Exposure to family violence from childhood to adulthood

Linkages between childhood emotional maltreatment and adulthood marital attitudes among rural first-generation college students in China: A latent profile analysis and multigroup comparisons

BACKGROUND

Although there is a wealth of evidence indicating the enduring consequences of childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) on social and relational functioning across life stages, little known about how CEM affects marital attitudes in emerging adulthood, particularly among rural first-generation college students (rural FGCS) at the critical stage of developing romantic relationships.

OBJECTIVE

To explore whether differential patterns of CEM existed among rural FGCS in China during emerging adulthood. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the potential differences in the chain mediating role of CEM on the pathway to adulthood marital attitudes across different CEM profiles.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Using a cluster sampling approach, a total of 3848 rural first-generation college freshmen (males = 39.2 %, mean age = 18.42 years) were recruited from three universities in China.

METHODS

Latent profile analysis was utilized to identify potential patterns of CEM using Mplus version 7.4. Structural equation modeling and multigroup comparisons were then performed to investigate the association between CEM and attitudes towards marriage in emerging adulthood, utilizing AMOS 24.0.

RESULTS

Three profiles of CEM was identified among rural FGCS: a low-CEM group (51.87 %), a moderate-CEM group (36.69 %), and a severe-CEM group (11.44 %). The association between CEM and adulthood marital attitudes was mediated by core self-evaluation and meaning in life. However, the mediation effects varied across the three CEM profiles. In the low-CEM group, core self-evaluation and meaning in life were observed to partially mediate the negative association between CEM and adulthood marital attitudes. On the other hand, in the moderate-CEM and severe-CEM groups, the relationship between CEM and adulthood marital attitudes was fully mediated by core self-evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

The study's findings suggest that CEM is a significant predictor of marital attitudes among rural FGCS during emerging adulthood, with the severity of emotional neglect and abuse being the primary distinguishing factor between different CEM profiles. Core self-evaluation plays an important role in this relationship. Future clinical interventions could benefit from focusing on enhancing core self-evaluation and meaning in life, particularly for those with CEM experiences.

Perceived Community Belonging as a Moderator: Effects of Childhood Abuse on Health and Well-Being Among Middle-Aged and Older Canadians

This study examined the moderating role of perceived community belonging in the relationship between childhood abuse and health and well-being outcomes among Canadian individuals aged 55 and older. Using data from the 2014 Canadian General Social Survey (n = 14,416), multiple linear regression models revealed that women who experienced either childhood physical or sexual abuse reported poorer self-rated general and mental health, as well as lower life satisfaction, compared to those without such histories. The most pronounced effects were observed among women who experienced both types of abuse. For men, a similar pattern was evident only for those who experienced childhood physical abuse. Notably, among women, a strong sense of community belonging lessened the negative effects of both types of childhood abuse on all examined outcomes. These findings underscore the protective role of perceived community belonging against the consequences of childhood abuse for older women. They illuminate the crucial role of gerontological social workers and scholars in promoting community integration and support. Focusing on these areas, especially for those with traumatic histories, can potentially improve their overall health and well-being.

Intimate partner violence across pregnancy and the postpartum and the relationship to depression and perinatal wellbeing: findings from a pregnancy cohort study

PURPOSE

To compare the prevalence of emotional and physical intimate partner violence (IPV) across pregnancy and the first year postpartum in those with and without clinical depression and assess the association between maternal childhood trauma, current stressful life events and depression and IPV over the perinatal period.

METHODS

Data were obtained from 505 pregnant women from the Mercy Pregnancy and Emotional Wellbeing Study (MPEWS), a cohort study with data collected across pregnancy until 12 months postpartum. Maternal antenatal depression was measured using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID-IV) with repeat measurement of perinatal depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Trauma was measured using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and experiences of physical and emotional intimate partner violence using items in the Stressful Life Events Scale.

RESULTS

Women experiencing IPV across the perinatal period were significantly more likely to score over 13 on the EPDS (p < .001) at each timepoint in pregnancy and the postpartum and physical IPV was associated with clinical depression. Further, a history of childhood trauma and current additional stressful life events were significantly associated with reporting current IPV in the perinatal period.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the risk factors of childhood trauma and current stressful life events for reporting experiences of IPV in the perinatal period. Furthermore, women experiencing IPV reported higher depressive symptoms, providing evidence supporting the value of assessing those women who screen higher on the EPDS for IPV. Together these findings also support trauma informed care across pregnancy and the postpartum.

Association between witnessing domestic violence against the mother in childhood and intimate partner violence in adulthood: A population-based analysis of Peru

Objective

To assess the association between witnessing domestic violence against the mother in childhood and intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood.

Study design

An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the 2019 Peruvian Demographic and Family Health Survey (ENDES). The independent variable was the condition of witnessing physical violence by the father against the mother during childhood. The dependent variable was IPV, defined by the presence of some subtype of violence (physical, psychological, and sexual) against the respondent in the last year by her husband or partner. To assess this association, generalized linear models of the Poisson Family with a logarithmic link function were performed to estimate crude and adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Results

Data from 17,911 Peruvian women between 15 and 59 years of age were analyzed. Most women were between 30 and 49 years old (71.4%), were cohabiting (65.0%), and had secondary education (43.2%). The prevalence of IPV in the last year was 16.0%, and the history of witnessing domestic violence against the mother during childhood was 42.0%. In the regression models, those with the studied exposure showed a higher prevalence of experiencing an episode of IPV in the last year (any IPV [aPR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.50-1.91]; physical IPV [aPR: 1.70; 95% CI: 1.43-2.02], psychological IPV [aPR: 1.64; 95% CI:1.42-1.88], and sexual IPV [aPR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.22-2.32]).

Conclusions

Women with a history of domestic violence towards their mothers were likelier to have had IPV in the last year than women who did not report violence towards their mothers during childhood. Approximately two in ten Peruvian women reported having had IPV in the past year, and nearly half reported witnessing domestic violence against their mother as a child.

Non-fatal strangulation versus general assault in a clinical forensic medicine cohort: Characteristics of patient, perpetrator and presentation

BACKGROUND

Interpersonal violence impacts communities, victims, perpetrators, families, and children. This audit of 315 cases of non-sexual assault compares characteristics of general assault to those of non-fatal strangulation (NFS).

METHOD

Clinical review of all cases referred to Clinical Forensics Australian Capital Territory (CFACT) by ACT Policing between 2018 and 2022, following allegations of non-sexual assault. Descriptions of the model of care, victim characteristics, alleged perpetrators, and presentations in NFS versus general assault, from forensic medical examination.

RESULTS

Patients: Of 315 cases, 170 were victims of NFS, females (153/170, 90%), males 16/170 (9%), and one person with another preferred term. General assault cases comprised 145/315 (46%) presentations, 69/145 (47.6%) patients being female, 76/145 (52.4%) male. A majority of individuals who experienced NFS 113/170 (66%) presented within 12 h of the events, 41% of victims thought they might die during the NFS. Perpetrators: Most NFS perpetrators were male (161/170: 95%), NFS was mostly perpetrated by a partner 104/170 (62%), ex-partner 35/170 (21%), or family member 17/170 (10%). Repeated assaults by the same perpetrator was common 109/170 (64%). Children were present in 48/170 (28%) cases of NFS.

DISCUSSION

NFS is gendered violence overwhelmingly affecting women, many experience NFS repeatedly. Later presentation may affect clinical signs, symptoms, and evidence collection. Forensic medicine management of NFS provides an opportunity to effect change, especially in those who thought they may die during the attack. Intervention to prevent trauma in children may be enabled by reporting their presence during an assault. Twenty-four-hour service provision enables both clinical and forensic assessment following NFS.

CONCLUSIONS

NFS is gendered, mostly affecting women, occurs in a family violence context, perpetrated by current and/or ex-partners, and often occurs with children present. Clinical forensic medicine doctors can provide care and support, provide referrals, and collect forensic medical evidence to support legal process.

Child maltreatment associates with violent victimization in young adulthood: a Brazilian birth cohort study

BACKGROUND

Maltreatment in childhood may leave people vulnerable to further experiences of violence and more severe effects of stress later in life. Longitudinal studies of risk for violent victimisation after maltreatment are lacking in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to quantify the risk for violent victimization in the family and community in young adulthood following experiences of childhood maltreatment (experiences of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect) up to age 15 years in an urban Brazilian population.

METHODS

3246 participants in a prospective, population-based birth cohort study in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, were assessed at birth, 15 and 22 years. Sociodemographic factors were reported by mothers at birth and adolescents at age 15 years. Maltreatment and violent victimisation were self-reported in confidential questionnaires at 15 and 22, respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analyses estimated the association between having experienced any maltreatment and later experiences of family and community violence in young adulthood (no adult violence, violence only in the family context, only in the community, or both violence in the family and community), adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

RESULTS

39% of females and 27% of males reported any maltreatment up to age 15 years. At 22 years, rates of past year violence in the family or community were 17.6% for females and 20.2% for males. Maltreatment was strongly associated with community violence (Females: OR = 2.96, CI = 1.83-4.80; Males: OR = 2.01, 95%CI = 1.01-4.00) and its co-occurrence with family violence (Females: OR = 2.33, 95%CI = 1.34-4.04; Males: OR = 3.20, 95%CI = 1.82-5.65) in young adulthood, after adjustment for background sociodemographic factors.

CONCLUSION

Childhood maltreatment is an important risk factor for later violent victimisation in both the family and community context. The effects of repeated trauma through the life-course needs research and clinical attention.

Gender and exposure to childhood violence are important determinants of domestic violence among academics

Domestic violence is a common and significant social problem that threatens public health, violates human rights, and poses significant obstacles to national development. This study aimed to evaluate both male and female academics' knowledge and views on domestic violence, and determine its incidence and risk factors among academics. Participants comprised 304 academics working at universities, who were selected by cluster sampling from seven regions of Turkey. Data were analyzed using thematic coding, descriptive statistics, and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 304 participants, 56.9 % were female academics. The incidence of domestic violence among the academics was 21.4 %, with 25.4 % of female and 16.0 % of male academics reporting having experienced it. Academics who were victims of domestic violence were mostly exposed to it from their spouses. Academics also reported experiencing emotional violence. Female academics were 2.3 times more likely to experience domestic violence than men. Academics who were exposed to violence in childhood experienced 14.1 times more domestic violence than those who were not. Although it seems that a high status in society as an academic reduces the rates of exposure to domestic violence, gender, and witnessing or experiencing violence in early childhood are the most important risk factors for this population. The lack of a solution for domestic violence can be attributed to non-deterrent punishments.

Understanding sibling violence and its impact over the life course: The case of Ghana

Sibling relationships are a significant part of family dynamics, and sibling violence may be manifested in these relationships. Sibling violence has rarely been examined in the domestic violence literature on sub-Saharan Africa, so little is known about its prevalence or consequences. This study used a life course perspective to examine the effects of sibling violence on Ghanaian women's intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization and perpetration in adulthood. Data were collected from about 1700 ever-married Ghanaian women aged 18 years and above between May and August 2022. Logit models were used to explore retrospective accounts of women's experience of various types of sibling violence in childhood and their later victimization and/or perpetration of IPV. Results showed sibling violence was prevalent in our sample: 51.2% experienced sibling emotional violence, 39.5% experienced physical violence, and 2.3% experienced sexual violence. Our findings generally supported the life course perspective. Women with experiences of sibling physical, sexual, and emotional violence were significantly more likely to perpetrate physical, sexual, and emotional IPV in adulthood. Similarly, women with experiences of sibling violence were more likely to report IPV victimization in later years. Domestic violence interventions should pay attention to sibling relationships in children's early years.

Intimate Partner Violence among women living in families with children under the poverty line and its association with common mental disorders during COVID-19 pandemics in Ceará, Brazil

BACKGROUND

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive public health issue that affects millions of women worldwide. Women living below the poverty line experience higher rates of violence and fewer resources to escape or cope with the abuse, and the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted women's economic well-being worldwide. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Ceará, Brazil, on women in families with children living below the poverty line at the peak of the second wave of COVID to assess the prevalence of IPV and its association with common mental disorders(CMD).

METHODS

The study population comprised families with children up to six years of age who participated in the cash transfer program "Mais Infância". The families selected to participate in this program must meet a poverty criterion: families must live in rural areas, in addition to a monthly per capita income of less than US$16.50 per month. We applied specific instruments to evaluate IPV and CMD. To access IPV, we used the Partner Violence Screen (PVS). The Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to assess CMD. To verify the association between IPV and the other evaluated factors with CMD, simple and hierarchical multiple logistic models were used.

RESULTS

Of the 479 participant women, 22% were positively screened for IPV (95% CI 18.2-26.2). After multivariate adjustment, the chances of CMD are 2.32 higher in women exposed to IPV than in those not exposed to IPV ((95%CI 1.30-4.13), p value = 0.004). CMD was also associated with job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic (ORa 2.13 (95% CI 1.09-4.35), p-value 0.029). In addition to these, separate or single marital status, as well as non-presence of the father at home and food insecurity were associated with CMD.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the prevalence of intimate partner violence in families with children up to six years of age living below the poverty line in Ceará is high and is associated with greater chances of common mental disorders in mothers. Also, job loss and reduced access to food caused by the Covid 19 pandemic exacerbated both phenomena, constituting a double burden generator factor on mothers.

Abuse of Girls During Childhood and Its Impacts on the Health of Their Adult Lives: A Systematic Review

Child abuse is a global problem for public health as it negatively affects people and society. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) associates the adverse experience during childhood with a series of long-term impacts on health. The aim of this study is to explore the impact of child abuse on females' health, including physical, mental, and social health. The methodology used in this specific review is to carry out a systematic search in electronic databases (Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed, and Crossref) in published articles between 2004 and 2021. The exclusion criteria were all review papers, such as literature reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. We also excluded papers that were not written in the English language. Consequently, the inclusion criteria were written in English, original articles, and prospective, case-control, cross-sectional studies that investigated childhood abuse of girls and the health effects in adulthood. Initially, from a total of 796 papers returned by the search, 415 were rejected due to duplicate articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. In addition, 316 articles were rejected due to nonrelevance to the study's subject. However, from the first 796 papers, 18 met the conditions to be included in the review. We found that females exposed to childhood abuse were more likely to suffer from eating disorders, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety, phobias, paranoid ideation and psychoticism, early menarche, sleep disorders, metabolism disorders, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, chronic pain, and early mortality, which are physical and mental conditions in females' adulthood related to child abuse. The conclusions of this work show that it is a primary need to give emphasis on combating child abuse and timely management when this is a fact.

Are Children Harmed by Being Locked up at Home? The Impact of Isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Phenomenon of Domestic Violence

The phenomenon of violence against children is a very complex one. There are many types of child abuse, and they are culturally dependent to a significant degree. Although studies show that children generally only suffer from mild COVID-19 infection, some social restrictions introduced during the pandemic, such as home isolation, may have many severe consequences on the population's mental health. Studies on this topic suggest that violence against children increased during lockdown due to the COVID-10 pandemic. This narrative review summarizes this available literature on the subject and discusses the different forms of violence against children, their cultural aspects, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the phenomenon of violence, the long-term consequences of the above, and forms of assistance for abused minors.

Early life trauma and adult leucocyte telomere length

BACKGROUND

Telomere length, a biomarker of cell division and cellular aging, has been associated with multiple chronic disease endpoints. Experienced trauma over the life course may contribute to telomere shortening via mechanisms of stress embodiment. However, it is unclear how patterns of co-occurring trauma during sensitive periods (e.g., early life) throughout the life course may influence telomere shortening. We examine the relationship between co-occurring early life trauma on adult telomere length and the extent to which adulthood trauma, socioeconomic position, and health and lifestyle factors may mediate this relationship.

METHODS

We use data from a sample of participants in the Sister Study (N = 740, analytic sample: n = 602), a prospective cohort of U.S. self-identified females aged 35-74 years at enrollment (2003-2009) for whom leukocyte telomere length was measured in baseline blood samples. Participants reported their experience of 20 different types of trauma, from which we identified patterns of co-occurring early life trauma (before age 18) using latent class analysis. We estimated the direct and indirect effects of early life trauma on leukocyte telomere length using structural equation modeling, allowing for mediating adult pathways.

RESULTS

Approximately 47 % of participants reported early life trauma. High early life trauma was associated with shorter telomere length compared to low early life trauma (β = -0.11; 95 % CI: -0.22, -0.004) after adjusting for age and childhood socioeconomic position. The inverse association between early life trauma and adult leukocyte telomere length was largely attributable to the direct effect of early life trauma on telomere length (β = -0.12; 95 %CI: -0.23, -0.01). Mediating indirect pathways via adult trauma, socioeconomic position, and health metrics did not substantively contribute the overall association.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the role of patterns of co-occurring early life trauma on shortened telomere length independent of adult pathways.

Obstetric Violence Is Prevalent in Routine Maternity Care: A Cross-Sectional Study of Obstetric Violence and Its Associated Factors among Pregnant Women in Sri Lanka's Colombo District

The phenomenon of obstetric violence has been documented widely in maternity care settings worldwide, with scholars arguing that it is a persistent, common, but preventable impediment to attaining dignified health care. However, gaps remain in understanding local expressions of the phenomenon, associations with other types of violence against women, and implications for women's trust and confidence in health providers and services. We focused on these issues in this cross-sectional study of 1314 women in Sri Lanka's Colombo district. Specifically, in this study, we used Sinhalese and Tamil translations of the NorVold Abuse Questionnaire and the Abuse Assessment Screen to measure prevalence of women's experiences with obstetric violence in maternity care and lifetime and pregnancy-specific domestic violence. Then, the results were interpreted by considering the women's sociodemographic characteristics, such as age, ethnicity, and family income, to reveal previously undocumented associations between obstetric and domestic violence during pregnancy, as well as other factors associated with experiencing obstetric violence. We argue that obstetric violence is prevalent in government-sector (public) maternity care facilities in the Colombo district and is associated with young age, lower family income, non-majority ethnicity, and rural residency. Significantly, this study sheds light on a serious concern that has been underexamined, wherein women who report experiencing obstetric violence are also less likely to be asked by a health care provider about domestic violence experiences. Further research at the clinical level needs to focus on appropriate training and interventions to ensure women's safety and cultivate relationships between patients and health care providers characterized by trust, confidence, and respect.

Community Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women, and Lived Experiences of Family Violence and Abuse During Childhood in Rural Eastern Nigeria: Implications for Policy and Programming

Background

Violence against women (VAW) has remained an increasingly significant public health problem globally. This study explored childhood experiences of abuse and attitude towards violence against women among adults in a rural community in South-east Nigeria.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study conducted in a rural community in Ebonyi, Nigeria. Data were collected from 280 respondents using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25.

Results

The mean age of the male participants was 46.5±16.8, while that for the female participants was 43.3±16.9. Most were females (203/280, 72.5%), out of which (83/203, 40.9%) had secondary school as the highest level of education attained. Most participants were females (203/280, 72.5%), married (225/280, 80.4%) with secondary school education (124/280, 44.3%). More than one-tenth (33/280, 11.8%) had ever witnessed parental violence, while 46.4% had been physically abused in childhood. Forced touching and penetrative sex was experienced sometimes by 11.4% (32/280) and 21.8% (61/289), respectively. Overall, the majority (258/280, 92.8%) had a disapproving attitude towards gender-based violence. Most participants disagreed that hitting or insulting woman was not wrong (246/280, 87.9%). The majority of the respondents agreed that women were inferior to men from a cultural perspective (175/280, 62.5%). Almost half strongly agreed (125/2280, 44.6%) and agreed (118/280, 42.1%) that a woman is a man’s possession. The predictors of attitude were secondary school education (AOR = 7.74, 95% CI = 1.69–35.54) and monogamous marital setting (AOR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.08–7.42).

Conclusion

This study showed that Nigerian adults had high levels of childhood exposures to family violence, physical and sexual abuse. Overall, the majority disapproved of VAW; however, there were gaps that endorsed patriarchal ideologies. Interventions to address VAW should include components targeted at children exposed to violence and de-bunking patriarchal ideologies that encourage VAW.

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 (β = 0.13), neighborhood disorder (β = 0.14) and partner support (β = - 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.