection and specialist domestic and family violence services: The PATRICIA project: Key findings and future directions Summary: PAThways and Research In Collaborative Inter-Agency practice (the PATRICIA Project) is an action research project focused on the collaborative relationship between specialist community-based domestic and family violence (DFV) support services for women and their children, and statutory child protection (CP) organisations. Drawing together a diverse range of participants from five states of Australia, it comprised five components of research, each with its own methodology, set within an action research framework that facilitated a process of changing things while simultaneously studying the "problems" of developing collaborative work and strengthening perpetrator accountability. The intended outcome was to use evidence to foster greater collaboration to support the safety and wellbeing of women and their children, and strengthen accountability for perpetrators of DFV. It's key findings include: - DFV and CP collaboration has not always been straightforward. The PATRICIA project found no silver bullet for making collaborations productive and constructive. However a range of factors were essential to engage in collaborative DFV partnerships. Specifically, the focus on the issues of safety and shifting attention to the risks of the perpetrators' use of violence to the safety and well-being of children and their mothers. The project also found that an authorising environment is foundational to partnership work between statutory and non-statutory organisations. - A Collaborative Practice Framework for Child Protection and Specialist DFV services has been developed to guide and sustain collaboration where DFV involving children occurs. - The case reading project, based on Safe and Together principles developed by David Mandel and colleagues, highlighted practitioners' inattention to the impact of DFV on children and family functioning. The case reading process provided a powerful tool to interrogate DFV practice and for statutory and non-statutory workers to work together using common principles and auditing template for review. - The analysis of specialist case studies pointed to strategies for creating a differential response which ensured that notifications were only made for children who reached the threshold for an investigation. The studies also pointed to the need for stronger community based services for children and their families. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Compass, Issue 03/2017):Accessed June 29, 2017 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Patricia_Compass.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Patricia_Compass.pdf Shelf Number: 146453 Keywords: Child ProtectionDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Kaspiew, Rae Title: Domestic and family violence and parenting: Mixed methods insights into impact and support needs: Final report Summary: The Domestic and Family Violence and Parenting program is an extensive mixed method project that examines the impact of inter-parental conflict (IPC) and domestic and family violence (DFV) on parenting and parent-child relationships. It makes a unique contribution by bringing together evidence on a diversity of Australian populations, life-course stages, and experiences of IPC and DFV. The research captures the experiences and impacts on fathers, mothers, and children at varying ages and stages of development and independence. This has enabled identification of important issues that are shared or differ across gender and family structure. The results illustrate the impacts of IPC and DFV that affect a large number of families, as well as the experiences of those who have undergone highly challenging and traumatic circumstances. The research findings have significant police and practice implications at a range of levels, including: - Women who engage with services against a background of DFV have a number of complex material and psychosocial needs. - If women are not already engaged with a specialist DFV service, then such a referral is usually necessary. - It is likely that women and their children are experiencing ongoing abuse unless contact with the perpetrator has ceased and other safety measures to prevent abuse are available (e.g. being legally permitted to live at an undisclosed address to prevent stalking). - Women may need assistance and referral in relation to financial and housing needs, including being informed about the availability of Financial Wellbeing and Capability services and Financial Counselling. - Women and their children may be experiencing physical and emotional consequences from DFV and abuse and may need long-term therapeutic assistance. - Mothers may need referrals to programs and services that will support the restoration of parenting capacity from a perspective of understanding the dynamics of DFV, including programs that offer services to mothers and children together. Children may also need assistance separately. - Where relationships between fathers and children are being maintained, fathers may need referral to services in relation to parenting. Where this is occurring, the wellbeing and safety of children need to be monitored. - Service providers should be alert to the fact that their services and other types of services and agencies may be used in a pattern of systems abuse. Staff, including legal professionals, should be trained to recognise this and provide appropriate advice and referrals where this is occurring. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 228p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 30, 2017 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Parenting_Horizons_FINAL.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Parenting_Horizons_FINAL.pdf Shelf Number: 146480 Keywords: Children Exposed to ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceParentingViolence Against Women |
Author: SafeLives Title: Safe Young Lives: Young People and Domestic Abuse Summary: The SafeLives Spotlight focuses on young people aged 13 to 17 who - experience domestic abuse in an intimate partner relationship, or; - demonstrate harmful behaviours towards a family member. Details: Bristol, UK: SafeLives, 2017. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 29, 2017 at: http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safe%20Young%20Lives%20web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safe%20Young%20Lives%20web.pdf Shelf Number: 146603 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Dyson, Sue Title: "Whatever it takes": Access for women with disabilities to domestic and domestic violence services: Final report Summary: This research from ANROWS aims to inform the development of guidelines for good practice in tertiary domestic and family violence services for women with disabilities. Drawing upon the experiences of women with disabilities who had used domestic and family violence services, and a survey of service providers, the report recommends the following: the promotion of access and accessibility; building cross sector collaboration between services; incorporating the views of women with disabilities in the planning and program development of services; collecting data on the experiences of women with disabilities and reporting on this in addition to other demographic characteristics of women who use services. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2017. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: ANROWS Research: Accessed Aubust 25, 2017 at: https://anrows.org.au/node/1413 Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://anrows.org.au/node/1413 Shelf Number: 146897 Keywords: Disabilities Disabled Persons Domestic Violence Family Violence |
Author: Cornelius, Rukia Title: Coming Together to End Gender Violence: Report of Deliberative Engagements with Stakeholders on the Issue of Collective Action to Address Sexual and Gender-based Violence, and the Role of Men and Boys, October 2014, Cape Town, South Africa Summary: In South Africa, this violence pervades the political, economic and social structures of society and is driven by strongly patriarchal social norms and complex and intersectional power inequalities, including those of gender, race, class and sexuality. Gender inequality can therefore be understood as legitimating violence, as well as being further established by the use of such violence. Intervening in this relationship presents a complex challenge. This report is based on one of three Department for International Development (DFID)-funded case studies carried out in 2014 at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) through the Empowerment of Women and Girls Programme. The three countries covered were India, Sierra Leone and South Africa. A workshop drawing together the main findings across these countries will take place in February 2015 with the aim of developing a set of cross-cutting lessons and recommendations on ending SGBV through collective action, including by men and boys. By placing a particular emphasis on alliance-based approaches in working towards social and gender justice, the South African case study, along with those conducted in India and Sierra Leone, sought to explore how collective action contributes to addressing the structural inequalities and discriminatory social norms that perpetuate SGBV, and the role of men and boys in enabling transformative change. Details: Brighton, UK:Institute of Development Studies, 2015. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Evidence Report No. 112: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/5782/ER112_ComingTogethertoEndGenderViolence.pdf;jsessionid=38554F1216179BE533B913B09EB0ACF2?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: South Africa URL: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/5782/ER112_ComingTogethertoEndGenderViolence.pdf;jsessionid=38554F1216179BE533B913B09EB0ACF2?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 147198 Keywords: Abusive Men Family ViolenceGender-Related Violence Violence Against Women |
Author: Shahrokh, Thea Title: MASVAW Movement Mapping Report: Movement Mapping and Critical Reflection with Activists of the Men's Action to Stop Violence Against Women (MASVAW) Campaign, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, August 2014 Summary: Engaging men and boys in addressing gender-based violence has grown in attention over the past 20 years. However, the emerging field predominantly focuses on the issues as a problem of individuals, neglecting the role of the institutions and policies that shape norms of gender inequality and perpetuate violent power asymmetries between men and women in people's everyday lives (Cornwall, Edstrom and Grieg 2011). Men's engagement in addressing GBV has therefore tended to be relatively depoliticised, focusing predominantly on individuals' attitude and behaviour change, and less on accountability of the structures that uphold patriarchal power relations and male supremacy, such as macroeconomic policies and the governance cultures of many formal and informal institutions. This movement mapping report thus introduces a collaborative research project between the Centre for Health and Social Justice (CHSJ), India, their local activist partners in the Men's Action to Stop Violence Against Women (MASVAW) campaign and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) to explore the effectiveness of men's collective action in addressing GBV. CHSJ is working across India on the issue of mobilising men to transform discriminatory norms into those based on equity, equality and gender justice to ensure the fundamental human rights of all people. The research is premised on the notion that challenging patriarchy and working towards gender equality must include working with men and boys to understand their privileges as well as the co-option, coercion and subjugation that they also face within a patriarchal system. In turn, we aim to improve understanding and knowledge of the changing roles of men in addressing GBV and how and why collective action holds possibilities as an effective strategy to support this in the Indian context. This research is exploring the actors, strategies, challenges, collaborations and pathways for future engagement of the MASVAW campaign that works across the state of Uttar Pradesh. Details: Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2015. 28p. Source: Internet Resource: IDS Evidence Report 107: Accessed September 9, 2017 at: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/5733/ER107_MASVAWMovementMappingReport.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: India URL: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/5733/ER107_MASVAWMovementMappingReport.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 147199 Keywords: Abusive MenFamily ViolenceGender-Related ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Wendt, Sarah Title: Seeking help for domestic and family violence: Exploring regional, rural, and remote women's coping experiences: Final report Summary: This report presents the results of a qualitative study examining the experiences of women seeking help for domestic and family violence who live in regional, rural, and remote areas in Australia. The study contributes to the limited evidence on how geographical and social isolation shapes women's coping with and decisions to seek assistance for domestic and family violence, and their efforts to live safely. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2017. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Research report: Accessed October 3, 2017 at: http://apo.org.au/system/files/106901/apo-nid106901-430811.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: http://apo.org.au/system/files/106901/apo-nid106901-430811.pdf Shelf Number: 147532 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRural AreasVictim ServicesVictims of CrimeViolence Against Women |
Author: O'Brien, Mary Title: Connecting to Safety and Stability: Domestic Violence Needs Assessment of Chicago Summary: Domestic violence is pervasive, dangerous, and impacts individuals and communities throughout our state. It is estimated that more than 2 million Illinoisans have experienced domestic violence in their lifetime. A new report, released today, examines its prevalence in Chicago and what needs to be done to better serve survivors. In Connecting to Safety and Stability: Domestic Violence Needs Assessment of Chicago, Heartland Alliance's Social IMPACT Research Center, documents the existing domestic violence response system in Chicago, highlights the gaps that need to be filled, and makes recommendations to strengthen the existing response system and better meet survivors' needs. The report found that: Domestic violence occurs throughout the city, but there is disparate access to services for survivors. While national data suggests that women of color experience domestic violence at a higher rate than their white counterparts, available domestic violence services are predominantly located in majority white communities and/or higher-income communities. Locally, the communities with some of the highest rates of domestic crimes have the least physical access to domestic violence services. This means that too many individuals who need to access these critical services cannot get to them or have a much more difficult time doing so. The state budget impasse significantly impacted providers that offer services to survivors of domestic violence. Among service providers that primarily serve survivors of domestic violence, 65% reported that they have limited referral partners as a result of the state budget impasse, 47% have tapped into cash reserves, 41% have had to reduce staff, and 35% have tapped into lines of credit. Survivors use the services that are currently offered by domestic violence service organizations. In 2016, 10,194 survivors received services from Chicago-based providers. Service providers in Chicago are consistently operating at or over capacity. Additional support is needed for policies and programs that address the long-term needs of survivors, including policies that address poverty and economic needs. In 2016, 43.8% of survivors had a monthly income of $500 or less. In addition to this demonstrated economic need among service recipients, economic abuse is commonly used in domestic violence, contributing to the financial needs of survivors. The most consistent unmet need identified by stakeholders was safe and affordable housing and shelter. Shelters consistently operate at capacity and there are few options for a survivor who does not want to go to shelter. There were 46,301 domestic incidents in 2016, a rate of 1,704 domestic incidents per 100,000 Chicagoans. And on average, the police responded to 127 incidents and made 23 arrests in response to a domestic incident per day in 2016. "Domestic Violence occurs in every community area in Chicago. But, not all of our communities are resourced the same, resulting in drastically limited options for survivors in specific communities in our city," says Mary O'Brien, Senior Research Associate at Heartland Alliance. "Chicago must address the systemic inequities that exist in the availability and access to domestic violence services." Coming on the heels of the protracted state budget crisis, this report documents the important role service providers play in responding to this pervasive issue and identifies the outstanding needs of survivors. Connecting to Safety and Stability demonstrates that current services are heavily used by survivors of domestic violence. In total, survivors received 149,864 hours of direct services in 2016. From counseling, legal advocacy, life skills, health and wellness, and supports for children, providers offer, quite literally, lifesaving services that are desperately needed. It is imperative that these services receive adequate funding to continue, and expand, the work that they do and the individuals that they reach. In addition to evaluations and findings, Connecting to Safety and Stability recommends various changes to funding, policy, and practice to bolster the domestic violence response in Chicago Details: Chicago: Heartland Alliance, Social Impact Research Center, 2017. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 5, 2017 at: http://socialimpactresearchcenter.issuelab.org/resource/connecting-to-safety-and-stability-domestic-violence-needs-assessment-of-chicago-4.html Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: http://socialimpactresearchcenter.issuelab.org/resource/connecting-to-safety-and-stability-domestic-violence-needs-assessment-of-chicago-4.html Shelf Number: 147588 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesViolence Against Women |
Author: Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Title: Findings and Recommendations Relative to the Status of Domestic Abuse Intervention Programming in Louisiana Summary: This report provides an analysis of select aspects of domestic violence response in Louisiana, supplements information available from other sources, and identifies significant areas of remaining need in our state's domestic violence response. It is meant to give a voice to domestic violence survivors as it relates to their experience navigating various systems. Details: Baton Rouge: The Coalition, 2012. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 6, 2017 at: http://lcadv.org/wp-content/uploads/DAIP-Report-to-Legislature-02-20-12.pdf Year: 2012 Country: United States URL: http://lcadv.org/wp-content/uploads/DAIP-Report-to-Legislature-02-20-12.pdf Shelf Number: 147594 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictims ServicesViolence Against Women |
Author: KPMG Title: The cost of violence against women and their children in Australia. Final Detailed Report Summary: Understanding the total cost of violence against women and their children is critical to support the implementation of The National Plan to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children 2010-2022 (the National Plan) Violence against women and their children is a crime and a fundamental breach of human rights. It has significant and far-reaching implications for its victims, their children, their families and friends, and the broader Australian economy. It is estimated that in this year alone, over one million women have or will experience violence, emotional abuse and stalking. The implications of experiencing violence can include long term social, health, and psychosocial impacts, death, and broader financial and the economic impacts on individuals and the broader community and economy. Addressing the issue of violence against women and their children is complex, and will necessitate generational change and ongoing and targeted investment into long term solutions. The collective commitment by Commonwealth, state and territory governments made by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) towards the development of the National Plan represented an important step towards developing a national approach to reducing the prevalence of violence. The National Plan identified the importance of establishing a more comprehensive and consistent evidence base to better inform policy decisions on a jurisdictional and national level. Significant momentum for change has also been created by Rosie Batty's extensive public awareness raising, the 227 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence (Victoria), and the release of the Queensland Government report and recommendations Not Now, Not Ever - Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland. - Recent studies have found that there are a number of key challenges to understanding the cost of violence, due to limitations in the data in understanding the prevalence and impacts of violence for specific cohorts, geographies, and forms of violence. - Our understanding of violence is also evolving - as new research, data and information is made available, the definition of violence is being refined and expanded. The purpose of this Technical Report is to progress the development of the evidence base informing The National Plan and the Third Action Plan 2016-2019 - Promising Results. For the purpose of comparability of results, the approach is consistent with previous work undertaken, however, has been expanded and updated to reflect the most recent prevalence information, data and research. The Report updates and extends KPMG's 2009 calculations and analysis for Estimating the Cost of Violence Against Women and their Children. Details: Canberra ACT: Australian Department of Social Services, 2016. 119p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 16, 2017 at: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2016/the_cost_of_violence_against_women_and_their_children_in_australia_-_final_report_may_2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Australia URL: https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/08_2016/the_cost_of_violence_against_women_and_their_children_in_australia_-_final_report_may_2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147694 Keywords: Costs of ViolenceDomestic ViolenceEconomics of CrimeFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Victoria. Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Swift, Certain and Fair Approaches to Sentencing Family Violence Offenders: Discussion Paper Summary: In this discussion paper, the Council examines the effectiveness of 'swift, certain and fair' approaches to sentencing. The paper describes the current framework in Victoria for managing family violence offenders and discusses possible options for introducing a 'swift, certain and fair' approach to sentencing family violence offenders in Victoria. Details: Melbourne: The Sentencing Advisory Council, 2017. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 2, 2017 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/SwiftCertainAndFairApproachesToSentencing.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/publication-documents/SwiftCertainAndFairApproachesToSentencing.pdf Shelf Number: 147964 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSentencing |
Author: McCormick, Amanda V. Title: Enhancing Surrey RCMP Detachment's Domestic Violence Unit Summary: Violence against women is a global concern, so much so that in 1993 the United Nations issued a Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in which they defined violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts..." (UN: 1993). A common form of violence against women is the violence, or threat thereof, perpetrated against a woman by her domestic partner - known alternatively as violence against women, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, spousal violence, or family violence (see Rossiter, 2011 for a more in depth discussion of these definitions). Domestic violence - the threat or engagement in physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a person towards their romantic partner - occurs all too frequently in Canadian society, and was estimated to cost Canadian society over $7 billion in 2009 (Zhang, Hoddenbagh, McDonald, & Scrim, 2012). Of note, while domestic violence can also be perpetrated by a female against her male or female partner, the bulk of domestic violence calls for service to the police involve heterosexual couples, where the male partner is accused of engaging in violence against a female partner. This report focuses on the activities of the Surrey RCMP specialized Domestic Violence Unit and its activities to reduce and prevent domestic violence. This report provides the summation of interviews conducted with current and former members of the Domestic Violence Unit in the Surrey RCMP, as well as North American literature on domestic violence for context. The report concludes with recommendations for the Surrey RCMP to consider to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of this unit in handling domestic violence investigations and managing serious and persistent domestic violence offenders. Details: Abbotsford, BC: University of the Fraser Valley, Centre for Public Safety and Criminal Justice Research, 2017. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 4, 2017 at: https://cjr.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Surrey-RCMP-Domesitc-Violence-Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Canada URL: https://cjr.ufv.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Surrey-RCMP-Domesitc-Violence-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 148036 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Taylor, A.Y. Title: This isn't the life for you: Masculinities and nonviolence in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) with a focus on urban violence Summary: Homicide and other forms of violence persist at high levels in Rio de Janeiro. This violence overwhelmingly affects low-income, young black men. Past research has rarely examined the relationship of this violence to gender norms nor has it focused on the interplay between urban violence and family and intimate partner violence (IPV). While most studies focus on pathways into violence, only a few studies examine at factors that encourage nonviolence. In favelas3 and other low-income, marginalized neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, boys are exposed from an early age to multiple forms of violence in the household and in their communities. At critical points in life, boys and young men who lack attractive economic opportunities are invited to participate in drug trafficking and, oftentimes, encouraged to use arms or use violence in everyday life. Amidst high levels of urban violence, how do many men adopt and sustain nonviolence in their lives? This research led by Promundo seeks to address two key questions: 1. What factors support groups of men who are surrounded by social and economic inequality, high exposure to violence, and incentives to use violence (e.g., members of drug gangs and the police) in avoiding, abandoning, or lessening their use of violence in complex urban settings? 2. How does higher and lower exposure to urban violence (defined by homicide rates) influence construction of masculinities, experiences of violence during childhood, attitudes and self-reported behaviors about gender among the broader population? Promundo examines these questions in "IMAGES-Urban Violence", a study that adapts IMAGES, the International Men and Gender Equality Survey, to focus on gender and urban violence and the interactions between violence in the public and private spheres in Rio de Janeiro. IMAGES is a comprehensive, multi-country study on men's practices and attitudes toward gender norms, gender equality policies, household dynamics, caregiving and involvement as fathers, intimate partner violence, sexual diversity, and health and economic stress. Promundo's offices in Brazil and the United States coordinated the study, which was part of Safe and Inclusive Cities (SAIC), an initiative of Canada's International Development Research Centre and the United Kingdom's Department for International Development. IMAGES STUDY ON URBAN VIOLENCE IN RIO DE JANEIRO - 1,151 household surveys were conducted with adult men and women in two sites: "South," in the city's southern zone where homicide rates are lower, and "North," predominately in the city's northern zone where homicide rates are high. The sample was drawn using public security administrative areas. - 14 key informant interviews and 45 in-depth life history interviews were carried out. The in-depth interviews sought to capture factors that promote men's trajectories away from the use of violence in complex urban settings. Former drug traffickers, members of the police force, and local activists were invited to participate because these groups of men play crucial roles in using and experiencing of violence and nonviolence in the city. Female partners and family members were also interviewed. Details: Washington, DC and . Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Promundo, 2016. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 18, 2017 at: https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/56228/IDL-56228.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Brazil URL: https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/56228/IDL-56228.pdf Shelf Number: 148263 Keywords: Family ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceMasculinityUrban Areas and CrimeViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Know Violence in Childhood Title: Ending Violence in Childhood. Global Report 2017 Summary: For a large proportion of the world's population, life is better than it was 30 years ago. Incomes have risen significantly. Life expectancy has increased. Fewer people are living in extreme poverty. Fewer mothers die in childbirth. The global community has also moved in many directions to make the world a more peaceful place for all. And yet, at least three out of every four of the world's children - 1.7 billion - had experienced some form of inter-personal violence, cruelty or abuse in their daily lives in a previous year, regardless of whether they lived in rich countries or poor, in the global North or the global South. It is unfortunate that a culture of silence surrounds violence. As a result, violence against children is still largely invisible in the development discourse. Violence violates the dignity and rights of children, and robs them of the joys of childhood. Childhood violence also disrupts the formation of capabilities, and imposes huge financial and human costs on individuals and societies. The tide is however turning. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by all but one of the UN member states, has been the inspiration for national governments and others to end violence against children. With ending violence being a clearly articulated priority of the Sustainable Development Goals, we have a unique opportunity to break the cycle of violence, especially for children and women who bear the brunt of it. This Report has marshalled global evidence to show how collaboration and learning across geographies, disciplines and sectors can unite academics, policy makers and practitioners to end childhood violence. The Report finds large gaps in global knowledge and evidence related to different dimensions of childhood violence. It therefore calls for much greater investment in data, research and evaluation to break the silence around violence and to promote public action across the world. Defining and measuring childhood violence is not easy. The Report makes a beginning by using estimated prevalence rates to develop a global picture of violence in childhood. It calls for States to invest in strengthening data systems to report on all forms of violence experienced by children across ages and settings. This Report also calls for global and local actions to promote child rights and prevent violence. It advocates a shift away from seeing violence as a series of discrete episodes towards recognizing that it is a thread running through the everyday lives of children everywhere. Details: New Delhi: Know Violence in Childhood, 2017. 158p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2017 at: http://globalreport.knowviolenceinchildhood.org/ Year: 2017 Country: International URL: http://globalreport.knowviolenceinchildhood.org/ Shelf Number: 148271 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild MaltreatmentChild ProtectionChildren and ViolenceFamily ViolenceInterpersonal Violence |
Author: Niolon, Phyllis Holditch Title: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies, and Practices Summary: This technical package represents a select group of strategies based on the best available evidence to help communities and states sharpen their focus on prevention activities with the greatest potential to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) and its consequences across the lifespan. These strategies include teaching safe and healthy relationship skills; engaging influential adults and peers; disrupting the developmental pathways toward IPV; creating protective environments; strengthening economic supports for families; and supporting survivors to increase safety and lessen harms. The strategies represented in this package include those with a focus on preventing IPV, including teen dating violence (TDV), from happening in the first place or to prevent it from continuing, as well as approaches to lessen the immediate and long-term harms of partner violence. Commitment, cooperation, and leadership from numerous sectors, including public health, education, justice, health care, social services, business and labor, and government can bring about the successful implementation of this package. Details: Atlanta, GA: Division of Violence Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 5, 2017 at: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv-technicalpackages.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United States URL: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/ipv-technicalpackages.pdf Shelf Number: 148721 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence Violence Prevention |
Author: Prison Reform Trust Title: "There's a reason we're in trouble": Domestic abuse as a driver to women's offending Summary: Many women in prison have been victims of much more serious offences than the ones they are accused of, with a growing body of research indicating that women's exposure to physical, emotional and sexual abuse, including coercive control, is for some a driver of their offending. A key difference between women and men in prison is that family relationships tend to be a protective factor for men whilst, for women, relationships are more often a risk factor. Baroness Corston's study of women in the criminal justice system a decade ago found that coercion by male partners and relatives is a distinct route into criminality and prison for some women. The purpose of this briefing is to highlight the links between women's victimisation and their offending and make recommendations that will help break the cycle. Our intention is neither to pathologise nor to exculpate women offenders affected by domestic abuse, but to understand the factors underlying their offending and ensure that these are fully and fairly taken into account in decision-making by criminal justice agencies. The co-existence of victimisation and offending is now better recognised, but the links between them are still not well understood by all agencies. There has been some progress both in tackling violence and abuse against women and girls, and in the treatment of victims in the criminal justice system. Improvements in the police response and in aspects of the court process should lead to benefits for women offenders affected by domestic abuse, but challenges remain. The latest figures from the Crown Prosecution Service show a reduction in prosecutions for domestic abuse, and funding cuts to specialist domestic abuse services including refuges leave vulnerable women without support. The links between domestic abuse and offending by women require more attention in: - UK and Welsh Government strategies on tackling violence against women and girls, on women offenders, and on victims - Sentencing guidance - Frameworks of standards, guidance and training for all criminal justice professionals - police, prosecutors, offender managers, criminal defence lawyers and the judiciary - Commissioning of specialist, gender-specific support and rehabilitation programmes in prison and the community - Police responses to women offenders who may be affected by domestic abuse, including through problem solving triage and diversion schemes. Details: London: PRT, 2017. 48p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2018 at: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Domestic_abuse_report_final_lo.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk/Portals/0/Documents/Domestic_abuse_report_final_lo.pdf Shelf Number: 148855 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceFemale OffendersViolence Against Women |
Author: Kavanaugh, Guadalupe E. Title: Inter-Generational Benefits of Improving Access to Justice for Women: Evidence from Peru Summary: Domestic violence is a major concern in developing countries, with important social, economic and health consequences. However, institutions do not usually address the problems facing women or ethnic and religious minorities. For example, the police do very little to stop domestic violence in rural areas of developing countries. This paper exploits the introduction of Women's Justice Centers (WJCs) in Peru to provide causal estimates on the effects of improving access to justice for women and children. These centers offer a new integrated public service model for women by including medical, psychological and legal support in cases of violence against women. Our empirical approach uses a difference in difference estimation exploiting variation over time and space in the opening of WJC centers together with province-by-year fixed effects. Exploiting administrative data from health providers, district attorney offices and schools, we find that after the opening of these centers, there are important improvements on women's welfare: a large reduction in domestic violence, feminicides and female hospitalizations for assault. Moreover, using geo-coded household surveys we find evidence that the existence of these services increase women's threat points and, therefore, lead to household decisions that are more aligned with their interests. Using administrative data on the universe of schools, we find large gains on human capital for their children: affected children are more likely to enroll, attend school and have better grades in national exams, instead of working for the family. In sum, the evidence in this paper shows that providing access to justice for women can be a powerful tool to reduce domestic violence and increase education of children, suggesting a positive inter-generational benefit. Details: Unpublished paper, 2017. 84p, Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 18, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3022670 Year: 2017 Country: Peru URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3022670 Shelf Number: 148860 Keywords: Children Exposed to ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceFemicideViolence Against Women |
Author: Our Watch Title: Counting on Change. A guide to prevention monitoring Summary: This Guide was developed to complement Change the story: A shared framework for the primary prevention of violence against women and their children in Australia. Change the story brings together international research, and nationwide experience, on what drives violence against women and what works to prevent it. It establishes a shared understanding of the evidence and principles of effective prevention, and presents a way forward for a coordinated national approach. Counting on change provides guidance on how to comprehensively measure progress towards the prevention of violence against women at the population-level. The Guide is a world-first in identifying indicators of change for the drivers and reinforcing factors of violence against women, and advising on available data sets and processes for gathering this information into a 'picture of progress'. Recent decades have seen significant work in terms of policies, initiatives, and campaigns to prevent violence against women and their children. These efforts are bearing fruit - there is growing and strong evidence around what works to prevent violence against women, drawn from local and international research. Evaluation of prevention work continues to build on this evidence base, and we've seen positive change among those reached by prevention programs. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2017. 142p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 23, 2018 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/0f7bc92f-a055-42df-8739-05d4d871ee17/OurWatch_GuideToMonitoring_AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/0f7bc92f-a055-42df-8739-05d4d871ee17/OurWatch_GuideToMonitoring_AA.pdf.aspx Shelf Number: 148918 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectFamily ViolenceGender-Related ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, ChildrenViolence Prevention |
Author: Fowler, Katherine A. Title: Surveillance for Violent Deaths -- National Violent Death Reporting System, 18 States, 2014 Summary: Problem/Condition: In 2014, approximately 59,000 persons died in the United States as a result of violence-related injuries. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) regarding violent deaths from 18 U.S. states for 2014. Results are reported by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, marital status, location of injury, method of injury, circumstances of injury, and other selected characteristics. Reporting Period Covered: 2014. Description of System: NVDRS collects data from participating states regarding violent deaths. Data are obtained from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, law enforcement reports, and secondary sources (e.g., child fatality review team data, supplemental homicide reports, hospital data, and crime laboratory data). This report includes data from 18 states that collected statewide data for 2014 (Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin). NVDRS collates documents for each death and links deaths that are related (e.g., multiple homicides, a homicide followed by a suicide, or multiple suicides) into a single incident. Results: For 2014, a total of 22,098 fatal incidents involving 22,618 deaths were captured by NVDRS in the 18 states included in this report. The majority of deaths were suicides (65.6%), followed by homicides (22.5%), deaths of undetermined intent (10.0%), deaths involving legal intervention (1.3%) (i.e., deaths caused by law enforcement and other persons with legal authority to use deadly force, excluding legal executions), and unintentional firearm deaths (<1%). The term "legal intervention" is a classification incorporated into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) and does not denote the lawfulness or legality of the circumstances surrounding a death caused by law enforcement. Suicides occurred at higher rates among males, non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN), non-Hispanic whites, persons aged 45-54 years, and males aged ≥75 years. Suicides were preceded primarily by a mental health, intimate partner, substance abuse, or physical health problem or a crisis during the previous or upcoming 2 weeks. Homicide rates were higher among males and persons aged <1 year and 15-44 years; rates were highest among non-Hispanic black and AI/AN males. Homicides primarily were precipitated by arguments and interpersonal conflicts, occurrence in conjunction with another crime, or related to intimate partner violence (particularly for females). When the relationship between a homicide victim and a suspected perpetrator was known, it was most often either an acquaintance/ friend or an intimate partner. Legal intervention death rates were highest among males and persons aged 20-44 years; rates were highest among non-Hispanic black males and Hispanic males. Precipitating factors for the majority of legal intervention deaths were alleged criminal activity in progress, the victim reportedly using a weapon in the incident, a mental health or substance abuse problem, an argument or conflict, or a recent crisis. Deaths of undetermined intent occurred more frequently among males, particularly non-Hispanic black and AI/AN males, and persons aged 30-54 years. Substance abuse, mental health problems, physical health problems, and a recent crisis were the most common circumstances preceding deaths of undetermined intent. Unintentional firearm deaths were more frequent among males, non-Hispanic whites, and persons aged 10-24 years; these deaths most often occurred while the shooter was playing with a firearm and were most often precipitated by a person unintentionally pulling the trigger or mistakenly thinking the firearm was unloaded. Details: Atlanta: e Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Surveillance Summaries / Vol. 67 / No. 2: Accessed February 6, 2018 at: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/pdfs/ss6702-H.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/67/ss/pdfs/ss6702-H.pdf Shelf Number: 149005 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceHomicideMurdersSuicidesViolence-Related InjuriesViolent Crime |
Author: Amendola, Karen L. Title: The Course of Domestic Abuse among Chicago's Elderly: Risk Factors, Protective Behaviors, and Police Intervention Summary: The growing body of elder abuse research reflects the increasing attention paid to this serious problem and emphasizes the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies. While past research has examined risk factors and protective behaviors associated with abuse, studies have generally not examined either the course of abuse over time or the effectiveness of different intervention strategies. Despite the fact that the police have increasingly become involved in matters of domestic abuse against the elderly, the impact of their involvement has not been assessed. This study examines if and how risk factors and protective behaviors affect the course of abuse over time, and the role of the police in intervening with elderly victims of domestic abuse and/or neglect. We also examine the prevalence rates for various types of abuse using a stratified sample of Chicago's elderly population. Our sample consisted of 1,795 elderly residents for whom we could identify victimization status. In-depth interviews were conducted with 328 elderly residents from three sample groups: 1) community non-victims (n = 159); 2) community victims (n = 121); and 3) a police sample consisting of elderly victims who had been visited by trained domestic violence/senior citizen victimization officers in the Chicago Police Department (n = 48). Participants in the three groups were current residents of the City Chicago, aged 60 and over. We conducted phone interviews using a survey instrument designed to assess victimization. The survey included questions about various characteristics and risk factors associated both with victims and perpetrators of abuse and/or neglect, specific types of abuse, and protective behaviors of victims. Victimization was examined twice over a 10-month period to evaluate the course of abuse over time. The efficacy of police intervention was also examined. Prevalence rates for our sample were similar to those found in other studies of elder abuse. In examining the course of abuse, we found that victims from the police sample were more likely to have at least one incident of subsequent abuse than were those from the community sample. However, for those in the police sample, the number of forms of abuse that occurred repeatedly (> 10 times) went down. In addition, those in the police sample were more likely to have engaged in protective behaviors or service seeking, than those in the community sample. These findings suggest that intervention by officers trained to deal with the elderly and/or domestic abuse victims can lead to increased engagement in protective behaviors and ultimately reductions in the number of frequently occurring forms of abuse. Implications for the law enforcement community's response to elder abuse victimization as well as limitations of the study are discussed. Details: Final report to the U.S. National Institute of Justice, 2010. 132p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232623.pdf Year: 2010 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/232623.pdf Shelf Number: 120559 Keywords: Domestic AbuseElder AbuseElderly VictimsFamily ViolencePolice InterventionsProtective Behaviors |
Author: SafeLives Title: Safe Later Lives: Older people and domestic abuse Summary: Domestic abuse is a complex, wide reaching and largely hidden phenomenon. Each year, around 2.1 million people suffer from domestic abuse in England and Wales - 1.4 million women (8.5% of the population) and 700,000 men (4.5% of the population). Crucially, 85% of victims made five attempts on average to get support from professionals in the year before they accessed effective help to stop the abuse. Whilst the impact of domestic abuse is grave on all victims, certain groups experience additional challenges and barriers. Many surveys and studies, such as the Crime Survey for England and Wales, have excluded consideration for victims aged 60 plus, and awareness raising campaigns have consistently focused on younger victims and perpetrators. This serves to reinforce the false assumption that abuse ceases to exist beyond a certain age. The limited pool of research which does exist on domestic abuse and older people suggests that "older women's experiences of domestic abuse are markedly different from those in younger age groups and that these differences have not been adequately acknowledged or accounted for". This report provides a focus on this historically 'hidden' group, which is essential to tailoring appropriate and effective services for victims (and perpetrators). The report is part of the SafeLives 'Spotlights' series, which will focus on hidden groups of domestic abuse victims throughout 2016 and 2017 and propose recommendations for both practitioners and policymakers. The first Spotlights has focused on older victims of abuse and involved a survey with 27 professionals, feedback from survivors, frontline practitioners and policymakers, as well as webinars and a social media Q&A. Details: Brighton, UK: SafeLives, 2016. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Spotlights Report #1 Hidden Victims: Accessed February 13, 2018 at: http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safe%20Later%20Lives%20-%20Older%20people%20and%20domestic%20abuse.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Safe%20Later%20Lives%20-%20Older%20people%20and%20domestic%20abuse.pdf Shelf Number: 149111 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceElder AbuseElderly VictimsFamily Violence |
Author: Coy, Maddy Title: 'Changing our Heads': Evaluation of the partnership between Shpresa Programme and Solace Women's Aid to develop a specialist service for Albanian Speaking Women experiencing violence in London Summary: In 2012, Shpresa programme, an Albanian community organisation, developed a partnership with Solace Women's Aid (Solace), a specialist VAWG support service, to engage Albanian Speaking Women (ASW) in London around experiences of violence and abuse. There are three elements of support and intervention in the project: - workshops on domestic violence, delivered by an Albanian speaking worker, which are incorporated into Shpresa's women's support group sessions (the ARISE project); - individual casework, also delivered by an Albanian speaking worker based at Solace (the Empower project); and - workshops with children and young people about domestic violence. While some organisations provide specialist support for women from Eastern European communities who are experiencing violence (see Thiara, 2015), this project is the first to combine the expertise of an Albanian community organisation and a VAWG service provider. This meant a knowledge exchange between the two organisations, extending the skills and capacity of Shpresa staff and volunteers about domestic violence, and of Solace about the needs of Albanian speaking women (ASW), was core to the partnership. The project wasfunded by Trust for London and the Henry Smith Charity. In September 2013, the Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) at London Metropolitan University were commissioned by Trust for London to evaluate the project. The evaluation brief required a focus on what lessons can be learned from this model of provision - a small community organisation acting as service commissioner - to inform the development of sustainable services for women from newly arrived communities in London. This final report is based on two years of delivery of the project, from 1st October 2013 to 30th September 2015. As a small scale process evaluation, the children's workshops were not included. The report: - sets out the background to the partnership between Shpresa and Solace; - provides an overview of the project context by summarising what is known about Albanian communities in the UK and on Albanian-speaking women and violence; - outlines the evaluation methodology; - presents evidence of how the project met its objectives; and - offers reflections on this model of partnership for future commissioning. The title of the report - 'Changing our Heads' - refers to the way that workers spoke about the process of challenging attitudes and values, and also speaks to changes in practices that were necessary by each organisation in this new partnership. Details: London: Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit London Metropolitan University,2016. 42p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 15, 2018 at: http://solacewomensaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CWASU-evaluation-report-FINAL-VERSION-FOR-LAUNCH.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://solacewomensaid.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/CWASU-evaluation-report-FINAL-VERSION-FOR-LAUNCH.pdf Shelf Number: 149154 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Forty, Rachel Title: Using family court data to explore links between adverse family experiences and proven youth offending Summary: Risk factors linked to adverse family experiences such as family conflict, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect are some of the strongest predictors of youth crime. This report presents analysis conducted to explore proven youth offending rates of those in contact with the family justice system as a child. It has a specific focus on children that have been named in a public law case, where the local authority has intervened to protect their welfare. Findings from this analysis are associations and do not necessarily represent causal links between contact with the public law system and offending, nor can they tell us about the direction of any relationship. This analysis, conducted by Ministry of Justice (MoJ) Analytical Services, uses linked data, matching extracts from the Police National Computer (PNC) and the family justice case management database (FamilyMan) for the first time. An evidence review of the related international literature was also conducted to place the results within the wider research context. This project is part of a broader programme of work to link large-scale administrative datasets from both within the department and across government, drawing out further insights on the drivers and patterns of offending behaviour to inform policy development and practice. Key findings - Those in contact with the public law system were more likely to offend and commit multiple offences between the ages of 10 and 17 than those of the equivalent age group in the general population. They also, on average, started offending earlier than offenders of the same age in the general population. - Findings from the evidence review suggest that the link between offending and public law may be explained to a large extent by shared risk factors, including family poverty and parental neglect or abuse. - Wider evidence indicates that when children have been taken into local authority care, placement type and instability have been linked to higher offending rates. There is, however, concern about unnecessary criminalisation of children in care homes and this may explain, in part, the higher offending levels for this group. - Results from this analysis suggest that children in contact with the public law system in their early teenage years for the first time were more likely to offend than those who were involved at any other age. - Wider evidence indicates that maltreatment and going into care as a teenager may have a stronger association with youth offending than maltreatment or care only experienced in childhood. Young people's offending may also be affected by the type and instability of the care placement experienced. That said, teenagers can have preexisting issues with offending that may have influenced placement decisions. - Results suggest that for females in their early teenage years, contact with the public law system was linked to a greater increase in likelihood of offending, prolificacy and violent offending than for males. However, young males in contact with the public law system still have a higher likelihood of offending than females of the same age. International research indicates that experience of out-of-home placement can be more strongly linked to offending for females. Details: London; Ministry of Justice, 2017. 15p. Source: Internet Resource: Analytical Summary 2017 : Accessed march 8, 2018 at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653037/using-family-court-data-to-explore-links-between-adverse.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/653037/using-family-court-data-to-explore-links-between-adverse.pdf Shelf Number: 149325 Keywords: Children Exposed to ViolenceFamiliesFamily CourtsFamily ViolenceJuvenile OffendersYoung Adult Offenders |
Author: O'Shea, Brianna Title: Intimate Partner Stalking from the Perspectives of Family Support Services, Forensic Mental Health, law Enforcement and Welfare Services Summary: One in ten adults from Western countries are affected by stalking at some time in their lives. There is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes stalking between current and former intimate partners. There are currently no national uniform stalking laws in Australia. In Tasmania, stalking is a type of family violence which involves repetitive following or harassment. This project describes intimate partner stalking as a complex issue that has detrimental effects on the psychological, social and occupational functioning of the victim/s and their families. The Tasmanian Department of Justice has created social policy called "Safe at Home" which is the Tasmanian Government's response to family violence. Safe at Home provides a range of services for victims and perpetrators of intimate partner stalking, such as family violence counselling and support, police prosecutions and offender intervention. This is consistent with family violence research which argues that "simple interventions based upon either therapy or criminal justice interventions are not suitable on their own". Safe at Home aims to "protect and support victims of family violence, including young people and children, while making offenders responsible for their behaviour". The most common victim profile for stalking is a "woman who has previously shared an intimate relationship with her (usually male) stalker". In Australia, a higher proportion of females (195,400) than males (110,700) reported experiencing stalking within the last 12 months. Intimate partner stalking victims experience the widest range of harassment methods. Past research has shown that intimate partner stalkers "generally pose a greater threat than stranger or acquaintance stalkers". However, a study revealed that the majority of men and women in Australia perceive that the threat is greatest when the stalker is not known to the victim. Therefore, the perceptions of Australian men and women do not reflect the actual threat associated with intimate partner stalking. Although there are theories for understanding family violence, there is currently no broad theoretical framework to understand intimate partner stalking. The Duluth Model is the most commonly used intervention for family violence in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Sweden and Australia. It was designed for male perpetrators of family violence towards their current female partners. However, stalking may be perpetrated by men or women who are current or former partners. The Power and Control Wheel is a visual representation of the 8 central themes outlined in the Model. This project aimed to determine whether the Duluth Model and the power and control aspect of their intervention programs is applicable post separation and to the experiences of victims and perpetrators of stalking regardless of gender Details: Sandy Bay, Australia : Tasmanian Institute of Law Enforcement Studies, University of Tasmania, 2014. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 8, 2018 at: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/574086/OShea_Intimate_Partner_Stalking_Final_Report_August_2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Australia URL: http://www.utas.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/574086/OShea_Intimate_Partner_Stalking_Final_Report_August_2014.pdf Shelf Number: 149403 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence Sex Offenses Stalking Victim Services |
Author: Ramsey, Carolyn B. Title: Firearms in the Family Summary: This Article considers firearms prohibitions for domestic violence offenders, in light of recent Supreme Court decisions and the larger, national debate about gun control. Unlike other scholarship in the area, it confronts the costs of ratcheting up the scope and enforcement of such firearms bans and argues that the politicization of safety has come at the expense of a sound approach to gun control in the context of intimate-partner abuse. In doing so, it expands scholarly arguments against mandatory, one-size-fits-all criminal justice responses to domestic violence in a direction that other critics have been reluctant to go, perhaps because of a reflexive, cultural distaste for firearms. Both sides in the gun-control debate rely on starkly contrasting, gendered images: the helpless female victim in need of state protection, including strictly enforced gun laws, and the self-defending woman of the National Rifle Association's "Refuse to be a Victim" campaign. Neither of these images accurately describes the position of many domestic violence victims whose partners have guns, and neither image responds effectively to the heterogeneity of conduct leading to a protection order or a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction that triggers federal and state firearms bans. The emphasis the National Rifle Association and other pro-gun organizations place on a woman's right to carry a firearm in self-defense ignores the most common homicide risks women face, as well as structural inequalities that contribute to gender violence. Yet, significant problems afflict an uncritically anti-gun approach, too. First, gun-control advocates tend to ignore the reality of intimate-partner abuse-a reality in which some women fight back; some family livelihoods depend on jobs for which firearms are required; not all misdemeanants become murderers; and victims have valid reasons for wanting to keep their partners out of prison. Second, to the extent that proponents of strict gun regulation also exhibit distaste for racialized crime-control policies, they fail to acknowledge that zealously enforced gun laws aimed at preventing domestic violence would put more people-including more men and women from vulnerable communities of color-behind bars. The current framing of the argument for tougher firearms laws for abusers is derived from public health research on domestic violence that makes a reduction in intimate homicide rates its chief goal. Yet, since hundreds of thousands of domestic violence misdemeanants are thought to possess illegal guns, reformers should also consider the potential costs to victims and their families of a move to sweeping and rigorous enforcement. Changes in gun laws and their implementation in the context of intimate-partner abuse ought to cure over- and under-breadth problems; provide greater autonomy to abuse victims and protections for those who resist their batterers; reconsider the lack of an exemption to the misdemeanor ban for firearms required on-duty; and include a better mechanism for restoring gun rights to misdemeanants who have shown the capacity to avoid reoffending. Details: Boulder, CO: University of Colorado Law School, 2018. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: U of Colorado Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 18-5: Accessed March 9, 2018 at: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3117096 Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3117096 Shelf Number: 149409 Keywords: Elder AbuseFamily ViolenceGun ControlGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceProtection OrderStalking |
Author: Backbone Collective Title: Seen and not Heard: Children in the New Zealand Family Court. Part One - Force Summary: Six months ago, Backbone released a report about how women who have experienced violence and abuse in their relationships are treated by the New Zealand Family Court. Our concluding remarks in that report were: 'With over 500 women saying that the New Zealand Family Court makes them and their children less safe, leaves them with multiple crippling health conditions and prevents them from rebuilding their lives (and those of their children) - surely those in authority will listen now?' Since then Backbone has made repeated calls for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Family Court. But sadly, those in authority haven't listened - or if they listened they took no action. We hoped that in writing and releasing the first report the Family Court would be open to the service user feedback we were providing. However, we fear that there has been backlash for some women as they have spoken out about dangerous practices happening in their own cases. Backbone decided to conduct another survey on the Family Court - this time to find out how the Family Court responds to children when they and their mothers have experienced violence and abuse. Through this latest survey we have collected a rich and powerful set of data that is deeply troubling. What we discovered is that children fare very poorly when the Family Court is involved in their lives. Many mothers go to the Family Court for protection upon leaving an abusive partner, some get taken to the Family Court by the abuser, and some are involved in CYFs/MVCOT proceedings. Regardless of their pathway into the court we can now see that the impact on their children is overwhelmingly negative. Not only are the survey results cause for grave concern, but they take the system failures that we identified in our first Family Court report to a whole new level. All of the children in the survey have experienced violence and abuse - by seeing, hearing or knowing about the abuse of their mothers and/or by also being directly physically, sexually and/or psychologically abused. In 95% of cases the abuser was the child/ren's father. We were told about a complex array of trauma these children had suffered from the violence and abuse prior to separation. We were told about the many fears the children had about having contact with their abusive father post separation - with good justification based on the ranges of things mothers described happening at his house. In more than half the cases either the children or their mother told professionals working in the Family Court about the worries they had at the abuser's house but in the majority of cases those worries were not reported accurately to the Court or taken into consideration when care and contact orders were made. Most children are ordered into unsupervised care and contact with the abuser but the range of care arrangements is vast. However, of incredible significance is that when we compared how much time the Family Court is ordering children into care and contact with abusers against how much time the children say they WANT to spend with him - there is a big difference. Children want control over how much time they spend with the abuser and many want no contact at all. We were told that 54% of the children are being forced into care and contact arrangements that they do not want. These 'forced' children are significantly more worried about what happens at the abuser's house (sexual, physical and psychological safety issues) than children who were not forced. Similarly, we looked at the children who refused to attend care and contact visits with their abusive father - they had almost the same levels of worry as the 'forced' children. Therefore, the million-dollar question is why would the Family Court order/force children into the care of abusers with a known history of violence and abuse, when the children are scared of them and have told professionals working in the court that they feel unsafe when alone in the care of their abusive father? It appears that the Family Court is making care and contact orders in the absence of best practice in violence and abuse cases. For example, only 2.2% of mothers told us a risk assessment to determine the risk of dangerousness and lethality had been undertaken in their case. To be making care and contact orders for children who have experienced violence and abuse without any evidence based risk assessment is clear evidence of system failure - the Family Court is out of step with international best practice and the New Zealand Government's position on this: 'The government is committed to reducing family violence, keeping victims safe, and managing perpetrators more effectively so all New Zealanders can live free from violence. We know that identifying risk, intervening earlier and in a more coordinated way is critical to achieving this.'2 In the absence of any risk assessment the Family Court is characterising mothers who raise genuine safety concerns for their children as 'parental alienators'. Both this and our earlier Family Court survey found that professionals in the Family Court use 'parental alienation' or similar terms in nearly half of all cases. Children are not being believed about their experiences of violence an abuse, evidence of it occurring is being disregarded in the court and mothers are being blamed for their children's fears for their safety. Unfortunately, in many cases, the care and contact orders result in terrible health impacts for these children. We were told about a range of health impacts mothers attribute to Family Court proceedings and orders, including physical, psychological, social and behavioural impacts. The list of health impacts mothers detailed are heartbreaking. We found that the health of children of Māori mothers is impacted worse in some areas and this definitely requires further investigation. Backbone also found that the Family Court deems only a very small percentage of abusive men as unsafe to have contact with their children (or step children). Men who are most likely to be designated 'unsafe' by the Family Court are men with a Protection Order against this partner or a previous or subsequent partner, who have been charged with assaulting their child/ren physically or sexually or where the abuser was a step-father. For most of the 63 children involved in these cases the Family Court has ordered that they have no contact at all with the abuser, although some have supervised contact. Surprisingly we found that even though the fathers/step fathers of these 63 children are clearly very dangerous and these children have been exposed to some serious violence and abuse before their parents separated, once they separated and when protected appropriately by the Family Court, these children appear to have had far fewer damaging health impacts that those children whose abusive father was deemed as being 'safe' by the Family Court. Backbone is firmly of the view that the New Zealand Family Court is acting contrary to the legislation which should guide the way we respond to children. The Care of Children Act 2004 says that children MUST be protected from violence. Why then are hundreds of children being ordered by the Family Court directly into violent situations? These children are suffering at the hands of a largely tax payer funded system. These children are being ordered into dangerous situations by the very agencies and institutions that have been set up and funded by the state to protect them. New Zealand now has a new Government and Backbone's 1100 members hope they will see that constitutionally a Royal Commission of Inquiry is the only mechanism that can safely, effectively and fully investigate the practices of the Family Court. There is simply too much to lose by remaining silent on the issue of child safety in New Zealand. We rank the worst in the Western World in terms of violence against women statistics and child abuse and neglect. If we don't start improving the way we respond to these social problems we will only compound the damage done. Details: s.l.: The Collective, 2017. 57p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2018 at:https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57d898ef8419c2ef50f63405/t/5a3171c59140b743f5abbe36/1513189837189/Seen+and+not+Heard+Children+in+the+Family+Court+%281%29.pdf Year: 2017 Country: New Zealand URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57d898ef8419c2ef50f63405/t/5a3171c59140b743f5abbe36/1513189837189/Seen+and+not+Heard+Children+in+the+Family+Court+%281%29.pdf Shelf Number: 149531 Keywords: Child ProtectionChildren Exposed to ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily CourtsFamily ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Azpuru, Dinorah Title: Approval of Violence towards Women and Children in Guatemala Summary: Main Findings: - Ranking highest in the region on tolerance for domestic violence, 58% of Guatemalans indicate that to some degree (either approving or "understanding") they condone a husband hitting an unfaithful wife - There are no gender differences with regard to approving of or rejecting violence towards an unfaithful wife - Less than 5% of Guatemalans believe that physical punishment should always or very frequently be used against children who disobey their parents. Nonetheless, 40.5% consider that such punishment is sometimes necessary, while 27.3% believe that it is almost never necessary - Approximately 15% of Guatemalans report that their parents frequently resorted to physical punishment while 41.7% indicate that they suffered such forms of punishment sometimes Details: Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University, 2015. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: AmericasBarometer Insights: 2015 Number 123: Accessed March 20, 2018 at: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/lapop/insights/IO923en.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Guatemala URL: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/lapop/insights/IO923en.pdf Shelf Number: 149539 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against women, Girls |
Author: Roper, Laura Title: Strategic Review of the Program to Prevent Gender-Based Violence: El Salvador and Guatemala, National level, 2013-2015 Summary: Oxfam America's Campaign for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (CPVG) was launched in 2005 in El Salvador. Targeting both national and municipal government and using a creative combination of popular campaigning, research, innovative capacitybuilding with a range of actors, and lobbying, Oxfam America and its partners and allies successfully placed Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention on the policy agenda. From there, these efforts helped forge an unexpected political alliance so that legislators from the two main, and widely divergent, political parties approved the Comprehensive Special Law for a Life Free from Violence for Women, known as LEIV by its Spanish acronym, in 2011. Seeing the potential of this approach to address the scourge of GBV, Oxfam America introduced the program in Guatemala in 2010. In the aftermath of this policy success and other related policy advances, the campaign revised its strategy and shifted its "focus on the application of new laws and policies in both El Salvador and Guatemala. It [looked] for political openings in different spaces on multiple levels: central, departmental, and municipal. This phase [had] a strong focus on generational change - in seeing youth (both male and female) as primary actors who can radically change the collective imagery with respect to gender relations and the decisions they can make to prevent gender-based violence." Under the new formulation, the Program for the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence (PPGV) continued to work with women at the community level to empower them to exercise their rights; to work with both boys and girls and adolescents in public schools to change their attitudes and practices regarding gender roles and the permissibility of GBV in the home, school, or community; to work with municipalities and women's organizations in inter-institutional spaces to further develop and implement GBV prevention strategies and activities; and to achieve implementation of public policies through the strengthening of social and institutional mechanisms for the obligatory application of national and local laws. This focus was meant to capitalize on the formal, systemic change Oxfam had helped foster, taking advantage of legal frameworks in each country that had a series of laws addressing domestic violence, gender-based violence, laws against trafficking, and laws and policies related to the rights of the child and gender equality. At the same time, it sought to address informal norms, beliefs, and practices regarding GBV in a broader context of societal (gang) violence and a culture of impunity that disempowers the public. FOCUS AND METHODOLOGY OF STRATEGIC REVIEW This strategic review, which covers program implementation between 2013 and 2015, focuses primarily on activities at the national level within the judicial, legal, and, to some extent, educational systems, with some attention of the interface at the municipal level. The review is based primarily on open-ended, semi-structured key informant interviews conducted in Guatemala and El Salvador over a two-week period in January. These interviews were held with government officials engaged with the program; cofunding/collaborating organizations such as UNESCO, UNICEF, USAID/CHECCHI, Educo, and UN Women; and three partner organizations consisting of the Foundation for Justice and Gender, the Cultural Association for Performing Arts (Escenica), and the Association of Women of Santa Tecla. Additional material was gathered from document review of Oxfam and the Foundation of Justice and Gender (FJG) reports and primary source material from government websites. Finally, two one-day validation exercises were held in San Salvador on March 15, 2016 and in Guatemala on March 17, 2016. Relevant commentary and ideas from these sessions have been incorporated in this draft. There were several design limitations, principally very limited time in Guatemala, relatively limited documentation on the program, and inability to coordinate with the consultant doing a review of the community-level work. Consequently, there are some information gaps in the document, but sufficient information to draw strong conclusions in some areas and more qualified ones in others. Details: Boston: Oxfam America, 2016. 69p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 20, 2018 at: https://www.oxfamamerica.org/static/media/files/Strategic_Review_of_the_Program_to_Prevent_Gender-based_Violence_-_Final_Report_2015.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Latin America URL: https://www.oxfamamerica.org/static/media/files/Strategic_Review_of_the_Program_to_Prevent_Gender-based_Violence_-_Final_Report_2015.pdf Shelf Number: 149540 Keywords: Family ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women, GirlsViolence Prevention |
Author: Robinson, Amanda Title: Establishing the efficacy of a telephone-based police response to domestic violence: Hampshire Constabulary's Resolution Centre. [Technical Report]. Summary: Capitalising on a natural experiment in Hampshire Constabulary, this research utilised police officially recorded data to directly compare a sample of grade-3 domestic abuse incidents that received a telephone-based response from the force's Resolution Centre to a similar sample of incidents dealt with by the same force one year later that received the standard provision of 'slow time' deployment. A clear pattern of findings emerged, which taken together demonstrate the efficacy of providing a telephone-based response to certain types of domestic abuse incidents. Specifically, a detailed and formalised operations protocol has been embedded into the work of the Resolution Centre and all evidence suggests this is leading to a higher quality response overall to grade-3 domestics. The initial response provided by the Resolution Centre results in more crimes being recorded and more investigations that result in formal police action. The practice of risk assessment appears to be more comprehensive and detailed, generating a higher number of disclosures and more cases classified as 'medium' and 'high' risk. Due to the robust methodological approach of the research, these positive findings can be directly attributed to the setting where the police work was performed, rather than any differences in case characteristics. Details: Cardiff: Cardiff University, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/107133/1/Robinson%20%282017%29%20Hampshire%20Resolution%20Centre_Final%20Report.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://orca.cf.ac.uk/107133/1/Robinson%20%282017%29%20Hampshire%20Resolution%20Centre_Final%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 151664 Keywords: Domestic AbuseDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolencePolice Policies and ProceduresPolice ResponseRisk Assessment |
Author: Backbone Collective Title: Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire: Women's experiences of the New Zealand Family Court Summary: The report, Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire (2017), is based on an online survey of 612 women who had experienced violence and abuse. 496 of those women had used the Family Court. The report notes that the Family Court is a critical part of the response system that women may rely on for protection and further safety following separation from an abusive partner. However the report states, "The women who participated in this survey reported serious negative outcomes from being involved with the New Zealand Family Court. ... Women told us that the Family Court actively undermined their and their children's safety in a multitude of ways. They described the Family Court as somewhere where their experience of violence and abuse was not believed, was minimized and not responded to, where their abuser was seen as safe and any risk to them and their children was neither assessed nor considered. Some women talked about experiencing discrimination and Māori women reported racism. Women went to the Family Court often seeking protection for themselves and their children but once their found that their children were not listened to and were subsequently placed in unsafe situations. Women told us of being wrongly accused of a range of things that impacted negatively on decisions being made about them and their children's lives." Key findings of this Family Court survey include: Wāhine Māori experienced racism and found that cultural beliefs and practices are not comprehended in the Family Court. 417 women said their experience of violence and abuse was not believed or responded to, was minimised, or was not accepted into evidence. 83% of women said the Family Court treated their abuser as safe. 58% of women attending Family Court-related appointments, fixtures, or hearings have been threatened, intimidated, or physically assaulted by their abuser. 93% of women do not feel psychologically or physically safe when the Family Court forces or coerces them into joint activities with their abuser. 155 women said the Family Court had forced their child/ren to spend time with the abuser. All of these women were worried about their child's safety while in the abuser's care. 107 women have been denied a support person in court or mediation. 120 women have been ordered by the Family Court not to talk to their child about the violence and abuse - thereby forcing women and children to pretend their trauma does not exist. 84 women have been ordered by the Family Court not to talk to others about what is happening to them in the Family Court. 50% of the 'gagging orders' against women were initiated by the Judge or the Lawyer for Child. 93% of women have suffered negative health impacts because of how they have been treated during Family Court proceedings. 9% of women have been involved in Family Court proceedings for between 7 and 22 years. Women are up to $500,000 in debt due to having to fund their Family Court proceedings. Given the consistent and "overwhelmingly negative feedback" from so many women, the Backbone Collective is calling for a Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Family Court. The authors state: "A Royal Commission of Inquiry is the only forum where the women and their families or whanau would feel sufficiently safe to tell their stories, where witnesses with specialist insights into the workings of the Family Court could share their views in confidence and where all their court documents (transcripts, reports, minutes and orders) and procedures can be independently reviewed." The report notes that the overall purpose of the Backbone Collective is to enable women to safely tell the Government, the media, and the public about how the 'system' responded to them when they experienced violence and abuse, and how they need it to respond in order to be safe and rebuild their lives. Details: s.l.: The Collective, 2017. 45p. Source: Internet Resource: accessed March 27, 2018 at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57d898ef8419c2ef50f63405/t/59386e6a15d5db8350f9157f/1496870522432/Family+Violence+Survey+report+080617+-+embargoed+until+1am+Thursday+%281%29.pdf Year: 2017 Country: New Zealand URL: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57d898ef8419c2ef50f63405/t/59386e6a15d5db8350f9157f/1496870522432/Family+Violence+Survey+report+080617+-+embargoed+until+1am+Thursday+%281%29.pdf Shelf Number: 149582 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily CourtFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Foundation for Alcohol Research Education Title: Policy options paper: Preventing alcohol-related family and domestic violence Summary: Family and domestic violence (FDV) often occurs in the home, where one should feel safest, perpetrated by a loved one, with whom one should feel safest. It is sometimes a one off event but is often a pattern of behaviour characterised by one person exerting power and control over another in the context of an intimate partnership or within a family situation. FDV may persist for years and sometimes involves multiple forms of abuse. In Australia at least one woman dies each week at the hands of her partner or ex-partner2 and a significant number of children die as a result of abuse and neglect, although exact figures are not known.3 FDV can happen to anyone regardless of gender, sexuality, class, culture or family type. Some communities are more likely to experience FDV and may find it difficult to access mainstream support that meets their needs. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women; culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people and families; women with a disability; and older and young women, all face significant barriers to identifying FDV, seeking help and accessing culturally appropriate support. The impacts of FDV include complex trauma, physical injuries, poor mental health and the development of behaviours that are harmful to health such as alcohol misuse.4 These impacts are cumulative, with the frequency and severity of abuse being associated with greater physical and mental health impacts on the victim.5 The impacts of trauma may also persist long after the abuse has stopped.6 The effects of violence and abuse also go beyond those directly involved. Witnesses are often traumatised. In many cases it is children who witness these events. This sometimes results in children themselves growing up to use violence. They are also more likely to experience domestic violence themselves. These children can also grow up to experience alcohol and other drug issues in their lives.7 FDV impacts on children whether or not they witness it. It is more difficult to estimate the impacts of FDV on other family members and communities, but again there is significant evidence to suggest that FDV has widespread immediate and intergenerational consequences. FDV, and particularly violence between intimate partners, is not a gender neutral issue. Domestic violence is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women.8 This is due to the unequal power dynamics between women and men, the gendered distribution of resources, and an "adherence to rigidly defined gender roles expressed institutionally, culturally, organisationally and individually."9 Child maltreatment is also more likely to be perpetrated by males than females.10 The interplay between alcohol and FDV is complex. Alcohol is a contributing factor to FDV, increasing both the likelihood of violence occurring and the severity of harms.11 Alcohol misuse can cause or exacerbate relationship stressors thereby increasing the probability of violence. Alcohol use can be both a consequence to and precursor of relationship stress and violence. Alcohol use also affects cognitive functioning and physical functioning, 12 affecting the likelihood of perpetration, and making those who are impacted by FDV more vulnerable. Some perpetrators of violence may try to blame the misuse of alcohol and/or drugs or use intoxication as an excuse. This is not the case. Alcohol use and intoxication are never an excuse for violence. Victims may use alcohol as a coping mechanism for dealing with trauma and pain. There are also intergenerational impacts, with children who witness domestic violence being more likely to have problems with alcohol later in life.13 Alcohol is involved in a significant proportion of reported domestic violence and child protection incidents. In 2010-11 there were 29,684 reported incidents of alcohol-related domestic violence to police across four Australian states; Victoria, New South Wales (NSW), Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT).14 Due to challenges with data collection across all jurisdictions, as well as under-reporting of these crimes, these figures are likely to be significant underestimates. This equates to approximately half of domestic assaults reported to police involving alcohol. In addition, a carer's alcohol use is a factor for 10,166 children in the child protection system.15 Australia is committed to addressing FDV by being a signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the Declaration to End Violence Against Women and the Beijing Declaration. 16 The association between alcohol and FDV has been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO), which has identified action on alcohol misuse as one of several strategies to reduce violence against women and children. 17 , 18 There is also recognition of the association between alcohol and FDV by Australian Governments. National, as well as some state and territory, strategies and frameworks have acknowledged the role of alcohol in FDV and have recognised the need to address alcohol as part of an overall strategy to reduce FDV. However, to date, there has been a lack of coordinated action to bring these strategies together to produce effective policies and programs. This Policy Options Paper draws on the following principles based on the literature of what is known about alcohol-related FDV in Australia and internationally. These principles are: x The consumption of alcohol is never an excuse for violence. x Policies that address gender inequalities and alcohol misuse are critical to reducing FDV. x The WHO socio-ecological model acknowledges that no single factor explains why people engage in violence, instead there are multiple factors, at the individual, relationship, community and societal levels. Responses to FDV need to be targeted at all levels. x No single response is likely to reduce alcohol-related FDV. Australia needs a comprehensive and coordinated approach to address alcohol-related FDV, as part of an overall strategy to reduce violence against women and children. x A public health approach is needed to reduce alcohol-related FDV, with a focus on prevention across the spectrum, including primordial prevention, primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary prevention. Details: Deakin, ACT: FARE, 2015. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 3, 2018 at: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/research/FARE-Policy-Options-Paper-Preventing-alcohol-related-FDV.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: http://www.fare.org.au/wp-content/uploads/research/FARE-Policy-Options-Paper-Preventing-alcohol-related-FDV.pdf Shelf Number: 149661 Keywords: Alcohol AbuseDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolencePublic Health ApproachViolence Prevention |
Author: Meiden, Sara van der Title: Police working methods to prevent serial partner violence - focus on the perpetrator of violence Summary: In the 2017 budget bill, the Government established the goal of reducing the number of women who are exposed to violence in intimate relationships. The importance of the Swedish Police conducting proactive, well-considered, and structured crime prevention work in attaining this goal is emphasised. Bra's instruction for this report can be divided into four parts. Bra must: identify and compile police approaches and working methods for preventing men's serial partner violence; determine which of these are promising; determine whether they can be implemented into Swedish police working methods; and estimate which costs would be entailed in working according to the promising methods and working methods. Details: Stockholm: The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention (Bra), 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: English version of report 2017:13: Accessed April 4, 2018 at: https://www.bra.se/download/18.10aae67f160e3eba62920340/1518706493393/2017_13_Police_working_methods_summary.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Sweden URL: https://www.bra.se/download/18.10aae67f160e3eba62920340/1518706493393/2017_13_Police_working_methods_summary.pdf Shelf Number: 149674 Keywords: Abusive MenFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention |
Author: Orr, Elizabeth Title: Evidence to Action & Local Action as Evidence: Findings from the Building Safe Communities for Women and their Children Action Research Support Initiative. Summary: Domestic and family violence and sexual assault perpetrated against women and their children is prevalent, serious, and preventable. In Australia, approximately one in four (2.2 million) women has experienced some form of violence by an intimate partner since the age of 15, compared to one in 13 men. Approximately one in six women in Australia has been subjected to physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2016). The social, health, and economic costs of violence against women and their children are huge. For women in Australia aged 18-44, intimate partner violence contributes more to their health burden than any other risk factor, including alcohol use, tobacco use, or high cholesterol (Webster, 2016). Preventing and stopping violence against women and their children is a national priority that requires whole-of-community action. The Australian government's Department of Social Services (DSS) provided one-off grants of up to $150,000 to community-based projects led by a range of organisations across Australia, as part of the Building Safe Communities for Women and their Children (BSCW) initiative. The BSCW grants program aimed to reduce violence against women and their children by supporting community-led projects that are responsive to the specific needs of the women, children, and families in those communities. The ANROWS Action Research Support Initiative supported the BSCW projects to reflect and document their learning and share them with ANROW to collate and synthesise the successes, challenges, gaps, and opportunities in working to build safe communities across Australia. This report provides an overview of the key findings from both the individual BSCW projects and the synthesised findings of the ANROWS Action Research Support Initiative. The intention of the report is to share findings in an accessible way that will encourage community-based practitioners and organisations to implement further local initiatives to address violence against women and their children. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2018. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 6, 2018 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/ANROWS%20Action%20Research%20Support%20Initiative%20Report.2.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/ANROWS%20Action%20Research%20Support%20Initiative%20Report.2.pdf Shelf Number: 149725 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceVictim ServicesViolence Against Women, ChildrenViolence Prevention |
Author: Miles, Glen Title: Stop Violence Against Us! A preliminary national research study into the prevalence & perceptions of Cambodian children to violence against children in Cambodia Summary: Violence against children is perhaps the greatest of the evils that mankind can commit. Children offer the world hope. Our investment in their lives produces long-term fruit that can break cycles of violence and poverty. This study reveals the sad reality that children in Cambodia have come to accept unacceptable levels of violence in their families and schools. The children's own voices paint a terrible picture of acquiescence to adult violence. They face a daily reality where physical punishment and sexual violence is the norm and to be expected. Without serious attention being paid to this situation, today's children can become the violent offenders of tomorrow. Cultural practices that violate a child's right to safety and protection from abuse are difficult to address. This study clearly shows the validity of listening to children's views. In Khmer culture, children do not commonly speak out. They play an important but silent role in the family and community. But their silence does not condone the violence that they experience and witness. The children show not only remarkable resilience in coping with such abuse, but contribute practical suggestions as to how to deal with it. Their ideas should be given due weight and respect. Tearfund is committed to listening to children and enabling them to play a meaningful role in our development work. Children are not only the ones who know the most about their lives, but also are the building blocks for sustainable, just and equitable development in their communities and society. This research is part of our commitment to ensuring a child's right to participate, as well as recognising that families, communities and governments play a vital role in protecting and nurturing children. The research reveals that Cambodian children still have faith in adults to address the violence that is perpetrated against them. That faith can be fulfilled if their concerns are taken up by all of us who work to improve children's well being. Should we fail in this call, nations such as Cambodia will continually struggle to build a strong civil society where violence is a mere historical footnote. Details: Phnom Penh: Tearfund - Children at Risk Office, 2005. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2018 at: http://tagv.mohw.gov.tw/TAGVResources/upload/Resources/2014/10/Stop%20Violence%20against%20Us!%20Summary%20Report%201.pdf Year: 2005 Country: Cambodia URL: http://tagv.mohw.gov.tw/TAGVResources/upload/Resources/2014/10/Stop%20Violence%20against%20Us!%20Summary%20Report%201.pdf Shelf Number: 117345 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectChild Sexual AbuseChildren and ViolenceDomestic ViolenceFamily Violence |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "One Day I"ll Kill You": Impunity in Domestic Violence Cases in the Brazilian State of Roraima Summary: Roraima is the deadliest state for women and girls in Brazil. Killings of women reached 11.4 homicides per100,000 women in 2015, more than double the national average. Studies in Brazil and worldwide estimate a large percentage of women are killed by partners or former partners. "One Day I'll Kill You" draws on documentation of 31 cases of domestic violence in Roraima and on interviews with victims, police, and justice officials. Women in Roraima often suffer abuse for years before they report it to the police. When they do, the government's response is grossly inadequate. Military police do not respond to all emergency calls from women who say are experiencing domestic violence. Some civil police officers refuse to register domestic violence complaints or request protection orders. Instead, they directvictims to the single "women's police station" in the state-which specializes in crimes against women- even at times when that station is closed. No police station in the state has private rooms to take victims' statements, and not a single civil police officer receives training on how to handle domestic violence cases. In Boa Vista, the state capital, police have failed to do investigative work on a backlog of 8,400 domestic violence complaints. Most cases languish for years until they are eventually closed because the statute of limitations on the crime expires-without any prosecution. The serious problems in Roraima reflect nationwide failures. Authorities need to reduce barriers for women to access the police and ensure that domestic violence cases are properly documented, investigated, and prosecuted. Details: New York: HRW, 2017. 31p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 17, 2018 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/brazil0617_web.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Brazil URL: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/brazil0617_web.pdf Shelf Number: 149843 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceHomicidesIntimate Partner ViolenceProtection OrdersViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Arkow, Phil Title: A Link Across the Lifespan: Animal Abuse as a Marker for Traumatic Experiences in Child Abuse, Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse Summary: Until relatively recently, health and social services professionals, researchers, policymakers, and the general public considered animal cruelty as a stand-alone issue, important to animals' well-being but of only marginal significance to individual and community health and safety. This marginalization, based upon cultural themes that animals are merely property, that animal abuse is a normal occurrence among children and adolescents, and that human welfare priorities supersede animals' interests, is somewhat ironic. Other themes deeply embedded in Western philosophy express concern that children who abuse animals may grow up to exhibit escalating and dangerous interpersonal violence and antisocial behaviors. Meanwhile, the child protection movement originated in the animal protection field: the first child abuse cases were prosecuted by societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals and many humane societies had dual roles in child and animal protection for many decades. This paradigm is rapidly shifting today as recent programs, policy, public awareness and research resoundingly redefine animal cruelty and its various manifestations - abuse, neglect, animal hoarding, and animal fighting - as a form of family and community violence. Animal abuse is not only a crime in itself but also often serves as a bellwether, a marker and a predictor of child maltreatment, domestic violence and elder abuse. Details: Shakopee, MN: Academy on Violence and Abuse, 2015. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 18, 2018 at: http://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AVA-Link-Across-the-Lifespan.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United States URL: http://nationallinkcoalition.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/AVA-Link-Across-the-Lifespan.pdf Shelf Number: 149845 Keywords: Animal AbuseAnimal CrueltyChild Abuse and NeglectChild ProtectionDomestic ViolenceElder AbuseFamily Violence |
Author: Maher, Janemaree Title: Women, disability and violence: Barriers to accessing justice: Final Report Summary: This project, Women, disability and violence: Creating access to justice, draws on the insights of 36 women living in New South Wales and Victoria who outlined their experiences of seeking justice and security in the context of violence that they had experienced. As part of their commitment to policy relevant empirically grounded research, Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety (ANROWS) commissioned this research. The project was led by researchers from Monash University and People with Disability Australia, hereafter PWDA (representing Disabled People's Organisations Australia, hereafter DPOA). This research examines how these women worked to seek redress or support and the pathways and obstacles they encountered. This data has been augmented by interviews with 18 service providers from NSW and Victoria working in disability support services and advocacy organisations, domestic and family violence support services, and legal services. This is a qualitative project which limits generalisability: the aim here is to analyse the experiences these specific women have shared and work to identify patterns that emerge. Violence in the context of this project was understood to include physical and sexual violence as well as other forms of abuse such as coercive control, emotional abuse, financial abuse, and physical and social isolation. The majority of the cases captured in this report were instances of domestic and family violence defined broadly as violence occurring within a familial or caring context. It included sexual and physical assaults in a range of social and living environments. In addition, violence was understood to take particular forms such as withholding required medications or aids, limiting access to disability services and/or mainstream service providers and threats related to women's mothering and care-giving roles. Violence that violated women's sexual and reproductive autonomy, including forced or coerced sterilisation was also commonly reported. Avenues to seek desired justice, which may include prevention of future violence, everyday security and safety, and consequences for the perpetrators of violence are complex, as justice services and pathways may not effectively support the access of women with disability. This report reiterates findings that already exist in the public domain. As the context review makes clear, these issues of Executive summary violence and access to justice have been the focus of multiple reviews and interventions within Australia in the last five years. The question of legal capacity for women with disability is still unaddressed. As the Australian Human Rights Commission outlines (AHRC) (2014), all jurisdictions should have a disability strategy underpinned by a national Disability Justice Strategy. Implementation of this strategy should be guided by the following principles: 1. Safety of people with disability and freedom from violence. 2. Effective access to justice for people with disabilities. 3. Non-discrimination. 4. Respect for inherent dignity and individual autonomy including the freedom to make one's own decisions. 5. Full and effective participation and inclusion in the community. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2018. 92p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 27, 2018 at: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Maher%20et%20al%20Horizons%20Research%20Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://d2c0ikyv46o3b1.cloudfront.net/anrows.org.au/Maher%20et%20al%20Horizons%20Research%20Report.pdf Shelf Number: 149921 Keywords: Disabled PersonsDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolencePeople with DisabilitiesViolence Against Women |
Author: Ibrahim, Zainab Title: Counting the Cost: The Price Society Pays for Violence Against Women Summary: A new global report launched by the international relief and development organization, CARE International, estimates that violence against women (VAW) costs society upwards of 2% of global GDP, and states that the problem is serious in low, middle and high income countries alike. "First and foremost, violence against women is a fundamental human rights violation that demands condemnation and action. While all costs cannot be easily measured, an understanding of the economic costs to society provides additional perspectives as to why governments, donors and the private sector need to come together to address this pandemic", said Sofia Sprechmann, Program Director for CARE International. The report, "Counting the Cost: The price society pays for violence against women," draws on studies from 13 different areas of the world and presents the economic costs of VAW in relation to national economies. Three of the case studies were conducted by CARE which looked at intimate partner violence (IPV) in Bangladesh and Zambia and sexual harassment in the workplace in Cambodia. Survivors bear the highest costs but States bear costs in service delivery to victims while the private sector pays for reduced productivity. Costs and lives are therefore saved when laws and proper investments address preventing violence, education, and thus the implementation of behavioural, legal and regulatory solutions across sectors. The cost of violence to GDP greatly exceeds the cost of prevention and intervention. For example, in Uganda, implementing the provisions of the Domestic Violence Act of 2010 for both prevention and response was slated at just over US$ 8 million over three years while the cost of violence occurring was estimated at US$ 30.7 million for just one year. "These figures - both the billions of US dollars that violence costs and the more than one billion women likely to suffer that violence in their lifetime - point to one inescapable conclusion: violence against women has a devastating and lasting impact on all of us and demands that we pledge support and take urgent action" said Jayanthi Kuru-Utumpala, one of the co-authors of the report from Chrysalis, Sri Lanka, an affiliate member of the CARE International network. _"__Violence and harassment against women are among the abuses that leave women vulnerable at avoidable cost to them, their families, and whole economies. In the case of workplace protection, more than one-third of the world's countries have no laws prohibiting sexual harassment at work. This is why CARE is encouraging more governments and employers to join the many other governments that have taken a position in support of the adoption of an International Labour Organisation (ILO) __Convention on ending violence and sexual harassment in the world of work as one critical step," said Milkah Kihunah, Deputy Director of Global Advocacy of CARE USA._ The report recommends actions to prevent and respond to violence against women across the government and private sectors and by donors. These include increased resources, support for women's and grassroots movements, and strong laws. CARE is also calling on governments, businesses, trade unions and others to support the establishment of an ILO Convention to end harassment and violence in the world of work. Given the legal gaps in how national laws and current international standards address this issue, a binding ILO Convention would provide a critical guidepost and address the challenges that women and marginalised groups face in accessing the right to work free from violence and harassment. Details: Geneva, SWIT: CARE International, 2018. 35p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 11, 2018 at: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Counting_the_costofViolence.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Counting_the_costofViolence.pdf Shelf Number: 150155 Keywords: Costs of ViolenceEconomic AnalysisFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council Title: Child homicide in Queensland: A descriptive analysis of offences finalised by Queensland criminal courts, 2005-06 to 2016-17 Summary: When homicide occurs within our community, it provokes strong emotions. When a child is the victim of homicide, community concern magnifies. This report provides the results of research undertaken by the Secretariat of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council as part of the formal request by the Attorney-General to examine sentencing for criminal offences arising from the death of a child (child homicide offences). To promote a comprehensive understanding of child homicide, the Secretariat considered a range of information sources, including data from government agencies as well as the broader body of literature at state, national and international levels. This report is a descriptive analysis of the offence characteristics, victims, offenders and sentencing outcomes associated with child homicide offences finalised by Queensland criminal courts in the 12-year period between 1 July 2005 and 30 June 2017. It does not provide explanations for any identified patterns or trends; however, additional legal discussion and interpretation of the data is included in the Council's complementary consultation paper Sentencing for criminal offences arising from the death of a child: Consultation paper. The Council's final report, scheduled for completion by 31 October 2018, will include additional commentary about the data. This research report begins with an outline of the scope and an overview of the sentenced offences examined. The report then looks at victims of child homicide and offenders sentenced by Queensland courts for child homicide, as well as what we currently know about child homicide as an offence category. Where relevant, adult homicide is used for comparative purposes. This research reveals a number of key findings: Key findings Child homicide offences - Child homicide is complex and diverse, posing specific challenges for the criminal justice system as well as prevention efforts. - The majority of child homicides occur in a private location, usually the victim's home. The likelihood of a homicide occurring in the home is greatest for child victims aged under 10 years. - Child homicide cases take significantly longer to progress from offence to sentencing than adult homicide cases, although in the current Queensland dataset, a number of historical child murder cases influence this finding. - Substance misuse and mental health issues are associated with child homicide offenders; however, the contribution of these factors to the homicide event is difficult to determine. - According the National Homicide Monitoring Program, over the period 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2014, Queensland accounted for 19.5 per cent of all national homicide incidents and 25.0 per cent of all national child homicide incidents. Victims of child homicide - Children in Queensland are less likely than adults to be the victim of homicide events finalised by Queensland criminal courts. Ten adults per 100,000 adult population were victims of homicide events finalised by Queensland courts over the 12-year period, compared to 5.7 children per 100,000 child population. - A child is at greatest risk of homicide in their first year of life, with risk reducing until it again increases during a child's mid to late teenage years. - The number of boy and girl victims is about the same. In contrast, almost two thirds of adult homicide victims are male. - Patterns in the cause of death are identifiable based on who committed the child homicide and the age of the victim. Child homicide offenders - Family members are the most common perpetrators of child homicide, with parents or parent equivalents representing the largest offender group. - While a majority of sentenced child homicide offenders record previous convictions, most did not record a previous conviction for a violent offence. - Females represent a higher proportion of perpetrators in the child homicide category than in any other category of homicide. - Offenders sentenced for child homicide are on average younger than adult homicide offenders. Sentencing of child homicide offences - All offenders sentenced by Queensland criminal courts for child homicide over the 12-year period received custodial sentences. - Adult offenders sentenced for child manslaughter are more likely to have pleaded guilty than those sentenced for child murder. - For adult offenders sentenced for homicide, child homicide is more likely than adult homicide to result in a sentence for manslaughter, not murder. - For adult offenders sentenced for manslaughter, the average custodial sentence is 8.3 years. Offenders sentenced for adult manslaughter received significantly longer average sentences (8.5 years) than offenders sentenced for child manslaughter (6.8 years), but the median values are not as different (8.0 and 7.5 respectively). - A quarter of adult offenders imprisoned for manslaughter of a child were declared to be convicted of a serious violent offence (SVO). - All adult offenders sentenced for murder received a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment. Details: Brisbane: The Council, 2018. 108p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/576510/sentencing-for-child-homicide-offences-research-report-july-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.sentencingcouncil.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/576510/sentencing-for-child-homicide-offences-research-report-july-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 150972 Keywords: Child Homicide Crime Statistics Domestic Violence Family ViolenceHomicide Murder Sentencing Violent Crime |
Author: Our Watch Title: Changing the picture: A national resource to support the prevention of violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and their children Summary: Violence against women is not an 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander problem'. It is a national problem - one that is prevalent and persistent - in all communities, right across Australia. At the same time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience disproportionate rates of violence, and violence that is often more severe. This resource helps us understand why this is, what is needed to change this, and how as a society we can all work together to stop this violence from happening in the first place. A national survey found Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women report experiencing violence in the previous 12 months at 3.1 times the rate of non-Indigenous women. Hospitalisation rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women due to family violence-related assaults are 32 times the rate for non-Indigenous women. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are nearly 11 times more likely to die due to assault than non-Indigenous women. Violence against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women is perpetrated by men of all cultural backgrounds, in many different contexts and settings across the country. Changing the picture contains a set of clear actions that are needed to address the many drivers of this violence. Because these drivers are located right across Australian society, this is a national resource - intended to encourage, guide and support a national effort - by many organisations and stakeholders, at many levels and in many settings. Details: Melbourne: Our Watch, 2018. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 31, 2018 at: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/17029131-bcf4-45b2-9f54-19cf9b333727/Changing-the-picture-AA.pdf.aspx Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ourwatch.org.au/getmedia/17029131-bcf4-45b2-9f54-19cf9b333727/Changing-the-picture-AA.pdf.aspx Shelf Number: 150973 Keywords: Aboriginals Family ViolenceIndigenous Peoples Violence Against Women, Children |
Author: Breckenridge, Jan Title: National mapping and meta-evaluation outlining key features of effective "safe at home" programs that enhance safety and prevent homelessness for women and their children who have experienced domestic and family violence: State of knowledge pape Summary: History and development of "safe at home" programs - Domestic violence refuges - Domestic violence was not recognised in policy or as a professional practice issue in Australia until the second wave of feminism in the 1970s (Breckenridge & Laing, 1999). In 1972, as part of an orchestrated social action campaign, feminist activists squatted in empty properties and established the first women's refuge in Glebe, New South Wales. Activist engagement with government directly led to the Commonwealth Labor Government providing initial funding for women's refuges (Breckenridge, 1992). Activist initiatives such as this subsequently proliferated in all Australian States and Territories. These activities were fuelled by dual intentions: highlighting the impacts of domestic violence to create enough political pressure to end it; and providing women with an option to leave a violent partner by providing refuge accommodation in the short term (McFerran, 2007, p. 29). This initial focus on securing and expanding the availability of refuge accommodation had the unintended consequence of the removal of women and children from the family home becoming "normalised" and accepted as the primary response to domestic violence. In the face of no other alternatives, this was regarded for some time as the most effective means to ensure women's safety (Edwards, 2004; Jones et al., 2010; Spinney & Blandy, 2011). The refuge model is a suitable option for some women escaping violence when the perpetrator and/or his supporters are not incarcerated and are highly likely to engage in further and escalating violence. Refuges provide other benefits - for example, the communal living model promotes self-esteem and empowerment via shared experience and mutual support (Murray, 2008, p. 69). However, another contributing factor to the impetus for change was the growing recognition by health and welfare professionals more generally that leaving the family home frequently results in temporary or long-term homelessness, as well as economic and social disadvantage and ongoing disruption to victims' lives (Desmond, 2011). Post separation difficulties such as these can result in some women returning to their violent partner in order to escape homelessness, survive financially and better provide for their children (Braaf & Barrett Meyering, 2011; Desmond, 2011). Beginnings of "safe at home" For over 20 years, high security refuges remained the primary response until the mid to late 1990s when advocacy groups and researchers proposed the option that women and children remain safely in their home while the perpetrator is removed as a means of redressing the socially unjust orthodoxy of women and children fleeing from men's violence (Chung et al., 2000; McFerran, 2007). These later became known as "safe at home" approaches. It was never the intention that "safe at home" become a universal response or to replace existing specialist DV emergency accommodation. In fact, initially there was much anxiety about this being an unrealistic option based on professional concern about whether the safety of women and children could be sustained (Edwards, 2004b). Nevertheless, these recommendations were made at a time when policy and practice developments were increasingly focused on integrated interagency responses, law reform and specialist courts with new models emerging that were underpinned by coordinated responses involving police, courts and services for victims and perpetrators - one of the early examples being the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Family Violence Intervention Program (Cussen & Lyneham, 2012). Original proposals for women and children remaining in the home were based on the assumption that they were not at a high risk of danger and that there would be police and court responses in place that excluded the perpetrator from the home and responded effectively to any subsequent breaches of protection orders. In this respect, calls for "safe at home" options were aspirational and underpinned by some form of integrated interagency model or partnerships being in place at the sector and local level. From the early 2000s, women's specialist domestic violence accommodation services commenced trials of "safe at home" programs including the Eastern Domestic Violence Outreach Service in Melbourne, the Bega Program, and the South Eastern Sydney and Mt Druitt pilots (Edwards, 2011). The evaluations of these pilot programs indicated that there was the potential for such an approach and demonstrated that it was viable for a select group of women. However, it was also evident that there needed to be consistent court procedures so that perpetrators would be excluded from the home as expected and Apprehended Violence Orders would be properly policed and perpetrators arrested if they breached them (Edwards, 2004; Edwards, 2011). Edwards' (2011) research also highlighted the imperative of ongoing risk assessment and comprehensive responses to perpetrators - the latter responses being offered by organisations other than safe at home programs. Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Landscapes: State of Knowledge, Issue 05: Accessed August 6, 2018 at: https://dh2wpaq0gtxwe.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/final%205_3.1%20Landscapes%20SafeAtHome%2029%207%202015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Australia URL: https://dh2wpaq0gtxwe.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/final%205_3.1%20Landscapes%20SafeAtHome%2029%207%202015.pdf Shelf Number: 151029 Keywords: Abused WomenDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceVictim ServicesVictims of ViolenceViolence Against Women |
Author: Mockus, Antanas Title: Antipodas de la violencia: Desafios de cultura ciudadana para la crisis de (in)seguridad en America Latina Summary: This book examines the relationship between culture and citizen security in eight Latin American cities. It incorporates a broad culture concept into diagnostics, analyzes, surveys and actions. What interests us most about culture is its regulatory power. The worldwide distribution of homicides and suicides shows enormous differences between countries whose explanation can not but give a great weight to cultural differences. The ability of each culture to regulate, interpret and justify certain behavior or not offers vital keys to understand and deal with the problems that come together in the current crisis of citizen security in Latin America. Cultural impunity and moral impunity sometimes come to add their effect to legal impunity. Details: Washington, DC: Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo Corpovisionarios, 2012. 314p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 8, 2018 at: https://publications.iadb.org/handle/11319/383 Year: 2012 Country: Latin America URL: https://publications.iadb.org/handle/11319/383 Shelf Number: 151061 Keywords: Citizen SecurityCrime PreventionFamily ViolenceHomicideViolenceViolent Crime |
Author: Mitaera, Jean Title: Cook Islands cultural concepts to inform family violence interventions and practice - Literature search Summary: Despite the growing incidence of family violence amongst Cook Islanders in Aotearoa New Zealand, practice interventions to support the safety and healing of Cook Islands victims, perpetrators and their families are promulgated from within western knowledge and theories of family violence. As well, these matters are further aggravated by the small number of Cook Islands family violence practitioners and the dearth of literature available to inform the design of interventions. Responding to these theoretical, practical and everyday family situations, this project identifies four pieces of Cook Islands literature, reviews and critiques each of them and the cultural concepts they present. The critique draws on Payne's (2014) three key elements of theory building: perspective, theory and model. An approach forward is recommended for designing culturally informed and relevant interventions. Details: Wellington, NZ: Ministry for Social Development, 2016. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2018 at: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/pacific/msd-cook-island-report-18-v4.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Asia URL: https://www.msd.govt.nz/documents/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/research/pacific/msd-cook-island-report-18-v4.pdf Shelf Number: 151143 Keywords: Family ViolenceIndigenous PeoplesIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Fitz-Gibbon, Kate Title: Investigating Adolescent Family Violence in Victoria: Understanding experiences of practitioner perspectives Summary: This report looks at adolescent family violence and highlights that it has long-term implications on the health and wellbeing for those affected. The report draws on the insights of those who have experience adolescent family violence as well as experts, service providers, general practitioners and health service providers. It uses these insights to discuss the nature and impact of adolescent family violence, the adequacy of current criminal justice, service and therapeutic responses, and the need for future practice and policy reform. In identifying patterns in the experiences of those affected, the report found that: Adolescent males more commonly used violence in the home than their adolescent female counterparts, and mothers were more likely to be victimised than male adults within the home Adolescent females more commonly used verbal violence and property damage as mechanisms for control, while adolescent males were more commonly reported using physical violence. The report finds that adolescent family violence had long-term health and wellbeing implications for those affected, which can include educational, relational, health and economic impacts. It also makes recommendations for policy and practice. Details: Melbourne: Monash Gender and Family Violence Program., 2018. 82p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 16, 2018 at: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/07/Adolescent-Family-Violence-in-Victoria-Final-Report.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://arts.monash.edu/gender-and-family-violence/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2018/07/Adolescent-Family-Violence-in-Victoria-Final-Report.pdf Shelf Number: 151144 Keywords: AdolescentsFamily Violence |
Author: United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women Title: Engaging Men to Prevent Gender-Based Violence: A Multi-Country Intervention and Impact Evaluation Study Summary: Over three years Instituto Promundo, with support from the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, implemented a multi-country project to engage men and boys in preventing violence against women and promote gender equality. Project activities in each country varied but all included educational workshops with men and young men on gender equity and training programs with partner staff on evidence-based methodologies for the prevention of violence against women. The project deliberately sought to test and evaluate an array of interventions to engage young and adult men in GBV prevention, namely: 1 A community-based intervention (India); 2 A sports-based intervention (Brazil); 3 A health-sector-based intervention (Chile), and; 4 A work-place-based intervention (Rwanda). The interventions in three of the four settings Chile, Brazil and India were subject to a quasi-experimental impact evaluation. In all three settings, there was a statistically signi!cant change in attitudes correlated with use of violence against women, and a statistically signi!cant selfreported decrease in use of violence against female partners (in the previous three months). Qualitative results further af!rmed that the group education and campaign activities used in each site led to increased discussion by young and adult men about gender equality and decreased support for attitudes that encourage men's use of intimate partner violence. Limitations of the data include the lack of randomization (although there were control groups in similar communities in India and Brazil), and the lack of women's reports (with the exception of India). In India, through youth groups, advocacy campaigns and community outreach more than 1500 men and youth were educated on the consequences of gender-based violence and prevention tools. Themes of masculinity, gender, violence against women and sexuality were central to the efforts. As a result of workshops, men self-reported doing their own washing and participating more equally in household responsibilities and boys self-reported advocating for their sisters' right to an education. Participants developed individual plans to address the prevalence of violence against women in their own lives. Additionally, the group as a whole devised community education plans for their villages to educate their neighbors on these issues. In Brazil, workshops and campaigns aimed to increase awareness about inequitable gender norms and the consequences of violence against women amongst adult and young men. Additionally, a football (soccer) tournament was held amongst participants to bring the messages of the workshops to the communities at a more informal and social level and to encourage higher participation by men in the activities. Results show a change in attitudes among men in the intervention community and in the control community (where "contamination" inadvertently occurred through a football club organizer.) Ninety-two percent of participants in the soccer tournament said that they spoke about the themes of the campaigns with others. The project received the region Nike/Change Makers prize for the competition "Changing Lives Through Football" for its use of sports in mobilizing men and boys to address violence against women. In Chile, CulturaSalud conducted educational workshops for 260 young men via the public health sector and in public schools on the prevention of violence against women, alternatives to violence and gender equity. More than 90 percent of participants strongly agreed that the topics covered in the workshops were important and interesting and all agreed that the people in charge of the workshops had a good handle of the issues. Following the workshops participants increased their use of condoms, increased their knowledge of different forms of violence, and were more likely to reject violence against women. In Rwanda, the Rwandan Men's Resource Center (RWAMREC) worked with three local coffee cooperatives to conduct gender-based violence prevention trainings. The trainings served a dual purpose: when men and women worked alongside each other through the cooperatives they were educated on how to prevent gender-based violence and promote healthy families while also increasing coffee production and related incomes. Following the trainings, there was a reported increase in the questioning of gender-based violence by men, as well as a decrease in the number of gender-based violence cases and more equitable division of labor. Results in Rwanda are informal and not backed up by a control group nor systematized pre- and post-test results. Details: Washington, DC: PROMUNDO, 2018(?). Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2018 at: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/IP_EngagingMenToPreventGBVMulticountryInterventionImpactStudy_2012.pdf Year: 2018 Country: International URL: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/IP_EngagingMenToPreventGBVMulticountryInterventionImpactStudy_2012.pdf Shelf Number: 151316 Keywords: Abusive MenFamily ViolenceGender-Based ViolenceIntimate partner ViolenceViolence Against WomenViolence Prevention Programs |
Author: Weatherburn, Dan Title: General offending by domestic violence offenders Summary: Aim: To assess (a) the extent to which DV offenders specialise in DV offending (b) the type and frequency of involvement in non-DV offences by DV offenders and (c) the similarities and differences between DV assault offenders and non-DV assault offenders. Method: To address the first two questions we examine non-DV offending by offenders convicted in New South Wales (NSW) of a DV offence between 2008 and 2017. To address the third we use classification techniques to determine how well DV assault offenders and non-DV assault offenders can be separated on the basis of demographic and criminal justice variables or (in a separate sub-analysis) how well they can be separated on the basis of the Level of Service InventoryRevised (LSI-R). Results: A little over a third (35.25%) of the cohort had a DV conviction as their only conviction. The remainder (64.75%) had at least one general (non-DV) offence. DV offences accounted for only 38 per cent of all the offences committed by DV offenders between 2008 and 2017. DV offenders committed more than 2.5 times as many non-DV offences as DV offences. The 65,183 DV offenders who committed at least one non-DV offence, between them generated a total of 385,741 proven non-DV offences The most common non-DV offences committed by DV offenders in the cohort were traffic offences (27.99% of all non-DV offences), theft offences (14.67% of all non-DV offences) and drug offences (12.31% of all non-DV offences). DV assault offenders and non-DV assault offenders differ very little in terms of their demographic and criminal justice profile or in terms of their LSI-R profile. Conclusion: Policing strategies aimed at deterring or incapacitating domestic violence offenders are likely to produce spillover benefits in terms of other forms of crime. Further research is urgently needed to determine what works in reducing the risk of DV reoffending for those who specialise in DV and those whose offending involves both DV and non-DV offences. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2017. 12p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 215: Accessed August 31, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-General-offending-by-domestic-violence-offenders-CJB215.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-General-offending-by-domestic-violence-offenders-CJB215.pdf Shelf Number: 151333 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Ringland, Clare Title: The Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT) and intimate partner repeat victimisation Summary: Aim: To examine the predictive ability of the Domestic Violence Safety Assessment Tool (DVSAT) in determining a victim's risk of intimate partner repeat victimisation. Method: The study sample was 24,462 victims of intimate partner violence who were administered the DVSAT and recorded in the Central Referral Point (CRP) database between 1 January 2016 and 30 June 2016. Repeat victimisation was defined as experiencing a new domestic violence incident within 12 months of the index incident. The incident had to involve an intimate partner and result in a subsequent incident recorded in the CRP database. Two measures of repeat victimisation were defined: one included intimate partner related incidents overall (regardless of the type of incident); the other was limited to physical incidents of intimate partner violence, involving homicide, assault, sexual assault or robbery. Various predictors were examined, including the number of 'yes' responses to DVSAT items, with particular focus on 'yes' responses to 12 or more items, whether the victim had been involved in 2 or more DV incidents in the 6 months prior (a proxy for the repeat victim trigger), and being classified as 'at serious threat' (based on 12 or more 'yes' responses, the repeat victim trigger and/ or an officer's professional judgement). Responses to individual DVSAT items were also examined. Predictive accuracy was assessed separately for female and male victims. Results: Responding 'yes' to 12 or more items was associated with repeat victimisation but was a poor indicator in terms of discriminating those who experienced repeat victimisation from those who did not. The classification of 'at serious threat' was a better indicator of repeat victimisation than was responding 'yes' to 12 or more items, however, predictive accuracy was still poor. While some individual DVSAT items were predictors of repeat victimisation, many were weak predictors, and some, intended as indicators of increased risk of repeat victimisation, actually signalled a lower risk of this outcome. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of empirical validation when developing a risk assessment tool and provides evidence in support of further evaluation and review of the DVSAT. Details: Sydney: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Contemporary Issues in Crime and Justice Number 213: Accessed September 18, 2018 at: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Domestic-Violence-Safety-Assessment-Tool-cjb213.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: http://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/CJB/2018-Report-Domestic-Violence-Safety-Assessment-Tool-cjb213.pdf Shelf Number: 151574 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence Recidivism Reoffending Risk Asssessment |
Author: Hess, Cynthia Title: Dreams Deferred: A Survey on the Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Survivors' Education, Careers, and Economic Security Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV)-in which one person seeks to control another through psychological, sexual, financial, and/or physical abuse-has long-lasting health, educational, and economic consequences for survivors. Previous research indicates that IPV has substantial economic costs for both survivors and society; one recent study, for example, estimates the lifetime costs of IPV-including the costs of related health problems, lost productivity, and criminal justice costs-at $103,767 for women and $23,414 for men. In addition to these direct costs, survivors experience other effects from IPV that can harm them financially and make it difficult to build economic security, such as lost educational opportunities, diminished ability to work, and loss of control over the choice and timing of childbearing. Understanding the multiple effects of abuse and how they interrelate and shape survivors' ongoing opportunities is critical to developing programs and policies that increase safety and economic security. This report examines the educational, career, and economic effects of intimate partner violence by presenting findings from a survey of 164 survivors developed by the Institute for Women's Policy Research (IWPR) and administered at transitional housing programs, shelters, and other domestic violence programs in 11 states and the District of Columbia. Though not representative of all survivors, the survey explores the self-reported effects of abuse on survivors in the sample and the resources they find most helpful in addressing the economic effects of intimate partner violence. Nearly all respondents to the survey were women, and 71 percent were between the ages of 25 and 44 (with an average age of 38). Most respondents said they have experienced multiple forms of abuse, and the majority (56 percent) have experienced abuse from more than one partner, often beginning at a young age. Eighty-nine percent are parents; 55 percent have children aged four or younger. The survey reveals how the economic dimensions of abuse permeate survivors' lives, creating a complex set of needs that make it difficult to exit abusive relationships and move forward in recovery. Seventy-three percent of respondents said they had stayed with an abusive partner longer than they wanted or returned to them for economic reasons. Many of those surveyed, however, expressed optimism that with the right resources, they will flourish and thrive. Details: Washington, DC: Institute for Women's Policy Research, 2018. 53p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 14, 2018 at: https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/C474_IWPR-Report-Dreams-Deferred.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://iwpr.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/C474_IWPR-Report-Dreams-Deferred.pdf Shelf Number: 153416 Keywords: Family ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence Victims of Crime Violence Against Women |
Author: Healey, Lucy Title: Invisible Practices: Intervention with Fathers who Use Violence Summary: This project aimed to provide an evidence base for intervening with fathers who use domestic and family violence (DFV), in order to enhance support for women and children living with DFV. The project is a part of ANROWS's Perpetrator Interventions Research Stream. The project delivered an evidence-informed Practice Guide for workers and highlights the need for organisations to undertake systemic change to embed new practice approaches. Structured interventions with men who use violence mostly occur through the criminal justice system and specialist men's behaviour change programs. While other services, such as child protection and family support services, work with fathers who use violence, this work has never been documented or formalised. In other words, to date, this work has been largely "invisible". The project's findings are structured around four themes: - key skills identified for working with fathers who use violence and control; - key factors identified in partnering with women; key skills in ensuring a focus on children and young people; and - the role of organisations and practitioner capacity building. The project built upon earlier ANROWS research, including the PATRICIA (PAThways and Research Into Collaborative Inter-Agency practice) project, which investigated fostering collaboration between child protection and specialist DFV services. The Invisible Practices project also draws on evidence from other existing research, the expertise of practitioners in four states and the technical skills and knowledge of the US-based Safe & Together Institute's consultants David Mandel and Kyle Pinto. Details: New South Wales, Australia: Australia's National Research Organization for Women's Safety, 2018. 148p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 9, 2018 at: https://www.anrows.org.au/node/1307 Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://dh2wpaq0gtxwe.cloudfront.net/Healey%20et%20al%20-%20Research%20Report%20-%20Invisible%20Practices.pdf Shelf Number: 153950 Keywords: Abusive MenDomestic ViolenceEvidence-Based InterventionFamily ViolenceFathersGender-Based ViolenceIntervention Programs |
Author: Mock, Lynne Title: Illinois Integrated Protocol Initiative Training Evaluation Report 2015-2017 Summary: Domestic violence is almost ubiquitous in Illinois. Illinois law enforcement agencies reported 118,160 domestic-related crimes in 2016 (Illinois State Police, 2017). The Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council (IFVCC) has received several federal grants to improve prosecution rates, use of orders of protection, and public safety. IFVCC developed and provided training for police and other criminal justice practitioners to improve knowledge about domestic violence and apply this knowledge to support evidence-based approaches to prosecution. Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority (ICJIA) researchers worked with IFVCC Program Director and Evaluation Working Group members to develop evaluation tools for the Council's training protocols and mini-tool kits. Training evaluations from law enforcement, probation officers, emergency services personnel, and 911 telecommunicators were collected and analyzed to determine their confidence levels in processing these cases, perceptions of the trainer and the training, beliefs in supervisory and collegial support for using evidence-based arrest and prosecution approaches, and retention of key information imparted during the training immediately afterwards. Overall, training participants provided positive feedback about the quality of training provided. Most participants reported a significant increase in confidence after the training and positively rated the training and trainers. While some were uncertain about the relevance of the training to their work, most rated the training as applicable. Participants showed significant increases in knowledge in most pre- and post-assessments. A 70-percent correct response rate was set as the minimum score required to demonstrate adequate knowledge of the material from the training sessions. More than half of the domestic violence training for law enforcement and emergency medical services staff participants met this standard, at 58 percent and 53 percent, respectively. Almost half of the probation personnel participants met this standard, at 47 percent. Policy implications explored continuing these trainings and setting specific goals for them. In addition, it would be important to monitor the fidelity of the training provided to insure an increase in investigations, orders of protections and evidence-based arrests. And, work is needed beyond the in-class training and into the workplace, where supervisors can show support for the use of the evidence-based practices and adopt them as standard operating procedure in their departments. Expanding the training modality to online webinar formats with technical assistance outreach would allow more training participation with cost savings in travel and training locations. Future research could involve an evaluation of the predictive reliability of the evaluation tools to show the extent to which new knowledge was adopted and useful in evidence-based prosecutions. Also, a study comparing standard practice to evidence-based prosecutions stemming from IFVCC training protocols and mini-toolkits would measure the effectiveness of the tools to support domestic violence arrest and prosecution. Details: Chicago: Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, 2018. 62p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed Dec. 11, 2018 at: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/pdf/IFVCC/IIPI_Training_Evaluation_Report_IFVCC_101818.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: http://www.icjia.state.il.us/assets/pdf/IFVCC/IIPI_Training_Evaluation_Report_IFVCC_101818.pdf Shelf Number: 153960 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceEvidence-Based PracticesFamily ViolencePolice and Domestic ViolencePolice Training |
Author: Mills, Linda Title: An In-Depth Examination of Batterer Intervention and Alternative Treatment Approaches for Domestic Violence Offenders Summary: The criminal justice system is the most important response to domestic violence (DV) in the United States (US). Every state currently criminalizes DV and most courts rely on Batterer Intervention Programs (BIPs) as their primary form of treatment to address this crime and minimize future incidents of violence among intimate partners and/or family members (Crockett et al., 2015). This study addresses one of the most significant developments in the system's response to DV - the 2,500 or so BIPs to which hundreds of thousands of convicted offenders are mandated to treatment each year by US judges (Boal & Mankowski, 2014). BIPs claim that their focus is on changing sexist attitudes and related behaviors and holding offenders accountable for their crimes. Rigorous studies of BIPs have shown high attrition rates (Aaron & Beaulaurier, 2017; Babcock, Green, & Robie, 2004; Price & Rosenbaum, 2009; Jewell & Wormith, 2010), little evidence of attitudinal and behavioral change (Gondolf, 2000; Jackson et al. 2003), and inconsistent contact with victims (Mills, Grauwiler, & Pezold, 2006; Price & Rosenbaum, 2009). Despite this growing acknowledgement and acceptance that BIPs are minimally effective, our study is the first to use a rigorous research design (a randomized controlled trial) complemented by an in-depth qualitative study in examining the effectiveness of an alternative treatment approach using restorative justice (RJ). In an attempt to address the shortcomings of BIP treatment programs, a number of states now allow alternative approaches, aside from the standard BIP, for DV crimes (Barocas, Emery, & Mills, 2016). These alternatives include restorative justice and conjoint or couples treatments. Some states require that these alternative programs be offered after a period of BIP treatment (e.g., Utah); other states allow these alternative options to be offered instead of BIP treatment (e.g., Arizona). This National Institute of Justice (NIJ)-funded study was designed to provide an in-depth examination of BIP and an alternative treatment approach using RJ for DV offenders. The study design provides an in-depth content analysis to complement a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Salt Lake City, Utah that uses an intention to treat method of analysis to determine which treatment program has the lowest arrest outcomes: a traditional BIP or a BIP plus RJ approach called Circles of Peace (CP). Utah requires a minimum of 16 weeks of treatment for domestic violence offenders mandated to treatment. BIP, a 16-week group-based treatment approach for offenders only, is largely didactic (as opposed to interactive) and focuses on changing sexist attitudes for the purpose of altering the behavior of offenders. BIP plus CP provides 12 weeks of offender-only group sessions (with RJ principles infused throughout), encouraging offenders to focus on behavioral and attitudinal change. Following the initial 12 group sessions, offenders participate in four weeks of individual circles with a willing victim or a victim advocate (if the victim does not want to participate), family members or other support people, and trained community volunteers. The NSF study is a two-part study; this NIJ study builds on Part II. Part I of the NSF study compared BIP only and BIP plus CP for all DV cases (intimate partner and family violence). Part II of the NSF study and the NIJ study focused on intimate partner violence cases only. Using a variety of data collection methods, this NIJ study offers critical findings that go beyond what the NSF quantitative study can provide (results from Part II of the NSF study are still pending). Interviews with offenders and victims over multiple points in time, video-recordings and observations of treatment sessions, and a case record review allowed the researchers to test emerging theories that BIP plus CP may be a viable alternative to treatment, while ensuring that safety concerns are addressed when using this approach. Details: NYC: New York University, 2018. 17p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 18, 2018 at: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/252265.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/252265.pdf Shelf Number: 154067 Keywords: Alternative ApproachesBatterer Intervention ProgramsCircles of PeaceCouples TreatmentDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceRestorative JusticeSexist AttitudesUtahViolence Against Women |
Author: Freeman, Karen Title: Domestic and Family Violence by Juvenile Offenders: Offender, Victim and Incident Characteristics Summary: Aim: To examine domestic and family violence perpetrated by juveniles in New South Wales, including identifying characteristics of offenders, victims, and incidents. Method: Descriptive analysis was undertaken of a cohort of persons aged under 18 years who were proceeded against by New South Wales Police for domestic assault. A sub-sample of 200 police narratives for this cohort was further analysed to identify more detailed contextual factors associated with these incidents. Case studies are presented. Results: While the majority of juvenile offenders were male, approximately one third were female. Approximately half of the sample of offenders had criminal proceedings in the 24 months prior to, and the 12 months following, the reference offence, showing a pattern of ongoing criminal behaviour. Victims were more likely to be female, and more likely to be a family member, predominantly a parent, than an intimate partner. Both male and female victims were more likely to be assaulted by a male than female offender. The vast majority of incidents occurred in the victim's home and involved physical violence but did not involve a weapon. Alcohol and other drug use was infrequently associated with these incidents, however mental health issues experienced by the offender was noted in approximately one in four incidents. Conclusion: While domestic and family violence by juveniles has commonalities with domestic and family violence by adults, the nature of the relationship between victims and offenders presents unique challenges in providing appropriate responses to, and services for, victims and offenders. Details: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, 2018. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 20, 2019 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/2018/10/02/report-domestic-and-family-violence-juvenile-offenders-offender-victim-and-incident Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au/Documents/BB/2018-Report-Domestic-and-family-violence-by-juvenile-offenders-BB136.pdf Shelf Number: 154284 Keywords: AssaultChild-to-Parent ViolenceDomestic Violence Family Violence Juvenile Offender Mental Health Issues |
Author: El-Murr, Alissar Title: Intimate partner violence in Australian refugee communities: Scoping review of issues and service responses Summary: This paper looks at what is currently known about intimate partner violence in Australian refugee communities, and what service providers can do to ensure appropriate support is available to this client group. The first half of the paper provides a scoping review of current research. The second half of the paper looks at real-life case studies of service practice through consultations with organisations of importance to refugee communities in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. Key messages - Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most commonly experienced form of family violence used against women in Australia and takes place across all cultures and faith groups. - In addition to physical and sexual violence, women from refugee backgrounds are particularly vulnerable to financial abuse, reproductive coercion and immigration-related violence. - Intersecting factors relevant to the experience of IPV in refugee communities include migration pathways and traumatic pre-arrival experiences, as well as settlement issues such as acculturation stress and social isolation. - Integrated, trauma-informed care is regarded as promising practice in services targeting individuals from refugee backgrounds to address women's experiences of IPV. - To assist in overcoming barriers to engagement, service providers can implement strategies to enhance cultural safety. Promoting community involvement and leadership has been shown to be important in developing culturally competent programming and should underpin violence prevention strategies. Details: Melbourne: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2018. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: CFCA Paper No. 50: Accessed January 24, 2019 at: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/50_intimate_partner_violence_in_australian_refugee_communities.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/50_intimate_partner_violence_in_australian_refugee_communities.pdf Shelf Number: 154389 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRefugeesViolence Against Women |
Author: Powell, Anastasia Title: Review of bystander approaches in support of preventing violence against women Summary: There has been a significant focus within recent Australian government and policy debates on the role of primary prevention to address violence against women; in particular, sexual and intimate partner violence. In 2007 VicHealth published Preventing violence before it occurs: A framework and background paper to guide the primary prevention of violence against women in Victoria In 2009 the then State Government of Victoria launched (VicHealth 2007). Drawing on an international evidence-base, this document set out the conceptual framework for the prevention of violence against women (henceforth referred to as the 'VicHealth framework') as well as the strategic directions and priority actions for state government policy. In particular, the VicHealth framework identified the social determinants of violence against women - such as unequal power relations between women and men, and social norms that reinforce this - and provided a roadmap for program and policy activity to address these determinants effectively. A Right to Respect: Victoria's Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women 2010-2020 (State Government of Victoria 2009). This 10-year plan set out a statewide strategy to enable the primary prevention of violence against women across settings and communities. At the federal level, in 2009 the Australian government released Time for Action, the National Council's Plan for Australia to Reduce Violence Against Women and their Children (National Council to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children 2009b). Time for Action Together these documents provide a high-level framework for the prevention of violence against women by identifying effective and promising strategies, priority areas, as well as population groups and sites. In turn, this local focus on preventing violence against women draws on a global context in which the United Nations (e.g. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women) and the World Health Organization (WHO 2002; 2004) have provided significant leadership as well as specific guidance on how to 'do' prevention work (see WHO 2004). proposed a 12-year national strategy for primary prevention and also further reform of the response and intervention systems for family violence and sexual assault. In 2011 the Council of Australian Governments launched the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children to drive activity in six outcome areas, including primary prevention and respectful relationships (Commonwealth of Australia 2011) Tertiary responses to violence against women, such as legal penalties for perpetrators and support services for victims, continue to play a crucial role in society's overall response to violence against women. However, in the context of continuing rates of victimisation and low reporting of violence to police, such responses are not in of themselves enough to stop violence against women continuing to occur. For example, in the most recent Australian Personal Safety Survey, 40 per cent of women reported experiencing at least one incident of physical or sexual violence since the age of 15, and while men who experience violence are most likely to be assaulted by a stranger, women continue to be most likely assaulted by a current or former partner or family member (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006). These findings reflect those in earlier research which indicated that more than a third of Australian women surveyed have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, most often at the hands of a current or former intimate partner (Mouzos & Makkai 2004; Australian Bureau of Statistics 1996). Moreover, such research also indicates that approximately 80 per cent never report their experience of violence to police (Mouzos & Makkai 2004; Australian Bureau of Statistics 1996). In addition to the direct impacts of violence on women, children and families, there are also serious social costs of violence against women for the broader Australian community. For example, research commissioned by VicHealth (2004) found that domestic violence is the leading contributor to death, disability and illness in Victorian women aged 15 to 44 years, contributing more to ill-health than other risk factors such as smoking and obesity. Furthermore, the annual cost of domestic violence to the Australian economy has been estimated to be $13.6 billion including: health-related costs, lost productivity, legal system expenditure, provision of emergency accommodation and other costs (National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children 2009a). In sum, the problem of violence against women is far too prevalent and its effects on individuals and communities far too serious to limit responses to those taking place only after violence has occurred (WHO 2002).... Details: Carlton, Victoria, AUS: Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (VicHealth), 2011. 71p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 30, 2019 at: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/VicHealth_ReviewBystanderApproachesSupportPreventingVAW_5-2011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Australia URL: http://www.ncdsv.org/images/VicHealth_ReviewBystanderApproachesSupportPreventingVAW_5-2011.pdf Shelf Number: 154461 Keywords: Bystander InterventionDomestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual AssaultViolence Against Women (Australia)Violence Prevention |
Author: Fahmy, Eldin Title: Evidence and policy review: Domestic violence and poverty Summary: In 2013/14, over 1.1 million women and 500,000 men in England and Wales experienced partner abuse in the last year. However, despite international recognition of the connections between women's poverty and increased vulnerability to domestic abuse, the connections between poverty and domestic violence and abuse (DVA) and the policies actions needed to tackle these problems remain poorly understood in a UK context. This report summarises existing evidence on the connections between poverty and DVA and considers the potential anti-poverty implications of DVA and related policy responses. In doing so, we hope to raise awareness of the ways in which anti-poverty policies can also promote the prevention of violence against women. More specifically, the review was prepared to inform the development of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's Anti-Poverty Strategy. Whilst gender inequality is both a cause and consequence of women's vulnerability to poverty, robust evidence on the connections between poverty and DVA is limited. Addressing this knowledge gap is vital in ensuring both that anti-poverty initiatives are sensitive to their impacts for women's vulnerability to DVA, and that actions to tackle DVA acknowledge the socioeconomic context within which abuse occurs. Details: York, UK: Joseph Rowntree Foundation, 2016. 42 p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 22, 2019 at: https://research-information.bristol.ac.uk/files/128551400/JRF_DV_POVERTY_REPORT_FINAL_COPY_.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://research-information.bristol.ac.uk/files/128551400/JRF_DV_POVERTY_REPORT_FINAL_COPY_.pdf Shelf Number: 155103 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolencePovertySocioeconomic StatusViolence Against Women |
Author: Safe State Title: Acting to End Sexual, Domestic and Family Violence Summary: Yet one in five women experience sexual violence and one in four women experience violence by a current or former partner. We can't let this continue. We must act now. Our Government must act to: Create cultural change to prevent violence and promote gender equality; Provide immediate and ongoing support for people experiencing violence; Ensure people experiencing violence have a safe home; Ensure people experiencing violence can access justice safely; Enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to lead change to end violence; Be accountable to specialist workers and the wider community. It's time to act now to ensure every person can live free from violence. Details: NSW: The Author, 2019. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 27, 2019 at: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/safensw/pages/41/attachments/original/1540514938/A_Safe_State_-_Final_Policy_Platform_%28Oct_2018-Mar_2019%29.pdf?1540514938 Year: 2019 Country: Australia URL: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/safensw/pages/41/attachments/original/1540514938/A_Safe_State_-_Final_Policy_Platform_%28Oct_2018-Mar_2019%29.pdf?1540514938 Shelf Number: 155174 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceViolence Prevention |
Author: Great Britain. HM Government Title: Ending Violence against Women and Girls: 2016-2020. Strategy Refresh Summary: In March 2016 we published our new VAWG Strategy, which sets out an ambitious programme of reform, and was supported by increased funding of L80m. In March 2017, the Chancellor announced additional funding of 20m pounds to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse, bringing the total committed to L100m, over twice what was committed during the previous Parliament. Our long-term vision remains the same, and so this Strategy is set out according to our existing strategic pillars: prevention, provision of services, partnership working, and pursuing perpetrators. The crimes addressed through this strategy are the crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls, which are domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, and so-called 'honour-based' violence including forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). We will continue to measure our success by seeking reductions in overall prevalence of these crimes as measured by the Crime Survey of England and Wales, and seek increased prosecutions and convictions, where appropriate. It is important to bring together our work in the UK with efforts to tackle these issues internationally, and so the 2016 Strategy, and this refresh, represents a 'One Government' approach. This Strategy Refresh also sits alongside other, closely linked pieces of work from across government such as the Victims' Strategy. We are clear that all victims of crime should be supported, but that particular hidden crimes merit their own, focused, response. We will also continue to ensure that our response to vulnerable people, and programmes of work to tackle modern slavery and child sexual abuse and exploitation, remain joined up and mutually supportive of this agenda. This refresh does not provide full details of all that has been achieved since 2016, and nor does it set out our full strategic vision for VAWG, which remains with the 2016 Ending VAWG Strategy. This document does not overtake the 2016 Strategy, and both should be considered together. Instead, this refresh provides a brief update on delivery achieved so far, captures additional programmes of work that have contributed to this agenda, and sets out new, additional actions that government will take forward that goes beyond those set out in the 2016 Strategy While we know that these crimes disproportionately affect women and girls, we also recognise that men and boys are victims too. The vision set out in this Strategy applies to male as well as female victims, but we have published a Male Victims Position Statement alongside this document, which clarifies and strengthens our response to male victims of these crimes, while still recognising the disproportionate impact on women. Details: London: Author, 2019. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783596/VAWG_Strategy_Refresh_Web_Accessible.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783596/VAWG_Strategy_Refresh_Web_Accessible.pdf Shelf Number: 155606 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family Violence Female Genital MutilationForced Marriage Gender-Based Violence Honor Based ViolenceModern Slavery Rape Sexual Violence StalkingViolence against Women and Girls |
Author: Day, Andrew Title: Evaluation readiness, program quality and outcomes in men's behaviour change programs Summary: This research aimed to identify how to improve the quality of men's behaviour change programs, how to measure outcomes, and how to develop standards and accreditation processes that will improve quality and consistency of practice. The research involved three elements: A review of the published literature. A jurisdictional scan of the MBCP landscape, comprising a review of grey literature and contact with a representative from each jurisdiction (i.e. state/territory). Focus groups and in-depth interviews with - correctional staff from South Australia and Victoria; community providers from Western Australia and Victoria; and female partners of program participants. Details: Sydney: ANROWS, 2019. 140p. Source: Internet Resource: (Research report, 01/2019): Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/29225748/Day-et-al-Evaluation-readiness-MBCPs-Research-report-01.2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia URL: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/29225748/Day-et-al-Evaluation-readiness-MBCPs-Research-report-01.2019.pdf Shelf Number: 155607 Keywords: Abusive MenBehavior ModificationFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence |
Author: Green, Donald P. Title: Silence Begets Violence: A mass media experiment in rural Uganda Summary: Violence against women (VAW) is widespread in East Africa, with almost half of married women experiencing physical abuse. Those seeking to address this policy issue confront two challenges. First, some forms of domestic violence are widely condoned; majorities of men and women believe that a husband is justified in beating his wife in a variety of scenarios. Second, victims and bystanders are often reluctant to report incidents to authorities. Building on a growing literature showing that education -entertainment can change norms and behaviors, we present experimental evidence from a media campaign attended by over 10,000 Ugandans in 112 villages. In randomly assigned villages, video dramatizations discouraged VAW and encouraged reporting. Results from interviews conducted several months after the intervention show no change in attitudes condoning VAW yet a substantial increase in willingness to report to authorities, especially among women, and a decline in the share of women who experienced violence. Details: New Haven, CT: Innovations for Poverty Action, 2019. 42p., app. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 7, 2019 at: https://www.poverty-action.org/sites/default/files/publications/GreenWilkeCooper2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Uganda URL: https://www.poverty-action.org/sites/default/files/publications/GreenWilkeCooper2019.pdf Shelf Number: 155673 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceMass Media CampaignsPublicityViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Green, Donald P. Title: Countering violence against women at scale: A mass media experiment in rural Uganda Summary: Violence against women (VAW) is widespread in East Africa, with almost half of married women experiencing physical abuse. Those seeking to address this policy issue confront two challenges. First, some forms of domestic violence are widely condoned; majorities of men and women believe that a husband is justified in beating his wife in a variety of scenarios. Second, victims and bystanders are often reluctant to report incidents to authorities. Building on a growing literature showing that education-entertainment can change norms and behaviors, we present experimental evidence from a media campaign attended by over 10,000 Ugandans in 112 villages. In randomly assigned villages, video dramatizations discouraged VAW and encouraged reporting. Results from interviews conducted several months after the intervention show no change in attitudes condoning VAW yet a substantial increase in willingness to report to authorities, especially among women, and a decline in the share of women who experienced violence. Details: Unpublished paper, 2019. 37p. Source: Internet Resource: Working paper, 2019: Accessed May 8, 2019 at: https://www.poverty-action.org/sites/default/files/publications/GreenWilkeCooper2019.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Uganda URL: https://www.poverty-action.org/sites/default/files/publications/GreenWilkeCooper2019.pdf Shelf Number: 155698 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate partner ViolenceMedia CampaignPublicity CampaignRural AreasViolence Against Women |
Author: Ninnes, Peter, ed. Title: Preventing domestic and family violence: Action research reports from five Australian local government councils Summary: The purpose of this volume is to document the use of action research in evaluating domestic and family violence (DFV) prevention activities in local government authorities (LGAs) around Australia. The volume is intended for DFV prevention practitioners in local government and other community services. It provides insights into DFV prevention work in the local government context. It also demonstrates the use of action research as a means of integrating evaluation processes and continuous improvement into everyday DFV prevention work. The reports in this volume arose from the work of five LGAs around Australia that trialled the draft Local council domestic and family violence prevention toolkit ("the toolkit"). The toolkit was developed by Palladium under contract to the Australian Government Department of Social Services (DSS). The reports cover work undertaken both within council organisations and with the community, including: Creative arts activities undertaken in the City of Charles Sturt (South Australia) to raise awareness of the prevalence and impact of domestic and family violence; Community engagement activities initiated by Latrobe City Council (Victoria) to promote understanding of the drivers of domestic and family violence and preventative actions; A staff training program run by Mackay Regional Council (Queensland) to build the knowledge and understanding of DFV and bystander action among staff members and community leaders; A staff gender equality survey developed and administered by the City of Mandurah (Western Australia), which focused on understanding attitudes among staff; and A gender audit of theatre programs offered by Riverside Theatre, a council facility in the City of Parramatta (NSW). Details: Sydney: Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety Limited (ANROWS), 2019. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Anrows Institute Issue 3: Accessed July 16, 2019 at: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/24000208/Preventing_DFV_AR_from_5_LGC_IN6.19.1.pdf Year: 2019 Country: Australia URL: https://d2rn9gno7zhxqg.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/24000208/Preventing_DFV_AR_from_5_LGC_IN6.19.1.pdf Shelf Number: 156903 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceFamily ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceViolence Prevention |