Empowerment Self-Defense Intervention Outcomes: A Descriptive Review of Measures.

Global research about empowerment self-defense (ESD)-a sexual assault resistance intervention recommended as a component of a comprehensive sexual assault prevention strategy-continues to emerge, with studies reporting positive effects, including reduced risk of sexual assault victimization. Researchers have suggested ESD may produce additional positive public health outcomes beyond the prevention of sexual violence, but more research is needed to understand the benefits associated with ESD training. However, to conduct high-quality research, scholars have suggested a need for improved measurement tools. To better understand these measurement gaps, the purpose of this study was to identify and review measures used in ESD outcome studies; and in doing so, to determine the range of outcomes previously measured in quantitative studies. Within the 23 articles meeting study inclusion criteria, there were 57 unique scales that measured a range of variables. These 57 measures were grouped into nine construct categories: assault characteristics (n = 1); attitudes and beliefs (n = 6); behavior and behavioral intentions (n = 12); fear (n = 4); knowledge (n = 3); mental health (n = 8); any past unwanted sexual experiences (n = 7); perception of risk and vulnerability (n = 5); and self-efficacy (n = 11). Except for mental health, most scales were developed in the Global North using college student populations, so measures for diverse populations (e.g., diverse in age, culture, ethnicity, geographical origin) are critically needed. Future research should focus on identifying and/or developing standardized tools that measure the full constellation of targeted outcomes. Evaluation of the methodological quality of studies assessing psychometric performance of the tools should also be prioritized.

Perceptions of Sexual Risk and HIV/STI Prevention Among Black Adolescent Girls in a Detention Center: an Investigation of the Role of Parents and Peers.

Black American adolescent girls constitute approximately one third of the US youth legal system population. Their overrepresentation in the youth punishment system is an indicator of significant physical, sexual, and/or behavioral health needs. Since less is known about perceptions of HIV/STI risk among Black girls with juvenile justice histories, we used intersectionality theory to explore the following: (1) how a sample of Black girls in detention endorse their perceptions of sexual safety given the multiple intersections of their race, gender, and SES and (2) how their endorsements align with interlocking systems of social inequality for system-involved Black at the social structural level. We examined relational and behavioral factors associated perceived HIV/STI risk. Among a sample of 188 Black girls (ages 13-17 years), we examined parent and partner sexual communication, fear of condom negotiation, a positive STI test, and partner risk profile as significant correlates. Major findings indicated that greater partner communication was associated with higher perceived HIV/STI risk, whereas having had a risky sexual partner, fear of condom negotiation, and having had a positive STI test were correlated with lower perceived risk. The significant factors identified in this study can be the focus of STI prevention and intervention programs for Black girls with youth punishment histories.

Beyond Sexual Assault Prevention: Targeted Outcomes for Empowerment Self-Defense.

Empowerment Self-Defense (ESD) has been shown to be effective in reducing risk of sexual assault victimization among women, but because research in this area is still in its infancy, less is known about additional intervention outcomes that may explain how and why the intervention is effective and about other ways that ESD affects students. The purpose of this study was to examine ESD instructor perspectives about intervention outcomes they perceive to be most important for their students. Using qualitative case-study methodology, interviews from 15 ESD instructors from the United States and Canada were conducted and analyzed using thematic analysis, which yielded six themes: Agency, boundaries, core beliefs, health and healing, somatic experiences, and gender and intersectionality, with each theme having two or more subthemes. Although some of these outcomes have been quantitatively evaluated in previous ESD studies, over half (n = 10) have not yet been empirically measured and are the focus of this article. These 10 outcomes include enactment, self-determination, nonverbal communication, relationship quality, self-worth, healing, physical strength and power, downregulation, support and solidarity, and societal-level changes. In addition to developing standardized tools to measure these outcomes, future research should quantitatively evaluate these outcomes across diverse student populations and explore their effect on producing the profound outcome associated with ESD, which is reduced risk for sexual assault victimization.

Informal and formal systems of care for women experiencing intimate partner violence in Kenya.

Several factors influence a victim's decision on whether or not to seek help after experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). This study used data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) for Kenya (2014) of ever married women (n = 5265). Majority of the women did not seek help after experiencing IPV (55.5%). Women justification for IPV decreased the odds of seeking help from informal services by 0.75 times and formal services by 0.58 times. Understanding cultural determinants of help seeking would contribute in the development of effective policies and programs for preventing and responding to IPV in Kenya and across the world.

The Self-Identification, LGBTQ+ Identity Development, and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet-Based Service Provision.

While often included in the spectrum of sexual minority identities, asexuality receives comparatively little attention. Awareness and understanding remains limited, and knowledge has been generated primarily from adult populations. This paper employs a sample of 711 self-identified asexual youth (aged 14-24, M = 17.43 years) who identified as members of the LGBTQ+ community to consider the implications of a number of different areas for service provision. Two-thirds (66.8%) of participants identified as gender minorities within the spectrum of transgender and non-binary identities. Findings include aspects of participants' LGBTQ+ developmental processes, including that only 14.3% had disclosed their LGBTQ+ status to everyone in their lives. However, just 2.4% had disclosed to no one. Their attraction and sexual activity were also explored, with 27.1% having never experienced any kind of romantic or sexual attraction and 20.6% having ever been sexually active. Findings regarding participants' accessing of LGBTQ+ health information and engagement in a range of offline and online LGBTQ+ community activities are also provided. Participants acquired more health information online than offline-including sexual health information. Recommendations for service provision, particularly implications for sexual health and Internet-based services, are discussed.

Court-Affiliated Diversion Programs for Prostitution-Related Crimes: A Comprehensive Review of Program Components and Impact.

OBJECTIVE: Court diversion programs offer alternative treatment interventions in lieu of punitive sanctions. Programs have recently been developed for women arrested for prostitution, with a recognition that many of these individuals frequently experience multiple forms of violence and experience multiple barriers to exiting sex work. This review aims to (a) examine programmatic components used across programs, and (b) identify the diversionary programs' impact on participants. METHODS: Studies were identified by entering key search words into three electronic databases and by conducting a citation search. RESULTS: Nine articles were included in the review. Although programs varied in structure, services, and length of time, studies indicated a range of positive outcomes for participants. CONCLUSIONS: Results help to illuminate future directions for criminal justice practice, policy, and research.

Defining resilience in maltreated children from the practitioners' perspectives: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, studies have focused on understanding positive outcomes in children who have been maltreated and the factors that contribute to resilience. However, there is no universally accepted definition of resilience, thus hindering the ability to make comparisons across studies and to use such information to inform interventions to foster resilience. OBJECTIVE: The current study sought to address this gap by examining definitions of resilience in practitioners who work directly with maltreated children. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 27 participants were recruited through two agencies that serve victims of child maltreatment in an urban Midwestern city. METHODS: Through a series of 27 qualitative interviews, the current study examined the following research question: "How is resilience defined and understood by practitioners working with children who have experienced child maltreatment?" Thematic coding and analysis were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Findings suggest five unique themes described by practitioners as their definition of resilience: (a) surviving; (b) thriving; (c) perseverance; (d) reconciling and integrating traumatic experiences into healthy identity development; and (e) advocating for self. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the spectral and nuanced nature of resilience among maltreated children. Implications for theory, research and practice are discussed.

Client-Perpetrated Violence Toward Female Sex Workers in Kathmandu.

This qualitative study explores the experiences of client-perpetrated violence toward female sex workers in Kathmandu, Nepal. Individual interviews were conducted with 30 female sex workers. Data were analyzed using qualitative coding methods and thematic development. Two main themes emerged. Contexts in which client-perpetrated violence corresponded with (a) conditions associated with exchange of services, and (b) alcohol use. The first theme involved five factors: negotiating condom use, number of clients, requesting payment, length of service time, and negotiating sex acts. Alcohol use by clients and/or sex workers exacerbated violence. Implications for practice and research are discussed.

Trauma and Adolescents Who Engage in Sexually Abusive Behavior: A Review of the Literature.

While recent research has established the abuse and victimization histories of youth who engage in sexually abusive behavior, there is still debate regarding the significance of trauma and abuse as developmental antecedents to sexual offending in adolescence. Moreover, research has not conclusively identified the types, context, and timing of adverse experiences that act as catalysts for subsequent sexual perpetration. The present comprehensive literature review has one primary aim: Explore the adverse childhood experiences of youth who engage in sexually abusive behavior, considering whether trauma may be a consistent developmental antecedent to offending. Search method, inclusion criteria, and screening protocol are described, and the articles included in the review (N = 13) are qualitatively analyzed using thematic coding. Findings indicate that traumatic experiences and symptoms may be of developmental and etiological significance for subsequent sexually abusive behavior in adolescence. Implications for research, treatment, and policy are discussed, with the hope the findings will act as impetus to develop and deliver targeted treatment and prevention programs to sexually abusive youth who have histories of victimization.

Facilitating mechanisms for integrating care to promote health equity across the life course: reflections from social work trainees.

Integrated care is a promising practice to promote health equity and improve population health across the life course, but the mechanisms needed to integrate services remain nebulous. This study aimed to identify the components required to achieve a fully integrated health care system as articulated by social work trainees. The authors conducted five focus groups (N = 20). Transcripts were analyzed using structural and pattern coding. Three primary themes emerged: Organizational Structure and Support, Personal and Interpersonal Dynamics, and Practitioner Knowledge. Results from this study can inform the process of integration and has implications for social work education.