[Posttraumatic growth in survivors of intimate partner violence: A French pilot study]

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to: (1) evaluate posttraumatic growth in survivors of intimate partner violence, (2) compare and characterize this posttraumatic growth with the one measured in survivors of other types of violence, and (3) evaluate post-traumatic stress disorder and its relationship with posttraumatic growth in our clinical population.

METHODS

We realized a monocentric pilot study in Poitiers (Vienne, France) recruiting 17 survivors of intimate partner violence and 42 survivors of other types of violence from two medical departments: the Unit of Forensic Medicine, where victims are oriented following complaints, and the Psychotrauma Center. Participants were administrated questionnaires comprising socio-demographics data and specific scales, namely the PTGI and PCL-5.

RESULTS

We found a higher prevalence of posttraumatic growth in survivors of intimate partner violence (82 %), when compared with survivors of sexual assault and other interpersonal types of violence (52 % and 53 %, respectively). Posttraumatic growth was low to moderate, and faster as it was detected in victims recruited in the Unit of Forensic Medicine. All domains of posttraumatic growth were positively affected, i.e. higher scores from the PTGI were recorded in survivors of intimate partner violence. No difference was found when results were compared between groups from the Psychotrauma Center. We were unable to identify socio-demographic predictors of posttraumatic growth. À posttraumatic stress disorder was found in survivors of intimate partner violence, and negatively related to posttraumatic growth.

DISCUSSION

To our knowledge, this is the first study comparing post-traumatic growth across such conditions and using specific and recognized scales. Our pilot study demonstrated that survivors of intimate partner violence were able to develop low to moderate posttraumatic growth faster than survivors of other types of violence. All domains of posttraumatic growth were affected, demonstrating the ability of survivors to withstand adversity. Scientific data regarding the link between posttraumatic growth and posttraumatic stress disorder is unclear, probably depending on the trauma, the circumstances, the timing of the measurement. In our study, we found a clear negative correlation between the two parameters. Our results underline the necessity to provide overall and rapid intervention in survivors of intimate partner violence, comprising legal, psychological, social and medical approaches, to facilitate the development of posttraumatic growth.

IPV in Rural Pennsylvania and Magisterial Courts: Case Study

Research on the criminal justice system's response to the problem of intimate partner violence (IPV) largely focuses on police and prosecutorial decision making. Fewer studies are dedicated to exploring how IPV cases are processed by the courts. This study examines the perspectives of judges in the Magisterial Courts in rural counties of Pennsylvania. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 27 magisterial court judges. The findings shed light on magisterial court judges' experiences with IPV cases, the challenges that they face and the factors that influence their determination whether the cases will be prosecuted, dismissed, or proceed to the Court of Common Pleas.

"He Would Take My Shoes and All the Baby's Warm Winter Gear so We Couldn't Leave": Barriers to Safety and Recovery Experienced by a Sample of Vermont Women With Partner Violence and Opioid Use Disorder Experiences

PURPOSE

This qualitative study explored themes about barriers to substance use treatment for women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and opioid use in rural Vermont. The goal was to collect descriptive information to aid in the development of intervention ideas to facilitate better treatment access for women in this situation.

METHODS

One-on-one telephone interviews with 33 rural Vermont women who experienced both IPV and opioid use took place between February and August 2019.

FINDINGS

There were 5 main themes that emerged as barriers to accessing needed services: (1) geographic isolation and transportation difficulties, (2) inaccessibility of existing services, (3) lack of integrated substance use treatment and domestic violence services, (4) social isolation, and (5) amplification of stigma in small rural communities.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved access to care and increased collaboration between IPV and substance use service providers are required to better serve rural communities in which IPV and opioid use disorder are concurrent problems.

Place, Injury Patterns, and Female-Victim Intimate Partner Homicide

Research demonstrates place matters in the study of intimate partner violence (IPV) and intimate partner homicide (IPH) with rural women experiencing more severe IPV and a higher risk of IPH. In addition, research points to variations in injury patterns with intimates characterized by more wounds and facial injuries. Little is known whether injury for female IPH victims differs across place; however, research suggests that abuse is a product of a larger social context. Using data from the National Violent Death Reporting System, results indicate that some variations exist based on degree of urbanicity of the county in which the IPH occurred.

Intimate Partner Violence in Urban, Rural, and Remote Areas: An Investigation of Offense Severity and Risk Factors

This study compared the severity of intimate partner violence (IPV) and the relationship between risk factors for IPV and overall risk judgments of future IPV in urban, rural, and remote areas. IPV risk assessments conducted by the Swedish police between 2010 and 2014 in urban ( n = 564), rural ( n = 456), and remote ( n = 196) areas were examined. Rurality was associated with the severity of IPV reported, as well as the presence of risk factors and their relationship to overall risk judgments. Cases in remote areas included more severe IPV as well as more risk factors.

A Case Study of Community-Based Responses to Rural Woman Battering

This case study addresses intimate partner violence against women in a rural Texas county. Employing qualitative data analysis, we examined rural woman battering from the perspectives of battered women, criminal justice officials, and community service providers. The findings reveal that survivors of intimate violence and providers of community-based interventions had conflicting perspectives about the delivery of services for battered women. Regarding criminal justice services, survivors expressed concerns about inadequate protection, discourteous treatment, and insufficient information about their legal options. In contrast, criminal justice providers were reluctant to make arrests, tended to impose lenient sanctions on abusers, questioned victim credibility, and expressed victim-blaming attitudes. The article concludes by discussing political implications of the study for battered women's services and research in rural settings. The authors suggest that the disjuncture between battered women's needs and community interventions is the product of an ideology of rural patriarchy that is largely unchallenged by grassroots political advocacy.

The Lived Experience of Intimate Partner Violence in the Rural Setting

OBJECTIVE

To understand the lived experience of intimate partner violence (IPV) for women living in a rural setting to inform efforts to provide effective care, support, and resources.

DESIGN

Qualitative descriptive.

SETTING

Adirondack Mountain region of upstate New York.

PARTICIPANTS

Twelve women with recent experiences of IPV living in a rural area.

METHODS

In-depth interviews were conducted.

RESULTS

Key findings were the self-imposed isolation women engage in to manage stigma and the system-wide abuse by law enforcement and the legal system.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study illustrate the complex web of individual, social, cultural, economic, and political factors that create and perpetuate the problem of IPV. It is critical to eliminate IPV-related stigma, cut through isolation, and address the ongoing system-wide abuse and discrimination women face. Finally, many of the issues raised by the participants, such as discrimination, financial constraints, and problems with the legal system, originate outside the health care system. Therefore, nursing care must be provided as part of a comprehensive public health approach.

Intimate Partner Violence and the Rural-Urban-Suburban Divide: Myth or Reality? A Critical Review of the Literature

The author of this article presents a review of the published empirical and theoretical literature to date on similarities and differences in intimate partner violence (IPV) in rural locales compared to urban and suburban locales. A review of 63 studies indicates that (1) the rates of IPV are generally similar across rural, urban, and suburban locales, although some groups of rural women (e.g., multiracial and separated/divorced) may be at increased risk for IPV compared to similar groups of urban women, and rates of intimate partner homicide may be higher in rural locales than urban and suburban locales; (2) IPV perpetrator and victim characteristics in rural locales are generally similar to IPV perpetrator and victim characteristics in other locales with the exception of some demographic characteristics that can generally be accounted for by broader rural-urban-suburban demographic differences; (3) IPV perpetrators in rural locales, compared with perpetrators in urban locales, may perpetrate more chronic and severe IPV, which could be due to the higher rates of substance abuse and unemployment documented among rural perpetrators; (4) IPV victims in rural locales may have worse psychosocial and physical health outcomes due to the lack of availability, accessibility, and quality of IPV services; and (5) attitudes about IPV vary to some extent across locales, with individuals in rural locales generally supporting less governmental involvement in IPV issues than in urban locales. Limitations of the literature are reviewed and suggestions for research are provided as well as implications for practice and policy efforts, which primarily center on improving availability, accessibility, and quality of IPV services in rural locales.

Prevalence and correlates of perpetration of violence among young people: a population-based survey from Goa, India

The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence and factors associated with perpetration of violence in young people in India. It was a cross-sectional survey of 3663 individuals (16-24 years old). Data on sociodemographics, sexual/physical violence, common mental disorders, and substance abuse were collected by face-to-face structured interviews. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios for association of violence with various factors. Prevalence of physical violence in the past year was 10.2%. In both genders, younger age, urbanicity, being a victim of sexual abuse, common mental disorders, and tobacco use were associated with increased risk of physical violence. Being a victim of forced sexual intercourse and alcohol use was associated with violence in males; and not living with parents was associated with violence in females. Future research should be designed to tease out the pathways that underlie the associations, identified in the study, to derive potential preventive strategies.

Effective Advocacy in Rural Domains: Applying an Ecological Model to Understanding Advocates' Relationships

Past scholarship has explored the ecological model as it pertains to intimate partner violence from the victim's perspective. Missing from this literature is the application of the ecological model to victim advocates, specifically rural victim advocates. This article explores the microsystem and exosystem levels of the ecological model to understand victim advocates' relationships with their clients and criminal justice personnel. To investigate these relationships, we used a sample of rural advocates located within the Mississippi Delta Region. The findings from the interviews and focus group indicate that the density of rural relationships both help facilitate and create barriers to effective victim advocacy. Social capital specific to the rural domain is being generated by the advocates to benefit themselves and their clients.

Intimate Partner Violence and Social Isolation Across the Rural/Urban Divide

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive social problem that affects victims, families, and communities. Beginning with the acknowledgment of this phenomenon as a social problem, investigations have attempted to answer questions regarding the extent, prevalence, and the possible contributing social and psychological factors that influence this behavior. This study proposes an approach to the problem of IPV based on a unifying concept: social isolation. The authors argue that the utility of the concept of social isolation lies in its ability to encapsulate critical social-structural and social-psychological correlates of IPV. The main objective of the study is to examine the extent to which the role of social isolation in predicting IPV varies by urban/rural context. Measures of key variables were obtained from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Survey of Families and Households and the 1990 census. Results of multivariate analyses indicate that only some measures of social support (isolation) are statistically significant and only for families within rural (nonmetropolitan) counties.

A decade of child-initiated family violence: comparative analysis of child--parent violence and parricide examining offender, victim, and event characteristics in a national sample of reported incidents, 1995-2005

This article examines 11 years (1995-2005) of National Incident Based Reporting System data comparing victim, offender, and incident characteristics for two types of child-initiated family violence: child-parent violence (CPV) and parricide. The objective is to better understand the victim-offender relationship for CPV and parricide and to highlight distinguishing features between the two offenses. This work extends the research and addresses shortcomings in the extant literature. Data analysis consists of chi-square tests and logistic regression. Findings suggest that CPV and parricide are distinct and unique crimes. In short, parricide offenders and victims are both older than CPV offenders and victims, with CPV offenders more likely to be female, more likely to be African American, and less likely to use a weapon than parricide offenders. The study calls for future research and exploration of preliminary support for a family violence escalation hypothesis.

Rural V Urban Policing: A Study of Taiwanese Officers' Occupational Attitudes

This study examines attitudinal differences between rural and urban police officers in Taiwan. Data used in this research were collected from a rural Taiwanese county, Hualien, and a metropolitan department, Taipei. Officers' occupational attitudes are assessed along four dimensions: group cohesion, citizen cooperation, aggressive enforcement, and order maintenance. The results indicate that, compared to their urban counterparts, rural officers are more likely to show higher levels of group cohesion and favour citizen cooperation. Rural and urban officers, however, do not differ significantly in their attitudes towards aggressive enforcement and order maintenance. Implications for future research and policy are discussed.