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Di Donna G, Di Lorenzo P, Aquino CI, Marisei M, Casella C, Surico D, Niola M, Guida M. Gender Violence During the Three Ages of Life and the Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AND HEALTH SERVICES 2024:27551938241247776. [PMID: 38646684 DOI: 10.1177/27551938241247776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Children, women, and older people suffer different types of violence, which appears to have been exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic and the relative lockdown. The aim of this study is to analyze the literature about gender violence and abuse in the different ages of life and during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were obtained from an electronic literature search using various online sources such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Web of Science. The terms "child abuse" were the most frequently used, followed in frequency by "gender violence," "femicide," and, lastly, "elderly abuse." The first studies considered gender-based violence as a purely physical problem, then, progressively, the analysis focused on the psychological point of view of the issue. There was a greater number of studies in 2020 about violence in comparison with previous years. The social and scientific attention to gender-based violence appeared to be very poor, especially in the case of older people abuse. It is necessary to increase general attention to the topic to correctly identify each form of abuse and to be able to take care of the subjects most at risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Di Donna
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Pierpaolo Di Lorenzo
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmen Imma Aquino
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics University of Piemonte Orientale, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy
| | - Mariagrazia Marisei
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Casella
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Surico
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics University of Piemonte Orientale, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, Novara, Italy
| | - Massimo Niola
- Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Maurizio Guida
- Department of Neuroscience and Reproductive and Odontostomatological Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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Puppi M, Rota L, Scotti L, Rabbone I, Gino S. Clinical and Forensic Aspects of the Management of Child Abuse: The Experience of the Paediatric Emergency Department in Novara, North-West Italy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:2028. [PMID: 36767394 PMCID: PMC9916143 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child abuse is an endemic phenomenon that refers to any form of violence aimed at children and adolescents. The Emergency Room is often the entry point to healthcare for the abused child. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study including minors, aged 0-18 years, of all genders, who experienced any form of violence examined at the Paediatric Emergency Department of the 'Maggiore della Carità' Hospital in Novara (North-West Italy) between 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021. Data were extrapolated by looking at the diagnosis at discharge. A comparison of the different variables collected was made between the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID era. RESULTS 120 minors presented to the paediatric emergency room seeking help for violence. The average age was 10 years, 55% of the victims were male and 75% of them were Italian. In the pre-COVID period, the number of presentations for abuse was 62, while in the COVID period it was 58 with an increase of peer violence (from 38.71% to 62.07%) and with a statistically significant impact of the pandemic on the phenomenon (p-value < 0.00001). In general, peer violence accounts for 50% of the cases reviewed and resulted in fewer reports to the judicial authority and requests for forensic advice. CONCLUSION The SARS-CoV-2-related pandemic has had an impact on total emergency room admissions and the types of abuse perpetrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micol Puppi
- School of Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Linda Rota
- Division of Paediatrics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Lorenza Scotti
- Department of Translational Medicine, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Ivana Rabbone
- Division of Paediatrics, Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Sarah Gino
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
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Mognetti B, Bo M, Berta GN, Canavese A, Castagna P, Collini F, Santa V, Salomone A, Gino S. Sexual Harassments Related to Alcohol and Drugs Intake: The Experience of the Rape Centre of Turin. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15090. [PMID: 36429806 PMCID: PMC9690951 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
A cross-sectional study was conducted that describes the characteristics of sexual violence episodes related to the intake of alcohol and drugs observed among women that turned to the "Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale" (SVS) of the Sant'Anna Hospital in Turin between 1 January 2008, and 31 December 2017. Two hundred twenty-two patients were enrolled, 25 of which were minors, 141 were Italians, and most of them knew their aggressor and were raped in a private home. One hundred and fifty-five of them declared to the healthcare personnel to have taken alcoholic substances and/or drugs in conjunction with the event (86 reported having drunk alcohol, 36 having taken drugs and 33 disclosed both alcohol and drug abuse). If the woman knew her abuser, alcohol consumption was described as voluntary in more than 80% of cases, while in relation to drugs the consumption was equally voluntary or fraudulent. About 73% of women who reported having drunk alcohol just had amnesia or amnesia related to other symptoms, while amnesia was present in about 63% of women who reported only drug use. Physicians observed physical injuries on 156 women. Patients who reported to have assumed alcohol presented a significantly higher risk to suffer any physical injury and have a significantly increased risk to suffer injuries to their head and/or neck. The results obtained underline how even in Northern Italy alcohol intake represents the most widespread psychoactive substance in case of drug-facilitated sexual assault. There is therefore a need to promote education and prevention campaigns among citizens, especially among the youngest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Mognetti
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
| | - Marco Bo
- Hospital Medical Direction, Local Health Trust TO5, Piazza Silvio Pellico 1, 10023 Chieri, Italy
| | - Giovanni Nicolao Berta
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Antonella Canavese
- Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale, Sant’Anna Hospital, City of Health and Science, Corso Spezia 60, 10126 Turin, Italy
- Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, Corso Dogliotti 14, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Castagna
- Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale, Sant’Anna Hospital, City of Health and Science, Corso Spezia 60, 10126 Turin, Italy
| | - Federica Collini
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Veronica Santa
- Corso di Laurea Magistrale in Medicina e Chirurgia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria San Luigi (Orbassano), University of Turin, v. Verdi 8, 10124 Turin, Italy
| | - Alberto Salomone
- Department of Chemistry, University of Turin, via Giuria 5, 10126 Turin, Italy
- Centro Regionale Antidoping, Regione Gonzole 10/1, 10043 Orbassano, Italy
| | - Sarah Gino
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Piedmont, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
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Mishori R, Naimer K, McHale T, Johnson K, Fateen D, Gillette-Pierce Z. To confront sexual violence, we must train non-forensic experts to perform medico-legal evaluations. MEDICINE, SCIENCE, AND THE LAW 2022; 62:149-153. [PMID: 34184950 DOI: 10.1177/00258024211029075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Sexual violence is a global crisis. Forensic evaluations are critical for obtaining evidence and increasing the likelihood of accessing justice, as many cases fail due to lack of evidence or poor evidence. In some countries, only board-certified forensic specialists are authorized to conduct forensic evaluations. However, the high number of sexual violence cases coupled with the shortage of forensic physicians make that restriction a fundamental impediment to a rights-based response to sexual violence crimes. Governments and regulatory bodies should expand the pool of those capable of conducting forensic sexual violence evaluations by partnering with clinicians of different specialties and facilitating their training.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranit Mishori
- Georgetown University School of Medicine and Physicians for Human Rights, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Dahlia Fateen
- Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA
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