Understanding Escalation Through Intimate Partner Homicide Narratives.

The study aims to expand our understanding of escalation from intimate partner violence to intimate partner homicide (IPH) by exploring the known circumstances leading up to a lethal event. The study draws on qualitative data from law enforcement reports and coroner/medical examiner reports within the National Violent Death Reporting System to identify themes preceding and surrounding IPH incidents. Findings support the utility of risk assessments in identifying escalation while illustrating the complex ways that violence between current or former intimate partners can escalate to lethality, particularly the role of separation and the use of firearms.

Post-Traumatic Bio-Behavioral Rehabilitation of Adult Female Victims.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if low resting basal AM cortisol and flat diurnal cortisol slope that has been reported in female abuse victims, which is dysregulated in the same way in female violent perpetrators, could be corrected and if healthier diurnal cortisol patterns are associated with less aggression in adult female victims. DESIGN AND METHODS: A non-experimental, naturalistic study evaluated if bio-behavioral rehabilitation could occur for females living in a Delaware homeless mission and participating in their programs. Basal salivary cortisol (AM, PM & slope), aggression, neurological conditions, general health, alcohol use, having been a victim of abuse, religion, spirituality and forgiveness were evaluated over one month between 2018 and 2019. RESULTS: T tests revealed significant improvement in mean cortisol (AM, PM & slope), aggression, emotional/ behavioral dyscontrol, and health over one month while participating in the mission's programs. Paired t-tests however were only significant for aggression and health. Healthier cortisol was significantly correlated with greater time since last alcohol, greater time since last abuse, less aggression, better health and greater religion, spirituality and forgiveness. CONCLUSION: Community programs could be cost effective methods of post-traumatic bio-behavioral rehabilitation. Forgiveness may play a critical role for abuse victims. A larger sample and more settings are needed, although these findings are promising.

Agency and Paternalism: Balancing Acts Between a Domestic Violence Survivors' Task Force and a State Coalition.

This research explores the dissonance between feminist ideology and practice as it manifests in an activist group of intimate partner violence/aggression (IPV/A) survivors under a state coalition on domestic violence serving multiple stakeholders. A gendered organizations framework reveals the activist group resisting paternalism and colonization in their efforts to achieve their goals and maintain their identity. Two-and-a-half years of observational field work reveals a complex dynamic, simultaneously feminist and patriarchal, with the activist group experiencing growing pains and internal conflict, emotion regulation, as well as empowerment. We offer suggestions for further exploration of the ways survivor-activist groups and coalitions can pursue collaborative partnerships.

An Examination of the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP): Perspectives on Implementation, Help-Seeking, and Victim Empowerment.

The Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) aims to empower law enforcement officers to screen victims of domestic violence for potential lethality and connect them to service providers. This research surveyed domestic violence victims seeking legal services (n = 141) to assess whether LAP receipt is associated with greater rates of self-protective measures, service use, or empowerment, and to examine victims' perspectives on the LAP process. Findings indicate no relationship between receipt of the LAP and use of self-protective measures or victim empowerment, mixed evidence between receipt of the LAP and service utilization, and room for improvement regarding how law enforcement officers explain the LAP to victims. Implications are discussed.

A Pilot Study on Sleep Quality, Forgiveness, Religion, Spirituality, and General Health of Women Living in a Homeless Mission.

This cross-sectional pilot study evaluated associations between religion/spirituality, forgiveness, sleep, and health, which were all highly correlated for adult women living in a homeless mission. While causation cannot be determined, these findings help to provide a theoretical framework for studies with stronger designs, prospective measurements, and larger sample sizes.