Domestic violence assault during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal community study.

BACKGROUND: The consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have been far-reaching, disproportionately impacting vulnerable populations. Of particular concern is the impact on individuals experiencing domestic violence (DV), an urgent public health issue. There have been numerous reports of pandemic-related surges in DV, and it has been speculated that prolonged periods of state-mandated isolation may be the source of these surges. The current study utilized publicly available records to examine fluctuations in DV coinciding with COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in a diverse metropolitan county. METHODS: Data were extracted from local police blotters and mapping engines in Orange County, California (United States), documenting police-reported DV assault. All incidents were coded for time to examine the time course of DV among other types of assault, allowing for a longitudinal view of incidents over a 66-week window. Changepoint analyses were used to determine whether and when DV assaults changed when mapped with coinciding tightening or loosening of restrictions county-wide. Piecewise regression analyses evaluated whether any detected fluctuations were statistically meaningful. RESULTS: In Santa Ana, rates saw a small but significant spike in the week following the first major lockdown in March 2020 (b = .04, SE = .02, t = 2.37, p = .01), remaining stable at this higher level thereafter (b = -.003, SE = .003, t = -1.29, p = .20). In Anaheim, no meaningful change in DV assault rates was observed at any time interval. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that surges in DV vary between communities and that systemic issues may set the stage for the surge of an already endemic problem.

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.

Patterns of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Mental Health: Evidence From College Students in Korea.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are concerning exposures that may have detrimental effects on mental health. Much of the prior evidence on ACEs comes from the U.S and western developed countries. In light of the limited knowledge of ACEs in other social contexts and the interconnection among adversities, this study aims to identify distinct patterns of co-occurring ACEs and examines the associations between those adversities and mental health in South Korea. We used data from a national sample of Korean college students recruited via non-probability quota sampling in 2019 (N = 1037). The dependent variables included three measures of mental health assessed by the Brief Symptom Inventory depression symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and somatization symptoms. The independent variable was the patterns of ACEs identified using 14 indicators of childhood adversity. We conducted a Latent Class Analysis with a distal outcome, using the Bolck, Croons, and Hagenaars method. The analysis found four patterns of ACEs: extreme adversity (8%), family violence (20.3%), economic adversity (10.4%), and low adversity (61.3%). The extreme adversity group exhibited multiple exposures, including interpersonal violence in home environments, economic hardship, and bullying victimization by peers. The results suggest that the extreme adversity and family violence groups showed significantly worse mental health symptoms than the economic adversity and low adversity groups. Also, the extreme adversity group reported significantly higher levels of depression symptoms and somatization symptoms than the family violence group. This study expands the current understanding of ACEs and their harmful effects on mental health in young adulthood specific to Korea while comparing them with other social contexts. Researchers and practitioners should recognize the co-occurrence of child adversities, rather than overestimating sole adversity, to develop effective strategies for promoting mental health.

Examining the Domestic Violence Crisis in Ventura County in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence (DV) worsened during COVID-19 and Family Justice Centers (FJCs) were, even more so than before, a critical part of providing services to DV victims. This study characterizes the clinical and sociodemographic features of the clients that come to the Ventura County FJC (VCFJC) and examines the effect of COVID-19, thus informing awareness of services available to victims of DV. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study utilizing the VCFJC database from 2019 to 2021. All client data normally collected was studied. A comparison of pre-COVID and post-COVID data was also conducted. RESULTS: There were 3488 client entries. Clients were mostly female (79% [2755]; n = 3488), aged 25-40 (31.73% [1106]; n = 3448), white/Caucasian (44.42% [1531]; n = 3448) or Hispanic/Latinx (42.41% [1462]; n = 3448). Clients most often requested restraining orders (72.41% [2496]; n = 3448), and most commonly reported DV [physical] (47.90% [1651]; n = 3448). Most health-insured clients were covered by MediCal (45.06% [1231]; n = 2732). Pre- and post-COVID analysis showed the highest increases in DV [physical] (odds ratio = 1.26, P < .0007) and stalking/harassment (odds ratio = 2.45, P < .0007), and decreases in all Initial Service Request categories except one. DISCUSSION: In serving clients affected by DV, FJCs are an important service for health care providers to be aware of. Post-COVID, clients reported DV and stalking/harassment at much higher percentages, which is consistent with national studies on the pandemic. The most alarming finding was the steep decrease in Initial Service Requests.Conclusion: This study shows the importance of collaboration and awareness of services, especially in a world of COVID-19.

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)

Differences between violence against children and adolescents in Maranhão, Brazil, 2009-2019 / Diferenças entre violências contra crianças e adolescentes no Maranhão, Brasil, 2009-2019

Abstract Objectives: to analyze differences between violence against children and adolescents according to characteristics of cases, probable perpetrators, occurrences and typologies and compare their temporal and spatial distributions. Methods: data were collected from the Notifiable Diseases Information System (SINAN), Maranhão, from 2009-2019. Results: 4,457 notifications of violence against children and 5,826 against adolescents were analyzed. In the 11 years investigated, violence against children was more frequent in 2015 and 2016 and in five of the 19 Maranhão Health Regions. Violence against males was more frequent in childhood and against females prevailed mostly in adolescence (p<0.001). While mothers (p<0.001), fathers (p=0.029) and caregivers (p<0.001) were most frequently accused of violence against children, friends/ acquaintances (p<0.001), spouses/boyfriends/girlfriends (p<0.001) and strangers (p<0.001) mainly assaulted adolescents. Violence motivated by sexism (p=0.006), generational conflict (p<0.001), street situation (p=0.002) and disability (p=0.035) were more frequent in adolescence. Physical (p<0.001), sexual (p<0.001) and psychological/moral (p<0.001) violence, torture (p<0.001) and self-aggression (p<0.001) were most commonly reported in adolescence and neglect/abandonment predominated was mostly reported against children (p<0.001). Conclusions: violence against children and adolescents residing in the state of Maranhão and notified in SINAN were distinct phenomena in relation to the characteristics of cases, probable authors, occurrences, and typologies.

Resumo Objetivos: analisar diferenças entre violências praticadas contra crianças e adolescentes segundo características de casos, prováveis autores, ocorrências e tipologias e comparar suas distribuições temporais e espaciais. Métodos: os dados foram coletados do Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN), Maranhão, de 2009-2019. Resultados: foram analisadas 4.457 notificações de violências contra crianças e 5.826 contra adolescentes. Nos 11 anos investigados, violências contra crianças predominaram em 2015 e 2016 e em cinco de 19 Regiões de Saúde maranhenses. Violências contra casos do sexo masculino foram mais frequentes na infância e contra pessoas do sexo feminino prevaleceram na adolescência (p<0,001). Enquanto mães (p<0,001), pais (p=0,029) e cuidadores (p<0,001) foram mais acusados de violência contra crianças, amigos/conhecidos (p<0,001), cônjuges/namorados(as) (p<0,001) e desconhecidos (p<0,001) teriam agredido principalmente adolescentes. Violências motivadas por sexismo (p=0,006), conflito geracional (p<0,001), situação de rua (p=0,002) e deficiência (p=0,035) foram mais frequentes na adolescência. Violências física (p<0,001), sexual (p<0,001) e psicológica/moral (p<0,001), tortura (p<0,001) e autoagressões (p<0,001) foram mais notificadas na adolescência e negligência/abandono predominou contra crianças (p<0,001). Conclusões: violências contra crianças e adolescentes estudadas se mostraram como fenômenos distintos em relação a características de casos, prováveis autores, ocorrências e tipologias sugerindo a necessidade de considerar suas especificidades nos planejamentos e avaliações de programas e projetos de enfrentamentos.

Maltrato en la gestante adolescente y su efecto en el peso del recién nacido en la altura geográfica peruana, Huancayo, Perú / Abuse in adolescent pregnant women and its effect on newborn weight in the Peruvian geographical altitude, Huancayo, Peru

INTRODUCCIÓN: La violencia en la gestante está asociada a muchos factores del recién nacido, pero esto casi no se ha reportado en la altura geográfica. OBJETIVO: Determinar si existe asociación entre el maltrato en la gestante adolescente y su efecto en el peso del recién nacido en la altura geográfica peruana. MÉTODO: Estudio de cohorte retrospectiva. Se tomó la información de 855 gestantes. La variable exposición fue que hubieran sufrido violencia, lo cual se asoció al peso y otros datos del recién nacido en la ciudad de Huancayo, Perú. RESULTADOS: Según el análisis multivariado, hubo más riesgo de que el niño tuviera un peso inadecuado cuando hubo violencia física (riesgo relativo ajustado [RRa]: 1,42; intervalo de confianza del 95% [IC95%]: 1,01-2,00; p = 0,045), cuando se tuvo un parto pretérmino según Capurro (RRa: 4,90; IC95%: 2,85-8,45; p < 0,001), cuando hubo complicaciones en el parto (RRa: 2,11; IC95%: 1,25-3,61; p = 0,006) y si el abuso inició en el primer trimestre (RRa: 14,74; IC95%: 4,70-46,27; p < 0,001), el segundo (RRa: 18,72; IC95%: 5,78-60,63; p < 0,001) o el tercero (RRa: 18,87; IC95%: 4,71-75,60; p < 0,001). CONCLUSIONES: Existe asociación entre sufrir violencia física durante la gestación y el bajo peso al nacer, y también se encontró asociación con otras variables.

INTRODUCTION: Violence in the pregnant woman is associated with many newborn factors, but this has hardly been reported in the geographical altitude. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is an association between adolescent pregnancy abuse and its effect on newborn birth weight in high altitude Peru. METHOD: Retrospective cohort study. Information was taken from 855 pregnant women. The exposure variable was whether they had suffered gender-based violence, the exposure variable was that they had suffered violence, which was associated with the weight and other data of the newborn in Huancayo city, Peru. RESULTS: In the multivariatee analysis it was found that there was a higher risk of the child having an inadequate weight when there was physical violence (adjusted relative risk [RRa]: 1.42; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 1.01-2.00; p = 0.045), when there was a preterm birth according to Capurro (RRa: 4.90; 95% CI: 2.85-8.45; p < 0.001), when there were complications in childbirth (RRa: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.25-3.61; p = 0.006) and if the abuse started in the first trimester (RRa: 14.74; 95% CI: 4.70-46.27; p < 0.001), second (RRa: 18.72; 95% CI: 5.78-60.63; p < 0.001) or third (RRa: 18.87; 95% CI: 4.71-75.60; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is an association between suffering physical violence during gestation and low birth weight, and association was also found with other variables.

Do empowered women receive better quality antenatal care in Pakistan? An analysis of demographic and health survey data.

INTRODUCTION: Quality antenatal care is a window of opportunity for improving maternal and neonatal outcomes. Numerous studies have shown a positive effect of women empowerment on improved coverage of maternal and reproductive health services, including antenatal care (ANC). However, there is scarce evidence on the association between women's empowerment and improved ANC services both in terms of coverage and quality. Addressing this gap, this paper examines the relationship between multi-dimensional measures of women empowerment on utilization of quality ANC (service coverage and consultation) in Pakistan. METHODS: We used Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey 2017-18 (PDHS) data which comprises of 6,602 currently married women aged between 15-49 years who had a live birth in the past five years preceding the survey. Our exposure variables were three-dimensional measures of women empowerment (social independence, decision making, and attitude towards domestic violence), and our outcome variables were quality of antenatal coverage [i.e. a composite binary measure based on skilled ANC (trained professional), timeliness (1st ANC visit during first trimester), sufficiency of ANC visits (4 or more)] and quality of ANC consultation (i.e. receiving at least 7 or more essential antenatal components out of 8). Data were analysed in Stata 16.0 software. Descriptive statistics were used to describe sample characteristics and binary logistic regression was employed to assess the association between empowerment and quality of antenatal care. RESULTS: We found that 41.4% of the women received quality ANC coverage and 30.6% received quality ANC consultations during pregnancy. After controlling for a number of socio-economic and demographic factors, all three measures of women's empowerment independently showed a positive relationship with both outcomes. Women with high autonomy (i.e. strongly opposed the notion of violence) in the domain of attitude to violence are 1.66 (95% CI 1.30-2.10) and 1.45 (95% CI 1.19-1.75) and times more likely to receive antenatal coverage and quality ANC consultations respectively, compared with women who ranked low on attitude to violence. Women who enjoy high social independence had 1.87 (95% CI 1.44-2.43) and 2.78 (95% CI 2.04-3.79) higher odds of quality antenatal coverage and consultations respectively, as compared with their counterparts. Similarly, women who had high autonomy in household decision making 1.98 (95% CI 1.60-2.44) and 1.56 (95% CI 2.17-1.91) were more likely to receive quality antenatal coverage and consultation respectively, as compared to women who possess low autonomy in household decision making. CONCLUSION: The quality of ANC coverage and consultation with service provider is considerably low in Pakistan. Women's empowerment related to social independence, gendered beliefs about violence, and decision-making have an independent positive association with the utilisation of quality antenatal care. Thus, efforts directed towards empowering women could be an effective strategy to improve utilisation of quality antenatal care in Pakistan.

Can Women Shelters Help Reduce Symptoms of PTSD and C-PTSD? Trajectories of PTSD Symptom Development Following Partner- and Family-Related Violence.

BACKGROUND: To protect women from Intimate partner violence (IPV), women's shelters should not only provide emergency safety from IPV exposure, but also prolonged support that empowers women to build a life free from violence. The present study aims to investigate individual symptom development in association with residency at a women's shelter. METHOD: Data were collected at four different timepoints, that is, enrolment (T1, N = 150), 3-months residency (T2, = 110), 6-months residency (T3, N = 68) and after relocation (T4, N = 63). Women were included from four Danish women's shelters. The International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) was applied to test for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Complex-PTSD (C-PTSD) at all timepoints. A paired sample t-test was used to test the mean symptom development, and a Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) was applied to test for different classes of PTSD-trajectories. Logistic regression was applied to predict class membership from shelter-related variables and symptom severity, that is, length of residency, psychological counselling, revictimization and key symptoms of C-PTSD. RESULTS: The prevalence of PTSD (31%) and C-PTSD (37.9%) was high at enrolment. Although t-tests suggested a significant decline in symptoms at follow-up, the LCGA revealed different classes of symptom development. The two-class model was found to be the best representation of data with low-symptom- and high-symptom profiles, respectively. Overall, the largest decline in symptoms occurred within the first 3 months of residency. Revictimization was high and was further found to predict class membership. However, when included in a multiple regression only symptom severity predicted the high-symptoms profile class. DISCUSSION: Psychological treatment focussing on PTSD and C-PTSD is important for the women's future well-being and safety. Reports on revictimization was alarmingly high, which emphasises a continuing need to protect women from psychological violence within the shelters. These findings should be replicated in larger samples before we can draw any conclusion.

Development, validation, and pilot implementation of the minimum datasheet for a domestic violence registry system: The case of a developing country.

BACKGROUND: Domestic violence (DV) is a universal issue and an important public health priority. Establishing a DV Registry System (DVRS) can help to systematically integrate data from several sources and provide valid and reliable information on the scope and severity of harms. The main objective of this study was to develop, validate, and pilot-test a minimum datasheet for a DVRS to register DV victims in medical facilities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in two main phases. Phase one includes developing the datasheet for registration of DV in the DVRS. In phase two, the datasheet designed in the previous step was used in a pilot implementation of the DVRS for 12 months to find practical challenges. The preliminary datasheet was first developed using information on similar registry programs and guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and then reviewed by four expert panels. Through a two-round Delphi technique, experts evaluated the instrument using the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Content Validity Ratio (CVR). The consistency of the responses was evaluated by test-retest analysis. Finally, two physicians in two forensic medical clinics registered the victims of physical and/or sexual violence perpetrated by a family member. RESULTS: Preliminary datasheet consisted of 31 items. In the first round of Delphi, fifteen items had good content validity (I-CVI and CVR) and were kept, and seven items were moved to the next round. Also, in the first round of Delphi, experts suggested adding three items, including history of the violence, custody of the child, and custody of the elderly. All items evaluated in the second round were kept due to good CVR and CVI scores. As a result of Test-retest correlation coefficients for self-reprted items, two items including perpetrator's alcohol and drug use status were excluded (r(30) = +.43, and +.38, p< .01, two-tailed, respectively). Finally, 24 items were included in the datasheet including 15 items for individuals' characteristics (victims' characteristics and perpetrators' characteristics), eight items for incidents' characteristics, and one item for past history of violence experience. A total of 369 cases were registered from September 23, 2019, to July 21, 2020. The majority of the reported cases were female (82%) and were 19-40 years old. No physical and/or sexual violence was reported from rural areas, which calls upon researchers to explore how services for detecting and treating the victims can be made accessible to these areas. CONCLUSION: DVRS can show trends in DV by age, sex, the context of the violence, and incidence characteristics at every point in time. This is particularly valuable in planning and prioritizing research areas and interventions for DV prevention. Additionally, DVRS can be linked to other disease registry programs which can contribute to continuity and coordination of care, and major research in the future. Although a DVRS can be a promising initiative in identifying the areas in need of urgent interventions, there is no guarantee for its proper implementation due to limited resources and other challenges.

[Assessment of psycho-trauma caused by the aggressions committed by patients with psychosis against their family caregivers: across-sectional survey]. / Évaluation du psycho-traumatisme lié aux agressions commises par les patients psychotiques sur leurs aidants familiaux: enquête transversale dans la région de Sfax, Tunisie.

INTRODUCTION: the management of patients with psychosis is associated with a risk of exposure to violence which can affect all the stakeholders, in particular the family entourage. Caregiving role generates violence and this can have a psychological impact on the caregivers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of aggressions perpetrated by patients with psychosis on their family caregivers as well as to assess the psychological and traumatic impact on family caregivers and to identify factors associated with it. METHODS: family caregivers of patient with psychosis were interviewed. We used two psychometric scales: the perception of prevalence of aggression scale (POPAS) and the impact of event scale-revised. RESULTS: the whole number of participants was 95. Three out of four caregivers (75.8%) reported having been subjected to moderate to severe aggressions by their sick relatives during the past year. Moderate to severe aggressions were significantly more common among older male caregivers, parents of patients with psychosis living in a different home. Fifty-four point seven percent of caregivers had possible posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the risk of developing this disorder increased significantly as the perceived severity of aggressions increased. The same sociodemographic profile of the caregivers, related to the severity of the aggressions, was associated with a risk of developing PTSD in the caregivers. CONCLUSION: the aggressions committed by patients with psychosis against their family caregivers appear to have a significant psychological and traumatic impact. Interventions targeting violence committed by patients with psychosis in their family environment should also be integrated into patient management.

Domestic Violence Police Reporting and Resources During the 2020 COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Order in Chicago, Illinois.

Importance: Domestic violence (DV) has become a growing public health concern during the COVID-19 pandemic because individuals may be sheltering in place with abusers and facing mounting economic and health-related stresses. Objective: To analyze associations of the 2020 COVID-19 stay-at-home (SH) order with DV police reporting and resource availability, including differences by community area racial/ethnic composition. Design, Setting, and Participants: This longitudinal cohort study assessed DV police reports (January-June 2020) obtained from the Chicago, Illinois, Police Department and DV resource availability (March and August 2020) obtained from the NowPow community resource database, both for 77 community areas in Chicago. Data were analyzed July through December 2020. Exposures: The COVID-19 SH order effective March 21, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: Monthly rates of DV police reports and DV resource availability per 100 000 persons. Results: Of 77 community areas in Chicago, 28 (36.4%) were majority Black, 19 (24.7%) majority Hispanic/Latinx, 18 (23.4%) majority White, and 12 (15.6%) a different or no majority race/ethnicity, representing an estimated population of 2 718 555 individuals. For each community area, the SH order was associated with a decrease in the rate of DV police reports by 21.8 (95% CI, -30.48 to -13.07) crimes per 100 000 persons per month relative to the same months in 2019. Compared with White majority community areas, Black majority areas had a decrease in the rate of DV police reports by 40.8 (95% CI, -62.93 to -18.75) crimes per 100 000 persons per month relative to the same months in 2019. The SH order was also associated with a decrease in DV resource availability at a rate of 5.1 (95% CI, -7.55 to -2.67) resources per 100 000 persons, with the largest decreases for mental health (-4.3 [95% CI, -5.97 to -2.66] resources per 100 000 persons) and personal safety (-2.4 [95% CI, -4.40 to -0.41] resources per 100 000 persons). The Black majority south side of Chicago had a larger decrease in resource availability (-6.7 [95% CI, -12.92 to -0.46] resources per 100 000 persons) than the White majority north side. Conclusions and Relevance: In this longitudinal cohort study, the rate of DV police reports decreased after the SH order was implemented in Chicago. This decrease was largely observed in Black majority communities, whereas there was no significant change in White majority communities. These findings may reflect decreased DV incidence but may also reflect an exacerbation of underreporting. In addition, DV resource availability decreased disproportionately on the predominantly Black south side of Chicago.

Intergenerational effects of violence on women's perinatal wellbeing and infant health outcomes: evidence from a birth cohort study in Central Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Girls exposed to violence have a high risk of being victimized as adults and are more likely than non-abused women to have children who are treated violently. This intergenerational transmission may be especially serious when women suffer violence during pregnancy and early motherhood, as it impairs maternal wellbeing and infant health and development. This study examined the intergenerational effects of being exposed to childhood maltreatment (CM) and prenatal intimate partner violence (p-IPV) on perinatal mental distress and birth outcomes in central Vietnam. METHODS: A birth cohort study in Hue City, Vietnam was conducted with 150 women in the third trimester of pregnancy (Wave 1) and 3 months after childbirth (Wave 2). Using multivariable logistic regression models, augmented inverse-probability-weighted estimators and structural equation modelling (SEM), we analyzed a theoretical model by evaluating adjusted risk differences and pathways between CM, p-IPV and subsequent perinatal adversity and indicators of infant health problems. RESULTS: One in two pregnant women experienced at least one form of CM (55.03%) and one in ten pregnant women experienced both CM and p-IPV (10.67%). Mothers who experienced p-IPV or witnessed IPV as a child were approximately twice as likely to experience poor mental health during pregnancy [ARR 1.94, 95% CI (1.20-3.15)]. Infants had a two-fold higher risk of adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, preterm birth, admission to neonatal intensive care) [ARR 2.45 95% CI (1.42, 4.25)] if their mothers experienced any form of p-IPV, with greater risk if their mothers were exposed to both CM and p-IPV [ARR 3.45 95% CI (1.40, 8.53)]. Notably, significant pathways to p-IPV were found via adverse childhood experience (ACE) events (ß = 0.13), neighborhood disorder (ß = 0.14) and partner support (ß = - 1.3). CONCLUSION: These results emphasize the detrimental and prolonged nature of the effect of violence during childhood and pregnancy. Exposure to childhood maltreatment and violence during pregnancy increases the risk of maternal mental health difficulties and adverse birth outcomes. Antenatal care systems need to be responsive to women's previous experiences of violence and maternal mental health. The significant protective role of partner support and social support should also be considered when designing tailored interventions to address violence during pregnancy.

Analyzing the relationship between air pollution and various types of crime.

Air pollution has a severe impact on human physical and mental health. When the air quality is poor enough to cause respiratory irritation, people tend to stay home and avoid any outdoor activities. In addition, air pollution may cause mental health problems (depression and anxiety) which were associated with high crime risk. Therefore, in this study, it is hypothesized that increasing air pollution level is associated with higher indoor crime rates, but negatively associated with outdoor crime rates because it restricts people's daily outdoor activities. Three types of crimes were used for this analysis: robbery (outdoor crime), domestic violence (indoor crime), and fraud (cybercrime). The results revealed that the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model performed best with lower AIC values. In general, in the higher population areas with more severe air pollution, local authorities should allocate more resources, extra police officers, or more training programs to help them prevent domestic violence, rather than focusing on robbery.

Comparing recidivism rates among domestically violent men enrolled in ACTV versus Duluth/CBT.

Objective: The goal of the present study was to replicate and extend published preliminary evidence demonstrating that a relatively new treatment (Achieving Change through Value-Based Behavior [ACTV]) for men convicted of domestic violence significantly reduces recidivism compared to the standard treatment offered across the United States (the Duluth Model and/or cognitive-behavioral approaches). Method: Men convicted of domestic assault (DA) and court-mandated to a Batterers Intervention Program [N = 725; Mage = 34.9 years (SDage = 10.37 years)] were assigned to attend ACTV or treatment-as-usual (TAU). Participants were predominantly Black (63.3%). Recidivism, defined as any new convictions, any violent convictions, and any DA convictions, was examined up to 5 years posttreatment. Only men classified as medium or high risk were included. Results: Men in TAU were more likely to receive any conviction (95% CI [1.61, 4.40]), a violent conviction (95% CI [1.67, 9.60]), and a DA conviction (95% CI [1.36, 4.90]) compared to men in ACTV. Time to new conviction posttreatment was shorter for men in TAU versus ACTV (95% CI [2.16, 4.11]). Finally, the risk of receiving any new conviction (95% CI [1.46, 7.11]) was more strongly associated with noncompletion for TAU than ACTV participants. Conclusions: ACTV shows great promise for reducing recidivism compared to TAU. The present study represents the first time this intervention has been implemented in a state other than where it was developed and provides initial evidence for its generalizability and robustness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

[Domestic violence in Val Camonica: survey on the accesses to the emergency deparment in the period post Covid-19]. / Violenza domestica in Val Camonica: indagine conoscitiva sugli accessi in pronto soccorso nel periodo post Covid-19.

. Domestic violence in Val Camonica: survey on the accesses to the emergency deparment in the period post Covid-19. INTRODUCTION: The lock-down due to COVID-19 has caused hard times to everybody, but especially for women victim of domestic violence, locked up in their own home with violent partners. OBJECTIVE: To describe how and to what extent the lockdown caused by the first wave of COVID-19 influenced the domestic violence in Val Camonica. METHOD: Using the informatic system of the Esine Emergency Department, accesses for domestic, psychological and/or physical violence in the years 2017-2020 were analyzed. RESULTS: In 2020, following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increase in the observed accesses for domestic violence and aggressions displayed during violent episodes was. As in previous years, women victims of domestic violence were between 30 and 40 years old and of Italian nationality; men were also victims of domestic violence. CONCLUSIONS: Also in Val Camonica violence against women is a widespread phenomenon. For this reason the Valcamonica local Authorities are taking action to expand the available network service.

COVID-19 pandemic: A review of the global lockdown and its far-reaching effects.

COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on the 11th of March 2020, leading to some form of lockdown across almost all countries of the world. The extent of the global pandemic due to COVID-19 has a significant impact on our lives that must be studied carefully to combat it. This study highlights the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on crucial aspects of daily life globally, including; Food security, Global economy, Education, Tourism, hospitality, sports and leisure, Gender Relation, Domestic Violence/Abuse, Mental Health and Environmental air pollution through a systematic search of the literature. The COVID-19 global lockdown was initiated to stem the spread of the virus and 'flatten the curve' of the pandemic. However, the impact of the lockdown has had far-reaching effects in different strata of life, including; changes in the accessibility and structure of education delivery to students, food insecurity as a result of unavailability and fluctuation in prices, the depression of the global economy, increase in mental health challenges, wellbeing and quality of life amongst others. This review article highlights the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown across the globe. As the global lockdown is being lifted in a phased manner in various countries of the world, it is necessary to explore its impacts to understand its consequences comprehensively. This will guide future decisions that will be made in a possible future wave of the COVID-19 pandemic or other global disease outbreak.