Factors Behind Contemporary Rape Myths in Europe: A Systematic Review.

Rape myths are social constructs, deeply rooted in European society. They play a role in maintaining false beliefs about sexual violence and are one of the main factors in sexual abuse behavior. In this review article, the authors focused on the factors influencing the perpetuation and spread of false beliefs regarding sexual violence, its victims, and perpetrators. The goal of the study is to achieve a more profound comprehension of the cultural and social dimensions linked to this occurrence. In conducting the systematic literature review, three databases have been used to search for pertinent articles: ProQuest, Scopus, and ERIH Plus. Only peer-reviewed scientific articles in English published between 2013 and 2023 were deemed eligible. Furthermore, inclusion criteria stipulated that articles must present empirical research of European origin, focusing on the keywords: "myths about rape," "myths about sexual violence," and "myths about rape." In total 2,507 articles were initially identified, with 79 ultimately meeting the inclusion criteria. The analysis revealed the presence of several factors influencing the function of rape myths. These were categorized into sociodemographic, individual, and systemic. The general populace of European society commonly holds beliefs in rape myths. Moreover, numerous studies point to large legal and systemic inequalities that lead to social inequalities and, consequently, to the perpetuation of rape culture through victimization and victim blaming. This review demonstrates the need for future research on sex education as a factor in preventing rape myths.

Intimate Partner Violence Predicts Child Marriage and Pregnancy Among Adolescents in Malawi.

A sizeable literature has shown that child marriage is associated with an increased risk for intimate partner violence (IPV). However, this research has been cross-sectional, and the temporality of the association has not been investigated. Specifically, no study has yet examined whether IPV is a predictor of child marriage and adolescent pregnancy. This study uses prospective longitudinal data on a cohort of adolescent girls from the Malawi Longitudinal Study of Families and Health to evaluate whether IPV victimization predicts child marriage or adolescent pregnancy. Using survival models, we find that adolescent girls who experienced physical IPV (measured at survey baseline, in 2017-2018) are more likely to enter child marriages (measured at survey follow-up, in 2021) (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.7 [1.44, 5.08]). Experiencing sexual IPV is also significantly associated with adolescent pregnancy (HR = 1.97 [1.16, 3.33]). These findings indicate the need for greater intervention to ensure healthy adolescent relationships, as well as further research to understand how abusive relationships shape early transitions to adulthood.

Mental Health, Race, and Social Support among Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

Women with mental health (MH) symptoms are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of intimate partner violence (IPV). Social support (SS) helps those women cope with adversities and regain their overall well-being. Examining specific sources and functions of SS will help expand knowledge about resources for and barriers to MH services for women IPV survivors. However, few studies examined functional and relational SS among women IPV survivors residing in shelters. This cross-sectional study examined how 31 racially diverse women IPV survivors with different MH symptoms perceive relational SS from various sources as they stay in a shelter that provides functional SS. Cluster analyses were performed to classify participants into two groups: more MH or fewer MH symptoms. Results showed that the women with more MH symptoms reported higher tangible support than those with fewer MH symptoms. Results from ANCOVA showed a significant cross-over interaction between MH and race for overall SS, indicating that women of color with more MH symptoms were less likely to perceive overall SS than Caucasians when controlling for functional SS. MANCOVA analyzed the specific sources of overall SS, such as family, friends, and others. There was a significant cross-over interaction of MH and race on SS from others when controlling for functional SS. These findings suggest that women IPV survivors of color who experience more MH symptoms perceive support from others as less supportive and trustworthy. Social service providers must provide culturally sensitive and strengths-based SS programs to help women of color who have experienced social isolation, stigma, and shame associated with IPV and mental illnesses (MIs). They also must engage in community outreach programs by educating community members about the needs and rights of women IPV survivors with MIs and collaborating to build communities that promote safety, trust, diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Concordance of Mother and Father Reports of Intimate Partner Violence and Observed Interactions in Unmarried Black Coparents Expecting Their First Child.

Concordance between partner reports of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is generally low, but self-reporting of IPV and concordance between partners among expectant parents in marginalized communities has not been explored, nor have associations among each partner's reports of IPV and their behaviors in observed conflict discussions. This study will examine these gaps. One hundred and thirty-eight low-income, unmarried, Black, coparenting dyads expecting their first child together (136 mothers and 136 fathers) completed the Revised-Conflict Tactics Scale and a video recorded and coded conflict discussion. There was low concordance between parent's reports of IPV overall with moderate levels of concordance for coparents who were living together and had more harmonious relationships. Linear regression analyses indicated only mothers' reports of fathers' psychological and physical IPV but not fathers' reports of IPV were significantly associated with observed negative communication. Neither coparents' reports of psychological or physical IPV were associated with positive communication during a conflict discussion. These findings suggest that at the time of parenthood transitions, mothers' reports of fathers' IPV behaviors may be more robust in their association with negative/unhealthy couple communication patterns than fathers' reports and should be used when making safety determinations with families.

The Role of Emergency Medicine in Intimate Partner Violence: A Scoping Review of Screening, Survivor Resources, and Barriers.

At the front line of our medical system and population health, emergency medicine (EM) settings serve as a commonly perceived place for safety. Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) may present to the emergency department (ED) with injuries, illness, or specifically to seek help for IPV. In 2018, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended screening women of reproductive age for IPV across all healthcare settings. Our objective was to examine the application of IPV interventions, resource allocation, and persistent barriers for screening within the EM setting following the USPSTF recommendation. This scoping review follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). Our initial search of two major databases, PubMed and CINAHL, found 259 articles. After screening for inclusion and exclusion criteria, 15 articles met the full study criteria. Inconsistencies in screening women for IPV in EM are still prevalent. No study used the same validated IPV screening tool and four did not specify the tool. Significant barriers to screening included time constraints, patient acuity, language barriers, staff education, and inability to connect patients to resources. There is a need for more consistent IPV screening in the EM setting, which may include the development of a standardized, inclusive screening tool, as well as additional research and sharing of best practices. Advancement of IPV identification must go beyond a recommendation with greater awareness and education changes at all levels: personal, institutional, and policy.

The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Homelessness and Returns to Housing: A Qualitative Analysis From the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness.

Homelessness is a public health concern in California and throughout the United States. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a risk factor for experiencing homelessness. Few studies have examined the interplay between IPV, homelessness, and housing. Qualitative methods can provide a greater understanding of the lived experience of IPV and homelessness to identify potential solutions. We purposefully sampled 104 adults who reported experiencing IPV in the California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness (CASPEH), a representative, mixed-methods study. We administered semi-structured interviews focusing on IPV and six other topic areas pertaining to homelessness from October 2021 to May 2022. We created and applied a codebook with a multidisciplinary team using a hybrid of deductive and inductive logic. Our analysis included all participants who discussed IPV and homelessness across the seven studies. We conducted a thematic analysis using an interpretivist approach and informed by grounded theory. We found that violence within a partnership was multidimensional (physical, sexual, emotional, and financial) and bidirectional. We identified six themes: (1) IPV precipitated and prolonged homelessness; (2) Need for housing, financial stability, and material resources influenced staying in abusive relationships; (3) Alcohol and illicit substance use exacerbated violence between partners; (4) Participants struggled to find resources in domestic violence (DV) shelters; (5) The healthcare system did not provide substantial support; and (6) discrimination and stigma influenced equitable access to housing and DV resources. Experiencing IPV contributed to homelessness and impeded returns to housing. Limitations in current IPV resources impede care. We propose equitable expansion of survivor-centered services that improve access to long-term subsidized housing, prevent IPV and homelessness with flexible funding options, and facilitate rapid exits from homelessness through trauma-informed, non-congregate shelter that transitions to permanent housing.

Explaining Suicide Among Indian Women: Applying the Cultural Theory of Suicide to Indian Survivors of Gender-Based Violence Reporting Suicidal Ideation.

Indian women account for 36.6% of suicide-related deaths worldwide and gender-based violence (GBV) is a key social determinant. The cultural theory of suicide (CTS), which synthesizes risk factors and explanations of suicide among racial/ethnic minorities, posits four tenets: idioms of distress, cultural sanctions, and social discord. Our study applied the CTS to Indian women from slums reporting GBV to explore (1) culturally relevant risk pathways towards suicidal ideation using qualitative analyses, and test (2) the association between idioms of distress and suicidal ideation. 112 women from urban slums were recruited and 99 completed surveys. A subset were administered qualitative interviews. Aim 1 explored the CTS framework among participants describing suicidal ideation in qualitative interviews [n = 18]; Aim 2 explored if idioms of distress severity was associated with suicidal ideation through an ANCOVA [N = 99]. Idioms of distress such as 'tension' indicated suicidal ideation. Communities did not sanction suicidal ideation, leading to secrecy regarding disclosure. Women in 'love marriages' (versus arranged marriages) reported minority stress. Social discord heightened suicidal thoughts. Results of the ANCOVA confirmed that women reporting suicidal ideation had higher idioms of distress severity (M = 28.56, SD = 6.37), compared to women who did not (M = 21.77, SD = 6.07), F(1, 96) = 28.58, p < .001 (ηp2 = .23). Our study empirically validates the CTS among Indian GBV survivors. Culturally responsive suicide prevention can include assessing idioms of distress, improving family support, and educating to reduce stigma and enhance help-seeking.

Exploring the Interplay of Intergenerational Transmission, Structural Inequalities, and Relative Resources in Domestic Violence: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Dataset.

Domestic violence persists as a significant social challenge affecting a considerable number of women globally. Some scholars have ascribed the inclination toward domestic violence to a "cycle of violence" spanning generations, while others have pointed out structural inequalities. Feminist researchers contend that a comprehensive understanding necessitates exploration within the social and institutional realms of gender inequality. While each of these perspectives contributes significantly to comprehending domestic violence, individually, they might not unveil the complete causal narrative. This study endeavors to address this gap by proposing an integrated model to elucidate domestic violence in the context of Türkiye, examining (a) the correlation between growing up in a violent household and the susceptibility to domestic violence, (b) the interrelation between structural factors and the vulnerability to domestic violence, and (c) the connection between a woman's advantageous position in terms of the couple's relative resources and the likelihood of experiencing domestic violence. To achieve this objective, multivariate micro-level analyses were conducted using nationally representative data from the 2014 Research on Domestic Violence Against Women in Türkiye. The outcomes affirm the significance of all three approaches, highlighting the value of integrated methodologies for a more profound comprehension of the etiology of domestic violence. This insight is crucial for the development of effective prevention programs. Furthermore, the findings highlight intra-parental violence exposure as the most robust risk factor or predictor for subsequent involvement in violent intimate relationships. As the initial study in Türkiye encompasses early-life experiences, structural inequalities, and the relative resources of couples, this research is poised to contribute significantly to the existing body of literature on domestic violence.

Supportive Interventions of Chinese Police in Domestic Violence: Do Officer Knowledge and Training Matter?

Policing domestic violence (DV) poses significant challenges in China due to cultural, legal, and organizational complexities. Policing DV in China favors mediation over assertive interventions, complicating law enforcement's role. While previous research has focused on coercive interventions by Chinese police, there is limited information on non-coercive, supportive approaches. This study investigates the relationship between police officers' knowledge and training regarding the Anti-DV law and their willingness to provide supportive services to DV victims in China. It also considers various individual and organizational factors. The data used in this study are derived from the Policing DV in China project, with a sample of 1,353 respondents who had experience dealing with DV cases within the past 3 years. The study focuses on three dependent variables representing supportive approaches to DV cases: Referral, Counseling, and Protection orders. Independent variables include officers' knowledge of the Anti-DV law and agency training. Control variables include the use of body-worn cameras (BWC) and attitudes toward Violence Tolerance, Male Dominance, and Gender Equality. Additionally, demographic variables, working environment, length of service, and police rank are considered. The analytical approach involves a three-step strategy, incorporating descriptive, bivariate analyses, and regression analyses. The results are interpreted using odds ratios and average marginal effects, and statistical software such as SPSS by IBM and R by Open-Source Model is utilized for data analysis. Key findings indicate that more than half of the officers referred intimate partner violence survivors to shelters and assisted victims in filing protection orders. Counseling practices varied across provinces and between male and female officers. Agency training and the use of BWC were positively associated with non-coercive and supportive approaches, while knowledge of the DV Act, male dominance score, and gender equality score did not predict the use of such approaches. Demographic characteristics, including police rank, length of service, and province of employment, influenced the utilization of non-coercive and supportive approaches. This study examines the challenges faced by Chinese police officers when responding to DV cases and their willingness to provide supportive interventions. The study highlights the complexities surrounding the initiation of protection orders due to officers' legal knowledge and discretion. The study emphasizes the importance of police support in addressing DV in China and the role of agency training in promoting non-coercive responses. It highlights regional variations in police support and underscores the need for addressing disparities in service provision across different provinces.

Cultural Correlates of Dating Violence in a Combined Gender Group of Latino College Students.

Prevalence rates of dating violence (DV) on college campuses are high. The documented effects of DV suggest substantial challenges across all domains of functioning; yet, DV is preventable. The research on risk and preventive factors for Latino college students is limited. This study used the social-ecological model to examine factors associated with DV at the individual, relationship, and societal levels. More specifically, we utilized structural equation modeling to build an acceptable model of physical and psychological intimate partner violence (IPV) experiences for Latino participants based on variables of gender role beliefs, acculturation, attitudes toward violence, and surveillance behavior, while considering development issues. We describe the practice and prevention implications of the study findings. Overall, the model showed excellent model fit (χ2[40] = 52.06, p < .09, root mean square error of approximation = 0.025, comparative fit index = 0.99, Tucker-Lewis Index = 0.98, and a coefficient of determination of 0.04), and several proposed pathways were found to be significant, exhibiting the utility of this model in understanding Latino Dating violence. Maternal education was found to be significantly negatively associated with Mexican orientation (ß = -.13, p = .02) and indirectly associated with both DV attitudes and surveillance through Mexican orientation, suggesting protective effects for lower maternal education and higher Mexican orientation. Machismo (ß = .18, p = .002) and caballerismo (ß = .26, p < .001) were both related to IPV attitudes. Machismo also directly increased the risk of surveillance (ß = .21, p < .001) and indirectly increased the risk of physical and psychological victimization through surveillance behavior. Mexican orientation predicted less endorsement of DV attitudes (ß = -.16, p < .001) and less surveillance (ß = -.09, p = .04). Victimization was predicted by caballerismo (ß = -.19, p < .001) and surveillance (ß = .33, p < .001).

Can This Provider Be Trusted? A Review of the Role of Trustworthiness in the Provision of Community-Based Services for Intimate Partner Violence Survivors.

While there is a growing literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors and service providers, it is limited by its largely atheoretical and descriptive nature, and its emphasis on individual-level survivors' help-seeking. We seek to broaden our understanding by shifting the focus onto organizations and service systems and introducing the concept of these providers' trustworthiness toward survivors. Provider trustworthiness in delivering services includes benevolence (locally available and caring), fairness (accessible to all and non-discriminatory), and competence (acceptable and effective in meeting survivors' needs). Guided by this conceptualization, we conducted an integrative review drawing on four databases: PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Westlaw. We identified studies for inclusion that were published between January 2005 and March 2022, and we examined the trustworthiness of community-based providers serving adult IPV survivors in the United States, including domestic violence services, health and mental health care, the legal system, and economic support services (N = 114). Major findings include (1) many survivors live in communities with no shelter beds, mental health care, or affordable housing; (2) many services are inaccessible because they lack, for example, bilingual staff, sliding fees, or telehealth options; (3) too many providers are harmful or discriminatory toward survivors, especially those who are, for example, sexual or gender minorities, immigrants or non-English-speaking, poor, or Native, Black, or Latinx; (4) many providers appear to be incompetent, lack evidence-based training, and are ineffective in meeting survivors' needs. We call on researchers, advocates, and providers to examine provider trustworthiness, and we offer an introduction to measuring it.

Factors Associated with Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among Migrant Men: A Systematic Review.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most widespread form of violence against women and the most common perpetrators are male partners. Immigration can involve stressors and barriers that are linked to male IPV perpetration. The objective of this systematic review was to identify the factors associated with IPV perpetration among migrant men. Four electronic databases, MEDLINE Complete, Embase, PsycInfo, and SocINDEX with full text, were searched up to August 2021. Studies were selected that examined factors associated with IPV perpetration among first-generation migrants who identified as men/males and were aged 18 years or older. In all, 18 articles met the eligibility criteria for the review, representing a total of 12,321 male participants, including 4,389 migrant men. A wide range of factors associated with IPV perpetration were found at the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels. Unique risk factors for migrant men's IPV perpetration were exposure to political violence, deportation experiences, and minimal legal sanctions for perpetration in some countries of origin. Societal factors explored among Latino immigrants were traditional gender roles such as machismo and norms of violence. All identified factors should be considered in the cultural contexts of the relevant samples and should not be generalized to all migrant men. The findings of modifiable and culture-specific factors have important implications for strategies aimed at reducing IPV perpetration. Future research should explore factors associated with IPV perpetration within specific cultures rather than across broad cultural groupings.

Global Prevalence and Mental Health Outcomes of Intimate Partner Violence Among Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the magnitude of the association between types of intimate partner violence (IPV) and mental health outcomes and shed light on the large variation in IPV prevalence rates between low- to middle-income countries and high-income countries. The study is a systematic review and meta-analysis. The following databases were searched for this study: Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and the Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts. The inclusion criteria for this study are as follows: quantitative studies published from 2012 to 2020 on IPV exposure in women aged 16+, using validated measures. Random effects meta-analyses and subgroup analysis exploring heterogeneity across population groups in different economic contexts are used in this study. In all, 201 studies were included with 250,599 women, primarily from high-income countries. Higher prevalence rates were reported for women's lifetime IPV than past year IPV. Lifetime psychological violence was the most prevalent form of IPV. Women in the community reported the highest prevalence for physical, psychological, and sexual violence in the past year compared to clinical groups. Perinatal women were most likely to have experienced lifetime physical IPV. Prevalence rates differed significantly (p = .037 to <.001) for "any IPV" and all subtypes by income country level. Meta-analysis suggested increased odds for all mental health outcomes associated with IPV including depression (odds ratio [OR] = 2.04-3.14), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (OR = 2.15-2.66), and suicidality (OR = 2.17-5.52). Clinical and community populations were exposed to high prevalence of IPV and increased likelihood of depression, PTSD, and suicidality. Future research should seek to understand women's perspectives on service/support responses to IPV to address their mental health needs. Work with IPV survivors should be carried out to develop bespoke services to reduce IPV in groups most at risk such as pregnant and/or help-seeking women.

Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Abortion in Iran: Evidence From a Nationally Representative Survey.

The objective of this article is to assess the effect of domestic violence on abortion and investigate the mediating role of unwanted pregnancy. A secondary analysis was conducted on the National Family Survey data. This survey was a cross-sectional study conducted across Iran in 2018. The association between domestic violence and abortion was analyzed using the Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) with WarpPLS version 8.0. From among 1,544 married women (mean age 42.8 years) who participated in this survey, 27% (418 women) reported experiencing at-least one-lifetime of abortion. Overall, two in three women (67.3%) experienced at least one form of domestic violence. Almost half of the women with experience of abortion (49.3%) reported at least one unwanted pregnancy in their life course. The bivariate analysis showed a significant positive relationship between domestic violence and abortion, and there was a positive direct effect of domestic violence on unwanted pregnancy. Moreover, age had a negative direct and indirect effect on unwanted pregnancy and abortion. Although, the direct effect of domestic violence on abortion was not significant in the Structure Equation Model, a positive indirect effect of domestic violence on abortion through unwanted pregnancy was confirmed. The effect of unwanted pregnancy on abortion was particularly strong (ß = .395, p < .01). These results have some implications for prevention of abortion through interventions against unwanted and unplanned pregnancy and domestic violence. This study makes a unique theoretical contribution to the literature through assessing the mediating role of unwanted pregnancy between domestic violence and abortion by using the SEM model.

Black Communities' Perspectives on High-Risk Domestic Violence.

Domestic violence homicide is a serious issue that is receiving increased attention in communities across the country. The Black community has been disproportionately impacted by domestic violence fatality. However, little information has been obtained as to how these communities understand and perceive high-risk domestic violence. This article provides information from 128 focus group participants from diverse Black communities on their perceptions of what constitutes high-risk domestic violence. The findings affirm some current high-risk indicators, such as stalking, strangulation, use of threats, access to a weapon, and isolation, and provide nuanced perspectives of each indicator. In addition, the findings provide new thoughts on what these communities identified as high-risk domestic violence, including public violence, repeated violence with no consequences, escalation of arguments, disconnection from the community, and being a member of a marginalized group. Implications for practice, policy, education, and protocol development are provided.

The Effects of Polyvictimization by Intimate Partners on Suicidality Among Salvadoran Women.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) victims tend to suffer from various mental health issues. Mental health issues, including suicidal thoughts and attempts caused by IPV victimization, might be more severe among women in El Salvador, where violence against women is prevalent overall. Although polyvictimization, which is defined as experiencing more than one type of violence by one or multiple partners, is associated with more severe mental health consequences than victimization by just a single form of violence due to accumulative trauma, not enough attention has been paid to this phenomenon among Salvadoran women. Thus, guided by trauma theory, this study aimed to examine the impact of polyvictimization from different types of violence (i.e., physical, sexual, emotional, and economic) on suicidal thoughts and attempts among Salvadoran women using the 2017 Violence Against Women National Survey. A nationally representative sample of 3,074 Salvadoran women aged 15 years or older and who had experienced an intimate relationship in their lifetime, recruited through a multistage random sampling design, was analyzed in this study using logistic regression analyses. We found that psychological and economic violence, along with physical and sexual violence, had statistically significant associations with suicidal thoughts and attempts, and polyvictimization increased suicidal thoughts and attempts. Based on this study's findings, we recommend effective research and practice or intervention implementation for addressing IPV and associated mental health problems among Salvadoran women.

An Umbrella Review of the Literature on Perinatal Domestic Violence: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Possible Outcomes and Interventions.

Perinatal domestic violence (P-DV) is a common form of violence experienced by women and is associated with adverse impacts on their own physical and mental health and that of their offspring. Illuminating the risk factors for, potential effects of, and promising interventions to reduce P-DV is essential for informing policies to tackle P-DV and mitigate its negative impacts. This umbrella review of recent high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses of worldwide research on P-DV provides a systematic synthesis of current knowledge relating to the prevalence, risk factors for, possible outcomes of and interventions to reduce and prevent P-DV. 13 reviews identified through systematic searches of computerised databases, manual search and expert consultation met our inclusion criteria (i.e. English systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses that were from recent 10 years, focused on women exposed to P-DV, assessed risk factors, possible outcomes and/or interventions, and were of fair to high methodological quality). Our results suggest that while there is a growing understanding of risk factors and possible outcomes of P-DV, this knowledge has thus far not been translated well into effective interventions. P-DV intervention programmes that have been subject to rigorous evaluation are mostly relatively narrow in scope and could benefit from targeting a wider range of maternal and child wellbeing outcomes, and perpetrator, relationship and community risk factors. The overall quality of the evidence syntheses in this field is reasonable; however, future studies should involve multiple reviewers at all key stages of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to help enhance reliability.

"I Am the One That Needs Help": The Theory of Help-Seeking Behavior for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.

African American women survivors of intimate partner violence disproportionately experience homicide due, in part, to the racism and racial discrimination they experience during their help-seeking process. Yet, existing scholarship neglects to examine how this multiply-marginalized population of women navigate sociocultural barriers to obtain crisis services and supports from the domestic violence service provision system. Fundamental to developing culturally-salient interventions is more fully understanding their help-seeking behavior. We conducted 30 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with women who self-identified as African American. Constructivist grounded theory methodology was employed. Sensitizing concepts from the Transtheoretical Model of Change and Intersectionality theories, along with Agency framework were conceptually bound. The Theory of Help-Seeking Behavior emerged from the data. This nascent theory provides practitioners and researchers with a theoretical model to examine African American women's nuanced help-seeking efforts.

Patient and Provider Emergency Care Experiences Related to Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review of the Existing Evidence.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that has devastating physical, psychological, and economic consequences. The emergency department (ED) is an important point of contact for individuals experiencing IPV. However, there are few studies synthesizing interactions between patients experiencing IPV and providers. We aimed to summarize the existing evidence regarding (1) ED care experiences of patients with a history of IPV and (2) experiences of ED providers interacting with them. The secondary aim of this review was to evaluate high-quality care barriers and facilitators and to elucidate common causes of care avoidance. A literature search of peer-reviewed electronic databases was undertaken. Inclusion criteria consisted of studies detailing IPV-related patient or provider experiences surrounding ED visits. Articles published before 2000 or unavailable in English/French were excluded. A total of 772 studies were screened, yielding a final number of 41 studies. Negative patient experiences arose from individual-, institutional-, and system-level issues, commonly including adverse provider behavior. Negative provider experiences stemmed from individual-, institutional-, and system-level issues, such as a lack of knowledge and lack of infrastructure. Facilitators to positive patient experiences included interacting with empathetic providers, having privacy, and receiving timely specialized care. Facilitators to positive provider experiences included feeling well-equipped to manage IPV and having policies leading to appropriate care. Negative ED care experiences reveal inadequate care quality, ultimately leading to secondary victimization of individuals experiencing IPV. This review also uncovered important literature gaps regarding experiences of those who identify as equity-deserving.

Comparing Factors Associated With Intimate Partner Violence Among Rural and Urban Women in Northern Uganda.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health issue with negative effects at individual and societal levels. In northern Uganda, IPV prevalence is high but literature on it is limited. Northern Uganda has a long history of socio-economic and political upheavals, which are recognized risk factors for IPV. We compare IPV prevalence among rural and urban women in northern Uganda. This was a cross-sectional survey of 856 northern Ugandan women, 409 women living in rural areas, and 447 women working in an urban marketplace. Data were analyzed using logistic regression. High rates of emotional, physical, and sexual IPV were found. Almost four of five participants had experienced at least one type of IPV during their lifetime, and approximately half of the participants had experienced IPV in the 12 months prior to the survey. Many women stated that IPV was justified in certain situations. Younger age was a significant determinant of IPV in both cohorts (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.93-0.97]). Determinants of IPV among the rural cohort included male partner's alcohol abuse (aOR 2.22, CI [1.34-3.73]); having been in a physical fight with another man (aOR 1.90, 95% CI [1.12-3.23]); and controlling behaviors (aOR 1.21, CI [1.08-1.36]). Possible protective factors in the urban cohort included markers of economic empowerment such as being the decision maker on large household items (59.2% vs. 44.6%, p = .002) and having a mobile phone (20.4% vs. 12.4%, p = .024). Our study shows that IPV is a significant issue in northern Uganda. Economic empowerment is associated with lower rates of IPV in urban women, and interventions to reduce gender wealth inequality may reduce IPV prevalence. Further studies on enablers of IPV and the effect of conflict on IPV prevalence are needed to inform future interventions.