Does Legal Change Induce Behavioral Change in Domestic Violence Against Women?

In this paper, we study the effectiveness of the Brazilian "Maria da Penha" Law-a law that imposed criminal sanctions on and promoted rehabilitation programs for known perpetrators of acts of domestic violence exclusively against women, issued restraining orders against perpetrators, required perpetrators to surrender firearms, and established police units uniquely trained to address violence against women. Using difference-in-difference analyses estimated with data on Brazilian monthly assault-related hospitalizations and with gender as treatment variable, we find that the law contributed to a 22% reduction in assault-related hospitalizations among women as compared with men. Our data is collected from the Brazilian public healthcare system named Sistema Único de Saúde, which provides public information on detailed records of hospitalizations in Brazil. We provide robustness checks of our analyses and examine heterogeneous effects of the law. With respect to the latter, we deduce that the effectiveness of the law in reducing assault-related hospitalizations among women was especially pronounced in municipalities where women are most vulnerable to domestic violence. We conclude with a discussion of our results, with an eye to policy implications and areas for future research.

Red Flags of Dating Violence Among College Students: From the Perspective of Campus Service Providers in Costa Rica Señales de alerta de la violencia en el noviazgo entre estudiantes universitarios: Desde la perspectiva de los proveedores de servicios estudiantiles en Costa Rica.

Dating violence has negative consequences on the well-being of college students. Thus, it is imperative that providers of student-oriented services can detect and respond to dating violence. Although many universities worldwide have implemented dating violence screenings protocols, they are not yet common practice in Costa Rica. As a result, there is inadequate recognition of this problem, so it remains unaddressed. Therefore, this qualitative descriptive study explored the perceptions of professionals working in student-oriented services in Costa Rica about dating violence warning signs exhibited by college students. 29 providers from four public universities were interviewed, and three main areas were identified from a content analysis: the process that providers follow to identify dating violence, the visible signs that victims display, and the self-protective strategies that victims employ to hide their abuse. These findings are important for researchers and practitioners wanting to improve dating violence screening instruments for the Central American context. Resumen La violencia en el noviazgo tiene consecuencias negativas en el bienestar de los estudiantes universitarios. Por lo tanto, es determinante que los proveedores de servicios orientados a los estudiantes universitarios puedan detectar y responder a la violencia en el noviazgo. Aunque muchas universidades en todo el mundo han implementado protocolos de detección de violencia en el noviazgo, aunque aún no es una práctica común en Costa Rica. Como resultado, el reconocimiento de este problema es insuficiente y sigue sin abordarse. Por lo tanto, este estudio descriptivo cualitativo exploró las percepciones de los profesionales que trabajan en servicios orientados a los estudiantes universitarios en Costa Rica sobre las señales de alerta de violencia en el noviazgo manifestadas exhibidas por los estudiantes universitarios. Se entrevistó a 29 proveedores de cuatro universidades públicas. A partir de un análisis de contenido se identificaron tres temas principales: el proceso que los proveedores siguen para identificar la violencia en el noviazgo, los signos visibles que muestran las víctimas y las estrategias de autoprotección que las víctimas emplean para ocultar su abuso. Estos hallazgos son importantes para los investigadores y profesionales que desean mejorar los mecanismos de detección temprana de la violencia en el noviazgo para el contexto universitario.

Responsabilidad médica frente a casos de violencia al interior de las familias. Una mirada desde una perspectiva ética y legal / Medical responsibility in cases of violence within families. A look from an ethical and legal perspective

La violencia al interior de las familias (VIF), en sus distintas formas y con distintas víctimas, es un problema que nos toca en forma transversal a las distintas disciplinas médicas.En Chile, una de cada tres mujeres reporta haber experimentado VIF, y cerca de 45 mueren cada año por esta causa. Como país hemos optado por hacernos cargo de esta situación y nos hemos trazado como meta reducir la morbilidad, discapacidad y mortalidad prematura asociada a violencia, y, específicamente, a reducir los femicidios en un 33 por ciento. La denuncia es un instrumento legal que puede ayudar a este propósito.Este artículo reflexiona sobre conceptos médicos, legales y éticos involucrados en el abordaje inicial de una víctima de VIF, con especial foco en la denuncia. Se discute sobre los alcances de la nueva legislación vigente en Chile en materia de VIF, sobre la responsabilidad legal y ética del médico en Chile frente a este problema de salud, y sobre la postura de la Organización Mundial de la Salud al respecto. (AU)

Domestic violence (DV), in its different forms and with different victims, is a problem that affects us across several medical disciplines. In Chile, one out of three women reports being subject of domestic violence, and approximately 45 die each year for this reason. As a country, we have decided to deal with this situation, and we have self-imposed the goal of reducing morbidity, disability and premature mortality associated with violence, and to reduce femicide in 33 percent. Making a legal complaint is a tool that can help to achieve this purpose. The current article reflects on medical, legal and ethical concepts involved in the initial approach to a victim of domestic violence, with a focus in the act of make a legal complaint. We discuss the scope of the current legislation in Chile, about the legal and ethical responsibility of physicians confronted with this health problem, and about the position of the World Health Organization on this matter.(AU)

Autoestima y adaptación en víctimas de maltrato psicológico por parte de la pareja / Self-steem and adaptation victims of psychological abuse by partner

El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar los niveles de autoestima y adaptación en un grupo de personas con experiencia de maltrato por parte de su pareja en la ciudad de Medellín (Colombia). Se utilizó un diseño transversal, ex post facto; se llevó a cabo un muestreo no probabilístico y se seleccionaron 50 sujetos. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron una entrevista semiestructurada, un cuestionario de autoestima y uno de adaptación. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos y de porcentajes. Los resultados mostraron bajos niveles de autoestima y elevados índices de inadaptación; igualmente, se encontró que el tipo de maltrato más común es el psicológico, el cual se acompaña de agresión física, sexual y económica; además, las mujeres fueron quienes más reportaron ser víctimas de esta situación. En conclusión, las personas que son víctimas de maltrato por parte de su pareja tienden a mostrar más bajos niveles de autoestima y más altos índices de inadaptación...

The objective of this research was to evaluate the levels of self-esteem and adaptation in a group of people who have experienced abuse by their partner, in the city of Medellín (Colombia). An ex post facto cross-sectional design was used. It was conducted a non-probability sampling and 50 subjects were selected. The instruments used were a semi structured interview, A Self-Esteem Questionnaire and one of adaptation. In addition, percentages and descriptive analyzes were conducted. The results showed low levels of self-esteem and high levels of maladjustment. It was also found that the most common type of abuse is psychological, which is accompanied by physical, sexual and economic aggression. Furthermore, women were the most reported victims of this situation. In conclusion, people who are victims of abuse by their partner tend to show lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of maladjustment...

El maltrato familiar y su relación con la ideación suicida en adolescentes escolarizados de instituciones públicas y privadas de las ciudades de tunja, duitama y sogamoso / Domestic abuse related to suicidal ideation among adolescent students of public and private schools from tunja, duitama and sogamoso

This paper shows the results of the research which aims to analyze the relationship between domestic abuse and suicidal ideation among adolescent students of public and private schools from Tunja, Duitama and Sogamoso through a descriptive correlational study. 676 studends who were intentionally selected through non-probability sampling were involved. The questionnaire PANSI (Osman, Gutiérrez, Kopper, Barrios & Chiros, 1998) was applied to determine the suicidal ideation and to establish the presence of domestic abuse. The results show a correlation of 0,173 indicating a weak relationship. These results do not support the conclusion that domestic abuse is a predictor for suicidal ideation, but it can be presented as a risk factor.

El presente artículo de investigación muestra los resultados de un estudio, cuyo objetivo fue analizar la relación existente entre el maltrato familiar y la ideación suicida en adolescentes esco-larizados de colegios públicos y privados de Tunja, Duitama y Sogamoso, mediante un estudio correlacional descriptivo. Se contó con la participación de 676 estudiantes, los cuales se seleccionaron a través de un muestreo no probabilístico de manera intencional. Se aplicó el cuestionario PANSI (Osman, Gutiérrez, Kopper, Barrios & Chiros, 1998) para determinar la ideación suicida y se diseñó uno para establecer la presencia de maltrato familiar. Los resultados muestran una correlación de 0,173, lo que indica una relación débil. Estos resultados no permiten afirmar que el maltrato familiar sea un predictor para la ideación suicida, pero sí se puede presentar como un factor de riesgo.

The response to gender violence among Brazilian health care professionals / Respostas à violência de gênero entre profissionais de saúde

The scope of this paper is to identify the experience, attitudes and impressions of health care professionals (HCPs) in addressing the needs of women patients suffering from intimate partner violence (IPV). In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 doctors and 11 nurses in Ribeirão Preto. Results show that there is an 'apparent invisibility' of IPV, the convenience of a tacit compact of silence about such violence on the part of women and HCPs. We studied the reasons given by HCPs for failing to deal with IPV. We also addressed the health service facility context, and the diversity of the professioinals' responses to violence, with indications of the emergence of a more proactive and positive stance. Qualitative data analysis highlights previous survey findings. A positive response from HCPs shows that there is perhaps some change from a narrow, medically-focused model of health care, to a more broadly defined social model.

Objetivos: Identificar a experiência, as atitudes e os sentimentos dos profissionais de saúde (PS) quando abordam as necessidades de mulheres que sofrem violência do parceiro íntimo (VPI). Método: Foram realizadas entrevistas em profundidade com 14 médicos e 11 enfermeiras em Ribeirão Preto. Resultados: Há uma aparente invisibilidade e a conveniência de um acordo tácito de silêncio por parte da mulher e do PS; exploramos as razões dadas por eles para esta inabilidade em atender VPI. Também abordamos o contexto dos serviços de saúde, a diversidade de respostas dos profissionais e a emergência uma postura mais proativa e positiva. Discussão: A análise qualitativa realça os resultados de um inquérito prévio. Uma resposta positiva mostra que talvez haja algumas mudanças de perspectiva de um modelo medicalizado de cuidado à saúde para um modelo mais abrangente ou integral que define saúde como social.