Barriers to Men's Help Seeking for Intimate Partner Violence

Intimate partner violence and symptoms of psychological distress and depression in adolescents and young adults in Haiti

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is prevalent in low and middle-income countries, such as Haiti. However, there is little research on its association with mental health problems such as psychological distress and depression. Although there is evidence that men may experience IPV, few studies have investigated mental health difficulties among Haitian men and women. The present study aims to 1) assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms and psychological distress in this population and 2) examine the association between IPV, psychological distress, and depression while considering potential risk and protective factors.

METHOD

A representative sample of 3,586 adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 living in Haiti was recruited. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the association between IPV, depressive symptoms, and psychological distress.

RESULTS

Almost half of the sample reported depressive symptoms and psychological distress, with high rates among both genders. IPV was found to be an independent predictor of both depressive symptoms and psychological distress after accounting for risk and protective factors.

LIMITATION

This study is the first step in understanding the interplay between IPV victimization, risk and protective factors, and psychological difficulties in this population. However, because of the cross-sectional design, causality should not be inferred. Furthermore, this study did not measure community violence, which could have affected participants' mental health.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the importance of considering the occurrence of IPV victimization when evaluating depression and psychological distress among adolescents and young adults.

Barriers to and Facilitators of Help-Seeking Among Men Who are Victims of Domestic Violence: A Mixed-Studies Systematic Review

Domestic violence against men poses a significant threat to men's health and well-being and is increasingly being recognized as a public health issue. Unfortunately, men who are victims often struggle to disclose and report their abusive experiences. This review aims to examine and consolidate the evidence regarding the barriers to and facilitators of help-seeking behaviors of men who suffered from women-perpetrated domestic violence. A mixed-studies review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach. Nine electronic databases were searched from each database's inception until January 2023. The 23 included studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and their findings were synthesized using the Joanna Briggs Institute convergent qualitative synthesis method. An overarching theme, "Stuck in a loop and finding ways to move on," which encapsulated the predicament of victimized men in abusive relationships, was identified along with three main themes. Overall, a gender-biased perspective of domestic violence, personal fears, and familial factors hindered victimized men from reporting violence and seeking help. A multi-faceted approach-consisting of public education campaigns, sensitizing, and training help professionals, engendering "safe" environments, developing men-specific assessments, and reforming social and legal-justice processes-is needed to effectively address the gender-specific challenges faced by men who are victims of domestic violence and break the cycle of abuse, and improve formal and informal help-seeking in men who are victims of domestic abuse.

Male Survivors of Domestic Violence, Challenges in Cultural Response, and Impact on Identity and Help-Seeking Behaviors: A Systematic Review

Male experiences of domestic and relational violence have been only marginally explored in the literature. In connection to this, attitudes in the community and among service providers and criminal justice system entities can vary dramatically. This variance in attitudes creates an instability which has a differential impact on the help-seeking behaviors of victims. Additionally, help-seeking behaviors are often influenced by internalized shame and confusion on the part of the survivors themselves when their social constructions of masculinity do not align with lived experience. More is needed to understand the nature of male survivorship in situations of relational violence. A systematic review was conducted to begin organizing the data on the topic. This review started with 15,547 peer-reviewed articles. Those were systematically narrowed to a total of 16 of the most recent pieces of empirical science on the topic. The final articles were thematically analyzed. Findings suggest (a) cultural stigma around constructions of masculinity, (b) fear of disclosure, and (c) negative experiences with criminal justice and support system responses, among the highest drivers for the disparate experience and hesitation to seek help.

CALD Communities as "Collateral Damage" in the Criminalization of Coercive Control: An Argument for Prioritizing Civil System Reform Over Further Criminalization in Victoria

When posing the question of whether Victoria should follow other Australian states in criminalizing coercive control as a form of domestic and family violence (DFV), there are many arguments in favor of and against in the literature. However, scholars and advocates from marginalized communities, or in allyship with marginalized communities, tend to be cautious of embracing further criminalization, particularly due to the risks such an approach poses for women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. This paper argues that women from marginalized communities are treated as "collateral damage" in the campaign to eliminate DFV via criminal law interventions.

Bayesian spatial modelling of intimate partner violence and associated factors among adult women and men: evidence from 2019/2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) remains a global public health concern for both men and women. Spatial mapping and clustering analysis can reveal subtle patterns in IPV occurrences but are yet to be explored in Rwanda, especially at a lower small-area scale. This study seeks to examine the spatial distribution, patterns, and associated factors of IPV among men and women in Rwanda.

METHODS

This was a secondary data analysis of the 2019/2020 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (RDHS) individual-level data set for 1947 women aged 15-49 years and 1371 men aged 15-59 years. A spatially structured additive logistic regression model was used to assess risk factors for IPV while adjusting for spatial effects. The district-level spatial model was adjusted for fixed covariate effects and was implemented using a fully Bayesian inference within the generalized additive mixed effects framework.

RESULTS

IPV prevalence amongst women was 45.9% (95% Confidence interval (CI): 43.4-48.5%) while that for men was 18.4% (95% CI: 16.2-20.9%). Using a bivariate choropleth, IPV perpetrated against women was higher in the North-Western districts of Rwanda whereas for men it was shown to be more prevalent in the Southern districts. A few districts presented high IPV for both men and women. The spatial structured additive logistic model revealed higher odds for IPV against women mainly in the North-western districts and the spatial effects were dominated by spatially structured effects contributing 64%. Higher odds of IPV were observed for men in the Southern districts of Rwanda and spatial effects were dominated by district heterogeneity accounting for 62%. There were no statistically significant district clusters for IPV in both men or women. Women with partners who consume alcohol, and with controlling partners were at significantly higher odds of IPV while those in rich households and making financial decisions together with partners were at lower odds of experiencing IPV.

CONCLUSION

Campaigns against IPV should be strengthened, especially in the North-Western and Southern parts of Rwanda. In addition, the promotion of girl-child education and empowerment of women can potentially reduce IPV against women and girls. Furthermore, couples should be trained on making financial decisions together. In conclusion, the implementation of policies and interventions that discourage alcohol consumption and control behaviour, especially among men, should be rolled out.

Sex/gender differences in the associations between adverse childhood experiences and intimate partner violence with mental disorders

Sex and gender differences exist in mental and substance use disorders (MSUDs). Studies examining the moderating effects of sex/gender on MSUDs may help understand these differences. This national study explored whether sex/gender moderated (1) the associations between adverse childhood experience (ACEs; i.e., child abuse, child neglect, and child household dysfunction) and intimate partner violence (IPV) with MSUDs and (2) more associations with past year than lifetime MSUDs or mental (i.e., mood disorder, anxiety disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder) than substance use disorders (i.e., alcohol use disorder and nicotine dependence). Data was used from participants in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Logistic regression tested the main effects of ACEs, IPV, and sex/gender on five, past-year and lifetime MSUDs along with the ACE-sex/gender and IPV-sex/gender interactions. Sex/gender moderated 60% of the ACEs-MSUD and IPV-MSUD associations and more associations with lifetime (54%) than past year MSUDs (46%) and substance use (94%) than mental disorders (38%). For nearly half of the moderated associations, ACEs and IPV were associated with greater odds of MSUDs for males. Males who experienced IPV had greater odds of lifetime mood, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders than females. This study advances sex and gender informed research.

Black Men's Intimate Partner Violence Victimization, Help-Seeking, and Barriers to Help-Seeking

Guided by hegemonic masculinity and intersectionality theories, this descriptive, exploratory study examined Black men's intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization experiences, subsequent help-seeking decisions, and barriers to help-seeking. To begin exploring Black men's experiences, two research questions guided this study: (a) What are Black men's experiences of IPV-related help-seeking? (b) What barriers do Black men face when seeking IPV-related help and support? A total of 54 Black men participated in an online survey on their IPV experiences via the crowdsourcing platform Prolific. Overall, the men who participated in this study experienced relatively low levels of minor and severe physical and sexual violence victimization, as well as lower levels of coercive controlling violence in comparison to nationally representative data, suggesting this sample comprises men who experience situational couple versus coercive controlling violence. All but one participant utilized at least one help-seeking strategy. Informal strategies were most commonly utilized, whereas legal strategies were least commonly utilized. The degree to which participants perceived each strategy as helpful was quite variable, such that staying with friends or family was the most helpful strategy yet 47.8% found it unhelpful. The most common help-seeking barriers (e.g., wanting to solve the problem on their own) overlap with hegemonic masculinity and Black men's experiences with formal and legal systems, relating less to the internalized and anticipated stigma subscales created for women. Broadly, this study helps illustrate the need for researchers to focus on developing measures and interventions tailored to Black men and their experiences.

Ugandan Men Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Cross-Sectional Survey of Nationally Representative Data

Although women typically constitute the largest proportion of the population who experience the deleterious effects of intimate partner violence (IPV), understanding the bidirectional nature of IPV is important for developing nuanced prevention initiatives. This study examines data from the 2016 Ugandan Demographic and Health Survey. Participants were selected from households in all the 15 regions in Uganda using a two stage sampling design. A total of 2858 men who were in a heterosexual union or separated/divorced were included in the analysis. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed with the aim of identifying associations between selected demographic variables and male exposure to all forms of IPV combined, psychological violence, physical violence and sexual violence. The prevalence of lifetime IPV and during the 12 months preceeding the survey respectively was 43.6 and 30.5% in all forms, with 35.9 and 24.8% reporting psychological, 20.2 and 11.9% for physical and 8.2 and 5.7% sexual violence. The key factors associated with all forms of IPV were being afraid of their wife/partner most of the time (OR = 5.10, 95% CI 2.91, 8.96) controlling behaviour of the intimate partner (OR = 3.80, 95% CI 2.84, 5.07), bi-directional violence against the partner (OR = 3.20, 95% CI 2.49, 4.12), alcohol consumption by the intimate partner (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.40, 2.45). The factors associated with males who experience IPV appear to be modifiable and may warrant consideration for inclusion in programs supporting both males and females who experience IPV.

"I Have Guys Call Me and Say 'I Can't Be the Victim of Domestic Abuse'": Exploring the Experiences of Telephone Support Providers for Male Victims of Domestic Violence and Abuse

While previous studies have begun to provide evidence on the experiences of male victims of domestic violence and abuse (DVA), current understanding in this area is still limited, and subject to narrow methods of inquiry. Moreover, little is known regarding the challenges of providing support to men in abusive relationships, and how barriers to effective service engagement are experienced by both men and service practitioners. This is an important area for exploration, as the gender-specific experiences and needs of men have been historically overlooked within academic research and service provision. The present study therefore had two principal aims: first, to provide more detailed information regarding the nature and context of abuse toward, and help-seeking experiences of, male victims, and second, to explore the experiences of those supporting abused men. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with four call handlers at a U.K. domestic abuse charity supporting male victims. Transcribed interviews were subjected to thematic analysis, revealing a superordinate theme of stereotypes and expectations of men which affected all the other three overarching and eight subthemes, including those detailing the range and severity of abuse suffered, the role of family and friends, barriers to reporting for abused men, and challenges in supporting them. Implications for services working with male victims of DVA are discussed: centered around the need for recognition, increased awareness, increased resourcing, and the provision of gender-inclusive services catering for the gender-specific needs of men.

An integrative review of community nurse-led interventions to identify and respond to domestic abuse in the postnatal period

AIM

To critically review community nurse-led domestic abuse interventions aimed at identifying and responding to domestic abuse in the postnatal period.

BACKGROUND

Domestic abuse is a global problem resulting in dire consequences for women and children. Public Health Nurses (PHNs) are ideally placed to give women the opportunity to disclose in a safe and confidential manner; however, community settings present complex challenges.

DESIGN

An integrative review and narrative summary.

DATA SOURCES

Five electronic databases: CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE and Scopus, and peer-reviewed journals were searched for research papers published between 01 January 2005 and 01 March 2019. Fifteen papers met the inclusion criteria.

REVIEW METHODS

An integrative review where qualitative and quantitative data were extracted. Following quality appraisal, data were collated, analysed and themes were identified.

RESULTS

Quantitative outcomes from short-term interventions include an increase in routine enquiry, documentation of alone status and safety planning, however, referrals remained low. There was a reduction in victimization seen in intensive home visiting interventions. One study reported potential harm to mothers experiencing domestic abuse prior to the intervention. Thematic analysis generated three themes: (1) benefits to women and nurses, (2) approaches to domestic abuse identification and response and (3) implementation of community nurse-led interventions.

CONCLUSION

Community nurse-led domestic abuse interventions have shown to have positive outcomes for women, provided the appropriate supports are in place such as: interagency training; guidelines, referral pathways and safety protocols; collaborative working with domestic abuse services and organizational support.

IMPACT

Professionals such as PHNs are challenged to respond appropriately and compassionately to domestic abuse disclosures, while ensuring the safety of women and children is central to service delivery. This integrative review will inform further development, implementation and the sustainability of community nurse-led domestic abuse initiatives worldwide.