Change in Depression Severity Among Depressed Older Crime Victims.

The crime rates in urban centers are rising. The psychological impact of crime can range from distress to longstanding mental health impairment. Despite the rising crime rates and psychological impact on victims, little research has been conducted on older adult crime victims' mental health. In this manuscript we describe the profile of older adult crime victims in New York City referred for mental health services, their rates of depression, and the preliminary outcome data from a brief therapy intervention (PROTECT) targeting depression among victims. Building on prior research demonstrating the efficacy of PROTECT for depressive symptom reduction in elder abuse victims, the present study hypothesized elder crime victims who completed PROTECT therapy would demonstrate clinically meaningful depression symptom reduction as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Additionally, it was hypothesized that these clinically significant depression symptom reductions would be demonstrated regardless of sex, gender, victimization type, victimization frequency, or living status. The results demonstrate that 67.7% (21/31) of participants had a clinically significant reduction in PHQ-9 scores (≥5 points) upon completion of PROTECT. There were no significant group differences in clinically significant depression symptom reduction, suggesting that PROTECT is an effective intervention for a diverse sample of elder crime victims. Future research should focus on the mental health impact of crime against older adults and explore reductions in anxiety and PTSD symptoms among crime victims. Through our partnerships we aim to bridge the divide between victim service providers, and mental health service providers to assist victims to recover, heal, and thrive.

Homicide numbers, rates, and victims' characteristics in the Tri-City metropolitan area, Poland, between 2010 and 2019. / Liczby i wskazniki zabójstw oraz charakterystyka ofiar na terenie aglomeracji Trójmiasta w latach 2010-2019.

Despite a clear global downward trend, homicides still account for a relatively high proportion of all violent deaths, making them a serious problem both in Poland and worldwide. The discrepancy in available data prompted the authors of the study to analyse the numbers and rates of homicides and the characteristics of the homicide victims in the Tri-City area of northern Poland. The study was based on data from autopsy reports, supplemented by information from prosecutor's files on all homicides in the Tri-City area between 2010 and 2019. A total of 107 homicides were statistically analysed for age, sex, blood alcohol concentration at the time of death, time and place of death. The annual homicide rate was 1.24 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a clear downward trend over the period analysed. The average age of victims was about 48 years, and the majority of victims were male (70.1%). 92.5% of homicides were committed in the Tri-City, with a clear predominance of Gdansk (49.5%) over other, mostly rural, areas of the analysed agglomeration. The majority of victims (57.8%) whose blood alcohol concentration was measured were intoxicated, with a clear predominance of males in this group (70.9%). Victim characteristics and the homicide rates obtained from the analysed material were similar to other countries in Central and Eastern Europe, which may be related to historical, cultural, and demographic similarities. The study highlights the significant impact of alcohol abuse on the risk of homicide.

[Disability status and robbery victimization in Peruvian villagers]. / Condición de discapacidad y victimización por robo en pobladores de Perú.

OBJECTIVE: About 15% of the world's population has some degree of disability. Violence and crime primarily affect the Latin American region, especially Peru. This study aimed to determine the association between disability status and robbery victimization in Peruvian villagers in 2017. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of secondary data analysis from the National Specialized Victimization Survey (ENEVIC) 2017 was conducted. The independent variable was disability status, and the dependent variable was robbery victimization; in addition, confounding variables were included. Poisson regression was performed to demonstrate the association, and prevalence ratios (PR) with their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated. RESULTS: Records of 32,199 Peruvians aged 18 years or older were included. People with disabilities were 24% less likely to be robbery victims than people without disabilities (PR=0.76; 95%CI: 0.61-0.95), adjusted for confounding variables. However, this association was only statistically significant in women, older adults, and the high socioeconomic stratum. CONCLUSIONS: In Peru, people with disabilities are less likely to be robbery victims than people without disabilities. However, only if they are women, older adults, and come from a high socioeconomic level. In the other population groups, the probabilities of suffering this victimization would be similar between people with and without disabilities.

OBJECTIVE: Alrededor del 15% de la población mundial tiene algún grado de discapacidad. La violencia y el crimen afectan primordialmente a la región de América Latina, especialmente a Perú. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la asociación entre la condición de discapacidad y la victimización por robo en pobladores peruanos durante 2017. METHODS: Se realizó un estudio transversal de análisis secundario de datos de la Encuesta Nacional Especializada sobre Victimización (ENEVIC) 2017. La variable independiente fue la condición de discapacidad y la variable dependiente fue la victimización por robo; además, se incluyeron variables de confusión. Para demostrar la asociación se realizó una regresión de Poisson y se calcularon razones de prevalencia (RP) con sus intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC95%). RESULTS: Se incluyeron los registros de 32.199 peruanos de dieciocho o más años. Las personas con discapacidad tuvieron un 24% menos probabilidad de ser víctimas de robo que las personas sin discapacidad (RP=0,76; IC95%: 0,61-0,95), ajustado por las variables de confusión. Sin embargo, esta asociación solo fue estadísticamente significativa en las mujeres, adultos mayores y en el estrato socioeconómico alto. CONCLUSIONS: En Perú, las personas con discapacidad tienen menor probabilidad de ser víctimas de robo que las personas sin discapacidad, aunque solamente si son mujeres, adultos mayores y provienen de un nivel socioeconómico alto. En los demás grupos poblacionales, las probabilidades de sufrir de este hecho de victimización serían semejantes entre las personas con y sin discapacidad.

Condición de discapacidad y victimización por robo en pobladores de Perú / Disability status and robbery victimization in Peruvian villager

Fundamentos: alrededor del 15% de la población mundial tiene algún grado de discapacidad. La violencia y el crimen afectan primordialmente a la región de américa latina, especialmente a perú. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la asociación entre la condición de discapacidad y la victimización por robo en pobladores peruanos durante 2017. Métodos: se realizó un estudio transversal de análisis secundario de datos de la encuesta nacional especializada sobre victimi-zación (enevic) 2017. La variable independiente fue la condición de discapacidad y la variable dependiente fue la victimización por robo; además, se incluyeron variables de confusión. Para demostrar la asociación se realizó una regresión de poisson y se calcularon razones de prevalencia (rp) con sus intervalos de confianza al 95% (ic95%).resultados: se incluyeron los registros de 32.199 peruanos de dieciocho o más años. Las personas con discapacidad tuvieron un 24% menos probabilidad de ser víctimas de robo que las personas sin discapacidad (rp=0,76; ic95%: 0,61-0,95), ajustado por las variables de confusión. Sin embargo, esta asociación solo fue estadísticamente significativa en las mujeres, adultos mayores y en el estrato socioeconómico alto. Conclusiones: en perú, las personas con discapacidad tienen menor probabilidad de ser víctimas de robo que las personas sin discapacidad, aunque solamente si son mujeres, adultos mayores y provienen de un nivel socioeconómico alto. En los demás grupos poblacionales, las probabilidades de sufrir de este hecho de victimización serían semejantes entre las personas con y sin discapacida.(AU)

Background: about 15% of the world’s population has some degree of disability. Violence and crime primarily affect the latin american region, especially peru. This study aimed to determine the association between disability status and robbery victimization in peruvian villagers in 2017. Methods: a cross-sectional study of secondary data analysis from the national specialized victimization survey (enevic) 2017 was conducted. The independent variable was disability status, and the dependent variable was robbery victimization; in addition, confounding variables were included. Poisson regression was performed to demonstrate the association, and prevalence ratios (pr) with their 95% confidence intervals (95%ci) were calculated.results: records of 32,199 peruvians aged 18 years or older were included. People with disabilities were 24% less likely to be rob-bery victims than people without disabilities (pr=0.76; 95%ci: 0.61-0.95), adjusted for confounding variables. However, this association was only statistically significant in women, older adults, and the high socioeconomic stratum. Conclusions: in peru, people with disabilities are less likely to be robbery victims than people without disabilities. However, only if they are women, older adults, and come from a high socioeconomic level. In the other population groups, the probabilities of suffering this victimization would be similar between people with and without disabilities.(AU)

Sex work-related homicides: Insights from the National Violent Death Reporting System, 2012-2020.

Homicide is a prevalent cause of death among sex workers, given their increased risk of violence due to proximity to criminal activities such as drug trade and human trafficking. This study analyzes homicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) covering 49 US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico from 2012 to 2020. Case inclusion criteria included: (1) manner of death of homicide, and (2) sex work-related circumstance. Descriptive analyses examined victim and injury characteristics, suspect information, and circumstances. The study identified 321 sex work-related homicides (54% female, 41% male, 6% transgender). Among female victims, 94% were sex workers, and 54% of their suspects were clients. Money conflicts (23%) and other crimes (30%), most often in progress, commonly precipitated homicides of female victims. Substance use problems were reported in 49% of female victims, with 25% of their suspected perpetrators reportedly using substances in the preceding hours. For male victims, 54% were clients and 9% were sex workers. Suspects in male homicides were primarily sex workers (34%) or individuals engaged in sex work-adjacent criminal activities (36%). Money conflicts (49%), other crimes (47%) most often in progress, and sex trafficking involvement (25%) commonly precipitated homicides with male victims. Transgender sex worker victims were mostly transfeminine (94%) and non-Hispanic black (89%). Money conflicts (78%) most commonly precipitated homicides among transgender sex worker victims. These findings can inform prevention strategies addressing underlying risk factors for persons involved in sex work.

A Comparative Content Analysis of the News Media Framing of Trans Homicide Between Trans Men and Trans Women in the U.S. from 2016 to 2022.

Recently, the media's coverage of trans homicides has increased in the U.S. Studies show that the news media's framing has been largely negative but has improved in recent times. Yet, research has mostly analyzed the news media's framing of victims who were trans women, thus limiting our understanding of this issue across different trans groups. The present study employs a mixed method approach to comparatively analyze articles (N = 124) published in online news media outlets of 15 trans men and 15 trans women murdered between 2016 and 2022. The findings indicate news media outlets used more positive and neutral frames than negative for both groups. However, when compared to trans women, trans men were delegitimized at higher rates. These findings highlight the ways that the police, news media, family, friends, and community members simultaneously contribute to the humanization and delegitimization of trans victims of homicide, demonstrating the importance of ensuring all information released about the victims correctly reflects who they were, or the cycle of delegitimization will continue. By studying how the news media frames trans homicide victims, we can look at how the media shapes cultural beliefs and ideologies about trans people, the role of language in reinforcing stereotypes, and the implications of these framings for trans people.

Insights on Female Sex Offenders from the Missouri Registry.

There is limited research on female sex offenders and their offending characteristics. The sociocultural description of women as being nurturing, nonaggressive and, more significantly, nonsexual has diverted the attention from female sexual offending. Although reports have shown that female sex offenders make up two percent of the whole sex offender population, the true rate is remarkably higher because the caretaking behavior of women masks their sexual offenses. The purpose of our study is to explore the characteristics of female sex offenders. We analyzed the publicly available Missouri sex offender registry database and selected all female sex offenders (n = 532) of any age who committed their crimes in Missouri and were convicted in Missouri. We found that the 532 female offenders had a mean age of 29.8 years at the time of their first offense and were convicted for a total of 992 offenses. The calculated recidivism rate was close to 0.6 percent. Moreover, 89.5 percent of offenders had strictly contact offenses, whereas five percent had strictly pornography offenses. Implications for risk assessment are discussed.

Youth victim perspective: optimizing presentation of patient-reported outcomes in a violence intervention program.

INTRODUCTION: The health, well-being and psychological development of children in urban areas is threatened by exposure to interpersonal violence. Violence intervention programs, such as Project Ujima, provide children with comprehensive treatment following exposure to violence. Services focus on the interruption of the violence cycle, mental health, and developing resiliency. The collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) from youth victims of violence informs community-based, programmatic, and individual participant interventions. Although the collection of PROs throughout treatment has been demonstrated to be feasible, youth and crime victim specialist preferences for data presentation is unknown. We sought to determine patient and crime victim specialist preferences regarding which PROs are of interest and how best to visually display them for optimal engagement. RESULTS: Fifteen youth and nine crime victim specialists consented to participate. Both preferred visuals with the highest level of color-shading and descriptions. The domains with the highest level of interest among both youth and case workers were social, anger, emotional, school, physical, peer relations, and psychosocial well-being. Youth and crime victim specialists expressed low interest in positive affect, meaning/purpose, physical stress experience, and depression domains. Youth wanted to see their scores compared to others in the program, while crime victim specialists did not think such comparisons would be beneficial. In contrast to youth, crime victim specialists believed youth should see their physical functioning and PTSD scores. CONCLUSION: Youth participants and their crime victim specialists in a violence intervention program desired to see their PROs in a graphical form and agreed on their preference for many of the domains except for PTSD and physical functioning. Both groups preferred visuals with the highest level of shading and descriptions. Further investigation is needed to determine how to implement PRO visuals with the desired domains into regular violence intervention programming. METHODS: Participants in Project Ujima's 8-week summer camp, ages 7-18 years, who were either a victim of violent injury, a direct relative of a violent injury victim, or a homicide survivor were recruited for this qualitative study. Crime victim specialists, who work directly with these youth throughout the year, were also recruited to participate. We conducted structured interviews to determine which parameters and visual formats were of highest interest and best understood by youth participants and crime victim specialists.

The role of legal medicine professionals in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among female victims of sexual assault.

Sexual violence can have an overwhelming impact on the victim's physical and mental health; the consequences include unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Therefore, the examiners must assess victims for possible pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections as a part of the sexual assault examination. This article aims to orient the medico-legal examiners towards their role in preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among victims of sexual assault. Prompt detection of pregnancy or STIs is critical, as any delay would adversely affect the successful administration of emergency contraception and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections.

Psychological Distress and Interventions for Older Victims of Crime: A Systematic Review.

We aimed to conduct the first systematic narrative review and quality appraisal of existing evidence on the psychological consequences of crime in older victims in the community and psychological interventions. We searched five databases to identify all peer-reviewed literature published in English on psychological impact and/or interventions for older crime victims and quality appraised these using the Mixed-Methods Appraisal Tool, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines (Prospero: CRD42019140137). Evidence from included studies were narratively synthesized, along with their strengths and limitations. We found 20 studies on psychological distress in older victims, four of which included interventions. From these, we identified 30 different impacts including symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, emotions including humiliation and self-blame, and behavioral changes. Only feasibility interventions have been published, although promising results were reported for cognitive-behavioral informed treatments for depression and anxiety. Studies were wide-ranging in aims, crimes included, and outcomes used. Recommendations for improving the evidence-base and to raise the profile of this neglected population have been provided.

Sexual violence against men in Brazil: underreporting, prevalence, and associated factors / Violência sexual contra homens no Brasil: subnotificação, prevalência e fatores associados

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES Identifying and mapping the literature regarding sexual violence against Brazilian boys and men, as well as describing its underreporting, prevalence, and associated factors. METHODS We conducted a scoping review by searching PubMed, Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The inclusion criteria were: (a) surveys including data on sexual violence; (b) inclusion of boys or men as victims of sexual violence; (c) presenting statistical data on prevalence, underreporting, and factors associated with sexual violence among Brazilian boys and men. RESULTS We found a total of 1,481 papers. Ultimately, 53 were included and had their data extracted. Most studies are quantitative in nature (n = 48). The total number of participants across studies was 1,416,480 and the prevalence of sexual violence ranged from 0.1% to 71%. It is important to note that underreporting statistical data was cited in several studies. The group with the highest prevalences was men who have sex with men and those with sexual dysfunctions. Increased tendency to drug use, social isolation, unprotected anal sex, suicidal ideation, sexual dysfunction, and post-traumatic stress disorder were statistically significant predictors for having experienced sexual violence. CONCLUSIONS Despite the prevalence of sexual violence being high against Brazilian boys and men, this area of is surprisingly understudied and there are few studies with this exclusive scope. Social cultural issues, such as sexism, contribute to the underreporting of sexual violence. Additionally, we identified issues related to mental, sexual and reproductive health to be associated with sexual violence. Based on our findings, we recommend the implementation and development of a structural infrastructure aimed at supporting boys and men who are victims of sexual violence, and preventing negative outcomes for this affected group.

RESUMO OBJETIVOS Identificar e mapear a literatura referente à violência sexual contra meninos e homens brasileiros, bem como descrever sua subnotificação, sua prevalência e os fatores associados. MÉTODOS Realizou-se uma revisão de escopo com buscas nas bases de dados: PubMed, Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde, Scopus e Web of Science. Os critérios de inclusão foram: (a) pesquisas que incluíssem dados sobre violência sexual; (b) inclusão de meninos ou homens como vítimas de violência sexual; (c) apresentassem dados sobre prevalência, subnotificação e fatores associados à violência sexual entre meninos e homens brasileiros. RESULTADOS Foram encontrados 1.481 trabalhos. No total, 53 foram incluídos e tiveram seus dados extraídos. A maioria dos estudos é de natureza quantitativa (n = 48). O total de participantes em todos os estudos foi de 1.416.480 e a prevalência de violência sexual variou de 0.1% a 71%. A subnotificação foi um aspecto citado em vários estudos. Entre os grupos com maiores prevalências estão os homens que fazem sexo com homens e com disfunções sexuais. Maior tendência ao uso de drogas, isolamento social, sexo anal desprotegido, ideação suicida, disfunções sexuais e transtorno de estresse pós-traumático foram alguns dos fatores associados. CONCLUSÕES A violência sexual contra meninos e homens brasileiros é pouco estudada e existem poucos estudos com esse recorte exclusivo, apesar da prevalência de a violência sexual ser alta. Questões culturais, como o machismo, contribuem para a subnotificação da violência sexual. Em relação aos fatores associados, identificamos questões relacionadas à saúde mental, sexual e reprodutiva. Recomenda-se que seja estruturado acolhimento para meninos e homens vítimas de violência sexual, prevenindo ou minimizando desfechos negativos.

Medico-Legal Examination of Sexual Assaulted Victims Unable to Consent in Portugal: Ethical Decision-Making.

Medical decision-making is a complex task in any field. In the medico-legal examination of victims that have (allegedly) been sexually assaulted there are many specific variables and features influencing the decision. It is essential to complement the clinical intervention with a forensic approach. Clinical parameters such as the victim's physical and cognitive state along with circumstantial information such as the elapsed time from the event and the type of abuse (described or suspected) grant different levels of priority to the forensic medical assessment. In such cases, forensic medical doctors or other medical doctors responsible for attending to the victim may have to decide whether to perform the examination prior to a judicial analysis of the case if consent cannot be obtained. This implies the need to deliberate about performing the examination and/or reporting the case to legal authorities. This article discusses the forensic medical decision-making process in cases of alleged recent sexual assault of victims who are legally unable to consent or unable to consent for other reasons. We aimed to identify possible ethical problems that can arise in this context and discuss which elements should be considered by medical doctors when making decisions about such cases. The Portuguese legal framework of medico-legal examinations is analyzed. The authors also make considerations about reporting these cases from a legal point of view. The discussion turns to an ethical perspective where possible ethical problems arising from medical deliberation are identified. Issues about legally incompetent victims and incompetent victims due to other reasons are addressed. A decision-making tree, based on the problems identified, is proposed.

Sexual violence during pregnancy: cross-sectional study with women in puerperium / Violência sexual durante a gravidez: estudo transversal com mulheres no puerpério

Introduction: sexual violence during pregnancy is a serious violation of human rights and reproductive rights. Its prevalence is variable and multifactorial, depending on the analyzed territory and sociocultural and economic factors, requiring permanent monitoring. Methods: a cross-sectional study conducted at the Mandaqui Hospital, São Paulo, Brazil. The Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) was applied to 350 puerperium women, with the outcome of suffering or not sexual violence during pregnancy, with data collected between September and December 2021. Sociodemographic and reproductive data were considered. We used an urn technique, with pre-coded data analyzed in EpiInfo® by Pearson's Chi-square and Mann Whitney test, adopting p<0.05 and 95% CI. Research approved by the Research Ethics Committee, CAAE No. 50580421.5.0000.5551. Results: we found eight cases of sexual violence (2.3%) and sample loss of 18.9%. Women who suffered sexual violence reported more physical violence in the last 12 months (25.0% x 6.1% - p=0.033, OR/CI 0.19: 0.03-1.03) and fear of the most frequent intimate partner (25.0% x 3.5% - p=0.002, OR/CI 0.10: 0.01-0.59), but we did not find a difference in the history of suffering violence before the age of 15 and by the partner throughout life. There was no difference in age, schooling, race/color, union, income and work. The same occurred for reproductive aspects, with no difference regarding the occurrence of prematurity, high-risk pregnancy, reproductive planning and tobacco/alcohol use during pregnancy. Conclusion: the prevalence of sexual violence during pregnancy was lower than in other Brazilian studies and populations from other countries. Women with sexual violence during pregnancy face a daily life of fear and more frequent physical violence. The high history of suffering violence before the age of 15 and experiencing physical or emotional violence by the intimate partner can aggravate the situation. The high history of violence and fear of the partner may have contributed to eventual understatement.

Introdução: a violência sexual durante a gravidez é grave violação de direitos humanos e de direitos reprodutivos. Sua prevalência é variável e multifatorial, dependendo do território analisado e de fatores socioculturais e econômicos, exigindo permanente monitoramento.Método: estudo transversal conduzido no Conjunto Hospitalar do Mandaqui, São Paulo, Brasil. Foi aplicado o Abuse Assessment Screen (AAS) para 350 puérperas, com desfecho de sofrer ou não violência sexual na gravidez, com dados coletados entre setembro e dezembro de 2021. Dados sociodemográficos e reprodutivos foram considerados. Empregamos técnica de urna, com dados pré-codificados analisados em EpiInfo® por Qui-quadrado de Pearson e teste de Mann Whitney, adotando valor de p<0,05 e IC de 95%. Pesquisa aprovada pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa, CAAE nº 50580421.5.0000.5551.Resultados: verificamos oito casos de violência sexual (2,3%) e perda de amostra de 18,9%. Mulheres que sofreram violência sexual reportaram mais violência física nos últimos 12 meses (25,0% x 6,1% - p=0,033, OR/IC 0,19: 0,03-1,03) e medo do parceiro íntimo mais frequente (25,0% x 3,5% - p=0,002, OR/IC 0,10: 0,01-0,59), mas não constatamos diferença no antecedente de sofrer violência antes dos 15 anos e pelo parceiro ao longo da vida. Não observamos diferença quanto a idade, escolaridade, raça/cor, união, renda e trabalho. O mesmo ocorreu para aspectos reprodutivos, sem diferença quanto a ocorrência de prematuridade, gestação de alto risco, planejamento reprodutivo e uso de tabaco/álcool na gestação.Conclusão: a prevalência de violência sexual na gestação foi menor do que em outros estudos brasileiros e populações de outros países. Mulheres com violência sexual na gestação enfrentam um cotidiano de medo e de violência física mais frequente. O antecedente elevado de sofrer violência antes dos 15 anos e de experimentar violência física ou emocional pelo parceiro íntimo pode agravar a situação. O elevado antecedente de violência e de medo do parceiro pode ter colaborado para eventual subdeclaração.

Perfil epidemiológico das violências interpessoal e autoprovocada em Porto Velho: notificações pré e transpandemia Covid-19 / Epidemiological profile of interpersonal and self-inflicted violence in Porto Velho: Covid-19 pre and transpandemic notifications / Perfil epidemiológico de la violencia interpersonal y autoinfligida en Porto Velho: notificaciones pre y transpandémicas de la Covid-19

A violência é um fenômeno complexo e multicausal, que envolve dor, sofrimento e sequelas à vítima, reverberando na saúde pública. Nesse sentido, este estudo teve como objetivo descrever os dados epidemiológicos das violências interpessoal e autoprovocada em Porto Velho (RO), no período de 2009 a 2021. Trata-se de um estudo descritivo, realizado de forma transversal e com abordagem quantitativa, a partir dos registros sobre o número de casos, dados da vítima, ocorrência, provável agressor e encaminhamento no Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação ­ obtidos por meio da ferramenta Tabnet, por meio do portal eletrônico do Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde ­, posteriormente analisados por estatística descritiva. Foram notificados 3.136 casos de violências interpessoal e autoprovocada, sendo que a maioria das vítimas era do sexo feminino, cor/raça parda, com quinta a oitava série incompleta do ensino fundamental e faixa etária de 10 a 14 anos, sendo o local da ocorrência a residência, com repetição das agressões, predominando a violência física e força corporal/espancamento. O provável agressor era a própria pessoa, não tinha suspeita de uso de bebidas alcoólicas, era adulto e não constava o registro do encaminhamento da vítima. Diante dos resultados encontrados, identificou-se que as violências interpessoal e autoprovocada têm acometido, principalmente, vítimas em seus ciclos de vida considerados mais vulneráveis (infância e adolescência), dentro do local onde deveriam ser acolhidas e protegidas.

Violence is a complex, multicausal phenomenon which results in pain, suffering and consequences for the victim, affecting public health. Thus, this cross-sectional quantitative study describes the epidemiological profile of interpersonal and self-inflicted violence in Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil, from 2009 to 2021. Data were collected from the records (number of cases, victim profile, occurrence, probable aggressor and referral) in Tabnet through the Notifiable Diseases Information System of the Unified Health System, and later analyzed by descriptive statistics. A total of 3,136 cases of interpersonal and self-inflicted violence were reported, of which most victims were female, mixed race, with incomplete 5th to 8th grade, between 10 and 14 years old, and the place of occurrence was the residence, with repetition of the aggressors, predominating physical violence and bodily force/beating. The likely aggressor was the person themself, not suspected of alcohol use, was an adult, and there was no record of the victim's referral. These findings show that interpersonal and self-inflicted violence mainly affect victims in their most vulnerable life cycles (childhood and adolescence), in the place where they should feel welcomed and protected.

La violencia es un fenómeno complejo y multicausal que implica dolor, sufrimiento y consecuencias para la víctima, repercutiendo en la salud pública. En ese sentido, este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir los datos epidemiológicos de la violencia interpersonal y autoinfligida en Porto Velho-RO, de 2009 a 2021. Se trata de un estudio descriptivo, realizado de forma transversal y con abordaje cuantitativo, a partir de registros de número de casos, datos de víctimas, ocurrencia, probable agresor y derivación en el Sistema de Información de Enfermedades de Declaración Obligatoria, a través de la herramienta Tabnet, a través del portal electrónico del Departamento de Informática del Sistema Único de Salud y, posteriormente, analizados en el Microsoft Excel programa de estadística descriptiva. Se reportaron 3.136 casos de violencia interpersonal y autoinfligida, siendo la mayoría mujeres, mestizas, con 5° a 8° grado de primaria incompleto, grupo etario de 10 a 14 años, y el lugar de ocurrencia fue la residencia, con reincidencia de agresión, predominante violencia física y fuerza física/golpes. El probable agresor era la propia persona, no era sospechoso de consumo de bebidas alcohólicas, era mayor de edad y no constaba la derivación de la víctima. Ante los hallazgos, se identificó que la violencia interpersonal y autoinfligida ha afectado principalmente a las víctimas en sus ciclos de vida más vulnerables (infancia y adolescencia), dentro del lugar donde deben ser acogidas y protegidas.

Robbery Victimization in Early Adulthood, and Depression and Anxiety at Age 30 Years: Results From the 1982 Pelotas (Brazil) Birth Cohort Study.

Robbery is one of the most common urban crimes, but little is known about its relationship with mental disorders in young adults. This study aimed to assess the relationship between robbery victimization and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and comorbidity between MDD and GAD at 30 years of age. A birth cohort study has followed all children born in the city of Pelotas, southern Brazil, since 1982. At ages 23 and 30 years, participants were interviewed and asked about lifetime and recent experiences of robbery. Covariates were measured in interviews between birth and age 30 years. MDD and GAD were measured using the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for associations between robbery and mental disorders were calculated using Poisson regression with robust standard error. Of 3,701 cohort members interviewed at age 30 years, 42% reported robbery victimization during their lifetime. Victimization across three periods (lifetime, past 10 years, past 12 months) was associated with increased occurrence of MDD, GAD, as well as the MDD and GAD comorbidity. The strongest associations were found to robbery occurring in the previous 12 months with the MDD and GAD comorbidity, both for burglary at home (aPR 2.52; 95% CI 1.52-4.22) or community family victimization (aPR 2.10; 95% CI 1.34-3.27). These findings highlight the importance of community violence for mental health in young adulthood, and the need for public policies to prevent violence as well as support services for victims to mitigate its adverse health consequences.

Exploring how, why and in what contexts older adults are at risk of financial cybercrime victimisation: A realist review.

Although older people rarely report being victims of financial cybercrime, there is evidence that older online users are at increased risk. This realist review identified factors leading to older adults' victimisation and reviewed the theory and evidence for interventions to reduce victimisation risks. We developed an initial programme theory from a scoping review and expert stakeholder consultations. We searched electronic databases, references and websites for literature meeting inclusion criteria. We analysed 52 primary and secondary data sources, seeking stakeholder views to develop and refine the programme theory and generate Context-Mechanism-Outcome Configurations (CMOCs) explaining how, why and in what circumstances older adults become financial cybercrime victims; and extrapolated this to consider rational intervention strategies. Our programme theory comprised 16 CMOCs describing how: social isolation, cognitive, physical and mental health problems; wealth status, limited cyber security skills or awareness, societal attitudes and content of scams led to victimisation. Our refined programme theory provides a novel framework to guide future intervention design. Only interventions to enhance older internet users' awareness and skills have been trialled to date. Other theoretically plausible interventions include: offender management programmes, tailored security measures, society-wide stigma reduction and awareness-raising with groups who support older people.

U.S. News Coverage of Transgender Victims of Fatal Violence: An Exploratory Content Analysis.

Media portrayals of crime help shape public perceptions of victims and the demographic groups to which they belong. For transgender people, who already face heightened disparities and stigma, news coverage may reinforce negative stereotypes and minimize the wider context of transphobic violence. The present study, a content analysis of news articles (n = 316) pertaining to 27 transgender people killed in the United States in 2016, addresses positive and negative depictions of victims, use of language affirming and delegitimizing transgender identities, and framing of transphobia as a systemic problem. Themes, implications, and future research directions are discussed.

Severity of post-traumatic stress disorder and childhood abuse in adult crime victims as mediated by low resilience and dysfunctional coping strategies.

BACKGROUND: Experience of childhood abuse has been suggested to increase the severity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adulthood. We hypothesized that resilience and coping strategies, which could be altered by experiencing childhood abuse, may mediate the effects of childhood abuse on PTSD severity in adulthood. METHODS: Crime victims with PTSD (n = 212, 38 men, aged 20-65 years) were recruited from South Korea. PTSD severity, a history of childhood abuse, resilience level, and use of coping strategies were assessed using structured clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires. Upon identifying the key factors that were associated with childhood abuse and PTSD severity, mediating roles of these key factors were examined using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping in simple and multiple mediation analyses. RESULTS: Resilience and dysfunctional coping strategies mediated the association between childhood abuse and lifetime PTSD severity in the adulthood, after covarying for the number of repeated trauma exposure (total effect: ß = 0.44, P = 0.01, 95% CI [0.10, 0.77]; direct effect: ß = 0.02, P = 0.90, 95% CI [-0.34, 0.38]; indirect effect: ß = 0.42, P = 0.003, 95% CI [0.14, 0.69]). LIMITATIONS: Recall of childhood abuse experience and lifetime PTSD severity can be biased in crime victims. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may suggest that resilience and coping strategies mediate the detrimental effects of childhood abuse on lifetime PTSD severity. Targeted treatments that are designed to enhance resilience as well as deter the use of dysfunctional coping strategies may be of help in crime victims with a history of childhood abuse.

[The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Care of Abused Children and Adolescents]. / Die diagnostische und therapeutische Versorgung von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit Gewalterfahrungen.

The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Care of Abused Children and Adolescents In the following article, an overview of the current German health care situation concerning child abuse, neglect and maltreatment is provided. Interdisciplinary institutions of child protection are important initial contact points for families and professionals wishing to receive help. Furthermore, trauma clinics, victim support organizations and specialized counselling centers are indispensable to meet the complex needs of victims. Overall, the availability and accessibility of the support system in Germany is still insufficient and the number of unknown and untreated cases remains high. An improvement of the current situation should be of high governmental priority.

Role of involvement in bullying as predictor for hospital-treated assault exposures among former adolescent psychiatric inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: Bullying is a common problem among children and adolescents. Previous studies have investigated the associations between involvement in bullying and various psychosocial and mental health outcomes thoroughly. However, only few studies have focused on the association between bullying and exposure to assaults. This study investigated whether the likelihood for severe assault exposure varies among three subgroups of bullying behavior: bullies/bully-victims, victims of bullying, and those not involved in bullying. METHOD: The study population consisted of 508 adolescents (208 boys, 300 girls) aged between 13 and 17 years (mean age 15.5 years), admitted for psychiatric inpatient treatment between the years 2001-2006. Adolescents were interviewed at index hospitalization using semi-structured interview, K-SADS-PL, to assess DSM-IV based adolescent psychiatric disorders, and to obtain information on bullying behavior. Treatment episodes for assault incidents were obtained from the Finnish National Care Register for Health Care covering the entire-life of the study participants up to end of year 2016. RESULTS: 14.4% (n = 73) of the study participants had experienced severe physical or sexual assault leading to hospital treatment during their lifetime. Results of Cox regression analysis showed that girl bullies/bully-victims had nearly threefold increased likelihood for later assault exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Since bullying behavior in childhood and adolescence is a significant predictor for later exposure to severe assault in girls, it should be paid attention to and intervened as early as possible. Moreover, psychosocial risk factors should be taken into account considering those in hospital treatment for severe assault exposure.