Words Can Hurt: A Taxonomy of Verbally Pressured Sexual Exploitation in the SES-V.

This article describes the development of the Verbally Pressured Sexual Exploitation module of the Sexual Experiences Survey (SES)-Victimization (introduced by Koss et al., 2024). This module assesses the use of verbal or nonphysical, paraverbal pressure to obtain sexual acts without freely given permission. An interdisciplinary team of seven sexual exploitation researchers collaborated to create this module, with consultation from the full 15 member SES-V revision collaboration team. In this paper, we describe our process for developing this module. We briefly review empirical literature and theoretical frameworks (e.g., rape scripts, normative sexual scripts, intersectionality, and sex-positivity) that informed this work. Summary tables compare the SES-V items to verbal pressure items in prior versions of the SES and to other existing measures of violence. The comprehensive taxonomy developed herein includes six domains of Verbally Pressured sexual exploitation across 11 item stems. The components of the taxonomy include: positive verbal pressure, neutral verbal pressure, negative verbal pressure, substance-related pressure, postural violence, and threats to critical resources. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research, with priority on intersectional research that can illuminate the phenomenology and contexts of sexual exploitation against marginalized groups.

Violência física, sexual e psicológica segundo a análise conceitual evolucionista de rodgers / Physical, sexual and psychological violence according to rodgers' evolutionary conceptual analysis / Violencia física, sexual y psicológica según el análisis conceptual evolutivo de rodgers

RESUMO Objetivo: esclarecer os conceitos de violência física, psicológica e sexual e, a partir dos resultados obtidos, comparar similaridades e diferenças entre conceitos, suas características, condições para acontecimentos e possíveis desfechos. Métodos: utilizou-se a análise de conceito evolutivo de Rodgers. Os antecedentes, atributos e consequentes foram extraídos de 91 documentos publicados em 2018, em português, inglês, francês ou espanhol, por busca utilizando os descritores "violência física", "violência psicológica" e "violência sexual". Resultados: para "violência física" foram extraídos 17 atributos, um antecedente e sete consequentes; para "violência sexual" 31 atributos, 10 antecedentes e dois consequentes; e para "violência psicológica" 33 atributos, quatro antecedentes e seis consequentes. Considerações finais: distintas tipologias de violência apresentam diferentes atos que as caracterizam, e que quando (re)conhecidos pelo enfermeiro, oportunizam um planejamento da assistência otimizado e de qualidade.

ABSTRACT Objective: to clarify the concepts of physical, psychological, and sexual violence and, from the results obtained, to compare similarities and differences among concepts, their characteristics, conditions for events, and possible outcomes. Methods: Rodgers' evolving concept analysis was used. The antecedents, attributes and consequents were extracted from 91 documents published in 2018, in Portuguese, English, French or Spanish, by search using the descriptors "physical violence", "psychological violence" and "sexual violence". Results: for "physical violence" 17 attributes, one antecedent and seven consequents were extracted; for "sexual violence" 31 attributes, 10 antecedents and two consequents; and for "psychological violence" 33 attributes, four antecedents and six consequents. Final considerations: different types of violence have different acts that characterize them, and that when (re)known by the nurse, allow for an optimized and quality care planning.

RESUMEN Objetivo: aclarar los conceptos de violencia física, psicológica y sexual y, a partir de los resultados obtenidos, comparar las similitudes y diferencias entre los conceptos, sus características, las condiciones de los acontecimientos y los posibles resultados. Métodos: Se utilizó el análisis conceptual evolutivo de Rodgers. Los antecedentes, atributos y consecuentes se extrajeron de 91 documentos publicados en 2018, en portugués, inglés, francés o español, mediante la búsqueda con los descriptores "violencia física", "violencia psicológica" y "violencia sexual". Resultados: para la "violencia física" se extrajeron 17 atributos, un antecedente y siete consecuentes; para la "violencia sexual" 31 atributos, 10 antecedentes y dos consecuentes; y para la "violencia psicológica" 33 atributos, cuatro antecedentes y seis consecuentes. Consideraciones finales: los diferentes tipos de violencia presentan diferentes actos que los caracterizan, y que al ser (re)conocidos por la enfermera, permiten una planificación de cuidados optimizada y de calidad.

Assessing the relationship between agency and peer violence among adolescents aged 10 to 14 years in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Blantyre, Malawi: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Interpersonal violence has physical, emotional, educational, social, and economic implications. Although there is interest in empowering young people to challenge harmful norms, there is scant research on how individual agency, and, specifically, the "power to" resist or bring about an outcome relates to peer violence perpetration and victimization in early adolescence. This manuscript explores the relationship between individual agency and peer violence perpetration and victimization among very young adolescents (VYAs) living in two urban poor settings in sub-Saharan Africa (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Blantyre, Malawi). METHODS AND FINDINGS: The study draws on two cross-sectional surveys including 2,540 adolescents 10 to 14 years from Kinshasa in 2017 (girls = 49.8% and boys = 50.2%) and 1,213 from Blantyre in 2020 (girls = 50.7% and boys = 49.3%). The sample was school based in Malawi but included in-school and out-of-school participants in Kinshasa due to higher levels of early school dropout. Peer violence in the last 6 months (dependent variable) was defined as a four categorical variable: (1) no victimization or perpetration; (2) victimization only; (3) perpetration only; and (4) both victimization and perpetration. Agency was operationalized using 3 scales: freedom of movement, voice, and decision-making, which were further divided into tertiles. Univariate analysis and multivariable multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to evaluate the relationships between each agency indicator and peer violence. The multivariable regression adjusted for individual, family, peer, and community level covariates. All analyses were stratified by gender and site. In both sites, adolescents had greater voice and decision-making power than freedom of movement, and boys had greater freedom of movement than girls. Boys in both settings were more likely to report peer violence in the last six months than girls (40% to 50% versus 32% to 40%, p < 0.001), mostly due to higher rates of a perpetration-victimization overlap (18% to 23% versus 10% to 15%, p < 0.001). Adolescents reporting the greatest freedom of movement (Tertile 3) (with the exception of girls in Kinshasa) had a greater relative risk ratio (RRR) of reporting a perpetrator-victim overlap (boys Kinshasa: RRR = 1.9 (1.2 to 2.8, p = 0.003); boys Blantyre: RRR = 3.8 (1.7 to 8.3, p = 0.001); and girls Blantyre: RRR = 2.4 (1.1 to 5.1, p = 0.03)). Adolescents with the highest decision-making power in Kinshasa also had greater RRR of reporting a perpetrator-victim overlap (boys: RRR = 3.0 (1.8 to 4.8, p < 0.001). Additionally, girls and boys in Kinshasa with intermediate decision-making power (tertile 2 versus 1) had a lower RRR of being victimized (Girls: RRR = 1.7 (1.02 to 2.7, p = 0.04); Boys: RRR = 0.6 (0.4 to 0.9, p = 0.01)). Higher voice among boys in Kinshasa (Tertile 2: RRR = 1.9 (1.2 to 2.9, p = 0.003) and Tertile 3: 1.8 (1.2 to 2.8, p = 0.009)) and girls in Blantyre (Tertile 2: 2.0 (1.01 to 3.9, p = 0.048)) was associated with a perpetrator-victim overlap, and girls with more voice in Blantyre had a greater RRR of being victimized (Tertile 2: RRR = 1.9 (1.1 to 3.1, p = 0.02)). Generally, associations were stronger for boys than girls, and associations often differed when victimization and perpetration occurred in isolation of each other. A main limitation of this study is that the cross-sectional nature of the data does not allow a causal interpretation of the findings, which need further longitudinal exploration to establish temporality. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we observed that peer violence is a gendered experience that is related to young people's agency. This stresses the importance of addressing interpersonal violence in empowerment programs and of including boys who experience the greatest perpetration-victimization overlap.

Sexual Violence of Liberian School Age Students: An Investigation of Perpetration, Gender, and Forms of Abuse.

This study examined the perpetration of sexual violence within the institutional setting of primary schools in Liberia using secondary analysis of data collected from 811 Liberian school aged participants (298 girls and 513 boys). The study looked specifically at the perpetration of: 1) sexual violation, 2) transactional sex, and 3) sexual coercion. Sexual violation was the most common form of sexual violence experienced, followed by sexual coercion, and then transactional sex. Findings showed statistically significant differences in experiences of transactional sex and sexual coercion, with girls more likely to experience both forms of violence. Further, girls were more likely to experience sexual abuse by a teacher and religious figure. Perpetration by teachers, school staff, and religious figures were all linked to transactional sex. Results showed that transactional sex was most highly statistically significantly associated with teachers while perpetration by a religious figure was statistically significantly associated with sexual coercion. Girls had three times of the odds of experiencing transactional sex and coercion. We conclude that there is a need for interventions to prevent sexual abuse from occurring in educational institutions. In particular, there is a need for protective mechanisms addressing the transactional nature of abuse with teachers and school staff.

Validity of Risk Assessment Instruments Among Juveniles Who Sexually Offended: Victim Age Matters.

Research has identified meaningful subtypes among the heterogeneous population of juveniles who sexually offended (JSO). However, studies that test the validity of risk assessment tools with JSO subtypes are limited. This study compared JSO who offended against a child victim (JSO-C) and JSO who offended against an adolescent/adult victim (JSO-A) with regard to rates of recidivism and the predictive validity of two risk assessment tools (Estimate of Risk of Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism [ERASOR] and Juvenile Sexual Offender Assessment Protocol-II [J-SOAP-II]). Data were analyzed from case files of 185 JSO-C and 297 JSO-A aged 12 to 18 years (M = 14.11, SD = 1.44) from a consecutive sample of JSO with contact sexual offenses. A total of 34 (7.1%) juveniles reoffended sexually, with no significant difference between the subtypes. The present results suggest that the ERASOR, particularly the structured professional judgment, and to a lesser degree the J-SOAP-II are better suited to predicting sexual recidivism in JSO-A than in JSO-C.

Measuring self-reported polyvictimization in foster youth research: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Youth who are or have been in foster care (foster youth) are at higher risk for adverse outcomes in early adulthood. As the importance and complexity of victimization experiences, including types, timing, and perpetrators, is better understood it is unclear whether or to what extent the research on foster youth assesses polyvictimization. Because many types of victimization, such as community violence, are under-reported or absent in the administrative data typically used for research with foster care populations, self-reports of victimization experiences are necessary to comprehensively assess polyvictimization. Polyvictimization places youth at increased risk for adverse outcomes, and yet is not widely measured in the foster youth population. This is likely in part due to the wide-use of administrative reports to assess maltreatment among research on foster youth which does not capture a full range of victimization experiences. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to systematically review and evaluate the measurement of self-reported polyvictimization with foster youth samples. METHODS: A search in Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Social Work Abstracts, SociINDEX, and Scopus was conducted. Articles included peer-reviewed, quantitative research studies that measured self-reported victimization (including violence exposure and/or maltreatment) with foster youth samples between 1997-2017. In total, 1887 studies were identified and reviewed by two raters and of those 18 met the study criteria. RESULTS: Almost all of the included studies (n = 16) measured multiple types of victimization through self-report. The most common types of victimization measured were sexual abuse (n = 15), physical abuse (n = 14), and physical neglect (n = 11). Half of studies (n = 9) measured at least one non-maltreatment victimization experience, such as community violence exposure and/or dating violence. However, included studies rarely measured other aspects of victimization, such as timing of exposure (e.g., pre or during foster care), which research has identified as relevant to outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first systematic review to assess the measurement of self-reported polyvictimization in research with current or former foster youth. Given the limited comprehensive assessment of victimization, these findings support strong recommendations for developing or adapting polyvictimization measures specifically for foster youth so that the measures include child welfare-specific factors such as the timing and perpetration of victimization experiences.

Does childhood victimization predict specific adolescent offending? An analysis of generality versus specificity in the victim-offender overlap.

BACKGROUND: A large body of research has examined the relationship between victimization and future offending, with results suggesting that crime victims are at higher risk of future criminal behavior-known as the victim-offender overlap. Prior studies have primarily examined the relationship between general victimization (e.g., violent victimization, sexual abuse, and more) and general offending (e.g., violence, sexual offending, and drug use), and focused on adult populations. OBJECTIVE: The goal of the present study is to expand on prior literature by examining if specific forms of childhood victimization increase the risk of specific and analogous forms of offending among delinquent youth. METHOD: Based upon a population of 64,329 high-risk youth offenders in Florida, this study evaluates the specificity of the overlap among youth who were physically abused, sexually abused, or witnessed illegal substance use at home during childhood to determine if these forms of victimization increased the risk of violence, sexual offending, and drug use, respectively, when assessed in multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Results provide considerable support for specificity in the victim-offender overlap, as hypothesized. Specifically, experiencing physical abuse (OR = 1.55, p < .001), sexual abuse (OR = 3.58, p < .001) and witnessing household substance abuse (OR = 1.66, p < .001) in childhood each significantly and substantially increased the risk of analogous criminal behavior in adolescence, even when controlling for other risk factors and forms of victimization. CONCLUSION: This study provided novel evidence for specificity in the victim-offender overlap, even after controlling for confounding variables. Practical implications for early intervention and crime prevention are discussed, as well as implications for future research. Highlighting the importance of specificity in the victimization and adverse childhood experience (ACE) paradigms.

Violence Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress, and Subjective Well-Being in a Sample of Russian Adults: A Facebook-Based Study.

Exposure to violence has been shown to negatively affect mental health and well-being. The goal of this Facebook-based study was to describe the rates of exposure to violence in a sample of Russian adults and to assess the impact of these experiences on subjective well-being and victimization-related psychological distress. Three types of victimization were assessed: physical assault by a stranger, physical assault by someone known to victim, and nonconsensual sexual experiences. The 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5) was used to assess subjective well-being, and Primary Care PTSD Screen (PC-PTSD) was employed as an indicator of victimization-related psychological distress. Data were obtained from 6,724 Russian-speaking Facebook users. Significant levels of lifetime victimization were reported by the study participants. Lifetime physical assault by a stranger, physical assault by someone known to victim, and sexual assault were reported by 56.9%, 64.2%, and 54.1% of respondents, respectively. Respondents exposed to violence were more likely to report posttraumatic stress symptoms and lower levels of subjective well-being. Participants who were exposed to at least one type of violence were more likely to experience symptoms of traumatic stress (U = 1,794,250.50, p < .001, d = 0.35). Exposure to multiple forms of violence was associated with more severe traumatic stress symptoms (rs = .257, p < .001). Well-being scores were significantly lower among participants exposed to violence (t = 8.37, p < .001, d = 0.31). The study demonstrated that violence exposure is associated with reduced well-being among Russian adults. Our findings highlight the negative impact of violence exposure on subjective well-being and underscore the necessity to develop programs addressing violence exposure in Russian populations.

Mariticide in Milan between 1990 and 2017: A criminological and medico-legal analysis.

Most murder victims in a romantic relationship are women but sometimes they will kill their husbands or partners (mariticide). This paper focuses on these rarer cases using a sample taken from the autopsy reports of the Department of Legal Medicine of the University of Milan whose territory includes the municipality of Milan and part of the province of Milan and Monza - approximately four million inhabitants.

Genetic and Environmental Influences on Different Forms of Bullying Perpetration, Bullying Victimization, and Their Co-occurrence.

Bullying comes in different forms, yet most previous genetically-sensitive studies have not distinguished between them. Given the serious consequences and the high prevalence of bullying, it is remarkable that the aetiology of bullying and its different forms has been under-researched. We present the first study to investigate the genetic architecture of bullying perpetration, bullying victimization, and their co-occurrence for verbal, physical and relational bullying. Primary-school teachers rated 8215 twin children on bullying perpetration and bullying victimization. For each form of bullying, we investigated, through genetic structural equation modelling, the genetic and environmental influences on being a bully, a victim or both. 34% of the children were involved as bully, victim, or both. The correlation between being a bully and being a victim varied from 0.59 (relational) to 0.85 (physical). Heritability was ~ 70% for perpetration and ~ 65% for victimization, similar in girls and boys, yet both were somewhat lower for the relational form. Shared environmental influences were modest and more pronounced among girls. The correlation between being a bully and being a victim was explained mostly by genetic factors for verbal (~ 71%) and especially physical (~ 77%) and mostly by environmental factors for relational perpetration and victimization (~ 60%). Genes play a large role in explaining which children are at high risk of being a victim, bully, or both. For victimization this suggests an evocative gene-environment correlation: some children are at risk of being exposed to bullying, partly due to genetically influenced traits. So, genetic influences make some children more vulnerable to become a bully, victim or both.

The healthcare response to human trafficking: A need for globally harmonized ICD codes.

In a Perspective, Jordan Greenbaum and Hanni Stoklosa make the case for inclusion of codes for human trafficking in international diagnosis classification systems.

MATCH: A New Approach for Differentiating & Linking Series of Sex Worker Homicides and Sexual Assaults.

Sex workers as a group are one of the more common targets in serial homicide, yet the most likely to go unsolved. Part of the reason for this is the difficulty in linking individual crime scenes to a series, especially in those series where offenders not only target sex worker victims but also target non-sex worker victims. Inconsistencies in both victim targeting and behaviors engaged in across series add to the difficulties of linking and solvability in these types of crimes. The current study aimed to add to the current body of literature on serial crime linkage by examining not only the most salient behavioral indicators useful for crime scene classification of serial homicides that involve sex worker victims but also examine the trajectories of behavioral change that can help link apparently inconsistent crime scenes and proposes the new Model for the Analysis of Trajectories and Consistency in Homicide (MATCH). The study examines 83 homicide series, including 44 (53%) series where all victims were sex workers and 39 (47%) series that included a mix of sex workers and non-sex worker victims. Using the MATCH system allowed for the majority of series to be classified to a dominant trajectory pattern, over half as many as a traditional consistency analysis that focusses on behavioral similarity matching. Results further showed that Sex Worker Victim series were almost three times more consistent across their series than Mixed-Victim series, not only in victim selection but also in the overall behavioral patterns. Findings are discussed in line with theoretical and psychological issues relating to understanding the nature of behavioral consistency and the importance of going beyond simple matching toward a model that allows for the identification of consistency in seemingly inconsistent series, as well as investigative implications relating to linking serial crimes.

Sex Worker Homicide Series: Profiling the Crime Scene.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, offenders who kill sex workers as part of their series exhibit substantial variability in their victim selection and behavioral patterns, thus creating additional issues for the investigation of these crimes. This article first aims to outline differences in the demographics of crime scene actions present in homicide series with exclusively sex worker victims and series that includes both sex worker and non-sex worker victims, with the aim of understanding the crime scene aetiology of these two different types of series. Second, the research aims to determine between-series differences of victimology as well as crime scene action between sex worker series and mixed-victim series. Third, the research focuses on mixed-victim series and aims to determine the within-series similarities of victimology and crime scene actions, that is, what factors link sex worker victims and non-sex worker victims in the same series. Data were collected through a large-scale review of international media sources to identify solved serial homicide cases that have included at least one sex worker. Of the 83 series looked at, 44 (53%) included sex worker victims only, and 39 (47%) of the series included both sex worker and non-sex worker victims. The findings highlight the challenges that these types of crime present for investigation and the implications they have on current crime analysis research and practice, and results are discussed in line with theoretical and psychological issues relating to understanding differentiation and similarity, as well as investigative implications relating to linkage blindness and linking of serial crimes.

Risk for Revictimization Following Interpersonal and Noninterpersonal Trauma: Clarifying the Role of Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Trauma-Related Cognitions.

One victimization experience can increase the risk for subsequent victimization, which is known as revictimization. The aims of this study were to build on sexual revictimization research by (a) broadening the understanding of revictimization to interpersonal (and potentially noninterpersonal) trauma generally and (b) gaining specificity in the mechanisms that underlie revictimization. Using a prospective multisite design, an ethnically and racially diverse sample of 453 young women from the community (age range: 18-25 years, 60.7% European American) completed an initial survey and at least one follow-up survey within the subsequent year. Participants completed self-report measures of trauma history, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and maladaptive posttraumatic cognitions. Structural equation models revealed that interpersonal revictimization was observed when controlling for past noninterpersonal trauma, odds ratio (OR) = 2.27, 95% CI [1.23, 4.18], and supported the role of posttraumatic stress symptoms as a mechanism underlying such revictimization, 95% CI of indirect effect (IE) [0.08, 0.51]. Additionally, a history of noninterpersonal trauma (controlling for past interpersonal trauma) increased risk of subsequent interpersonal victimization via posttraumatic stress symptoms, 95% CI of IE [0.01, 0.38]. Notably, however, when maladaptive cognitions were included as mediators in addition to posttraumatic stress symptoms, the only unique indirect effect was for the association between interpersonal trauma and risk of revictimization specifically through perceived threat of harm, 95% CI of IE [0.05, 0.20]. These findings suggest that efforts to reduce interpersonal revictimization should target maladaptive posttraumatic cognitions, particularly perceptions of threat in the environment.

Spanish Abstracts by Asociación Chilena de Estrés Traumático (ACET) Riesgo de revictimización luego de trauma interpersonal y no interpersonal: Aclarando el rol de los Síntomas de Estrés postraumático y las Cogniciones relacionadas con el Trauma REVICTIMIZACIÓN, TEPT Y COGNICIONES Una experiencia de victimización puede aumentar el riesgo de una subsiguiente victimización, conocida como revictimización. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron desarrollar una investigación sobre la revictimización sexual mediante (a) una comprensión más amplia de la revictimización al trauma interpersonal (y potencialmente no interpersonal) en general, y (b) la obtención de especificidad en los mecanismos que subyacen a la revictimización. Utilizando un diseño multisitio prospectivo, una muestra étnica y racialmente diversa de 453 mujeres jóvenes de la comunidad (rango de edad: 18-25 años, 60.7% europeo-estadounidense) completaron una encuesta inicial y al menos una encuesta de seguimiento dentro del año siguiente. Las participantes completaron medidas de auto reporte del historial de traumas, síntomas de estrés postraumático y cogniciones postraumáticas no adaptativas. Los modelos de ecuaciones estructurales revelaron que se observó una revictimización interpersonal al controlar traumas no interpersonales pasados, odds ratio (OR) = 2.27, IC 95% [1.23, 4.18], y apoyaron el rol de los síntomas de estrés postraumático como un mecanismo subyacente a dicha revictimización, IC del 95% de efecto indirecto (IE) [0.08, 0.51]. Además, un historial de trauma no interpersonal (controlando el trauma interpersonal pasado) incrementó el riesgo de subsecuente victimización interpersonal mediante síntomas de estrés postraumático, IC del 95% de IE [0.01, 0.38]. Sin embargo, notablemente, cuando se incluyeron las cogniciones no adaptativas como mediadores además de los síntomas de estrés postraumático, el único efecto indirecto fue la asociación entre el trauma interpersonal y el riesgo de revictimización, específicamente a través de la percepción de la amenaza de daño, IC del 95% de IE [0.05, 0.20]. Estos hallazgos sugieren que los esfuerzos para reducir la revictimización interpersonal deben dirigirse a las cogniciones postraumáticas no adaptativas, en particular las percepciones de amenaza en el medio ambiente.

The Unusual Suspects: Multiple-Perpetrator and Multiple Concurrent Victim Sexual Homicide.

Sexual homicide typically implies a crime involving two people: perpetrator and victim. Thus, multiple-perpetrator and multiple concurrent victim sexual murderers are unusual, empirically invisible due to their exclusion from (or burying within) research samples. The present study examines 21 such cases of male sexual murderers having perpetrated at least one sexual homicide either together with a co-offender or alone but killing two victims at once. The aim was to investigate just how unusual, or not, these cases may be in relation to current scientific understanding of sexual murderers and their crimes. A descriptive analysis of offenses (co-offender and offender-victim dynamics, modus operandi) and offender characteristics is presented. Main findings, that multiple-perpetrator and multiple concurrent victim sexual murderers are not so unusual in that they are well conceptualized through application of the established sexualized, grievance, and rape murderer typology, are discussed in relation to clinical and empirical implications.

Sexual Homicide Targeting Children: Exploring Offender, Victim, and Modus Operandi Factors.

Sexual child homicides are rare, even among sexual homicides, and no previous study has compared sexual child homicide with nonsexual child homicides. To address this gap in research, this study aims to compare sexual child homicide offenders (n = 8) with two comparison groups: sexual adult homicide offenders (n = 89) and nonsexual child homicide offenders (n = 176) regarding victim, offender, and modus operandi factors. Using bivariate analysis, the results show that although sexual child homicide offenders appear more similar to other sexual homicide offenders than to homicide offenders, sexual offenders targeting children differ from both groups on certain variables. Sexual child homicide offenders more often used strangulation as a method of killing, had intoxicated victims, used multiple locations, and destroyed evidence after the murder. The study concludes that sexual homicide offenders targeting children should be considered distinct from other offenders and that the salient characteristics linked to sadism and instrumentality should be further examined.

Characteristics of Different Types of Childhood Violence and the Risk of Revictimization.

This study investigates the relationship between the characteristics of different types of childhood violence and adult victimization using two waves of data from a community telephone survey (T1) and a follow-up survey, including 505 cases and 506 controls, aged 17-35 years (T2). The logistic regression analyses showed that exposure to childhood abuse, regardless of type, was associated with adult victimization. Exposure to multiple types of abuse, victimization both in childhood and in young adulthood, and recency of abuse increased these odds. Our findings emphasize the importance of assessing multiple forms of violence when studying revictimization. Practitioners working with children and young adults should be attentive to the number of victimization types experienced and recent victimization to prevent further abuse.

Sexual Violence-"Victim" or "Survivor": News Images Affect Explicit and Implicit Judgments of Blame.

A pilot study (n = 165) showed that images portraying women who have experienced sexual violence as survivors (e.g., at a self-help group) rather than as victims (e.g., in vulnerable positions) led to more positive ratings of the women depicted. In a subsequent experiment (n = 236), participants viewed either survivor or victim images, read a rape vignette, and completed explicit and implicit measures of blame. Results showed that male (but not female) participants implicitly blamed the woman more after viewing victim images, but explicitly blamed her more after viewing survivor images. Discussion focuses on theoretical and applied implications.

Youth victimization profiles and change in mental health symptoms over one year.

OBJECTIVE: To understand how youth PTSD symptoms and externalizing problems emerge and change over time for youth with different profiles of victimization, including polyvictimization. METHOD: We conducted a latent class analysis (LCA) to identify empirically derived victimization profiles in a sample of 2,776 youth who participated in an evaluation study. We then conducted growth curve analyses to determine whether these victimization profiles predicted change in the course of PTSD symptoms and externalizing problems over a 1-year time period for youth engaged in a variety of community-based services. RESULTS: The LCA revealed three profiles: a low victimization profile defined by relatively low endorsement of victimization across types; a witnessing profile defined by particularly high endorsement of witnessing violence; and a polyvictimization profile defined by high endorsement of multiple types of victimization. We found that overall, despite differing initial levels of PTSD symptoms and externalizing problems, all three groups' symptoms improved over the year, but the polyvictimization class generally showed the steepest decreases, particularly in caregiver-reported PTSD symptoms. CONCLUSION: Polyvictimized youth participating in community-based services are at increased risk for developing PTSD and externalizing problems, but symptoms appear to decrease to levels similar to other victimized youth after one year. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).

Factors Related To Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Shelter-Based Abused Women.

In this study, linear mixed-effects regression analyses were used to examine whether sociodemographic variables, abuse-related variables, and well-being variables were associated with symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in abused women residing in shelters. Results pointed out that symptoms of depression severity were positively associated with migration background and the experience of physical abuse and negatively associated with self-esteem and social support. PTSD symptoms were positively associated with the experience of sexual abuse and negatively associated with self-esteem. Within women's shelters, staff could be sensitive to improving the social integration of women, especially those with a non-Dutch background, and strengthening the women's social networks and their self-esteem.