Exploring Violence Socialization and Approval of Intimate Partner Violence Among University Students in Kosovo

A Mediated Tolerance of Violence: An Analysis of Online Newspaper Articles and "Below-the-line" Comments in the Latvian Media

A mediated tolerance of violence: an analysis of online newspaper articles and "below-the-line" comments in the Latvian media This article analyses the framing of tolerance of violence in Latvian newspaper articles published online and the reader response "below-the-line" comments to these and how these frames may negatively present and impact those who suffer violence. It makes visible the language used and concepts employed in such cases where someone supports, justifies, or positively perceives violence. The text is based on qualitative media content analysis of 3,166 documents in the Latvian, Russian and English languages from Latvian news sources online published between 2010 and 2018, as well as the comments provided by readers on these. Frame analysis is employed in order to show the different ways in which violence can be practiced and tolerated, closely related to human beliefs. We show how aspects of these may be related to the particular post-Soviet cultural context of Latvia but give a broader view of tolerance itself. The study shows a linguistic tolerance of violence expressed in terms of human nature and its resulting inevitability, in terms of love and thus integral to romantic and kin relations, is imbued with victim blaming and also that punishment for violence should itself be violent. Violence can even be a source of humor, particularly when committed against males. Further, reporting of violence can be regarded as improper and interferes with domestic privacy. These, taken as a whole, justify the existing social order and societal and cultural beliefs and practices on/of gender relations, child-rearing practices, religious beliefs, and notions of love and care. Our analysis shows that violence is not only tolerated in itself, but also the expression of tolerance is itself tolerated in these mediated expressions which are published with impunity and remain unmoderated.

Short version of the Multidimensional Scale of Dating Violence (MSDV 2.0) in Spanish-language: Instrument development and psychometric evaluation

AIMS

To develop and psychometrically test the short version of the Multidimensional Scale of Dating Violence (MSDV 2.0) in Spanish-language to detect violence perpetrated and suffered in dating relationships.

DESIGN

A psychometric instrument development and validation study.

METHODS

A two-phase approach was used: Phase (1) the items of the original instrument were revised and new items related to online violence and sexual violence were incorporated. Content validation by a Delphi panel with 25 psychometric and dating violence experts were performed. Next, a face validity was performed in 32 students followed by a pilot study in another 74 participants. Phase (2) Psychometric validation, the instrument was tested in a sample of 1091 university students, analysing the psychometric properties based on construct validity and internal consistency. The study was conducted from September to November 2020 in the context of the Andalusian Public University System.

RESULTS

In phase (1) 42 items for each subscale (perpetration, victimization) were accepted by the Delphi panel, and acceptable values were obtained for the criteria of clarity, coherence, and relevance. In phase (2) the MSDV 2.0 showed acceptable psychometric properties. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a five-dimensional structure with 18 items for each subscale with excellent fit rates. Reliability analysis indicated adequate internal consistency (α = .879-.802) and correlations with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (ρ = .418-.225) and the self-perceived health item (ρ = .380-.179), providing evidence of its convergent validity. Cut-off points were also calculated for each dimension, with their corresponding sensitivity and specificity, indicating to be a good instrument for detecting possible cases of dating violence.

CONCLUSION

The MSDV 2.0 is the only short instrument published to date that measures the dating violence suffered and perpetrated taking into account all its dimensions. Its use would serve as support in prevention programs and design of public policies.

IMPACT

The short version of the MSDV 2.0 could be a comprehensive enough instrument to enable a detection and evaluation of dating violence in the educational setting.