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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
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19 results foundAuthor: World Health Organization Title: Preventing Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Against Women: Taking action and Generating Evidence Summary: Intimate partner and sexual violence affect a large proportion of the population – with the majority of those directly experiencing such violence being women and the majority perpetrating it being men. The harm they cause can last a lifetime and span generations, with serious adverse affects on health, education and employment. The primary prevention of these types of violence will therefore save lives and money – investments made now to stop intimate partner and sexual violence before they occur will protect the physical, mental and economic well-being and development of individuals, families, communities and whole societies. This document aims to provide sufficient information for policy-makers and planners to develop data-driven and evidence-based programmes for preventing intimate partner and sexual violence against women and is divided into the following chapters: Chapter 1 outlines the nature, magnitude and consequences of intimate partner and sexual violence within the broader typology of violence. Chapter 2 identifies the risk and protective factors for such violence and the importance of addressing both risk and protective factors in prevention efforts. Chapter 3 summarizes the scientific evidence base for primary prevention strategies, and describes programmes of known effectiveness, those supported by emerging evidence and those that could potentially be effective but have yet to be sufficiently evaluated for their impact. Chapter 4 presents a six-step framework for taking action, generating evidence and sharing results. In the closing section, several future research priorities are outlined and a number of key conclusions drawn. Details: Geneva: World Health Organization, 2010. 94p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 3, 2010 at: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241564007_eng.pdf Year: 2010 Country: International URL: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2010/9789241564007_eng.pdf Shelf Number: 119737 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceRisk AssessmentSex OffensesSpouse AbuseViolence 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: Schrottle, Monika Title: Comparative Reanalysis of Prevalence of Violence Against Women and Health Impact Data in Europe - Obstacles and Possible Solutions. Testing a Comparative Approach on Selected Studies Summary: The issue of data comparison between regions, countries and over time has emerged as an important question, especially since differences in prevalence rates have become more visible through quantitative research. Data comparison between locations and over time can help us understand whether the data reflect a common and persistent social problem, which explanations may account for differences in findings, and which political and societal circumstances may be responsible for variations and continuities. Comparative data can advance theory and suggest improvements to cultural, political and societal response to violence and human rights violations. However, accurate data comparison is more difficult than it seems. Ignoring or misjudging the scientific and methodological framework of specific data sets and studies easily leads to wrong conclusions and unwarranted interpretations. Sometimes even small differences in the details of data collection, time-frames, recorded acts and contexts seriously limit comparability. Recently there have been several attempts to compare prevalence data and health impact data post hoc, but these approaches faced many political, scientific and methodological problems and data comparison was sometimes not conducted in an adequate manner. Addressing these problems has been one of the goals of the “Coordination Action on Human Rights Violations” (CAHRV), a European research network that includes experts in the field of prevalence and health impact research. In a first step researchers reviewed European surveys on the prevalence and health impact of violence against women and compiled an overview of the methodologies used, and the findings reported in each study. Results showed that the studies are constructed quite differently from one country to the next, and that in its present published form neither prevalence nor health impact data are comparable on a European level. The present report documents the second step towards making existing prevalence data more comparable. This involved post-hoc, inter-country comparisons through secondary analysis of original datasets and is presented here as an exemplary case for the comparative study of published survey data. Included in the analysis were surveys that were fairly comparable with regard to methodology and the questions asked about violence. The datasets are from the national violence against women surveys in Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania and Sweden, and were available because members of the CAHRV research group had been involved in the original data collection in their countries and were familiar with the datasets and their methodology. The central aim of the secondary analysis was to test whether it is possible to compare prevalence data post hoc through a harmonization of definitions and samples (as will be explained in the next chapter). This procedure highlighted possibilities and limitations for post-hoc data comparison of studies that are not identical in methodology, data collection and sampling. The results suggest that the procedure is useful not only for further post-hoc research in the field but also as a way to ground policy recommendations more reliably in an emerging comparative knowledge base. The secondary analysis shows the difficulties and challenges for comparison and comparability of prevalence and health impact data in Europe. This approach can contribute to the development of data collection standards, a high priority in the development of the field that will be the focus of the third year of the CAHRV research network. Details: Osnabrueck, Germany: CAHRV (Co-ordination against Human Rights Violation), 2006. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 6, 2010 at: http://www.cahrv.uni-osnabrueck.de/reddot/D_20_Comparative_reanalysis_of_prevalence_of_violence_pub.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Europe URL: http://www.cahrv.uni-osnabrueck.de/reddot/D_20_Comparative_reanalysis_of_prevalence_of_violence_pub.pdf Shelf Number: 111274 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse AbuseViolence 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: Feder, Lynette Title: Court-Mandated Interventions for Individuals Convicted of Domestic Violence Summary: Survey research and analysis of police records, hospital emergency rooms and women’s shelters have clearly established the severity of the domestic violence problem and the need to find programs to address this issue. Today, court-mandated batterer intervention programs (BIPs) are being implemented throughout the United States as one of the leading methods to address this problem. These programs emerged from the women’s shelter movement and therefore contained a strong feminist orientation. They developed as group-based programs, typically using psychoeductional methods. Their aim was to get men to take responsibility for their sexist beliefs and stop abusing their partners by teaching them alternative responses for handling their anger. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effects of post-arrest court-mandated interventions (including pre-trial diversion programs) for domestic violence offenders that target, in part or exclusively, batterers with the aim of reducing their future likelihood of re-assaulting above and beyond what would have been expected by routine legal procedures. Details: Oslo: Cambell Collaboration, 2008. 49p. Source: Internet Resource: Campbell Systematic Reviews, 2008:12: Acccessed September 16, 2010 at: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/218/ Year: 2008 Country: International URL: http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/download/218/ Shelf Number: 119822 Keywords: Battered WomenBatterer Intervention ProgramsDomestic ViolenceSpouse Abuse |
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: Kharboush, Ibrahim F. Title: Spousal Violence in Egypt Summary: One-third of Egyptian women have been physically abused by their husbands, according to the 2005 Egypt Demographic and Health Survey; and 7 percent said they are beaten “often.” These women mostly suffered silently and did not seek help. Violence against women is a costly and pervasive public health problem and a violation of human rights. It is often referred to as “gender-based violence” because it stems from women’s subordinate status in the family and society. The abuse can take many forms. Violence against women, whether perpetrated by husbands or others, and whether it happens inside or outside the home, undermines women’s health and well-being. It can also have far-reaching and long-term consequences for the women’s children and for society. Today, patriarchal norms continue to relegate many Egyptian women to a subordinate position relative to men, providing fertile ground for men’s abusive and damaging behaviors at home and in public. Harassment of women in public has escalated to the point where Egypt’s national economy may be affected: A recent World Bank study showed that 15 percent of men and 12 percent of women in Cairo who oppose the idea of women working outside the home cite potential sexual harassment as the reason. This policy brief presents an analysis of the 2005 and 2008 Egypt Demographic and Health Surveys and the latest research on spousal violence conducted in the Alexandria Governorate by the Suzanne Mubarak Regional Centre for Women’s Health and Development. These studies reveal that violence against women is widespread and alarming, and highlight the urgent need for government and civil society to address the issue and end this scourge that hinders progress toward Egypt’s development goals. Details: Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2010. 8p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2010 at: http://www.prb.org/pdf10/spousalviolence-egypt.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Egypt URL: http://www.prb.org/pdf10/spousalviolence-egypt.pdf Shelf Number: 119935 Keywords: Battered WomenDomestic ViolenceSexual HarassmentSpouse AbuseViolence 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: 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: 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: 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: World Health Organization Title: Global and Regional Estimates of Violence Against Women: Prevalence and health effects of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence Summary: This report, developed by the World Health Organization, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the South African Medical Research Council presents the first global systematic review and synthesis of the body of scientific data on the prevalence of two forms of violence against women — violence by an intimate partner (intimate partner violence) and sexual violence by someone other than a partner (nonpartner sexual violence). It shows, for the first time, aggregated global and regional prevalence estimates of these two forms of violence, generated using population data from all over the world that have been compiled in a systematic way. The report also details the effects of violence on women’s physical, sexual and reproductive, and mental health. The findings are striking: • overall, 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence. While there are many other forms of violence that women may be exposed to, this already represents a large proportion of the world’s women; 1. Secretary-General says violence against women never acceptable, never excusable, never tolerable, as he launches global campaign on issue. New York, United Nations Department of Public Information, News and Media Division, 2008 (SG/ SM/11437 WOM/1665). • most of this violence is intimate partner violence. Worldwide, almost one third (30%) of all women who have been in a relationship have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner. In some regions, 38% of women have experienced intimate partner violence; • globally, as many as 38% of all murders of women are committed by intimate partners; • women who have been physically or sexually abused by their partners report higher rates of a number of important health problems. For example, they are 16% more likely to have a low-birth-weight baby. They are more than twice as likely to have an abortion, almost twice as likely to experience depression, and, in some regions, are 1.5 times more likely to acquire HIV, as compared to women who have not experienced partner violence; • globally, 7% of women have been sexually assaulted by someone other than a partner. There are fewer data available on the health effects of non-partner sexual violence. However, the evidence that does exist reveals that women who have experienced this form of violence are 2.3 times more likely to have alcohol use disorders and 2.6 times more likely to experience depression or anxiety. There is a clear need to scale up efforts across a range of sectors, both to prevent violence from happening in the first place and to provide necessary services for women experiencing violence. The variation in the prevalence of violence seen within and between communities, countries and regions, highlights that violence is not inevitable, and that it can be prevented. Promising prevention programmes exist, and need to be tested and scaled up.2 There is growing evidence about what factors explain the global variation documented. This evidence highlights the need to address the economic and sociocultural factors that foster a culture of violence against women. This also includes the importance of challenging social norms that support male authority and control over women and sanction or condone violence against women; reducing levels of childhood exposures to violence; reforming discriminatory family law; strengthening women’s economic and legal rights; and eliminating gender inequalities in access to formal wage employment and secondary education. Services also need to be provided for those who have experienced violence. The health sector must play a greater role in responding to intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women. WHO’s new clinical and policy guidelines on the health-sector response to violence against women emphasize the urgent need to integrate issues related to violence into clinical training. It is important that all health-care providers understand the relationship between exposure to violence and women’s ill health, and are able to respond appropriately. One key aspect is to identify opportunities to provide support and link women with other services they need – for example, when women seek sexual and reproductive health services (e.g. antenatal care, family planning, post-abortion care) or HIV testing, mental health 2. Preventing intimate partner violence and sexual violence against women. Taking action and generating evidence. Geneva, World Health Organization, 2010. and emergency services. Comprehensive postrape care services need to be made available and accessible at a much larger scale than is currently provided. The report shows that violence against women is pervasive globally. The findings send a powerful message that violence against women is not a small problem that only occurs in some pockets of society, but rather is a global public health problem of epidemic proportions, requiring urgent action. It is time for the world to take action: a life free of violence is a basic human right, one that every woman, man and child deserves. Details: Geneva, SWIT: World Health Organization, 2013. 80p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2013 at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85239/1/9789241564625_eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/85239/1/9789241564625_eng.pdf Shelf Number: 129189 Keywords: Battered WomenIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceSpouse AbuseViolence Against Women |
Author: Sinha, Maire Title: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, 2011 Summary: Family violence accounted for 26% of all police-reported violent crime in 2011, a proportion similar to 2010. About half (49%) of the nearly 95,000 victims of family violence were in a current or previous spousal relationship with the accused, including both common-law and legally married partnerships. An additional 18% of victims were children of the accused, 13% were extended family members, 11% were siblings and 9% were parents, often in their senior years. Similar to overall police-reported crime trends, police-reported violence against family members appears to be declining, with decreases seen in both homicides and assaults. In 2011, the rate of family homicides per million was 47% lower than in 1981. More recently, rates of physical assault against family members have fallen by 6% since 2009 and sexual assault by 5%. The most frequent type of family violence offence reported to police in 2011 remained common assault, which includes pushing, slapping and punching, without serious physical injury. The next most frequently reported offence was major assault, which involves a weapon or results in bodily harm, followed by the offence of uttering threats. As in previous years, the majority of victims of family violence were females. They represented 80% of spousal victims, 63% of parents victimized, 58% of extended family members victimized, 57% of child victims and 57% of sibling victims. Details: Ottawa: Statistics Canada, 2013. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Juristat Article: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11805-eng.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2013001/article/11805-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 129254 Keywords: Crime StatisticsDomestic ViolenceFamily Violence (Canada)Sexual AssaultSpouse AbuseViolence Against Women |
Author: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics Title: Family Violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2013 Summary: Section 1 Overview of family violence - In 2013, police reported that there were 87,820 victims of family violence in Canada. This represents a rate of 252.9 victims of family violence for every 100,000 individuals in the population. In comparison, the rate of victimization for violent crimes that were not family-related was 712.8 per 100,000 population. - Spousal violence was the most common form of family violence in 2013, with nearly half (48%) of family violence occurring at the hands of a current or former spouse (married or common law). - Following spousal violence, victimization by a parent was the next most common form of police-reported family violence, representing 17% of family violence victims. - In 2013, more than two-thirds (68%) of all family violence victims were female. - The risk of family violence varies with age and overall, tends to be lowest for seniors, followed by young children (9 years and under), and highest for adults in their 30s. While this pattern was generally similar for male and female victims, female rates of family violence peaked at age 30 to 34, whereas for males, rates were highest from age 15 to 19. - Common assault was the most frequent form of family violence reported to police, experienced by over half (58%) of victims, followed by intimidation offences (17%), such as criminal harassment, indecent telephone calls or uttering threats. - More than half (55%) of family violence victims suffered no physical injury. For those that sustained injuries, the vast majority of these injuries were minor, calling for no professional medical treatment or first aid only. When injuries were sustained, they were much more likely the result of the use of physical force (84%) against the victim, rather than the use of a weapon (16%). - Charges were laid more often in police-reported family violence incidents (56%) than in violent incidents that were not family-related (46%). - Trend data indicate that police-reported incidents of family violence have decreased in recent years. From 2009 to 2013, rates for the most prevalent form of police-reported family violence, physical assault, dropped 14%, spousal victimization declined 17% and incidents involving other family members fell 10%. - Rates of homicides committed by family members continue to fall for both male and female victims. Family-related physical and sexual assaults have also declined modestly in recent years. Section 2 Intimate partner violence - In 2013, there were more than 90,300 victims of police-reported violence by an intimate partner (including spousal and dating partners) accounting for over one quarter of all police-reported victims of violent offences. - Dating violence accounted for 53% of police-reported incidents of intimate partner violence, while spousal violence represented 47%. - As with violent crime in general, adults in their twenties and thirties experienced the greatest risk of violent victimization by an intimate partner. In particular, rates of intimate partner violence were highest among 20- to 24-year olds. - Similar to previous years, common assault (level 1) was the most frequent type of police-reported intimate partner violence. Major assault (levels 2 and 3), uttering threats and criminal harassment were the next most frequent offences. - Charges were laid or recommended in the majority (71%) of intimate partner violence incidents reported to police. - Rates of intimate partner homicide have remained stable in recent years. In 2013, the rate of homicides committed against a female intimate partner stood at 3.74 per million population. The rate of intimate partner homicide was 4.5 times higher for female victims than for male victims. - Between 2009 and 2013, the rate of the most prevalent form of police-reported intimate partner violence, common assault (level 1), fell 11%. Section 3 Family violence against children and youth - According to police-reported data for 2013, about 16,700 children and youth, or 243.5 for every 100,000 Canadians under the age of 18, were the victims of family-related violence. This represented over one-quarter (29%) of all children and youth who were the victims of a violent crime. - Physical assault was the most common type of police-reported family violence against children and youth. Sexual offences were the second most common type of police-reported family violence against children and youth. - Parents (60%) were the family members most often accused of violence against children and youth, especially in incidents involving children under the age of four. - The rate of police-reported family violence committed against children and youth tends to increase with age of the victim. However, when younger children (i.e., under the age of four) were victimized, they were more likely to be victimized by a family member. - Overall, homicides against children and youth are relatively rare. When they do occur, unlike with other types of family violence, familial homicides were more common among younger age groups, with children under the age of one at greatest risk. - Girls were more likely than boys to be victims of police-reported family violence, especially sexual assault. In 2013, the overall rate of police-reported family violence victimization for girls was 1.5 times higher (298.2 per 100,000) than the rate for boys (191.5 per 100,000); and the rate of sexual victimization by a family member was four times higher for girls (125.0 per 100,000) compared to boys (30.2 per 100,000). - Physical injuries were reported for about 4 in 10 victims of family violence against children and youth; the vast majority of these were minor, requiring no medical treatment or requiring first aid. - Charges were laid in less than half (45%) of family violence incidents against children and youth, compared to 59% of police-reported family violence involving adult victims aged 18 years and over. Section 4 Family violence against seniors - Seniors represented a relatively small proportion of all family violence victims, out 3%, and had lower rates of family violence than any other age group. - Rates of police-reported family violence are generally highest among younger seniors and gradually decline with age. - In 2013, the police-reported rate of family violence for senior women (62.7 per 100,000) was higher (+26%) than the rate for senior men (49.7 per 100,000). Nevertheless, the difference between female and male rates of family violence among seniors is notably smaller than the gap observed between the sexes for younger victims. - Similar to previous years, family members made up one-third of those accused in police-reported incidents of violent crime against seniors (aged 65 and over) in 2013, with just over 2,900 seniors (56.8 victims per 100,000 seniors) victimized by a family member that year. In total, nearly 8,900 (173.9 victims per 100,000 seniors) of persons aged 65 and over were the victims of a violent crime in Canada in 2013. - Senior victims of family violence were most likely to be victimized by their own adult children. About 4 in 10 senior victims of police-reported family violence indicated that the accused was their grown child; spouses (28%) were the second most likely family members to be identified as perpetrators of family violence against seniors. - Common assault accounted for more than half (55%) of violence committed against seniors by family members. Weapons were involved in fewer than one in six (15%) family violence incidents against senior victims. Most incidents (85%) involved the use of physical force or threats. - A majority (61%) of senior victims of family violence did not sustain physical injuries. Among those who were injured, most sustained minor injuries requiring little or no medical attention (e.g., some first aid). - Family violence against seniors that escalates to homicide continues to be rare. In 2013, the overall rate of family-related homicides was 3.2 for every 1 million persons aged 65 and over. Details: Ottawa: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 2015. 85p. Source: Internet Resource: Juristat vol. 34, no. 1: Accessed January 21, 2015 at: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2014001/article/14114-eng.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Canada URL: http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2014001/article/14114-eng.pdf Shelf Number: 134432 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectCrime StatisticsCriminal VictimizationElder Abuse and NeglectFamily Violence (Canada)Gender-Related ViolenceHomicidesInterpersonal ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSexual ViolenceSpouse Abuse |
Author: Lindsay, Melissa Title: Violence Perpetrated by Ex-Spouses in Canada Summary: Intimate partner violence affects the lives of many Canadians. In 2011, there were 97,451 victims of police-reported intimate partner violence1 (Sinha 2013) with women representing 80% of the victims of police-reported intimate partner violence in 2011. While these numbers provide some insight into the prevalence of spousal violence in Canada, it only reflects a small portion of the actual violence that occurs. Data from the 2009 General Social Survey - Victimization (GSS) found that only 22% of victims of self-reported spousal violence reported the incident to the police (Brennan 2011). These numbers also do not provide information on the prevalence of violence perpetrated by ex-spouses, nor the experiences of victims of ex-spousal violence. While data exist on violence perpetrated by current spouses, very little information is available on the experiences of ex-spousal violence in Canada. In 2001, Hotton published the report, Spousal Violence after Marital Separation, which was based on data from the 1999 GSS. This report provided great insight into the prevalence of ex-spousal violence in Canada, as well as on experiences of victims of ex-spousal violence. With data from the 2009 GSS, it is possible to look at these same issues using the most current data available. The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the 2001 Spousal Violence after Marital Separation report using data from the 2009 GSS. This report explores Canadians' experiences with violence committed by ex-spouses, including the prevalence of ex-spousal violence, violence experienced after separation and the emotional consequences of ex-spousal violence. The prevalence of child witnesses to ex-spousal violence is discussed, as is information on the issues surrounding child residence and contact in situations of ex-spousal violence. Finally, the issue of reporting ex-spousal violence to police is explored. Details: Ottawa: Department of Justice Canada, 2014. 50p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 31, 2015 at: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/rr14_03/rr14_03.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Canada URL: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/rr14_03/rr14_03.pdf Shelf Number: 134514 Keywords: Intimate Partner ViolenceIntimate Partner Violence (Canada)Spouse AbuseViolence Against Women |
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: Crowley, Annie Title: Football and Domestic Abuse: A Literature Review Summary: Introduction Tackling domestic abuse is a key priority for the Scottish Government and its partners. There is evidence of a correlation between the occurrence of certain football matches in Scotland and increased reports of domestic abuse. There is, however, limited evidence that explains this link. This literature review was commissioned by the Scottish Government to examine existing evidence about the relationship between domestic abuse and football. Football and domestic abuse -- - There are very few studies in the Scottish and wider UK context that specifically address the relationship of football to domestic abuse. - The studies that do exist mainly compare prevalence of domestic abuse (as recorded either by police, other emergency services, or hospital accident and emergency departments) on the days that football games take place with various comparators. All of these studies show what appears to be a link between domestic abuse and football. - Existing studies within the Scottish context are all quantitative analyses, based upon incidents reported to the police. These studies found that relative to various comparators, there was an increase in recorded domestic abuse incidents on the day that Old Firm fixtures were played. This was reported as being between 13% and 138.8%, depending on a number of variables: the day of the week the match took place; the comparator day / event; and the salience / outcome of a match. - The studies that used other football matches as a comparator found examples of apparent relationships between recorded domestic abuse incidents and the existence of the football match. However, these were generally less pronounced patterns, and smaller increases. - Caution should be exercised in interpreting the findings of quantitative studies that document a correlation between domestic abuse and football. Specifically, correlation should not be interpreted as causation. Findings may be impacted upon by the times of day measured, and whether matches took place at weekends where both alcohol consumption and reports of domestic abuse made to the police are known to increase substantially. - Caution should also be exercised regarding the use and interpretation of police recorded crime and complaints figures, and crime surveys, as these do not always provide a reliable measure due to the methodological issues associated with collection and recording. - Despite the limitations of these studies, they do demonstrate a relationship between the days of certain football matches (particularly Old Firm fixtures), and the number of recorded domestic abuse incidents. However, the nature and characteristics of these domestic violence offences are not known, nor who reported them, the gender of the perpetrator and victim, or whether they were repeat offences. - There is no qualitative research exploring the perspectives of the victims, perpetrators or practitioners in Scotland. This is a significant omission in existing research evidence. Details: Glasgow: Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2014. 38p. Source: Internet Resource: REPORT No.6 /2014: Accessed February 7, 2015 at: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Football-and-Domestic-Abuse_Literature-Review_25-NOV-2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Football-and-Domestic-Abuse_Literature-Review_25-NOV-2014.pdf Shelf Number: 134558 Keywords: Alcohol Related ViolenceDomestic Violence (U.K.)FootballMasculinitySoccerSports and ViolenceSpouse Abuse |
Author: Bobonis, Gustavo J. Title: Conditional Cash Transfers for Women and Spousal Violence: Evidence of the Long-Term Relationship from the Oportunidades Program in Rural Mexico Summary: This paper provides evidence of the long-term relationship between male-to-female spousal violence and the Oportunidades conditional cash transfer program. It uses data from three nationally representative surveys that include detailed information on the prevalence of spousal abuse and threats of violence against women. Constructing comparable groups of beneficiary and non-beneficiary households within each village to minimize potential selection biases, the present study finds that, in contrast to the short-run estimates, physical and emotional abuse rates over the long term do not differ significantly between existing beneficiary and non-beneficiary couples. The paper examines possible causes for the difference, most importantly, the role that marital selection and the diffusion of norms rejecting intimate partner violence may play in explaining these effects. Details: Washington, DC: Inter-American Development Bank, 2015. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: IDB WORKING PAPER SERIES No IDB-WP-632: Accessed May 18, 2016 at: https://publications.iadb.org/bitstream/handle/11319/7267/ICS_WP_Conditional_Cash_Transfers_for_Women_and_Spousal_Violence.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2015 Country: Mexico URL: https://publications.iadb.org/bitstream/handle/11319/7267/ICS_WP_Conditional_Cash_Transfers_for_Women_and_Spousal_Violence.pdf?sequence=1 Shelf Number: 139077 Keywords: Domestic ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceSpouse AbuseViolence Against Women |
Author: New South Wales. Ombudsman Title: Abuse and neglect of vulnerable adults in NSW - the need for reform Summary: In July 2016, the Ombudsman's office commenced a standing inquiry under section 11(1)(e) of the Community Services (Complaints, Reviews and Monitoring) Act 1993 to examine and respond to allegations of abuse and neglect of adults with disability in community settings, such as the family home. We started the inquiry: - in recognition of the seriousness of the increasing number of matters that were being reported to us that raised concerns about the safety and welfare of adults with disability in the community, and - in the absence of any other agency with the powers to investigate allegations that do not reach a criminal threshold or that otherwise require a coordinated interagency response. The standing inquiry - Between August 2015 and October 2018, we received 358 contacts relating to the alleged abuse and neglect of adults with disability living in community settings. Most (206) of the matters involved reports of alleged abuse and neglect that required action as part of the standing inquiry. The 206 reports do not relate to the conduct of service providers - they are about the conduct of the person's family and other informal supports, and members of the community. Source of reports We have an agreement with the National Disability Abuse and Neglect Hotline that it will refer matters to us that involve allegations of abuse and neglect of adults with disability in community settings in NSW. Of the 206 matters, 55 (27%) have been referred to us by the Hotline. The majority (143) of the other matters have been directly reported to us by external agencies or individuals. The primary source of reports (whether via the Hotline or directly to our office) has been non-government disability providers, who have accounted for almost half (91) of all reports. Other main reporters include family members (34), NSW government or funded agencies (24), and community members (20). The people involved - Alleged victims Over half (110) of the matters reported to us in the standing inquiry have involved allegations of abuse or neglect of an adult with intellectual disability. More broadly, most reports have involved a person with some form of cognitive impairment. However, there has been a range of matters in which the person has not had a cognitive impairment - including 11 matters that involved a person with a solely physical disability. Subjects of allegation - Most of the subjects of allegation have had a close and personal relationship with the adult with disability - with most of the alleged abuse and neglect committed by their family members or their partner/spouse. Over two-thirds (141) of the reports have been about the conduct of family members - mainly parents (99) and siblings (31). The adult with disability's partner/spouse has been the subject of allegation in 17% of matters (35). A smaller number of reports have involved community members (10) and ex-support staff of the adult with disability (4). The reported allegations - Most of the reports have involved more than one type of abuse and/or neglect - most commonly neglect (78) and physical abuse (77). Allegations of ill-treatment featured in 56 reports, and one-quarter of reports involved alleged financial abuse of the adult with disability (52). Over 10% of reports included allegations of sexual abuse (24). Our actions under the standing inquiry Our actions in response to the reports typically involve undertaking inquiries with agencies that are currently, or have recently been, involved with the alleged victim; checking available intelligence on relevant parties (including police and child protection databases); bringing agencies together to facilitate the exchange of relevant information, discuss the existing risks, and agree on necessary actions; and monitoring the implementation of the agreed actions. The standing inquiry has enabled our office to test, in a very practical sense, what needs to be done to provide an effective interagency response to these matters. Our handling of the 206 reports has highlighted that providing an effective interagency response can be relatively straightforward - provided that the agency taking the lead role has access to the right information, adequate powers, and the cooperation and support of key government and non-government stakeholders. However, the Ombudsman's standing inquiry is a temporary measure, and will cease on 1 July 2019. In addition, there are critical gaps that are not addressed by the standing inquiry. In particular, we do not have the power to enter private residences to gain direct access to the alleged victim, and we are not competent or compellable to provide information to NCAT. The standing inquiry also does not encompass elder abuse. Details: Sydney: The Ombudsman, 2018. 46p. Source: Internet Resource: A special report to Parliament under section 31 of the Ombudsman Act 1974 : Accessed November 7, 2018 at: https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/62139/Abuse-and-neglect-of-vulnerable-adults-in-NSW-November-2018.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Australia URL: https://www.ombo.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/62139/Abuse-and-neglect-of-vulnerable-adults-in-NSW-November-2018.pdf Shelf Number: 153350 Keywords: Disabilities Disabled Persons Elder Abuse and Neglect Elderly Victims Spouse Abuse |