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Despite a series of high-profile media reports of sexual abuse in sport over the past few years, little research has been done to explore the scope of the problem in the United States. The current article reports on prevalence of child sexual assault in elite athletes in the United States. Using a retrospective web survey, adults answered questions on their experiences in sport. Of the 473 elite athletes surveyed, 3.8% (n = 18) reported being sexual assaulted as a minor in the sporting context. Of those reporting assault, most (61%) reported being abused by an adult authority figure (usually a coach) and 44% reported being assaulted by a peer. Abused athletes were significantly more likely to report having been diagnosed with a mental disorder (Fisher's exact test; p < .001). The findings can be utilized to improve prevention and child protection measures and other safeguarding initiatives in sport.
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Abuso Sexual Infantil , Adulto , Niño , Humanos , Prevalencia , Salud Mental , Estudios Retrospectivos , AtletasRESUMEN
PURPOSE: This study examines the nature of all domestic violence incidents involving parents and their minor children to which police in Philadelphia responded during the 2013 calendar year. METHOD: We use a retrospective design to explore the nature and outcome of parent-child incidents to which police are summoned. Incidents that officers determined met the state statute definition of child abuse are not included. RESULTS: Of 54,456 domestic violence incidents in the city of Philadelphia in 2013, 2,361 involved a verbal incident or physical altercation between a minor child and at least one parent. Most reports (83.3%) identified the child as the offender and were for verbal incidents (89.6%), suggesting police were called to resolve conflict in the home. When a child was the offender, boys were the most common offenders and mothers the most common victims. When a parent was the offender, mothers were the most common offenders and daughters the most common victims. Parent-offender incidents were far fewer (16.7%) but more likely than child-offender incidents to involve physical violence (AOR=6.19) and to result in arrest (AOR=3.67). CONCLUSIONS: Parent-child incidents that are not child abuse constitute about 20% of all domestic violence incidents to which police are summoned. Parent-child incidents are an under-researched and perhaps under-served issue. We know of few resources beyond law enforcement for on-the-scene crisis intervention and, as such, officers appear to serve as mediators in these mostly verbal disagreements. The appropriateness and cost of such intervention merits investigation and discussion.
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BACKGROUND: Homeless, runaway, and youth exiting foster care are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, but little research has parsed the societal, community, and individual factors that contribute to their risk. OBJECTIVES: (1) To estimate child welfare characteristics in a sample of homeless young people who engaged in commercial sex (CS); and (2) To compare young people who were sex trafficked (ST) to those who engaged in some other form of CS. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This study includes 98 homeless young people in Philadelphia, PA, Phoenix, AZ, and Washington, DC, who were interviewed for a larger study of ST and endorsed engagement in CS. METHODS: We used a non-probability, purposive, maximum variation sampling procedure. Interviews were recorded and responses were simultaneously noted on a standardized interview form. Data were analyzed through means, frequencies, and bivariate tests of association. RESULTS: Average age of the full sample of 98 homeless young people was 20.9 years; 48% were female and 50% were Black/African American. Forty-six percent of the full sample was sex trafficked. The full sample and the victims of ST differed significantly in three child welfare characteristics, with the ST group more likely to have been maltreated as children, more likely to have had family involvement with the child welfare system (CWS), and more likely to report higher rates of living someplace other than with their biological parents as children. CONCLUSIONS: ST victims differ from those who engaged in other forms of CS in histories of maltreatment, involvement with the CWS, and exposure to residential instability while growing up.
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Protección a la Infancia/estadística & datos numéricos , Trabajo Sexual/estadística & datos numéricos , Adolescente , Adulto , Negro o Afroamericano/estadística & datos numéricos , Arizona/epidemiología , Niño , Maltrato a los Niños/estadística & datos numéricos , Servicios de Protección Infantil/estadística & datos numéricos , District of Columbia/epidemiología , Femenino , Cuidados en el Hogar de Adopción/estadística & datos numéricos , Personas con Mala Vivienda/estadística & datos numéricos , Jóvenes sin Hogar/estadística & datos numéricos , Trata de Personas/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Masculino , Padres , Philadelphia/epidemiología , Características de la Residencia/estadística & datos numéricos , Conducta Sexual , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
The study examines the similarities and differences between China and the United States with regard to rape myths. We assessed the individual level of rape myth acceptance among Chinese university students by adapting and translating a widely used measure of rape myth endorsement in the United States, the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (IRMA) scale. We assessed whether the IRMA scale would be an appropriate assessment of attitudes toward rape among young adults in China. The sample consisted of 975 Chinese university students enrolled in seven Chinese universities. We used explorative factor analysis to examine the factor structure of the Chinese translation of the IRMA scale. Results suggest that the IRMA scale requires some modification to be employed with young adults in China. Our analyses indicate that 20 items should be deleted, and a five-factor model is generated. We discuss relevant similarities and differences in the factor structure and item loadings between the Chinese Rape Myth Acceptance (CRMA) and the IRMA scales. A revised version of the IRMA, the CRMA, can be used as a resource in rape prevention services and rape victim support services. Future research in China that employs CRMA will allow researchers to examine whether individual's response to rape myth acceptance can predict rape potential and judgments of victim blaming and community members' acceptance of marital rape.
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Víctimas de Crimen/psicología , Características Culturales , Violación/psicología , Percepción Social , Estereotipo , China , Comparación Transcultural , Análisis Factorial , Femenino , Humanos , Juicio , Masculino , Cambio Social , Estudiantes , Universidades , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
This article provides an overview of elder abuse screening and detection methods for community-dwelling and institutionalized older adults, including general issues and challenges for the field. Then, discussions of applications in emergency geriatric care, intimate partner violence (IPV), and child abuse are presented to inform research opportunities in elder abuse screening. The article provides descriptions of emerging screening and detection methods and technologies from the emergency geriatric care and IPV fields. We also discuss the variety of potential barriers to effective screening and detection from the viewpoint of the older adult, caregivers, providers, and the health care system, and we highlight the potential harms and unintended negative consequences of increased screening and mandatory reporting. We argue that research should continue on the development of valid screening methods and tools, but that studies of perceived barriers and potential harms of elder abuse screening among key stakeholders should also be conducted.
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Abuso de Ancianos/diagnóstico , Tamizaje Masivo/métodos , Anciano , Niño , Maltrato a los Niños , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital , Geriatría , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , Violencia de Pareja , Cuidados a Largo Plazo , Notificación Obligatoria , Maltrato Conyugal/diagnósticoRESUMEN
Police intervention is a primary response to intimate partner violence (IPV) but does not guarantee a victim's future safety. This study sought to identify factors associated with IPV survivors' perceptions of safety and risk of revictimization following police intervention. One hundred sixty-four women completed a questionnaire, and 11 of those women also took part in qualitative interviews. The findings revealed that feeling unsafe and perceiving oneself to be at risk of future violence is associated with experiencing particular forms of IPV, including battering, lethality threats, and sexual violence. Having support from others and distance from the partner helps women feel safe.
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Mujeres Maltratadas , Derecho Penal/métodos , Percepción , Policia , Seguridad , Parejas Sexuales , Maltrato Conyugal , Adolescente , Adulto , Agresión , Mujeres Maltratadas/psicología , Emociones , Femenino , Humanos , Entrevistas como Asunto , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Violación , Factores de Riesgo , Maltrato Conyugal/prevención & control , Maltrato Conyugal/psicología , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Current programs aimed at reducing intimate partner violence (IPV) have demonstrated little effect on at-risk males, who may potentially engage in acts of IPV. Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) provides the conceptual and empirical foundation for the dialectical psychoeducational workshop (DPEW). The DPEW offers a targeted preventative intervention for individuals potentially at risk for IPV. This article offers the rationale and theoretical basis for a specialized preventative approach to IPV and delineates a brief psychoeducational program that may stimulate further research and provide an alternate preventative intervention strategy in an area in need of innovative programs.
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Agresión , Terapia Conductista , Criminales , Curriculum , Parejas Sexuales , Maltrato Conyugal/prevención & control , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , HombresRESUMEN
A large number of American troops fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq have received wounds in their upper extremities leading to significant nerve damage and loss of strength. These injuries impair their ability to perform day-to-day tasks such as lifting a cup of coffee or opening a door. Although the cause of some injuries in service-people is often unique to their employment, civilian employees in other industries are also plagued with similar physical damage due to other kinds of injuries. Our goal is to develop a device to augment the strength of injured troops and civilian workers so they can perform everyday tasks despite their physical limitations. The ExoGrip is a glove designed to provide this necessary strength augmentation. The ExoGrip consists primarily of pressure sensors, linear actuators, and a microcontroller to provide a force multiplier based on a persons strength. The goal of the first phase of the project was to conduct research and also produce a working prototype of one finger. This goal was achieved by a group of classmates who started the project a year before. Their research and feasibility analysis ended in the mechanical movement of a single finger when the sensors were activated. The next phase of this project is to design and integrate a working prototype that manipulates all four fingers, while keeping the thumb in a fixed position. This paper describes the integration of new microcontrollers, linear actuators utilizing pulse width modulation technology, and improved pressure sensors needed to manipulate the fingers, as well as laying the foundation for future testing and development of a final product.
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This study examined how child protective services (CPS) systems respond to initial and subsequent reports in the context of child maltreatment rereporting and to what extent CPS system factors are associated with the risk of rereporting after controlling for abuse type and child and family factors. This study followed 67,243 families who were reported to the CPS agencies in seven counties in Florida for child abuse and neglect over a period of 5.4 years and found that 14,218 families had one or more child maltreatment rereports. Key findings include that CPS system factors were significantly different from initial report to subsequent reports. Five CPS system factors, reporting source, contact by CPS workers, investigative level at intake, postinvestigation services, and duration ofCPS involvement were significantly associated with the risk of child maltreatment rereporting. Multivariate analyses found that CPS system factors were substantially different for three categories ofrereporting, unsubstantiated rereports, substantiated rereports, and recurrence reports. Interpretations and implications for practice are discussed.
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Maltrato a los Niños/prevención & control , Notificación Obligatoria , Servicio Social/organización & administración , Adolescente , Niño , Maltrato a los Niños/estadística & datos numéricos , Preescolar , Femenino , Florida , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Análisis Multivariante , Recurrencia , Análisis de Regresión , Factores de RiesgoRESUMEN
Too few studies have assessed the relationship between youth risk behaviors and religiosity using measures which captured the varied extent to which youth are engaged in religion. This study applied three measures of religiosity and risk behaviors. In addition, this study ascertained information about youths' participation in religious activities from a parent or caretaker. Based on a national random sample of 2004 teens (ages 11-18), this study indicates that youth perceive religion as important, are active in religious worship and activities, and further shows that perceived importance of religion as well as participation in religious activities are associated with decreased risk behaviors. Looking at ten risk behaviors, religiosity variables were consistently associated with reduced risk behaviors in the areas of: smoking, alcohol use, truancy, sexual activity, marijuana use, and depression. In the case of these six risk variables, religiosity variables were significantly associated with reduced risk behaviors when controlling for family background variables and self-esteem. The study highlights the importance of further understanding the relationship between religious variables, background variables, self-esteem, and youth risk behaviors.
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Conducta del Adolescente , Religión , Asunción de Riesgos , Adolescente , Niño , Recolección de Datos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Pennsylvania , Autoimagen , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The development of empirically based behavioral and psychological typologies provides clear evidence that offenders vary across types. A review and synthesis of the literature reveals three types of batterers common across current typology research-a low, moderate, and high-risk offender. Examination of these types demonstrates that most male offenders do not escalate over time from low to high levels of risk. This observation refutes previous claims regarding a common consensus among researchers that battering escalates in frequency and intensity over time. There are particular characteristics specific to each type that establish thresholds distinct to each classification. Thus, it is unlikely that an offender will move from one type to another. Interventions targeted to address the needs of subsamples of offenders can lead to more effectively protecting those most at risk for future violence. Addressing the issue of woman battering through the prism of typologies has significant implications for research, policy, and practice.
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Violencia Doméstica , Psiquiatría Forense/métodos , Trastornos de la Personalidad/complicaciones , Personalidad , Violencia Doméstica/clasificación , Violencia Doméstica/prevención & control , Violencia Doméstica/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Trastornos de la Personalidad/psicología , Pautas de la Práctica en Medicina , Proyectos de Investigación , Medición de Riesgo/métodos , Medición de Riesgo/estadística & datos numéricos , Factores de Riesgo , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
Violence against family caregivers by their adult relatives with severe mental illness is a taboo area of public discourse and scientific research because of fears of further stigmatizing this population. Yet, these families experience violence at a rate estimated to be between 10% and 40%, which is considerably higher than the general population. This article reviews the limited research on violence of adults with severe mental illness against their family caregivers and proposes a conceptual framework that can further stimulate study in an area that has been neglected too long by both mental health and family violence investigators. Research on this topic is essential in developing effective policy and practice interventions.
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Cuidadores , Conducta Peligrosa , Violencia Doméstica , Relaciones Familiares , Miedo , Enfermos Mentales , Cuidadores/estadística & datos numéricos , Características Culturales , Violencia Doméstica/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Enfermos Mentales/estadística & datos numéricos , Factores de Riesgo , Apoyo Social , Maltrato Conyugal/estadística & datos numéricos , Estados UnidosAsunto(s)
Investigación Conductal , Relaciones Familiares , Consentimiento Informado , Investigación Cualitativa , Proyectos de Investigación , Investigación , Medición de Riesgo , Riesgo , Confidencialidad , Familia , Humanos , Métodos , Relaciones Investigador-Sujeto , Autoimagen , Esposos , Estrés PsicológicoRESUMEN
Researchers on sensitive topics in family relations face a number of obstacles, due to the private nature of the family and to ethical constraints on the study of humans. Difficulties in locating subjects, engaging their cooperation, and obtaining valid and reliable data are discussed, and methods are proposed for pursuing research on these important but frequently taboo topics.
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Familia , Tabú , Adulto , Niño , Maltrato a los Niños , Comunicación , Confidencialidad , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Trastornos Parafílicos/psicología , Investigación , Ciencias Sociales , Maltrato Conyugal , ViolenciaRESUMEN
Integration of data on the characteristics of death penalty supporters with data on violence within the family suggests that experience with violence in the family, and the meaning and moral evaluation of punishment and violence learned thereby, lead to support for the death penalty. This paper concludes that the high level of public support for the death penalty may be accounted for in part by the high level of violence within the family and by parental use of retributive physical punishment.