The Involvement in Domestic Violence and the Severity of Legal, Moral and Social Consequences for the Perpetrators in the Perceptions of Students in Poland and Belarus.

Domestic violence is sequential, developmental and dynamic. The aim of this study was to examine whether, in the perceptions of students in Poland and Belarus, there is a relationship between involvement in violence and the legal and social consequences for the perpetrators. A total of 482 university students took part in the study, including 251 students from Poland and 231 students from Belarus. Statistically, Polish respondents were more frequently involved in domestic violence as witnesses and victims, which was confirmed by χ2 test. Based on the 95% confidence interval (CI), it can be concluded that the largest number of respondents from both countries surveyed who have been involved in violence as witnesses (85.2-94.8) indicated that an adequate punishment for perpetrators of violence is imprisonment. Students who have never been involved in domestic violence indicated social consequences as appropriate punishment for the use of violence more often than those who have been involved in violence as witnesses, victims or perpetrators. Witnesses and victims were not found to be in favour of more severe punishment or more serious moral and social consequences than perpetrators. The largest number of respondents indicated that the appropriate consequence of using violence should be imprisonment, followed by a restraining order and eviction from the place of residence.

Advances in Research on Abused Women in China: Bibliometric Analysis by CiteSpace.

China has made remarkable progress in preventing and intervening in domestic violence against women. Scholars have reported on this development. Methodologically, this paper, which draws on 3362 references selected from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, uses the bibliometric method to summarize the characteristics, evolution, and frontiers of key topics into research on abused women in China between 1993 and 2020. The paper has three key findings. (1) The volume of literature has grown continuously, but in three stages: initial, rapid growth, and peak fluctuation; (2) the topic has five research hotspots: fundamental issues in domestic violence against women; new legislation, notably the 2015 Anti-Domestic Violence Law; social support for abused women; matrimonial disputes involving abused women; and conviction and sentencing of abused women who kill their husbands; and (3) the current research frontiers lie within the defects of the Anti-Domestic Violence Law and challenges in the implementation of the law. In addition, the paper examines characteristics and limitations of the study on abused women in China and suggests changes in practice, policy, and directions for future research.

La urgencia de dar respuesta sanitaria a la violencia de género / The urgency of providing a health response to gender-based violence

La violencia por cuestiones de género es un fenómeno histórico, complejo y prevalente a nivel mundial. Definida por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas como 'todo acto de violencia basado en la pertenencia al sexo femenino, que tenga o pueda tener como resultado un daño o sufrimiento físico, sexual o psicológico para la mujer, así como las amenazas detales actos, la coacción o la privación arbitraria de la libertad, tanto si se producen en la vida pública como en la privada', la violencia contra la mujer constituye una violación de los derechos humanos y por lo tanto, una cuestión de Estado. Las autoras de este artículo repasan el marco legal que aborda este problema en la Argentina, las dificultades del sistema sanitario (a nivel institucional e individual) en la detección y asistencia de las personas que lo padecen y la necesidad desensibilización y capacitación de los profesionales de la salud. (AU)

Gender-based violence is a historical, complex and prevalent phenomenon worldwide. Defined by the United Nations as 'any act of female-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, as well as threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life', violence against women is a violation of human rights, and therefore a matter of State. The authors of this article review the legal frame that addresses this problem in Argentina, the difficulties of the health system (at institutional and individual level) in the detection and care of people who suffer from it, and the need for raising awareness and training healthcare professionals. (AU)

Caracterización del delito de lesiones a mujeres víctimas de violencia doméstica / Characterization of the crime of injuries against female victims of domestic violence

RESUMEN Introducción: la violencia contra la mujer incluye todo acto violento por razón de género, que produce o puede causar daño físico, sexual, psicológico o algún tipo de sufrimiento mediante amenazas, coerción o privaciones arbitrarias de su libertad. Objetivo: determinar los factores que incidieron en los delitos de lesiones contra la mujer como forma de violencia doméstica en la provincia de Pinar del Río. Material y métodos: se realizó una investigación observacional, descriptiva y longitudinal con 236 lesionadas que fueron entrevistadas en el Departamento Provincial de Medicina Legal, por existir una denuncia por delito de lesiones en el marco de la familia durante el período 2017-2018. La información se obtuvo mediante la aplicación de una encuesta a las víctimas y la revisión de la base de datos estadística existente en el libro de control de la actividad pericial del mencionado departamento de Pinar del Río. Resultados: la mayoría de las víctimas tenían edades comprendidas entre los 16 y los 35 años, y eran de la raza blanca y del municipio Pinar del Río. La relación con el victimario fue de pareja sexual, siendo el puñetazo el modus operandi y la conducta violenta el factor de riesgo más frecuente; se destacaron los celos como móvil del hecho. Predominaron el horario nocturno y las lesiones no graves sin necesidad de tratamiento médico. Conclusiones: la violencia doméstica constituye un problema de salud y social en la provincia pinareña, por lo que instituciones sociales, de salud y autoridades deben trabajar de conjunto para su prevención y reducción (AU).

Introduction: violence against women includes any violent act on the basis of gender, which causes or may cause physical, sexual, psychological or any other kind of suffering through threats, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of their freedom. Objective: to determine the factors that affected the crimes of injury against women as a form of domestic violence in the province of Pinar del Río. Materials and methods: an observational, descriptive and longitudinal investigation was conducted with 236 injured women that were interviewed in the Provincial Department of Legal Medicine, because there was a complaint for crime of injuries within the family during the period 2017-2018. The information was obtained through the application of a survey of the victims and the review of the existing statistical database in the control book of the expert activity of the aforementioned department of Pinar del Río. Results: most of the victims were between the ages of 16 and 35, of the white race and from the municipality of Pinar del Río. The relationship with the victim was sexual partner, with the punch being the modus operandi and violent behavior the most frequent risk factor; jealousy stood out as mobile of the fact. Night hours and non-serious injuries without the need for medical treatment predominated. Conclusions: domestic violence is a health and social problem in the province of Pinar del Rio, so social and health institutions, and the authorities must work together to prevent and reduce violence (AU).

Sexual assault and abuse committed against family members: An analysis of 1342 legal outcomes and their motivations.

BACKGROUND: Over the past years medical centres specifically addressed in gender-based violence have developed protocols for the collections of evidence useful in the courtroom, including accurate documentation of physical and psychological states of the victim and collection of samples. Previous studies showed an association between documented physical trauma and conviction but unfortunately, few studies in the recent literature analysed the factors that influence the legal outcome and final judgement. The present study focused on the elements that appeared of significance in the legal outcome, including medico-legal evaluation, source of the crime report and circumstance of the assault. METHODS: It was conducted a retrospective analysis of all the judgments issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office at a Court of a Metropolitan Italian city regarding sexual and domestic violence, from January 1st 2011 to 31st December 31st 2015. Examination regarded the demographic information of the victim and of the defendant, information on the crime, the circumstances of the aggression and medical information retrieved. Sentences were subsequently divided into two categories based on the legal outcome (conviction vs acquittal) and the different characteristics of the two sub-populations were compared to verify if there were variables significantly associated to the judge's final judgment. RESULTS: Over the 5 years taken into consideration, there have been 1342 verdicts regarding crimes of sexual violence (374 cases) and regarding abuses against family members or cohabitants (875): other 93 cases regarded both sexual violence and abuse. 66.3% ended in conviction of the offender and 33.7% in acquittal of the accused. Cases of conviction were more frequent when they involved: use of a weapon by the assailant, as well as if the assailant had a criminal record and had a history of drug abuse or other addictions; duration of proceeding less 22 months and a civil party involved; presence of clinical documentation together with other deposition in addition to victim's deposition; also frequent episodes of violence and application of precautionary measures were associated to conviction. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors seem able to influence the judge's judgment, although clearly each case must be singularly evaluated. The mere presence of medical documentation, without the support of other sources of evidence, such as the victim's statement or further declarations, however, is almost always not definitive for the verdict. Despite so, in cases where there are multiple sources of evidence, clinical documentation can provide useful elements and can give clues on the consistency between the history told and injuries observed.

Recomendação nº 003, de 11 de fevereiro de 2022: recomenda a rejeição ao PL nº 7352/2017, bem como a adoção de medidas de proibição do uso de termos sem reconhecimento científico, como síndrome de alienação parental, entre outros / Recommendation No. 003, of February 11, 2022: recommends the rejection of PL No. 7,352/2017, as well as the adoption of measures to prohibit the use of terms without scientific recognition, such as parental alienation syndrome, among others

Recomenda a rejeição ao PL nº 7.352/2017, bem como a adoção de medidas de proibição do uso de termos sem reconhecimento científico, como síndrome de alienação parental, entre outros.

Seeking Justice: How VAWA Reduced the Stronghold Over American Indian and Alaska Native Women.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), originally passed in 1994, was successfully reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013. Over time, VAWA altered the environment for many victims who had previously suffered in silence. This article focuses on how VAWA impacted American Indian (AI) and Alaska Native (AN) victims of dating and domestic violence. AI and AN women experience these crimes at a rate higher than the national average, yet they are often denied justice due to the interplay of federal and state laws and tribal sovereignty. VAWA affirmed tribes' sovereign authority to exercise criminal jurisdiction over non-Indians who commit crimes against AI and AN victims on tribal lands. This article also discusses future steps to enhance justice reforms.

Violence Against Women: Reflecting on 25 Years of the Violence Against Women Act and Directions for the Future.

The year 2019 marked the 25th anniversary of the passage of the landmark legislation, the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). As we reflect on the Act, it is important to examine how the VAWA influenced the response to violence against women. This guest editors' introduction provides a preview of five articles devoted to a special issue of Violence Against Women. The articles highlight key aspects of VAWA. With H.R. 15851 awaiting consideration by the Senate, we suggest that perhaps now is an appropriate time to assess the Act's impact.

A Review of the Effects of the Violence Against Women Act on Law Enforcement.

One of the goals of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) was to improve law enforcement responses to sexual and domestic violence by providing funding to expand prevention, enhance investigations, and increase victim services. Since VAWA's enactment, police responses to these crimes have evolved, including officer responses to victims and offenders, and various agency operations. This article highlights some noteworthy changes in law enforcement related to facilitating victim reporting, enhancing victim advocacy and services, crime reduction and investigative tools, supplementing personnel and training, and encouraging multiagency collaborations as a result of VAWA.

Reimagining VAWA: Why Criminalization Is a Failed Policy and What a Non-Carceral VAWA Could Look Like.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is the signature federal legislative accomplishment of the anti-violence movement and has ensured that criminalization is the primary response to intimate partner violence in the United States. But at the time of its passage, some anti-violence activists, particularly women of color, warned that criminalization would be problematic for a number of reasons, a caution that has borne fruit in the 25 years since VAWA's passage. This article critiques the effectiveness of criminalization as anti-domestic violence policy and imagines what a non-carceral VAWA could look like.

Significados da dinâmica familiar por homens que reproduziram a violência doméstica / Significado de la dinámica familiar por hombres que reprodujeron la violencia doméstica / Meanings of family dynamics by men who reproduced domestic violence

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar os significados atribuídos à dinâmica familiar por homens que reproduziram a violência doméstica vivenciada na infância. Métodos: Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa guiada à luz do Interacionismo Simbólico. Procurou-se conhecer a história oral de homens em processo jurídico junto à 2ᵃ Vara de Justiça pela Paz em Casa, situada no município de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. Para tanto, utilizou-se entrevistas, as quais foram transcritas, textualizadas e transcriadas. A organização dos dados se deu com base na Análise de Conteúdo Temática. Resultados: As narrativas revelam que a interpretação das experiências de agressões físicas, psicológicas, negligência e testemunho da violência conjugal entre os pais na infância direcionou a construção dos significados de que a dinâmica familiar deve ser pautada no controle e dominação masculina sobre a esposa e filhos, princípios que nortearam os relacionamentos familiares na fase adulta. Conclusão: As histórias remetem para o significado de que a dinâmica familiar deve ser delineada com base na divisão sexual dos papéis, sendo o homem considerado o provedor e autoridade máxima da casa e a mulher responsável pelo cuidado dos filhos. Nota-se ainda a simbologia de que a interação entre pai e filhos deve ser estabelecida de maneira rude e severa. Estes significados predispõem à reprodução da violência durante a vida adulta, o que demonstra a importância de ações que viabilizem a ressignificação das interações familiares violentas, preferencialmente ainda na fase da infância.

Resumen Objetivo: Analizar el significado atribuido a la dinámica familiar por hombres que reprodujeron la violencia doméstica vivida en la infancia. Métodos: Se trata de un estudio cualitativo guiado según el interaccionismo simbólico. Se buscó conocer la historia oral de hombres en proceso judicial en el 2° Tribunal de Justica por la Paz en Casa, situado en el municipio de Salvador, estado de Bahia, Brasil. Para eso, se utilizaron entrevistas que fueron transcriptas, textualizadas y transcreadas. La organización de los datos se realizó con base en el análisis de contenido temático. Resultados: Las narrativas revelan que la interpretación de las experiencias de agresiones físicas, psicológicas, negligencia y testigo de la violencia conyugal entre los padres en la infancia llevó a la elaboración del significado de que la dinámica familiar debe estar marcada por el control y dominación masculina sobre la esposa e hijos, principios que guían las relaciones familiares en la fase adulta. Conclusión: Las historias remiten al significado de que la dinámica familiar debe estar definida con base en la división sexual de los roles, en que el hombre es considerado proveedor y autoridad máxima de la casa y la mujer responsable del cuidado de los hijos. Además, se observó la simbología de que la interacción entre padre e hijo debe establecerse de forma grosera y severa. Estos significados predisponen a la reproducción de la violencia durante la vida adulta, lo que demuestra la importancia de acciones que posibiliten la resignificación de las intervenciones familiares violentas, preferentemente aún en la fase de la infancia.

Abstract Objective: To analyze the meanings attributed to family dynamics by men who reproduced domestic violence suffered in their childhood. Methods: This is a qualitative research guided in the light of Symbolic Interactionism. We sought to know the oral history of men under criminal prosecutions before the 2ndCourt of Justice for Peace at Home, located in the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. To this end, interviews were used, which were transcribed, textualized and transcribed. Data organization was based on content analysis. Results: The statements reveal that interpreting physical, psychological aggression, neglect and witness of domestic violence experiences between parents in childhood directed constructing the meanings that family dynamics must be based on male control and domination over the wife and children, principles that guided family relationships in adulthood. Conclusion: The stories refer to the meaning that family dynamics must be delineated based on sexual division of roles, with men being considered providers and maximum authority of the house, and women, responsible for children care. It is also noted the symbology that father-children interaction must be established in a rude and severe way. These meanings predispose to reproducing violence during adulthood, which demonstrates the importance of actions that make it possible to redefine violent family interactions, preferably still in childhood.

Psychological Consequences in Abused and Neglected School Children Exposed to Family Violence.

Although family should be the basis for the development and formation of a child's personality, violence is mostly done in the family, and remains undiscovered for a long time. The real number of abused children is much more than that displayed in the registered cases. The secrecy of the problem is an important feature of this phenomenon. Families in which abuse takes place are mostly isolated. Social isolation does not come about by chance; secrecy is usually encouraged by an abuser to control over famoly members. In most cases, social reaction to violence is late, inadequate and focused on the consequences, but not on the causes. "Abuse implies an act of execution that directly inflicts damage, while neglect implies an act of non-fulfillment of something that is necessary for the well-being of a child". The most common forms of domestic violence are physical, emotional abuse in the presence of violence against the mother, and in a lesser extent sexual abuse. In addition, there is physical, emotional, educational and medical neglect. The presence of violence against the mother and the feeling of impotence leave the same consequences as the endured violence. It is considered that children living in violent families are likely to live under cumulative stress. Traumatic responses include a wide range of conditions from acute stress reactions through post-traumatic stress disorder to complex long-lasting, repeated trauma syndrome. All children will not react to this kind of experience in the same way, with the protective and risk factors in developmental psychopathology having a significant role to play. Because of their developmental vulnerability and dependency, children are at greater risk of violence than adults. Researches point to the need for a multidisciplinary approach to treatment and prevention of child abuse, with greater interaction between health institutions, relevant centers for social work, police, court, government and non-governmental sector, and the existence of adequate family and criminal laws.

The Hidden Pandemic of Family Violence During COVID-19: Unsupervised Learning of Tweets.

BACKGROUND: Family violence (including intimate partner violence/domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse) is a hidden pandemic happening alongside COVID-19. The rates of family violence are rising fast, and women and children are disproportionately affected and vulnerable during this time. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to provide a large-scale analysis of public discourse on family violence and the COVID-19 pandemic on Twitter. METHODS: We analyzed over 1 million tweets related to family violence and COVID-19 from April 12 to July 16, 2020. We used the machine learning approach Latent Dirichlet Allocation and identified salient themes, topics, and representative tweets. RESULTS: We extracted 9 themes from 1,015,874 tweets on family violence and the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) increased vulnerability: COVID-19 and family violence (eg, rising rates, increases in hotline calls, homicide); (2) types of family violence (eg, child abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse); (3) forms of family violence (eg, physical aggression, coercive control); (4) risk factors linked to family violence (eg, alcohol abuse, financial constraints, guns, quarantine); (5) victims of family violence (eg, the LGBTQ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer or questioning] community, women, women of color, children); (6) social services for family violence (eg, hotlines, social workers, confidential services, shelters, funding); (7) law enforcement response (eg, 911 calls, police arrest, protective orders, abuse reports); (8) social movements and awareness (eg, support victims, raise awareness); and (9) domestic violence-related news (eg, Tara Reade, Melissa DeRosa). CONCLUSIONS: This study overcomes limitations in the existing scholarship where data on the consequences of COVID-19 on family violence are lacking. We contribute to understanding family violence during the pandemic by providing surveillance via tweets. This is essential for identifying potentially useful policy programs that can offer targeted support for victims and survivors as we prepare for future outbreaks.

Sharing reports about domestic violence and abuse with general practitioners: a qualitative interview study.

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence and abuse (DVA) is common and damaging to health. UK national guidance advocates a multi-agency response to DVA, and domestic homicide reviews consistently recommend improved information-sharing between agencies. Identification of patients experiencing DVA in general practice may come from external information shared with the practice, such as police incident reports and multi-agency risk assessment conference (MARAC) reports. The aim of this study was to explore the views of general practitioners (GPs) and the police about sharing reports about DVA with GPs. METHODS: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs, police staff and a partnership manager. Participants were located across England and Wales. Thematic analysis was undertaken. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted with 23 GPs, six police staff and one former partnership manager. Experiences of information-sharing with GPs about DVA varied. Participants described the relevance and value of external reports to GPs to help address the health consequences of DVA and safeguard patients. They balanced competing priorities when managing this information in the electronic medical record, namely visibility to GPs versus the risk of unintended disclosure to patients. GPs also spoke of the judgements they made about exploring DVA with patients based on external reports, which varied between abusive and non-abusive adults and children. Some felt constrained by short general practice consultations. Some police and GPs reflected on a loss of control when information about DVA was shared between agencies, and the risk of unintended consequences. Both police and GPs highlighted the importance of clear information and a shared understanding about responsibility for action. CONCLUSION: GPs regarded external reports about DVA as relevant to their role, but safely recording this information in the electronic medical record and using it to support patients required complex judgements. Both GPs and police staff emphasised the importance of clarity of information and responsibility for action when information was shared between agencies about patients affected by DVA.

Development and validation of the LoVI: the Laws on Violence against women and girls Index.

BACKGROUND: Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a human-rights violation with adverse long-term and inter-generational consequences. Redefining VAWG as legally unacceptable is one strategy for social change. The co-occurrence of national laws against VAWG is understudied, and tools to monitor the national legal environment are lacking. We developed the Laws on Violence against Women and Girls Index (LoVI) to measure global progress to develop comprehensive national legislation against child marriage, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and marital rape. METHODS: Using data from 2016 and 2018 for 189 countries from the World Bank Women, Business, and the Law database, we used factor analysis to assess the dimensionality of the LoVI. We examined the distribution of the LoVI across countries and regions, and the relationship of national rankings on the LoVI with those for other indicators from the United Nations, Demographic and Health Surveys, and World Factbook. RESULTS: A single LoVI factor showed good model fit in the factor analysis. National LoVI rankings were positively associated with gender equality in human development and economic rights-related rankings and negatively associated with rates of justifying wife beating and of lifetime and prior-year physical and/or sexual IPV. The LoVI was not associated with national indicators for human development and income inequality. CONCLUSION: The LoVI is a concise, coherent, validated index to monitor the progress of nations on adopting comprehensive legislation to advance 2030 Sustainable Development Goal 5, to eliminate VAWG.

Understanding the perception of stakeholders in reducing adolescent-to-parent violence/aggression.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent-to-parent violence/aggression (APV/A) is an understudied yet increasingly common social problem for adolescents and families, particularly those involved in the juvenile justice system. The current study focused on improving interventions for this population by gathering qualitative data from stakeholders to inform treatment targets. METHODS: Participants (N = 23) comprised of court professionals (n = 7), parents/guardians (n = 9), and their male adolescent children (n = 7) in the United States. Parent and adolescent participants were recruited through monthly court-mandated domestic violence education classes offered by the juvenile court. Parent/guardian participants were between the ages of 38 and 77 and consisted of four males and five females. Adolescents were between the ages of 14 and 17. Court professional participants consisted of judges, probation officers, and court psychologists. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed qualitatively using grounded theory. RESULTS: Results indicated that, from the perspective of key stakeholders, an effective intervention to reduce APV/A likely involves a two-pronged approach: (1) address specific and theoretically modifiable emotional, behavioral, and psychological factors at the adolescent-level; and (2) induce change in the family system by addressing environmental barriers to seeking treatment and by creating positive family relationships. CONCLUSIONS: The present study aimed to gather the perspectives of court professionals, adolescents, and parents/guardians regarding the development of an effective intervention for APV/A-involved families. This study represents the first step toward the development of a feasible, acceptable, sustainable, and effective intervention for adolescents and their families who are involved in the juvenile justice system due to APV/A.

Prosecutorial Response to Nonfatal Strangulation in Domestic Violence Cases.

Recent research has pointed to the need for systematic law enforcement training on domestic violence when nonfatal strangulation is involved to improve evidence-based prosecution of these potentially deadly assaults; however, virtually no research has examined the legal response to nonfatal strangulation since many states have made it a separate criminal felony. The current exploratory study examines filing, charging, and adjudication decisions of nonfatal strangulation cases over a 3-year period based on evidence documentation in law enforcement reports to explore how these cases are handled by the criminal justice system in Brevard County, Florida. Results support previous research showing the importance of training police officers and other personnel as insufficient evidence may be one possible factor limiting the prosecutors' ability to successfully prosecute domestic violence strangulation offenders to the highest extent available under the law. Implications spread across multiple disciplines.