Female victimization and intimate partner violence after the May 12, 2008, Sichuan earthquake

Prevalence and risk factors of intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the population-based study DREAMCORONA

OBJECTIVES

This study examines the 12-month prevalence rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, including psychological, physical, and sexual forms, in women and men. It also aims to identify changes in IPV victimization during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore factors associated with the occurrence of any IPV victimization during this period.

METHODS

Data from the DREAMCORONA study in Germany collected from May 2020 to February 2021 included 737 participants, i.e., (expectant) mothers (64%) and fathers (36%). The Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2S) short form was used to assess the 12-month IPV victimization. Prevalence of IPV victimization as well as changes in IPV victimization during the pandemic were analyzed descriptively, with results stratified by sex. Multiple logistic regression was employed to identify risk factors for IPV.

RESULTS

Psychological IPV was found to be the most prevalent form of violence, with the occurrence of any psychological IPV affecting 48.5% of women and 39.4% of men, while 2.6% of women and 3.3% of men reported the occurrence of any physical IPV victimization, and 2.8% of women and 1.5% of men reported the occurrence of any sexual IPV victimization. Of those who experienced the occurrence of any IPV in the last 12 months, 89.7% of women and 89.8% of men were victimized by one single act of violence. The majority of affected participants reported no change in psychological and physical IPV victimization during the pandemic. Nevertheless, for certain IPV behaviors on the psychological and physical IPV victimization subscales, both affected women and men also reported higher frequencies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple logistic regression revealed that higher levels of relationship satisfaction were negatively associated with the occurrence of any IPV victimization for women and men, whereas greater levels of own anger-hostility symptoms were positively associated with the occurrence of any IPV victimization.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychological IPV was present in almost every second (expectant) couple. The majority of affected women and men reported no change in their psychological and physical IPV victimization, suggesting that they continued to experience IPV during the pandemic. This underlines the importance of promoting healthier relationship dynamics, coping strategies, and emotional well-being to reduce the risk of IPV, even in times of crisis. Our study sheds light on the early stages of the pandemic and highlights the ongoing need for research into the temporal dynamics of IPV.

Intersections of Intimate Partner Violence and Natural Disasters: A Systematic Review of the Quantitative Evidence

Natural disasters and extreme weather events are increasing in both intensity and frequency. Emerging evidence suggests that there is a relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and natural disasters. However, there is a scarcity of methodologically sound research in this area with no systematic review to date. To address the gap, this paper systematically assesses the quantitative evidence on the association between IPV with natural disasters between 1990 and March 2023. There were 27 articles that meet the inclusion criteria for the data extraction process. A quantitative critical appraisal tool was used to assess the quality of each study and a narrative synthesis approach to explore the findings. The review found an association between IPV and disasters, across disaster types and countries. However, more research is needed to explore the nuances and gaps within the existing knowledge base. It was unclear whether this relationship was causal or if natural disasters heightened existing risk factors. Further, it is inconclusive as to whether disasters create new cases of IPV or exacerbate existing violence. The majority of studies focused on hurricanes and earthquakes with a dearth of research on "slow onset disasters." These gaps represent the need for further research. Further research can provide a more thorough understanding of IPV and natural disasters, increasing stakeholders' ability to strengthen community capacity and reduce IPV when natural disasters occur.

Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence in the Context of Disasters: A Systematic Review

Women are at increased risk for experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the context of disasters. However, the factors that increase this risk are not well understood. The purpose of the current study was to systematically review the literature on IPV in the context of disasters. The first aim was to identify risk factors predicting women's exposure to IPV. The second aim was to identify disaster-specific risk factors for IPV. The third aim was to construct a social ecological framework of risk factors for IPV in disasters at the individual, relationship/household, community, and structural levels. A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines (PRISMA; Moher et al., 2009). Articles were identified using keywords in seven ProQuest databases. Of the 67 articles identified for full-text review, 24 were eligible for inclusion. Studies were evaluated based on critical appraisal of methodology using an adapted version of the Mixed Methods Appraisals Tool (MMAT; Hong et al., 2018). Findings suggest that disasters give rise to unique risk factors across social ecologies which interact with pre-existing characteristics of social vulnerability to increase women's risk of IPV. Findings inform violence prevention strategies within the context of disaster response and therefore have implications for research, policy, and practice.

Training non-specialists in teaching recovery techniques (TRT) to help traumatised children in humanitarian settings: a qualitative analysis of experiences gained from 20 years of practice

BACKGROUND

Although several manuals and guidelines have been developed to enhance the quality of task-sharing interventions, it remains challenging to train non-professional personnel in mental health and psychosocial support. Practitioners must translate general recommendations into practical applications to make them relevant in demanding contexts. However, limited research exists on practical experiences with standardised programmes in the field.

AIM

To explore how experiences gained from the training of first-line health providers in a low-threshold intervention for children with trauma symptoms may guide implementation of such interventions in local communities in low-income countries.

METHOD

We summarise 20 years of experience in the training of first-line health providers, teachers, and school counsellors in providing a low-threshold intervention. The intervention is called teaching recovery techniques (TRT), developed by the Children and War Foundation (CAW). Field notes containing notes from trainings and oral, informal feedback from participants are analysed using thematic analysis, a method well-suited for identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns, or themes, within data in qualitative research.

FINDINGS

The analysis showed three main themes/ challenges: (1) Who can conduct the TRT intervention? (2) What form and content should the training take? (3) How can the intervention be used in a responsible way to follow the 'do no harm' principle? We discuss the implications of the findings for trainings in scalable interventions and further research.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Needs and Lived Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors in the United States: Advocate Perspectives

We explored the challenges and lived experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic by interviewing 53 U.S.-based IPV advocates between June and November 2020. Advocates described how the COVID-19 pandemic limited survivors' abilities to meet their basic needs. The pandemic was also described as being used by abusive partners to perpetrate control and has created unique safety and harm reduction challenges. IPV survivors experienced compounding challenges due to structural inequities. IPV must be considered by local, state, and federal governments when developing disaster planning policies and practices, including in the context of pandemics.

Changes in Couples' Relationships and Their Differences in Type during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China

PURPOSE

This study explores changes in couples' relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic, and analyzes the differences in the changes across three types: positive communication, criticism/defense, and demand/withdrawal.

METHOD

A total of 600 (567 valid) Chinese respondents participated in this study, and a questionnaire was utilized to determine changes in their overall relationship, verbal and nonverbal communication, emotion, and activities with their spouses.

RESULTS

The average score of items related to positive communication is higher, compared with that of negative communication. Compared with the other two types of relationships, respondents with positive communication scored highest on all items related to positive communication and lowest on all items related to negative communication. Significant differences were noted between the positive communication types and the others.

CONCLUSIONS

Results show that the relationships of couples included in this study have improved during the current pandemic. Therefore, improved consistency in the type of intimacy can lead to improved quality of couples' relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Extreme events and gender-based violence: a mixed-methods systematic review

The intensity and frequency of extreme weather and climate events are expected to increase due to anthropogenic climate change. This systematic review explores extreme events and their effect on gender-based violence (GBV) experienced by women, girls, and sexual and gender minorities. We searched ten databases until February, 2022. Grey literature was searched using the websites of key organisations working on GBV and Google. Quantitative studies were described narratively, whereas qualitative studies underwent thematic analysis. We identified 26 381 manuscripts. 41 studies were included exploring several types of extreme events (ie, storms, floods, droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires) and GBV (eg, sexual violence and harassment, physical violence, witch killing, early or forced marriage, and emotional violence). Studies were predominantly cross-sectional. Although most qualitative studies were of reasonable quality, most quantitative studies were of poor quality. Only one study included sexual and gender minorities. Most studies showed an increase in one or several GBV forms during or after extreme events, often related to economic instability, food insecurity, mental stress, disrupted infrastructure, increased exposure to men, tradition, and exacerbated gender inequality. These findings could have important implications for sexual-transformative and gender-transformative interventions, policies, and implementation. High-quality evidence from large, ethnographically diverse cohorts is essential to explore the effects and driving factors of GBV during and after extreme events.

Intimate Partner Aggression During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Associations With Stress and Heavy Drinking

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to test empirically whether (1) the local impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with increases in intimate partner aggression (IPA) and heavy drinking, and (2) heavy drinking moderated the association between COVID-19 stress and IPA perpetration.

METHOD

Participants were 510 individuals (approximately 50% who endorsed a sexual or gender minority identity) recruited via Qualtrics Research Services in April 2020, during the height of shelter-in-place (SiP) restrictions across the United States. They completed a questionnaire battery that included measures of COVID-19 stressors, physical and psychological IPA perpetration, and heavy drinking.

RESULTS

Rates of physical and psychological IPA perpetration significantly increased after implementation of SiP restrictions which aimed to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. COVID-19 stress was significantly and positively associated with physical and psychological IPA perpetration; however, COVID-19 stress was positively associated with physical IPA perpetration among non-heavy drinking, but not heavy drinking, participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Drawn from a large sample of participants of diverse sexual identities, findings tentatively implicate COVID-19 stress as a critical correlate of IPA perpetration and suggest that "low risk" individuals (i.e., non-heavy drinkers) should not be overlooked. These data provide preliminary support for the usefulness of public health polices and individual-level interventions that target stress, heavy drinking, and their antecedents.

The Influence of the Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Violence in China

The unprecedented outbreak and continuous spread of the COVID-19 virus starting in December 2019 resulted in a strict lockdown and nationwide long-term home isolation, which has possibly led to increased levels of family violence in China. This commentary aims to explore two issues related to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on family violence in China, with intimate partner violence as its most common form. These two issues are whether the COVID-19 pandemic has indeed had a negative impact on family violence and, if so, what its specific influences upon family violence in China have been. This commentary is largely descriptive and based upon previously published literature and public statistical reports from newspaper, government, and criminal justice sources on family violence during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Despite the lack of relevant and accurate nationwide statistics on family violence in China, multiple reports seem to suggest that family violence has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic. This increase in family violence may be primarily due to the large-scale lockdown that aggravates family conflicts, economic distress and tension caused by the pandemic among family members, and inadequate support for victims of family violence during the pandemic. Family violence has become an important social issue that needs to be dealt properly and swiftly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Both governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as agencies and service sectors, need to be aware of the needs of family violence victims and provide appropriate and immediate assistance to the victims during the pandemic. A detailed discussion of the policy implications and suggestions for future research are provided at the end of this commentary.

The impact of interventions to reduce risk and incidence of intimate partner violence and sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict states and other humanitarian crises in low and middle income countries: a systematic review

Sexual violence and intimate partner violence are exacerbated by armed conflict and other humanitarian crises. This narrative systematic review of evidence for interventions to reduce risk and incidence of sexual and intimate partner violence in conflict, post-conflict and other humanitarian crises, updates and expands our review published in 2013. A search of ten bibliographic databases for publications from January 2011 to May 2020 used database specific key words for sexual/intimate partner violence and conflict/humanitarian crisis. The 18 papers, describing 16 studies were undertaken in conflict/post-conflict settings in 12 countries. Six intervention types were reported: i) personnel; ii) community mobilisation; iii) social norms; iv) economic empowerment; v) empowerment; and vi) survivor responses, with the most common being economic empowerment (n = 7) and gendered social norms interventions (n = 6). Combined interventions were reported in nine papers. Four studies identified non-significant reductions in incidence of sexual/ intimate partner violence, showing an evident positive trend; all four evaluated gendered social norms or economic empowerment singly or in combination. Evidence for improved mental health outcomes was found for some economic empowerment, social norms and survivor interventions. Some evidence of reduced risk of sexual violence and intimate partner violence was identified for all intervention types. Qualitative studies suggest that experiences of social connection are important for women who participate in programming to address sexual and intimate partner violence. Interventions with multiple strategies appear to hold merit. Achieving and demonstrating reduced sexual and intimate partner violence remains challenging in this context. Future research should continue to explore how social norms interventions can be most effectively delivered, including the impact of including mixed and same sex groups. Work is needed with local partners to ensure programs are contextually adapted.

Bidirectional Intimate Partner Violence Among Chinese Women: Patterns and Risk Factors

Bidirectional intimate partner violence (BIPV) refers to the co-occurrence of violence perpetration by both partners. BIPV has been analyzed using samples from different sociodemographic contexts but has yet to be fully explored in China. The present study employed a latent class approach to identify BIPV patterns, rates of prevalence, and associated risk factors among a sample of 1,301 heterosexual adult women in mainland China. Five distinct patterns of BIPV were identified, including (a) bidirectional psychological aggression, (b) bidirectional violence of all types, (c) multi-type victimization with psychological aggression, (d) minimal violence, and (e) bidirectional multi-types without physical violence. Marital status, education, employment status, acceptance of male dominance, and justification of intimate partner violence (IPV) were found to be predictive of different types of BIPV. Our findings suggest a need for a conceptual recognition of the heterogeneity and bidirectionality of IPV among Chinese women. Future research should extend to other diverse populations and sociocultural or clinical contexts in China. IPV assessments, research, and social programs ought to recognize the complexity of IPV and consider various IPV patterns specific to heterosexual women.

Gender-based violence before, during, and after cyclones: slow violence and layered disasters

This paper investigates the mutual relationship between gender-based violence (GBV) and cyclone-related disasters. Evidence is sparse on this topic, especially in-depth research attending to the cultural and socioeconomic aspects of locality. The work reported here is based on a case study of a coastal district of Bangladesh (Barguna)-conducted shortly after Cyclone Roanu struck the country in May 2016-that aimed to shed light on the mechanisms linking GBV to cyclones through the eyes of survivors. The paper maps out the different forms, experiences, and impacts of GBV before, during, and after cyclones, and argues that such events lead directly and indirectly to GBV, and that GBV makes women and children more vulnerable to the effects of disasters. Climate change, economic losses, and poverty compound this cyclical relationship. A conceptual framing, drawing on the notion of 'slow violence', is developed to understand the layering of diverse types of violence that operate on seemingly different temporal and spatial scales.

Reflexiones sobre la violencia de género durante el confinamiento causado por Covid-19

Durante el periodo de confinamiento en España, de marzo a junio de 2020, las mujeres asesinadas víctimas de la violencia machista fueron ocho, once menos que en el mismo periodo del año anterior. Además, el número de denuncias disminuyo en 10,25% en el primer cuatrimestre y en 14,62% en el segundo cuatrimestre de 2020. No obstante, se confirmó un incremento de un 41,1% en llamadas al 016 desde el 14 de marzo al 31 de mayo. Lo que en principio podía indicar una disminución de la violencia de género, en realidad ponía de manifiesto dificultades de las víctimas para pedir ayuda durante el confinamiento, evidenciado fundamentalmente por el incremento de la utilización de medios silenciosos. El presente estudio realiza una revisión bibliográfica para reflexionar sobre cómo ha afectado la COVID-19 a la violencia de género. La literatura actual revisada indica que las condiciones generadas por el confinamiento fomentan los factores de riesgo para la violencia de género.

Mechanisms of parental distress during and after the first COVID-19 lockdown phase: A two-wave longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

In these unpredictable times of the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, parents worldwide are affected by the stress and strain caused by the physical distancing protocols that have been put in place.

OBJECTIVE

In a two-wave longitudinal survey, we investigated the levels of parental stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression in a sample of parents at two time points; during the implementation of the strictest physical distancing protocols following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (T1, N = 2,868) and three months after the discontinuation of the protocols (T2, N = 1,489). Further, we investigated the relationships between parental stress and anxiety and depression relative to relationship quality and anger toward their children at the two aforementioned time points, including subgroups based on age, parental role, cultural background, relationship status, education level, number of children, employment status and pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Parents were asked to fill out a set of validated questionnaires on the two measurement points. Parental stress significantly decreased from T1 to T2, indicating that the cumulative stress that parents experienced during the implementation of the distancing protocols declined when the protocols were phased out. The decrease of perceived parental stress was accompanied by a significant decrease in the symptoms of both depression and anxiety among the participating parents. Symptoms meeting the clinical cut-offs for depression (23.0%) and generalized anxiety disorder (23.3%) were reported among participating parents at T1, compared to 16.8% and 13.8% at T2, respectively. The reduction in depression and anger toward their child(ren) from T1 to T2 was associated with a reduction of parental stress. Relationship quality and anger toward their child(ren) at T1 further predicted a change in the level of parental stress from T1 to T2.

CONCLUSIONS

The study underlines the negative psychological impacts of the implementation of the distancing protocols on parents' health and well-being. Uncovering the nature of how these constructs are associated with parents and families facing a social crisis such as the ongoing pandemic may contribute to the design of relevant interventions to reduce parental distress and strengthen parental coping and resilience.

Natural hazards, disasters and violence against women and girls: a global mixed-methods systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Disasters triggered by climate and other natural hazards are increasing in frequency, severity and duration worldwide. Disasters disproportionately impact women and girls, with some evidence suggesting that violence against women and girls (VAWG) increases in disaster settings. Suggested risk factors for postdisaster VAWG include increased life stressors, failure of law enforcement, exposure to high-risk environments, exacerbation of existing gender inequalities and unequal social norms. We aim to systematically appraise the global literature on the association between disasters from natural hazards and VAWG.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review using the following databases: Embase, Global Health, Medline, PubMed and Social Policy and Practice and searched grey literature. We included quantitative, qualitative or mixed-methods studies published in English language that examined the association between disasters from natural hazards and VAWG. We summarised the findings using a narrative synthesis approach.

RESULTS

Of 555 non-duplicate records, we included a total of 37 quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies. Among the quantitative studies, eight studies found a positive association between disaster exposure and increased VAWG, and four additional studies found positive associations with some violence types but not others. Qualitative findings offered insights into three hypothesised pathways: disaster exposure associated with (1) an increase of stressors that trigger VAWG; (2) an increase of enabling environments for VAWG and (3) an exacerbation of underlying drivers of VAWG.

CONCLUSION

As the first known global systematic review on the relationship between disasters from natural hazards and VAWG, this review contributes to the evidence base. We were limited by the quality of quantitative studies, specifically study designs, the measurement of variables and geographic scope. The severe health consequences of VAWG and increasing frequency of extreme events means that rigorously designed and better quality studies are needed to inform evidence-based policies and safeguard women and girls during and after disasters.

Domestic Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Portugal

The measures implemented to combat the COVID-19 pandemic led populations to confinement at home, with increased risk of domestic violence due to extended shared time between victims and offenders. Evidence on domestic violence in times of pandemic is lacking. This study examines the occurrence of domestic violence, associated factors and help seeking during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted in Portugal between April and October 2020 by NOVA National School of Public Health. The survey was disseminated through partner networks, media, and institutions working within the scope of violence. Data were collected on the experience of domestic violence, and help seeking during the pandemic. In a total of 1,062 respondents, 146 (13.7%) reported having suffered domestic violence during the pandemic, including psychological (13.0%, <i>n</i> = 138), sexual (1.0%, <i>n</i> = 11), and physical (0.9%, <i>n</i> = 10) abuse. Overall, the lower the age, the more the reported domestic violence. Also, a higher proportion of participants who perceived difficulties to make ends meet during the pandemic reported domestic violence. Differences between women and men and across educational levels on reported domestic violence were not statistically significant. Bivariate logistic analyses showed that, among women, reported domestic violence was more likely among those with up to secondary education compared to higher education. Most of the victims did not seek help (62.3%), the main reasons being considering it unnecessary, that help would not change anything, and feeling embarrassed about what had happened. Only 4.3% of the victims sought police help. The most common reasons for not coming forward to form a complaint were considering the abuse was not severe and believing the police would not do anything. Our findings indicate that domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic was experienced by both sexes and across different age groups. There is a need for investing in specific support systems for victims of domestic violence to be applied to pandemic contexts, especially targeting those in more vulnerable situations and potentially underserved.

Nursing research on intimate partner violence in China: A scoping review

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious public health issue, and nurses have the potential to screen, navigate to interventions, and provide support, but responses to IPV differ greatly in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. We conducted a scoping review to examine the nursing literature on IPV in the above four regions in China. We conducted a comprehensive search of 11 Chinese and English databases from database inception to January 31, 2020, for eligible papers including empirical studies, reviews, reports, and expert opinion articles. We hand searched references lists and other studies published by the first and corresponding authors of included articles. Two reviewers independently screened articles and extracted data, and three reviewers cross-checked the extracted results. We also conducted quality appraisal for applicable empirical studies. A total of 58 Chinese-language and 63 English-language articles were included, 58 from Taiwan, 44 from Hong Kong, 13 from mainland China, and six from institutions outside China, but none from Macao. The quantitative and qualitative studies described the prevalence and complex nature of IPV, comparable to non-nursing and international studies. Nurse-led advocacy and Qigong (traditional Chinese mind-body health practice) interventions showed promise for improving mental health in women in Hong Kong. There was a low level of knowledge and preparedness to respond to IPV among Chinese nurses, especially in mainland China. Mixed methods studies in Hong Kong and Taiwan as complex designs were generally well-conducted. Nursing case reports from Taiwan uniquely supplemented the evidence base. In Hong Kong and Taiwan, varying designs were used to study various facets of IPV, targeting victims, nurses and other key stakeholders. In mainland China and Macao, IPV research was limited in quantity, quality, and diversity. As more research in the area of IPV is needed, factors influencing nursing research on IPV also merit investigation, while taking into consideration socio-economic-political-cultural factors.

Experiences of rural women with damages resulting from an earthquake in Iran: a qualitative study

Background

Women, with more vulnerabilities and less access to resources, are often seen as victims of natural disasters. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the experiences of rural women with damages resulting from an earthquake in Iran.

Methods

In this research, a qualitative approach, as well as the conventional content analysis was employed. The study population consisted of rural women residing in the earthquake-stricken areas of Sarpol-e Zahab and Salas-e Babajani counties in Kermanshah Province, Iran. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Moreover, sampling was purposeful, theoretical saturation was achieved by conducting 22 interviews, and the data analysis process was performed according to the steps proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. For the strength and transferability of the research, Lincoln and Guba’s Evaluative Criteria were used.

Results

There were seven categories regarding the experiences of rural women after the earthquakes including neglecting the health needs; tension in the family and marital relations; gender inequality in the provision of assistance; feeling insecure; ignoring the ruling culture of the region; concealing needs for fear of stigmatization, and incoherent mourning as well as two categories regarding their reactions to and interaction with the earthquake consequences including positive and negative interactions.

Conclusions

Paying more attention to the needs of rural women, taking the culture governing the village into account at the time of service delivery, and helping them with positive adaptations are some indispensable measures that should be taken.

Women's experiences across disasters: a study of two towns in Texas, United States

Gender, although gaining attention, remains under-researched in disaster risk reduction protocols and response and recovery efforts. This study examines women's experiences of two disasters in small towns in the United States, utilising qualitative interviews with residents of Granbury and West, Texas, during the first year of disaster recovery. Granbury was struck by an EF-4 tornado on 15 May 2013, whereas an explosion occurred at a local fertiliser facility in West on 17 April 2013. The paper explores how women's experiences of inter-gender power dynamics in decision-making, the prioritisation of childcare, and women's participation in the community affect their post-disaster recovery. Previous research highlights different forms of human response and recovery vis-à-vis 'natural' and technological disasters, with less attention paid to gender differences. The results point to the persistent, and similar, effect of gender stratification on women's experiences across different types of disasters in the US and the continued importance of gender-sensitive disaster policies and programmes.

When Stay-at-Home Orders Leave Victims Unsafe at Home: Exploring the Risk and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The novel coronavirus pandemic (hereafter COVID-19) is likely to have unprecedented impacts on the incidence and impacts of crime and violence globally. This includes impacts to the risk, consequences, and decision-making of women experiencing violence by an intimate partner (hereafter IPV). Most importantly, the COVID-19 pandemic, and its impact on the risk of IPV is likely to differentially impact vulnerable populations, including minority women and those with long histories of victimization and mental health issues. This review paper explores the potential short- and long-term implications of COVID-19 on the risk of IPV, highlighting some of the most recent preliminary data. The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, record levels of male unemployment, added stressors in the home, including the care and home schooling of children, and the social distancing measures required by the epidemiological response, may serve to undermine the decades of progress made in keeping women and children safe at home. Victim police reporting, help-seeking decisions, and social service utilization during the pandemic are likely to be impacted by stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for providing safety planning and self-care for victims and their children.

Romantic Relationship Conflict Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and Changes in Intimate and Sexual Behaviors in a Nationally Representative Sample of American Adults

In early 2020, the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) spread across the United States and mitigation measures drastically affected the daily lives of Americans. In this study, we assessed the association between COVID-related relationship conflict and changes in intimate and sexual behaviors and experiences. Using data from an online nationally representative probability survey of 1,010 American adults in April 2020, we estimated the impact of coronavirus-related relationship conflict on changes in intimate and sexual behaviors among those in any type of romantic or sexual relationship (N_weighted=742). Further, we assessed the association between conflict and experience of orgasm and feeling emotionally close to partner. Among individuals in relationships, 34% reported some degree of conflict with their romantic partners due to the spread of COVID-19 and its related restrictions. Those experiencing frequent coronavirus-related conflict with their partner were significantly more likely to report decreased frequency of several solo and partnered intimate and sexual behaviors compared to those not experiencing any such conflict, exhibiting a dose-response trend among partnered sexual behaviors. Since the spread of coronavirus and associated social distancing measures in the United States, Americans have experienced escalations in conflict in their romantic partnerships, which was associated with changes to their intimate and sexual lives.

Is gender important? Victimisation and perpetration of intimate partner violence in mainland China

Establishing the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) has been recommended by International Conventions and Declarations for some time beginning with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW Articles 12 and 19) in 1979. One important recommendation of such international protocols is the implementation of national population prevalence surveys to establishing IPV as a serious social issue globally, which is intended to provide data for planning effective responses within signatory countries. However, not all countries have undertaken national prevalence surveys meaning that there are gaps in our understanding of who are the perpetrators and victims of IPV in different cultural contexts. This article presents the results of a scoping review of literature examining gender differences in prevalence rates of victimisation and perpetration of IPV in mainland China (hereon China). There has been little written about the prevalence of IPV in China generally, and this scoping process located only nine peer-reviewed articles written in both English- and Chinese-language journals focusing on both gender and IPV published between 1997 and 2016. Results of this scoping review demonstrate that while both women and men perpetrate IPV in China, the prevalence rates of different types of IPV reflect gender differences in both perpetration and victimisation, suggesting that IPV is not a unitary phenomenon. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings including the importance of increasing awareness of IPV in China more generally and developing gender-specific interventions to directly address different types of IPV. Directions for future research are also canvassed.

Empirical Research on Domestic Violence in Contemporary China: Continuity and Advances

Domestic violence is not uncommon in China. Myths and misconceptions about it do exist, especially in the context of rapid social changes. Compared with its Western counterparts, the study on domestic violence in China is considered rudimentary and of low priority. Empirical studies, especially those measuring the correlates and/or risk factors related to domestic violence, are still lacking. This special issue aims to advance understanding on domestic violence through much-needed empirical research. It also demonstrates joint efforts by local Chinese scholars and their Western counterparts to strengthen collaboration in this important research area. Based on relatively large sample surveys, the articles incorporated in this special issue provide relatively accurate estimates of factors related to domestic violence and responses to it in mainland China and Taiwan. Future studies should give priority to developing indigenous theories and practices in addition to adapting and testing theories and models developed in the West.

The Tendency to Make Arrests in Domestic Violence: Perceptions From Police Officers in China

The present study examines police officer attitudes and responses to domestic violence on a sample of 520 officers in a southern Chinese city. The police officers were asked to respond to two vignette scenarios depicting husbands assaulting their wives. The results show high correlations between officer responses to the two vignettes: Husbands are much more likely to be arrested than wives. The results of logistic regression analysis reveal that officers who view their profession as that of a law enforcer are more likely to arrest either husbands or wives. Officers who believe domestic violence to be a private matter are less inclined to arrest husbands, while those who hold profeminist attitudes are more inclined to do so. Finally, the implications are considered for further understanding of police responses to domestic violence in the Chinese context.

Violence Against Women and Children Following the 2011 Great East Japan Disaster: Making the Invisible Visible Through Research

This study reports on 82 unduplicated cases of violence against women and children after the Great East Japan Disaster of March 2011. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire from informants who worked with the disaster-affected populations. In addition to domestic violence, reported cases involved sexual assault and unwanted sexual contact, including quid pro quo assault perpetrated by nonintimates. Perpetrators often exploited a sense of fear, helplessness, and powerlessness and used threats to force compliance with sexual demands in exchange for life-sustaining resources. Findings point to the urgent need to develop measures to prevent and respond to postdisaster gender-based violence.

Exposure to domestic violence influences pregnant women's preparedness for childbirth in Nepal: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate if domestic violence affected women's ability to prepare for childbirth. Birth preparedness and complication readiness (BP/CR) includes saving money, arranging transportation, identifying a skilled birth attendant, a health facility, and a blood donor before childbirth. During data collection, Nepal experienced two earthquakes and therefore it was possible to examine associations between domestic violence, women's BP/CR and effects of the earthquakes.

METHODS

Women who were between 12 and 28 weeks of gestation participated in a descriptive cross-sectional study at a hospital antenatal clinic in Nepal, where they completed a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, experiences of domestic violence, and BP/CR. The 5-item Abuse Assessment Screen was used to assess prevalence of domestic violence, and a questionnaire on safe motherhood obtained from Jhpiego was used to assess BP/CR status. The participants self-completed the questionnaire on a tablet computer. Those who reported at least three out of five BP/CR activities were considered prepared for childbirth.

RESULTS

A total of 1011 women participated in the study: 433 pre-earthquakes and 578 post-earthquakes. With respect to BP/CR, 78% had identified a health facility for childbirth and 65% had saved money prior to childbirth. Less than 50% had identified a birth attendant to assist with the delivery, transportation to a health facility, or arranged for a potential blood donor. Prior to the earthquakes, 38% were unprepared; by contrast, almost 62% were not prepared after the earthquakes. A significant association was found between exposure to violence and not being prepared for childbirth (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4-3.9). The women with increased odds of not being prepared for childbirth were illiterate (AOR = 9.9, 95% CI:5.7-17), young (AOR = 3.4, 95% CI:1.6-7.2), from the most oppressed social classes (AOR = 3.0, 95% CI:1.2-7.6), were married to illiterate husbands (AOR = 2.5, 95% CI:1.2-5.2), had attended fewer than four antenatal visits (AOR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.4-2.6), had low incomes (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI:1.1-2.9) or lived in rural settings (AOR = 1.5, 95% confidence interval CI:1.2-2.1).

CONCLUSION

The paper identifies vulnerable women who require extra care from the health system, and draws attention to the need for interventions to reduce the harmful effects of domestic violence on women's preparations for childbirth.

Incidence of Domestic Violence Against Pregnant Females After the Great East Japan Earthquake in Miyagi Prefecture: The Japan Environment and Children's Study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to clarify the correlation between the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and domestic violence (DV) against pregnant females after the disaster in Miyagi Prefecture, an area damaged by the earthquake and tsunami.

METHODS

We analyzed 7600 pregnant females from June to December 2011. The incidence of physical and mental DV and the proportions in the inland, north coastal, and south coastal areas of Miyagi Prefecture and nationwide were calculated, and a chi-square test was conducted for comparison. The risk factors for DV were estimated with multivariate logistic regression analyses on a prefecture-wide basis.

RESULTS

The incidence levels for physical DV were found to be 5.9% in the north coastal area, which was significantly higher than in the inland area (1.3%, P=0.0007) and nationwide (1.5%, P<0.0001). There were no significant differences in the incidence of mental DV between the 3 areas in Miyagi Prefecture (inland 15.2%, north coast 15.7%, and south coast 18.8%) or nationwide (13.8%). Experiencing disease or injury in someone close and changes in the family structure were significantly associated with mental DV in Miyagi Prefecture.

CONCLUSION

Continuous monitoring and support for pregnant females may be necessary to address this issue in disaster-affected areas. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:216-226).

The Aftermath of Humanitarian Crises

This article reviews the aftermath of displacement caused by natural calamities such as hurricanes, earthquakes, and man-made disasters such as war, ecological degradations, and political, religious, and ethnic persecution. These are traumatic events for individual, families, and communities that require social work interventions. Specifically, the authors will (a) explore the effects of displacement on individuals, families, and communities; (b) propose an explanatory model of the effects of trauma, loss, stress, and separation on behavioral outcomes as mediated by social supports and coping styles; and (c) suggest humanitarian intervention strategies conceptualized by the multilevel public health prevention model, with emphasis on interventions at the individual, group, and community levels.

Participation a Key Factor for Life Recovery After Disaster: A Grounded Theory Study in an Iranian Context

Background

Since life recovery after disasters is a subjective and multifaceted construct influenced by different factors, and survivors’ main concerns and experiences are not clear, the researchers intended to explore this process.

Materials and Methods

This study was conducted in 2011 - 2014 based on the grounded theory approach. Participants were selected by purposeful sampling followed by theoretical sampling to achieve conceptual and theoretical saturation. Data were collected through interviews, observation, focus group discussion, and document reviews. Data were analyzed by Strauss and Corbin’s (2008) recommended approach.

Results

Transcribed data from 26 interviews (managers, health care providers, and receivers), field notes, and other documents were analyzed, and 1,652 open codes were identified. The codes were categorized, using constant comparative analysis, into five main categories including reactive exposure, subsiding emotions, need for comprehensive health recovery, improvement of normalization (new normality achievement), and contextual factors. The process of life recovery after disaster was also explored.

Conclusions

The results clarified a deep perception of participants’ experiences after disaster. The path of life recovery after disasters involves participants’ striving to achieve a comprehensive health recovery, which starts with the need for all-inclusive health recovery as a main concern; this is the motivator for a responding strategy. This strategy is participatory, and the process is progressive; achievement of a new normality is the final goal, with new development and levels of empowerment.

Impact of disaster on women in Iran and implication for emergency nurses volunteering to provide urgent humanitarian aid relief: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Men and women are equally affected by disasters, but they experience disaster in different ways. To provide new knowledge and promote women's involvement in all phases of the disaster management, we decided to capture the perspectives and experiences of the women themselves; and to explore the conditions affecting Iranian women after recent earthquake disasters.

METHODS

The study was designed as a qualitative content analysis. Twenty individuals were selected by purposeful sampling and data collected by in-depth, semi-structured interviews analysed qualitatively.

RESULTS

Three main themes were evident reflecting women's status after disaster: individual impacts of disaster, women and family, and women in the community. Participants experienced the emotional impact of loss, disorganisation of livelihood and challenges due to physical injuries. Women experienced changes in family function due to separation and conflicts which created challenges and needed to be managed after the disaster. Their most urgent request was to be settled in their own permanent home. This motivated the women to help reconstruction efforts.

CONCLUSIONS

Clarification of women's need after a disaster can help to mainstream gender-sensitive approaches in planning response and recovery efforts.

The impact of the Great East Japan earthquake on mandatory psychiatric emergency hospitalizations in Tokyo: a retrospective observational study

On 11 March 2011, the eastern part of Japan was struck by a magnitude 9.0 quake. About 20 000 people were killed or were missing, and a nuclear crisis followed. In Tokyo, people were indirectly exposed to the earthquake and nuclear crisis by TV broadcast. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential effect of the series of catastrophes on psychiatric emergency hospitalizations in Tokyo. Clinical records of patients who were mandatorily admitted to Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital by law because of urgent risk to self or others were reviewed. Records regarding the 2 years of investigation, which include the 6 months after the earthquake, were reviewed. The six months after the earthquake were compared with the eighteen months before the earthquake in clinical and demographic data using independent t-tests or χ(2) tests. During the 6 months before and after the earthquake, 97 and 127 people were mandatorily admitted. χ(2) Tests demonstrated a significant increase in the number of patients after the earthquake (P = 0.045), attributable to the significant increase in the number of patients with schizophrenia after the earthquake (P = 0.011, 32 vs 56), whereas there were no significant differences in the number of patients with other diagnoses between those two periods. Independent t-tests revealed that patients admitted after the earthquake had marginally significantly shorter periods of education compared with those admitted before the earthquake (13.78 vs 12.82 years, P = 0.084). This work suggests that patients with schizophrenia were more sensitive to indirect exposure to the earthquake and that a shorter period of education was a potential risk factor.

Resilience in the face of disaster: prevalence and longitudinal course of mental disorders following hurricane Ike

Objectives

Natural disasters may increase risk for a broad range of psychiatric disorders, both in the short- and in the medium-term. We sought to determine the prevalence and longitudinal course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder (PD), depression, and suicidality in the first 18 months after Hurricane Ike.

Methods

Six hundred fifty-eight adults representative of Galveston and Chambers Counties, Texas participated in a random, population-based survey. The initial assessment was conducted 2 to 5 months after Hurricane Ike struck Galveston Bay on September 13, 2008. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 5 to 9 and 14 to 18 months after Hurricane Ike.

Results

Past-month prevalence of any mental disorder (20.6% to 10.9%) and hurricane-related PTSD (6.9% to 2.5%) decreased over time. Past-month prevalence of PTSD related to a non-disaster traumatic event (5.8% to 7.1%), GAD (3.1% to 1.8%), PD (0.8% to 0.7%), depression (5.0% to 5.6%), and suicidality (2.6% to 4.2%) remained relatively stable over time.

Conclusions

PTSD, both due to the hurricane and due to other traumatic events, was the most prevalent psychiatric disorder 2 to 5 months after Hurricane Ike. Prevalence of psychiatric disorders declined rapidly over time, suggesting that the vast majority of individuals exposed to this natural disaster ‘bounced back’ and were resilient to long-term mental health consequences of this large-scale traumatic event.