Journal of Interpersonal Violence
Journal Data
| Type | JOURNAL |
|---|---|
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (US) |
| ISSN | 0886-2605 / 1552-6518 |
| Scopus | 20374 |
| Wikidata | Q3618928 |
| OpenAlex | S45333638 |
| MAG | 45333638 |
| Website | http://jiv.sagepub.com/ |
| Total publications | 148 |
| Coverage period | 1987 - 2023 |
| Country | GB |
| Language | EN |
| Indexing | Scopus indexed |
| Cited by | 580 |
| Impact factor | 9.065 |
| SJR | 1.255 (Q1) |
| SNIP | 1.649 |
| CiteScore | 8.1 |
| h-index | 8 |
| i10-index | 7 |
| Overton policy citations | 7 |
| Female authorship share | 65.0% |
This journal focuses on interpersonal violence, primarily from psychological, sociological, and criminological perspectives. While violence is a topic of anthropological inquiry, this venue's approach is generally not ethnographic or culturally centered, leading to only loose intersection
Applied Psychology · Clinical Psychology · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression · Child Abuse and Trauma · Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development · Crime Patterns and Interventions
Anti-Asian American Hate Crimes Spike During the Early Stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic
The recent high-profile cases of hate crimes in the U.S., especially those targeting Asian Americans, have raised concerns about their risk of victimization. Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, intimations—and even accusations—that the novel coronavirus is an “Asian” or “Chinese” virus have been linked to anti-Asian American hate crime, potentially leaving members of this group not only fearful of being victimized but also at risk for v…
Increases in Intimate Partner Violence During Covid-19: Prevalence and Correlates
Measures to contain the global COVID-19 pandemic led to stay-at-home orders across the world, accompanied by fears of a global surge in intimate partner violence (IPV). We administered an online general-population survey to 1169 women and transgender/nonbinary individuals throughout the state of Michigan in June–August 2020 to assess changes in the prevalence, severity, and correlates of IPV during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quota sampling was used t…
Child Sexual Abuse in the Roman Catholic Church in France: Prevalence and Comparison With Other Social Spheres
This study aims to estimate and compare Roman Catholic Church-related child sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence and characteristics to CSA in other social spheres in France since 1950. Using a cross-sectional representative web-based survey of 28,026 adults in 2021, the weighted prevalence of CSA was estimated according to six social spheres of perpetration: family, Church, school, sports club, artistic activities, and summer camps. Altogether, 14.60%,…
An Exploration of the Involuntary Celibate (Incel) Subculture Online
Incels, a portmanteau of the term involuntary celibates , operate in online communities to discuss difficulties in attaining sexual relationships. Past reports have found that multiple elements of the incel culture are misogynistic and favorable towards violence. Further, several violent incidents have been linked to this community, which suggests that incel communities may resemble other ideologically motivated extremist groups. The current stud…
Prevalence and Effects of Daily and Major Experiences of Racial Discrimination and Microaggressions among Black Individuals in Canada
The prevalence and correlates of different forms of racial discrimination among Black Canadians are unknown. This article aims to examine the prevalence of different forms of racial discrimination (daily, major and microaggressions) and their association with self-esteem and satisfaction with life among Black Canadians. A convenience sample of 845 Black Canadians aged 15-40 was recruited. We assessed frequencies of everyday and major racial discr…
Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender College Students: The Intersection of Gender, Race, and Sexual Orientation
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) college students experience disproportionate rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) compared with their heterosexual and cisgender counterparts. Some studies report rates of IPV among lesbian, gay, and bisexual college students as high as 50%, and 9 times greater among transgender students compared with their cisgender peers. Few studies have investigated the impact of intersectional identity on ex…
Patterns of Intimate Partner Violence Victimization and Survivors’ Help-Seeking
Intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors often do not seek critically needed help. A good understanding of the relationship between the pattern of violence and help-seeking is critical to developing adequate services for the survivors, as well as for reaching out to those who do not seek help. This study used the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey to examine how IPV survivor’s help-seeking varies, depending on the characteristi…
Beyond Trauma Exposure: Discrimination and Posttraumatic Stress, Internalizing, and Externalizing Problems Among Detained Youth
According to the race-based traumatic stress model, racial discrimination is proposed to comprise a traumatic experience that results in posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems among youth. Accordingly, a significant body of research has emerged that supports the associations among these constructs. However, the majority of these empirical studies have not accounted for the potential role of traditionall…
College Sexual Assault and Campus Climate for Sexual- and Gender-Minority Undergraduate Students
Sexual- and gender-minority (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) undergraduate students are at greater risk for sexual assault victimization than their cisgender (i.e., nontransgender) heterosexual peers. However, few studies have examined how social environments affect sexual assault victimization among sexual- and gender-minority undergraduate students. Nevertheless, this research area was identified as a priority by the Institute of…
A Trauma-Informed Approach to Sexual Violence Research Ethics and Open Science
The practice of ethics in social science research is a reflexive process of self-review to define a profession’s collective responsibility in the face of changing norms and expectations. In recent years, we have seen transformative changes in how society thinks about supporting sexual assault survivors, and how the scientific community thinks about our obligations to society. Decades of research on trauma and its impact has raised awareness about…
The “Golden Thread”: Coercive Control and Risk Assessment for Domestic Violence
Research on risk assessment for domestic violence has to date focused primarily on the predictive power of individual risk factors and the statistical validity of risk assessment tools in predicting future physical assault in sub-sets of cases dealt with by the police. This study uses data from risk assessment forms from a random sample of cases of domestic violence reported to the police. An innovative latent trait model is used to test whether …
Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence Victimization: Results From an Online Survey of Australian Adults
Online forms of sexual harassment and abuse as experienced by adults represent an emerging yet under-researched set of behaviors, such that very few studies have sought to estimate the extent of the problem. This article presents the results of an online survey of 2,956 Australian adult (aged 18 to 54 years) experiences of technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) victimization. The prevalence of TFSV was analyzed in relation to a 21-item sca…
Risk Factors for Domestic Child Sex Trafficking in the United States
Despite increased effort to respond to human trafficking at national and state levels, very little empirical research has been conducted on domestic child sex trafficking. This study retrospectively examines associations between multiple risk factors and domestic child sex trafficking (i.e., entry into the commercial sex industry under the age of 18) in a sample of individuals aged 16 and older currently involved in the commercial sex industry ( …
Investigating the Increase in Domestic Violence Post Disaster: An Australian Case Study
Interviews with 30 women in two shires in Victoria, Australia, confirmed that domestic violence increased following the catastrophic Black Saturday bushfires on February 7, 2009. As such research is rare, it addresses a gap in the disaster and interpersonal violence literature. The research that exists internationally indicates that increased violence against women is characteristic of a postdisaster recovery in developing countries. The relative…
Pornography, Sexual Coercion and Abuse and Sexting in Young People’s Intimate Relationships: A European Study
New technology has made pornography increasingly accessible to young people, and a growing evidence base has identified a relationship between viewing pornography and violent or abusive behavior in young men. This article reports findings from a large survey of 4,564 young people aged 14 to 17 in five European countries which illuminate the relationship between regular viewing of online pornography, sexual coercion and abuse and the sending and r…
“Walking Between the Raindrops”: Intimate Partner Violence in the Ultra-Orthodox Society in Israel From Social Workers’ Perspective
Intimate partner violence (IPV) in faith-based communities has unique characteristics that social workers should consider. This qualitative study examines how social workers describe their encounter with abused Jewish ultra-Orthodox women. In-depth interviews were conducted among 24 social workers (one man, 23 women: four were ultra-Orthodox, 19 were modern Orthodox, and one was secular); all respondents worked in the public sector, welfare offic…
Intimate Partner Violence Victimization in the Cyber and Real World: Examining the Extent of Cyber Aggression Experiences and Its Association With In-Person Dating Violence
This study explores the extent of cyber aggression victimization in intimate relationships and its co-occurrence with in-person experiences of psychological, physical, and sexual partner violence. Data were collected from 540 college students who reported being in a dating relationship in the past 12 months. Participants were asked to complete an online questionnaire that included measures assessing intimate partner victimization experiences in d…
Leaving and Beyond: Voices of Survivors of Domestic Violence From Kyrgyzstan
Despite the global nature of domestic violence against women, few studies have examined the phenomenon in Kyrgyzstan. This grounded theory study gives voice to survivors of domestic violence by examining women's experiences of various forms of violence and the complexities surrounding Kyrgyz women's decision making about leaving violent relationships. Findings revealed that survivors move through a three-stage process of leaving: (a) reaching a t…
“They’ll Always Find a Way to Get to You”: Technology Use in Adolescent Romantic Relationships and Its Role in Dating Violence and Abuse
Electronic communication technology (ECT), such as mobile phones and online communication tools, is widely used by adolescents; however, the availability of such tools may have both positive and negative impacts within the context of romantic relationships. While an established literature has documented the nature, prevalence, and impact of traditional forms of adolescent dating violence and abuse (ADVA), limited empirical investigation has focus…
Violence Perpetrated by Mothers-in-Law in Northern India: Perceived Frequency, Acceptability, and Options for Survivors
In India, physical and psychological abuse perpetrated by a mother-in-law against a daughter-in-law is well documented. However, there is a dearth of literature exploring the perceived frequency and acceptability of mother-in-law abuse or options available for survivors of this type of abuse. The goal of this qualitative study was to add to the in-law abuse literature by exploring men's and women's perspectives about physical and psychological ab…
Effects of Poly-Victimization on Adolescent Social Support, Self-Concept, and Psychological Distress
Past research has demonstrated the particularly damaging effects of exposure to multiple forms of victimization, or “poly-victimization,” on youth mental health. The primary objective of the present study is to begin to identify the mechanisms that help explain its powerful impact. Analyses are based on two waves of longitudinal data from the National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence (NatSCEV), conducted in 2008 and 2010, that comprised …
Bystanders’ Behavior in Cyberbullying Episodes: Active and Passive Patterns in the Context of Personal–Socio-Emotional Factors
The present study explored bystanders’ behavior in cyberbullying (CB) episodes among children and youth, focusing on active and passive behavior patterns. The study examined prevalence and characteristics of bystanders’ behavior following CB episodes, and their active–passive intervention patterns in relation to personal (age, gender) and socio-emotional (self-efficacy, social support, sense of loneliness) factors. Of the 1,094 participants (ages…
A National Descriptive Portrait of Adolescent Relationship Abuse: Results From the National Survey on Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence
This article reports results from the National Survey on Teen Relationships and Intimate Violence (STRiV) for 12- to 18-year-old youth ( n = 1,804). STRiV provides the first nationally representative household survey focused on adolescent relationship abuse (ARA), covering perpetration and victimization. Among respondents (37%) reporting current- or past-year dating, 69% reported lifetime ARA victimization (63% lifetime ARA perpetration). Althoug…
Police Officer Schema of Sexual Assault Reports: Real Rape, Ambiguous Cases, and False Reports
While extensive research has studied sexual assault reporting behaviors and described negative experiences with the criminal justice system among victim-survivors, fewer studies have explored police officer attitudes, knowledge, and thought processes that may affect victims’ perceptions of negative interactions and unsatisfactory outcomes within reported sexual assault cases. This study explores police officer understanding of the definition of s…
The Trauma of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Youth: A Comparison of CSE Victims to Sexual Abuse Victims in a Clinical Sample
This study examined the demographic features, trauma profiles, clinical severity indicators, problem behaviors, and service utilization characteristics of youth victims of commercial sexual exploitation (CSE) compared with a matched sample of sexually abused/assaulted youth who were not exploited in commercial sex. Secondary data analysis and propensity score matching were used to select a sample of 215 help-seeking youth who were exploited in pr…
Historical Trauma in American Indian/Native Alaska Communities: A Multilevel Framework for Exploring Impacts on Individuals, Families, and Communities
Over multiple generations, American Indian communities have endured a succession of traumatic events that have enduring consequences for community members. This article presents a multilevel framework for exploring the impact of historically traumatic events on individuals, families, and communities. The critical connection between historically traumatic events and contemporary stressors is also discussed at length
Stop Blaming the Victim: A Meta-Analysis on Rape Myths
Although male rape is being reported more often than before, the majority of rape victims continue to be women. Rape myths-false beliefs used mainly to shift the blame of rape from perpetrators to victims-are also prevalent in today's society and in many ways contribute toward the pervasiveness of rape. Despite this, there has been limited consideration as to how rape prevention programs and policies can address this phenomenon, and there is no u…
"Beyond "Witnessing: Children's Experiences of Coercive Control in Domestic Violence and Abuse
Children's experiences and voices are underrepresented in academic literature and professional practice around domestic violence and abuse. The project "Understanding Agency and Resistance Strategies" (UNARS) addresses this absence, through direct engagement with children. We present an analysis from interviews with 21 children in the United Kingdom (12 girls and 9 boys, aged 8-18 years), about their experiences of domestic violence and abuse, an…
The Role of Bicultural Stress and Perceived Context of Reception in the Expression of Aggression and Rule Breaking Behaviors Among Recent-Immigrant Hispanic Youth
Adolescent aggression and delinquency impede healthy adjustment in early adulthood and may have particularly serious long-term consequences for minority youth. Therefore, prevention research should examine these behaviors within a sociocultural framework among newer immigrant samples to determine whether, and how, adaptation to life in the US affects these behaviors. This study investigated the role of two sociocultural variables-bicultural stres…
Prevalence and Effects of Daily and Major Experiences of Racial Discrimination and Microaggressions among Black Individuals in Canada
The prevalence and correlates of different forms of racial discrimination among Black Canadians are unknown. This article aims to examine the prevalence of different forms of racial discrimination (daily, major and microaggressions) and their association with self-esteem and satisfaction with life among Black Canadians. A convenience sample of 845 Black Canadians aged 15-40 was recruited. We assessed frequencies of everyday and major racial discr…
Domestic Violence Against Women in Kosovo: A Qualitative Study of Women’s Experiences
Research on gender-based violence describes domestic violence by male partners as a major public health issue and serious human rights violation. Many studies have been conducted in Kosovo to understand the factors that contribute to violence against women. The present study aims to examine the experiences of battered women and their understanding of the violence from an ecological framework, by asking questions regarding personal, situational, a…
Honor,” Collectivity, and Agnation: Emerging Risk Factors in “Honor”-Based Violence
Honor”-based violence (HBV) is increasingly recognized as form of violence against women and girls, but is neither fully conceptualized nor integrated into risk management strategies that are increasingly used to address gender-based violence in Europe and Anglophone states. This article will argue that there are grounds for the differentiation of HBV as a sub-category of gender-based violence which may affect risk management. Research was based …
Community Violence Exposure of Southeast Asian American Adolescents
Southeast Asian adolescents in the United States face the daily challenge of adjusting to the American culture and their culture of origin. However, little is known about how the patterns of their bicultural adjustment influence psychological symptoms, especially when faced with other challenges such as community violence and negative life events. Additionally, the overrepresentation of Southeast Asian youth in the mental health and juvenile just…
Leaving and Beyond: Voices of Survivors of Domestic Violence From Kyrgyzstan
Despite the global nature of domestic violence against women, few studies have examined the phenomenon in Kyrgyzstan. This grounded theory study gives voice to survivors of domestic violence by examining women's experiences of various forms of violence and the complexities surrounding Kyrgyz women's decision making about leaving violent relationships. Findings revealed that survivors move through a three-stage process of leaving: (a) reaching a t…
Intimate Partner Violence, Childhood Abuse, and In-Law Abuse Among Women Utilizing Community Health Services in Gujarat, India
Previous studies in India suggest high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV), childhood abuse, and abuse from in-laws. Yet few studies examined IPV, childhood abuse, and abuse from in-laws together. The purpose of this study is to examine the association between IPV, childhood abuse, and abuse from in-laws, and types of abuse (physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) among women utilizing community health services for the economically disad…
Violence Perpetrated by Mothers-in-Law in Northern India: Perceived Frequency, Acceptability, and Options for Survivors
In India, physical and psychological abuse perpetrated by a mother-in-law against a daughter-in-law is well documented. However, there is a dearth of literature exploring the perceived frequency and acceptability of mother-in-law abuse or options available for survivors of this type of abuse. The goal of this qualitative study was to add to the in-law abuse literature by exploring men's and women's perspectives about physical and psychological ab…
Managing in the Contemporary World: Rape Victims’ and Supporters’ Experiences of Barriers Within the Police and the Health Care System in Tanzania
Grounded theory guided the analysis of 30 in-depth interviews with raped women and community members who had supported raped women in their contact with the police and health care services in Tanzania. The aim of this study was to understand and conceptualize the experiences of the informants by creating a theoretical model focusing on barriers, strategies, and responses during the help seeking process. The results illustrate a process of managin…
Beyond Trauma Exposure: Discrimination and Posttraumatic Stress, Internalizing, and Externalizing Problems Among Detained Youth
According to the race-based traumatic stress model, racial discrimination is proposed to comprise a traumatic experience that results in posttraumatic stress symptoms, as well as internalizing and externalizing problems among youth. Accordingly, a significant body of research has emerged that supports the associations among these constructs. However, the majority of these empirical studies have not accounted for the potential role of traditionall…
The Impact of Contextual Ambiguity on the Interpretation and Recall of Child Sexual Abuse Media Reports
Previous research indicates that approximately 40% of child sexual abuse media reports areambiguous in the sense that information relating to the nature of abuse, the identity of the perpetrator,and/or the location of abuse is not specified. This research examined the impact of suchcontextual ambiguity on the recall and interpretation of child sexual abuse media reports. The189 respondents were recruited through media appeals and presented with o…
Intimate Violence and Social Desirability: A Meta-Analytic Review
Using meta-analytic procedures, the relationship between self-reporting of involvement in marital and courtship violence, and level of socially desirable responding was investigated. Eighteen effect-size estimates were located and, overall, displayed a low to moderate effect on reporting involvement in partner violence (mean r = -.179). No significant differences emerged with respect to the sex of the respondent; however, reports of perpetrating …
Stalking Behavior and the Cycle of Domestic Violence
The present study was conducted to refine the behavioral definition of stalking, investigate the role stalking plays in the cycle of domestic violence, and develop demographic profiles of stalkers and their victims. A total of 141 female undergraduates completed a questionnaire designed to assess the occurrence of threatening or violent behaviors in former heterosexual, romantic relationships. Subjects were placed in a control, harassed, or stalk…
Predictors of Dating Violence Among High School Students
This study examined dating violence in a racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of high school students to determine what factors or group of factors best predicted inflicting dating violence using a social-learning-theory-based model. Numerous variables belonging to one of three domains were entered into hierarchical multiple regression analyses. Findings revealed that males were more likely to inflict violence against a dating…
Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Children of Battered Women
The posttraumatic stress symptoms of 64 children ages 7 to 12 were assessed by their mothers, who had experienced emotional and physical abuse during the past year. A measure of child symptoms based on DSM-IV criteria was used. Of the children exposed to violence, 13% qualified for a complete posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosis. However, 52% suffered from intrusive and unwanted remembering of the traumatic event(s), 19% displayed traum…
Antecedents to Prostitution: Childhood Victimization
Many adolescents who run from intolerable home situations depend on prostitution for survival. The accumulated body of research on the topic suggests particular family experiences and adolescent behaviors are characteristic of prostitutes. Although a link between childhood sexual victimization and prostitution has been suggested in the literature, some previous findings are contradictory. Forty-five adolescent prostitutes and 37 adolescents who w…
Voices of Strength and Resistance: A Contextual and Longitudinal Analysis of Women's Responses to Battering
An ethnically and economically heterogeneous (majority well educated, African American, and poor) urban community sample of women, self-identified as having a serious problem in an intimate relationship, were interviewed three times over 21⁄2 years. The inclusion criteria of battering was repeated physical and/or sexual assault within a context of coercive control. Feminist action research was used, combining interview and measurement instruments…
Women's Responses to Battering Over Time: An Analysis of Change
A community volunteer sample of 98 battered women was interviewed using a combination of established instruments and in-depth questions over three points in time during a period of 31⁄2 years. An ANOVA change analysis approach was used, dividing the women into three approximately equal groups according to abuse status. Groups 1 and 2, women who indicated a change from abuse to nonabuse status, reported significantly better health as compared to w…
The Differential Correlates of Sexual Coercion and Rape
Typically, sexual coercion has been viewed as a less serious form of sexual aggression than attempted rape or rape. However, sexual coercion may be better understood as a qualitatively different type of sexual aggression experience. We examined the correlates of sexual coercion and rape/attempted rape experiences separately among a sample of young women who were at increased risk of sexual victimization as a result of their high levels of sexual …
Alcohol and Sexual Assault in a National Sample of College Women
Alcohol is associated with risk of sexual assault among women and with increased risk of experiencing completed rape once attacked. In particular, alcohol use prior to sexual assault by both offenders and victims may affect the severity of sexual victimization experienced by women. Little research has explored the mechanisms (e.g., social context, behavior) through which alcohol may affect outcomes of sexual attacks using multivariate analysis. T…
Systemic Obstacles to the Criminal Prosecution of a Battering Partner: A Victim Perspective
It is well known in the criminal justice community that victims often wish to drop charges against their abusers, even after initially expressing enthusiasm about going forward. Despite the prevalence of no-drop prosecution policies, victim reluctance is important to understand because it is often the biggest obstacle to successful prosecution and because it implies that there are ways in which the court is not meeting victims' needs. There has b…
Peer and Sibling Aggression: An Investigation of Intra- and Extra-Familial Bullying
The current study examines the prevalence of bullying in 375 U.S. American children, determines the relationship between peer bullying and sibling bullying, and examines the link between psychological difficulties and bullying. Twenty-five percent of the children reported being victims of peer bullying and 28% acknowledged being bullies. Children who were peer bullies and victims of peer bullying reported the highest frequency of sibling bullying…
Children's Witnessing of Adult Domestic Violence
Social service professionals are more frequently identifying children who witness adult domestic violence as victims of that abuse. This article expands common definitions of how children witness adult domestic violence. A total of 31 research articles that met established quality criteria were included in this review. A variety of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive-functioning problems among children were found to be associated with exposure t…
The Relationship of Animal Abuse to Violence and Other Forms of Antisocial Behavior
Results from this study challenge the assumption that animal abusers commonly “graduate” from violence against animals to violence against humans. The criminal records of 153 animal abusers and 153 control participants were tracked and compared. Animal abusers were more likely than control participants to be interpersonally violent, but they also were more likely to commit property offenses, drug offenses, and public disorder offenses. Thus, ther…
Assessment of the Reliability of the Conflict Tactics Scales: A Meta-Analytic Review
This article reports meta-analyses of self-agreement and partners' agreement for physical aggression in relationships, measured by the Conflict Tactics Scales. Evidence from concordance rates was inconclusive, and the limited correlational data indicated high interpartner agreement. Differences between self-reports and partners' reports for men and women were analyzed to address the following hypotheses: Men but not women underreport their own ag…
Assessing the Risk of Severe Domestic Violence: The Importance of Survivors' Predictions
The findings of this study contribute to the discussion about the best method for predicting the recurrence of severe domestic violence. The findings are from a secondary data analysis comparing the accuracy of 177 domestic violence survivors' predictions of reassault to risk factors supported by previous research. The survivors' predictions were associated with recurrence of severe violence in a bivariate analysis. These predictions also added s…
The Effects of Early Sexual Abuse on Later Sexual Victimization Among Female Homeless and Runaway Adolescents
Based on risk amplification and victimization theories, path analysis was used to investigate the effects of early sexual abuse on later sexual victimization among 361 female homeless and runaway adolescents in four midwestern states. Results indicated that early sexual abuse in the home had a positive direct effect on sexual victimization of adolescents on the streets. Early sexual abuse also increased the likelihood of later sexual victimizatio…
Antigay Behaviors Among Young Adults: Prevalence, Patterns, and Motivators in a Noncriminal Population
This is the first empirical research into prevalence rates of and motivations for antigay harassment and violence by noncriminal young adults. In an anonymous survey of 484 young adults, 1 in 10 admitted physical violence or threats against presumed homosexuals, and another 24% acknowledged name-calling. Factor analyses revealed four motivational themes: peer dynamics, antigay ideology, thrill-seeking, and perceived self-defense. Compared with no…
Exploring the Counselor's Experience of Working With Perpetrators and Survivors of Domestic Violence
Based on notions of vicarious trauma, burnout, and countertransference, the purpose of this study was to explore the impact on counselors of working with domestic violence (DV) clients. Eighteen counselors with high case loads of DV clients participated in a semistructured interview. They described classical symptoms of vicarious trauma, and reported changes in cognitive schema, particularly in regard to safety, world view, and gender power issue…
Child Sexual Abuse and Revictimization in the Form of Adult Sexual Abuse, Adult Physical Abuse, and Adult Psychological Maltreatment
Research has suggested that child sexual abuse (CSA) may place a woman at greater risk for further abuse in adulthood, a phenomenon called revictimization. Revictimization may occur in the form of unwanted sexual contact, physical abuse, and psychological maltreatment. This study assessed CSA and adult sexual, physical, and psychological abuse with a sample of 633 college women. Survivors of CSA (CSAS) were more likely to report unwanted sexual i…
Fraternities, Athletic Teams, and Rape: Importance of Identification With a Risky Group
This study examined the relationship between sexual assault and membership in high-risk fraternities and athletic teams. Although past research has identified fraternities and athletic teams as high-risk groups for sexual assault, the findings have been inconclusive. Based on student perceptions, we separated fraternities and athletic teams into high-risk and low-risk groups. A survey of 182 male students, including those who were members of thre…
Attitudinal, Experiential, and Situational Predictors of Sexual Assault Perpetration
Past research demonstrates that sexual assault perpetration is caused by multiple factors including attitudes, early experiences, and situational factors. In this study, 343 college men described either a sexual assault they had committed or their worst date. Discriminant function analysis indicated that attitudes about gender roles and alcohol, number of consensual sex partners, how well the man knew the woman, how isolated the setting was, alco…
Disclosure of Sexual Orientation, Victimization, and Mental Health Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Older Adults
This study examined the lifetime victimization based on sexual orientation of 416 lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) older adults aged 60 or older. Participants reported the ages at which they were aware of their sexual orientation, self-identified as LGB, and first disclosed their sexual orientation to anyone. Frequencies of nine kinds of verbal and physical victimization were obtained. Nearly three quarters reported some kind of sexual orientation…
Correlates of Formal and Informal Support Seeking in Sexual Assault Victims
Correlates of service seeking were examined in a sample of 323 sexual assault victims. Several barriers to disclosure to different formal support providers were explored to determine whether victim characteristics, assault variables, and postassault experiences differentiated those women who sought formal assistance from those seeking informal support only. As expected, victims of stranger rapes with more injury were more likely to seek support f…
Deviant Behavior and Victimization Among Homeless and Runaway Adolescents
This study used a high-risk population of runaway and homeless adolescents to investigate the effects of a history of caretaker abuse and deviant subsistence strategies on victimization among adolescents. Based on a multisite sample of 974 homeless and runaway adolescents, logistic regression models were used first to examine factors predicting involvement in sexual and nonsexual deviant subsistence strategies and then to investigate the effects …
Preventing the “Second Rape”: Rape Survivors' Experiences With Community Service Providers
Although prevention efforts aimed at eliminating the occurrence of sexual assault are clearly needed, it is also important to consider how we can prevent further trauma among those already victimized. Prior research suggests that rape survivors may experience victim-blaming treatment from system personnel ( termed secondary victimization or the second rape). This research examined how postassault contact with community systems exacerbated rape vi…