Sexual Violence as a Key Contributor to Poor Mental Health Among Japanese Women Subjected to Intimate Partner Violence

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 716-723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoko Honda ◽  
Karen Wynter ◽  
Jinko Yokota ◽  
Thach Tran ◽  
Yuri Ujiie ◽  
...  
2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 287-297
Author(s):  
Laura Tarzia

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) sits within the intersection of intimate partner violence and sexual violence. It is prevalent, yet poorly understood. Research consistently shows that IPSV is associated with many mental and physical health issues although the mental health aspects are often the most damaging. Despite this, there is poor understanding of the mechanisms through which IPSV causes trauma and poor mental health. To address this gap, I used interpretative phenomenological analysis of n = 38 in-depth interviews with women in Australia to explore their lived experiences of IPSV. The essence of IPSV was described as “Being attacked from the inside out” and comprised four themes. The first, “Shaken foundations,” described devastating betrayal and loss of trust. The second, “A different kind of damage,” suggested that sexual violence impacts women differently from physical or psychological violence in a relationship. The third theme, “It kills something inside you,” addressed the dehumanizing aspects of IPSV. The final theme, “Lingering scar tissue,” focused on the long-term impacts of IPSV on women’s sexuality and relationships. The findings of this study highlight the “invisible impacts” of IPSV, which may be the pathways through which it causes trauma.


2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-136
Author(s):  
Tyrone C. Cheng ◽  
Celia C. Lo

This study investigated factors in women’s disclosure of intimate partner violence (IPV) to medical professionals. Its sample of 3,226 women surviving IPV was extracted from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey public-use dataset, dated 2010. The dichotomous outcome variable was told medical professional about IPV. Explanatory variables were physical violence experienced in the past year, need for medical services for IPV, injury, fear, poor physical health, number of health problems, poor mental health, African American, Latina, other ethnic minority, education, family income, inability to afford seeing doctor, age, and being married. Logistic regression results showed likelihood of IPV disclosure increased with 31 or more physical IPV episodes in preceding year, needed medical services for IPV, IPV-related injury, 2 or more health problems, fear of partner, poor mental health, inability to afford seeing doctor, and age 55 and over. Disclosure likelihood was decreased by other ethnic minority and absence of high school graduation. Our findings support standardized protocols identifying recent IPV, IPV injury, and multiple health problems, along with corresponding response training for medical professionals. Our findings also support making victim advocates and behavioral health specialists available in medical facilities to address patients’ fears and mental health.


2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 938-959 ◽  
Author(s):  
Veronica Barcelona de Mendoza ◽  
Emily W. Harville ◽  
Jane Savage ◽  
Gloria Giarratano

Both intimate partner violence and neighborhood crime have been associated with worse mental health outcomes, but less is known about cumulative effects. This association was studied in a sample of pregnant women who were enrolled in a study of disaster exposure, prenatal care, and mental and physical health outcomes between 2010 and 2012. Women were interviewed about their exposure to intimate partner violence and perceptions of neighborhood safety, crime, and disorder. Main study outcomes included symptoms of poor mental health; including depression, pregnancy-specific anxiety (PA), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Logistic regression was used to examine predictors of mental health with adjustment for confounders. Women who experienced high levels of intimate partner violence and perceived neighborhood violence had increased odds of probable depression in individual models. Weighted high cumulative (intimate partner and neighborhood) experiences of violence were also associated with increased odds of having probable depression when compared with those with low violence. Weighed high cumulative violence was also associated with increased odds of PTSD. This study provides additional evidence that cumulative exposure to violence is associated with poorer mental health in pregnant women.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256850
Author(s):  
Mercedes Aguerrebere ◽  
Sonia M. Frías ◽  
Mary C. Smith Fawzi ◽  
Rocío López ◽  
Giuseppe Raviola

This paper examines the scope and characteristics of male-to-female intimate partner violence in southern rural Chiapas, Mexico, and its association with depression and anxiety symptoms, highlighting the role of partner controlling behaviors. Participants were selected by random sampling. One-hundred and forty-one women >15 years participated in the study. Data was obtained through an adapted version of the National Survey of the Dynamics of Household Relationships (ENDIREH) intimate partner violence scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression symptoms and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 for anxiety symptoms. Quantitative results indicated a 66.4% lifetime prevalence of physical and/or sexual IPV among ever-partnered women 15 years or older (95% CI: 57.5–74.5%). Forty percent (95% CI: 32.0–49.7%) of them reported having experienced physical and/or sexual violence with high partner control (HC-IPV), and 25.8% (95% CI: 18.5–34.3%) reported having experienced physical and/or sexual violence with low or moderate partner control (MC-IPV). Lifetime experience of HC-IPV was significantly associated with moderate-severe depression symptoms (RR = 5.8) and suicidality (RR = 2.08). While partner alcohol abuse was associated with a 3.06 times higher risk of lifetime physical and/or sexual IPV, 30.9% of women mentioned that their partners were never drunk when violence occurred. Interestingly, high partner alcohol abuse was more frequent among women who reported HC-IPV compared to MC-IPV. Implications for global mental health practice are discussed.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245007
Author(s):  
Omid Dadras ◽  
Takeo Nakayama ◽  
Masahiro Kihara ◽  
Masako Ono-Kihara ◽  
Seyedahmad Seyedalinaghi ◽  
...  

Backgrounds An estimated 2.5 million Afghans are living in the Iran and almost half of them are young women at the childbearing ages. Although the evidence indicates lower rates of antenatal care and higher incidence of pregnancy complications in Afghan compared to Iranian women, the underlying reasons are not well defined. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to explore the prevalence and associated sociodemographic factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes and examine the impact of intimate partner violence, food insecurity, poor mental health, and housing issues on pregnancy outcome in Afghan women living in Iran. Methods In July 2019, we enrolled 424 Afghan women aged 18–44 years old using the time-location sampling at three community health centers in the south region of Tehran province. The data was collected through face to face interviews using the researcher-developed questionnaire. Using bivariate and multivariate analysis, the impact of poor antenatal care, intimate partner violence, food insecurity, and poor mental health was assessed on the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcome. Results More than half (56.6%) of Afghan women reported at least one pregnancy complication in their recent pregnancy. The results showed that undocumented, illiterate, and unemployed Afghan women with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to experience adverse pregnancy outcomes. Furthermore, we observed lower prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes among documented immigrants with health insurance compared to those with no health insurance. It is also been found that the food insecurity [Adjusted OR = 3.35, 95% CI (1.34–8.36)], poor antenatal care [Adjusted OR = 10.50, 95% CI (5.40–20.39)], intimate partner violence [Adjusted OR = 2.72, 95% CI (1.10–6.77)], and poor mental health [Adjusted OR = 4.77, 95% CI (2.54–8.94)] could adversely impact the pregnancy outcome and we observed higher incidence of adverse outcomes among those suffering from these situations. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first study that explored the prevalence and associated factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes and the impact of intimate partner violence, food insecurity, poor mental health on pregnancy outcome among Afghan women in Iran. Enhancing the psychosocial support and empowering Afghan women through expanding the social network and safety net should be a priority for the central government and international parties. Psychological counseling should be incorporated into routine maternity care for Afghan refugees. Access to free antenatal care is a right for all Afghan women and it should be facilitated by universal health insurance for all Afghans regardless of their legal status.


2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 24991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Fernbrant ◽  
Maria Emmelin ◽  
Birgitta Essén ◽  
Per-Olof Östergren ◽  
Elizabeth Cantor-Graae

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052093850
Author(s):  
Flora Cohen ◽  
Ilana Seff ◽  
Fred Ssewamala ◽  
Timothy Opobo ◽  
Lindsay Stark

Experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization have well-established associations with poor mental health. There is also burgeoning evidence regarding the association between IPV perpetration and mental health in a small number of countries. However, there is a paucity of data about the gendered differences for these IPV experiences within sub-Saharan African. This study examines the association between IPV victimization, perpetration, and mental health outcomes for male and female adolescents and young adults in Uganda. Data on IPV perpetration were available for a nationally representative sample of 1,373 males and 2,022 females in Uganda. Observations were weighted to be representative of 13- to 24-year-olds in Uganda. Study procedures used multivariate logistic regression models to examine associations between ever-perpetration of IPV and four self-reported mental health variables: severe sadness, feelings of worthlessness, suicide ideation, and alcohol abuse. Models controlled for age, marital status, schooling, and past exposure to violence. Models were sex-disaggregated to examine sex-specific associations. Standard errors were adjusted for sampling stratification and clustering. Data analysis showed that males were more than twice as likely as females to perpetrate IPV (14% vs. 6%, respectively; p < .001), while odds of perpetration for both sexes were higher for those ever experiencing IPV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 12.12 for males; aOR=4.73 for females). Male perpetrators had 2.93 greater odds of experiencing suicidal ideation (95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.78, 4.82], p < .001) and increased drinking behaviors (2.21, 95% CI: [1.39, 3.50], p < .001) when compared with non-perpetrating males. In addition, female perpetrators had 2.59 times greater odds of suicidal ideation (95% CI: [1.34,4.99], p < .01), as compared with non-perpetrating females. Our findings among youth and adolescents demonstrated associated but different experiences for males and females. Findings indicate the importance of understanding the relationship between IPV victimization and perpetration, and addressing these correlates with a gender-sensitive perspective to inform policy and programming.


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