Spousal violence and pregnancy termination among married women in Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, the relationship between spousal violence and pregnancy termination had not been adequately explored. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of spousal violence, and examine the relationship between spousal violence and pregnancy termination. Methods: Data on spousal violence among ever married women was extracted from the 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. The outcome variable is pregnancy termination. The explanatory variables were the type of spousal violence experienced by the women in the last 12 months preceding the survey. Descriptive statistical analysis and binary logistic regression were applied using stata version 12. Results: Results show that 13.8% of women had ever terminated pregnancy; 19.9% had ever experienced at least one type of spousal violence; and women who had ever terminated pregnancy had higher prevalence of all types of spousal violence. Women who had ever experienced spousal physical violence were 9% more likely to experience pregnancy termination (OR=1.09; CI: 1.03-2.86); and women who had ever experienced spousal emotional violence were 33% more likely to experience pregnancy termination (OR=1.33; CI: 0.97-1.95). Conclusions: Spousal violence is significantly related to pregnancy termination. Improving women’s sexual and reproductive health in the country requires fresh initiatives that address spousal violence to further reduce women’s exposure to pregnancy termination.

The Perpetration of Spousal Abuse by Male Combat Veterans: Recommendations for Individualized Group Domestic Violence Treatment for Veterans

Recent estimates suggest that spousal abuse is, in fact, on the rise in the U.S. military (The Miles Foundation, 2005). As research specific to the impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on U.S. soldiers has grown since the Vietnam War, clinicians and researchers have begun to investigate how combat-related trauma affects veterans in terms of aggression, hostility and social/emotional functioning. The training and stressors experienced by soldiers in the military are unique and affect all aspects of the veteran's functioning. This paper discusses questions related to why combat veterans may be at increased risk to commit spousal abuse (verbal, psychological, and physical), the relationship between PTSD, substance use, and violence, and the advantages to individualizing group domestic violence (DV) treatment programs for combat veterans. Recommendations will be made for a DV treatment program specifically for combat veterans who also suffer from PTSD.

Threat vigilance in child witnesses of domestic violence: a pilot study utilizing the ambiguous situations paradigm

Research has found that children exposed to family violence exhibit higher rates of maladjustment. We review relevant literature on family violence, marital conflict, and cognitive factors implicated in child behaviour problems. A bias toward perceiving threat in ambiguous contexts has been identified as one factor mediating both aggressive and anxious behaviour disorders. We conducted a study utilizing the ambiguous situations paradigm to assess whether children exposed to violent spousal conflict were more likely than children not exposed to violence (divided into children with an externalizing behaviour disorder and non-clinic children) to perceive threat in two classes of ambiguous situations: Peer and Inter-Parental. The results indicated that children exposed to violent spousal conflict perceived more threat in parental situations than either of the other two groups. A number of considerations were taken into account given the exploratory nature of the study, particularly sample limitations. We conclude with suggestions for improvements to the research design and the further relevance of exploring cognitive factors involved in the adjustment of children from backgrounds of violence.

Domestic Violence

Since the 1960s, there has been growing awareness regarding the issue of domestic violence as a form of violence against women, which has been largely influenced by the work of feminist activist and scholars in North America and Europe (Dobash and Dobash 1992). Other terms have been used to describe the same phenomenon, including domestic abuse, spousal abuse, wife battering, marital violence, intimate partner violence. Though there is no doubt that this problem has existed for much more than five decades, the tendency to label it as ‘private matters’ or ‘marital disagreements’ has obscured the reality of women living with abuse in their home. At a general level, domestic violence can be defined as the means used by a man in order to assert his control and domination over his intimate partner, whether they are married or not (Mullender 1996). It can involve incidents of physical and sexual violence, as well as verbal, psychological and financial abuse. Though some of its manifestations may be associated with particular cultural or religious groups – e.g. forced marriage and honour killing in South-Asian communities – domestic violence affects women from all classes and backgrounds.

L’intervention en médiation familiale en présence de violence conjugale : dépistage, pratiques d’intervention, défis et préoccupations

Au Québec, la médiation familiale en contexte de violence conjugale est controversée, mais la pratique est très peu documentée et est donc mal connue. L’objectif principal de ce mémoire est de comprendre comment les médiateurs familiaux composent avec la présence de violence conjugale dans le cadre de leur pratique. Les objectifs spécifiques sont les suivants : (1) connaître comment les médiateurs familiaux dépistent la violence conjugale ; (2) savoir comment ils interviennent en présence de violence conjugale une fois cette violence dépistée ; et (3) identifier les défis et les préoccupations rencontrées par les médiateurs dans ces dossiers. Cette étude qualitative fut menée auprès de 8 médiateurs issus des domaines juridique et psychosocial. Les participants furent rencontrés dans le cadre d’entrevues semi-dirigées. Les médiateurs rencontrés insistent sur l’importance d’offrir une formation avancée portant sur la problématique de la violence conjugale et sur les outils de dépistage à tous les médiateurs au Québec et de bonifier la formation actuelle en adressant la dangerosité, le risque de récidive et d'aggravation de la violence et l’appréciation du risque d’homicide conjugal. Les résultats de l’étude suggèrent également l’importance de bien différencier le terrorisme conjugal de la violence situationnelle et de mettre en place des pratiques d’interventions spécifiques à chacun de ces types de violence. La médiation familiale en présence de violence conjugale devrait être un champ de pratique spécialisé et le travail de collaboration avec les ressources spécialisées en violence conjugale nécessiterait d’être renforcé.

L’intervention en médiation familiale en présence de violence conjugale : dépistage, pratiques d’intervention, défis et préoccupations

Au Québec, la médiation familiale en contexte de violence conjugale est controversée, mais la pratique est très peu documentée et est donc mal connue. L’objectif principal de ce mémoire est de comprendre comment les médiateurs familiaux composent avec la présence de violence conjugale dans le cadre de leur pratique. Les objectifs spécifiques sont les suivants : (1) connaître comment les médiateurs familiaux dépistent la violence conjugale ; (2) savoir comment ils interviennent en présence de violence conjugale une fois cette violence dépistée ; et (3) identifier les défis et les préoccupations rencontrées par les médiateurs dans ces dossiers. Cette étude qualitative fut menée auprès de 8 médiateurs issus des domaines juridique et psychosocial. Les participants furent rencontrés dans le cadre d’entrevues semi-dirigées. Les médiateurs rencontrés insistent sur l’importance d’offrir une formation avancée portant sur la problématique de la violence conjugale et sur les outils de dépistage à tous les médiateurs au Québec et de bonifier la formation actuelle en adressant la dangerosité, le risque de récidive et d'aggravation de la violence et l’appréciation du risque d’homicide conjugal. Les résultats de l’étude suggèrent également l’importance de bien différencier le terrorisme conjugal de la violence situationnelle et de mettre en place des pratiques d’interventions spécifiques à chacun de ces types de violence. La médiation familiale en présence de violence conjugale devrait être un champ de pratique spécialisé et le travail de collaboration avec les ressources spécialisées en violence conjugale nécessiterait d’être renforcé.

Feminist Disability Theory: Domestic Violence Against Women with a Disability

Women with a disability continue to experience social oppression and domestic violence as a consequence of gender and disability dimensions. Current explanations of domestic violence and disability inadequately explain several features that lead women who have a disability to experience violent situations. This article incorporates both disability and material feminist theory as an alternative explanation to the dominant approaches (psychological and sociological traditions) of conceptualising domestic violence. This paper is informed by a study which was concerned with examining the nature and perceptions of violence against women with a physical impairment. The emerging analytical framework integrating material feminist interpretations and disability theory provided a basis for exploring gender and disability dimensions. Insight was also provided by the women who identified as having a disability in the study and who explained domestic violence in terms of a gendered and disabling experience. The article argues that material feminist interpretations and disability theory, with their emphasis on gender relations, disablism and poverty, should be used as an alternative tool for exploring the nature and consequences of violence against women with a disability.

Look before you leap : the epistemic violence that sometimes hides behind the word "inclusion"

This paper demonstrates how Indigenous Studies is controlled in some Australian universities in ways that continue the marginalisation, denigration and exploitation of Indigenous peoples. Moreover, it shows how the engagement of white notions of “inclusion” can result in the maintenance of racism, systemic marginalisation, white race privilege and radicalised subjectivity. A case study will be utilised which draws from the experience of two Indigenous scholars who were invited to be part of a panel to review one Australian university’s plan and courses in Indigenous studies. The case study offers the opportunity to destabilise the relationships between oppression and privilege and the epistemology that maintains them. The paper argues for the need to examine exactly what is being offered when universities provide opportunities for “inclusion”.

Adolescent protective behaviour to reduce drug and alcohol use, alcohol-related harm and interpersonal violence

Typically adolescents' friends are considered a risk factor for adolescent engagement in risk-taking. This study took a more novel approach, by examining adolescent friendship as a protective factor. In particular it investigated friends' potential to intervene to reduce risk-taking. 540 adolescents (mean age 13.47 years) were asked about their intention to intervene to reduce friends' alcohol, drug and alcohol-related harms and about psychosocial factors potentially associated with intervening. More than half indicated that they would intervene in friends' alcohol, drug use, alcohol-related harms and interpersonal violence. Intervening was associated with being female, having friends engage in overall less risk-taking and having greater school connectedness. The findings provide an important understanding of increasing adolescent protective behavior as a potential strategy to reduce alcohol and drug related harms.

Comparing international television news : the case of violence presentation in Germany, Great Britain and Russia -- [in German : Gewalt in internationalen Fernsehnachrichten - eine komparative Analyse medialer Gewaltpräsentation in Deutschland, Großbritannien und Russland]

This is an important book that ought to launch a debate about how we research our understanding of the world, it is an innovative intervention in a vital public issue, and it is an elegant and scholarly hard look at what is actually happening. Jean Seaton, Prof of Media History, U of Westminster, UK & Official Historian of the BBC -- Summary: This book investigates the question of how comparative studies of international TV news (here: on violence presentation) can best be conceptualized in a way that allows for crossnational, comparative conclusions on an empirically validated basis. This book shows that such a conceptualization is necessary in order to overcome existing restrictions in the comparability of international analysis on violence presentation. Investigated examples include the most watched news bulletins in Great Britain (10o'clock news on the BBC), Germany (Tagesschau on ARD) and Russia (Vremja on Channel 1). This book highlights a substantial cross-national violence news flow as well as a cross-national visual violence flow (key visuals) as distinct transnational components. In addition, event-related textual analysis reveals how the historical rootedness of nations and its symbols of power are still manifested in televisual mediations of violence. In conclusion, this study lobbies for a conscientious use of comparative data/analysis both in journalism research and practice in order to understand what it may convey in the different arenas of today’s newsmaking.

Domestic violence in the urban fringe

Police call data for domestic violence incidents in the city of Brisbane were used to further explore the locational disadvantage thesis. it was hypothesised that the supposed additional burdens and stresses on disadvantaged families living in the outer suburbs may be reflected in significantly higher rates of reported domestic violence. Using an index of relative socioeconomic disadvantage and employing Analysis of variance (ANOVA) this research shows that significantly higher rates of reported domestic violence occur in the inner suburbs relative to the middle or outer suburbs of Brisbane. This finding adds further doubt to the magnitude of locational disadvantage impacts on outer suburban low income family households.