19. Social harm

2021 ◽  
pp. 591-617
Author(s):  
Steve Case ◽  
Phil Johnson ◽  
David Manlow ◽  
Roger Smith ◽  
Kate Williams

This chapter evaluates the idea of ‘social harm’, considering whether we should think of it as being separate from, or related to, what we have previously thought of as ‘criminology’. It begins by examining what social harm is, and the many criticisms that its proponents make of traditional interpretations of ‘crime’ and ‘criminology’. The social harm approach, a perspective that has become increasingly prominent over the past two decades, argues that state-generated, legal definitions of ‘crime’ are much too narrow, as they do not reflect significant (though not always illegal) social, physical, emotional, psychological, cultural, and financial and economic harms that can be inflicted by social structures, multinational bodies, and the state. So far, much of the work in this area has focused on broader theoretical and conceptual issues, but social harm perspectives have also informed important studies of a wide range of social occurrences and events. These have ranged from studies of the harm caused by corporations, human trafficking, genocide, austerity measures, intimate partner violence, and penal harm.

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 263-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solveig Lelaurain ◽  
Pierluigi Graziani ◽  
Grégory Lo Monaco

Abstract. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global social concern: many women are affected by this phenomenon and by the difficulty of putting an end to it. This review of the literature aims to identify help-seeking facilitating and inhibiting factors in response to IPV. It was carried out on the PsycINFO and Medline databases using the following keywords: “intimate partner violence,” “domestic violence,” “help-seeking,” and “help-seeking barrier.” Ninety out of 771 eligible publications were included on the basis of inclusion criteria. The results highlight that (1) research on this phenomenon is very recent and underdeveloped in Europe, (2) theoretical and conceptual frameworks are poorly developed and extended, (3) there is a significant impact of violence characteristics (e.g., severity, type) on help-seeking, and (4) help-seeking is a complex and multifactorial process influenced by a wide range of factors simultaneously individual and social. To conclude, these findings lead us to propose a psychosocial conceptualization of the help-seeking process by indicating how the levels of explanation approach in social psychology can be applied to this field of research in order to increase our understanding of this phenomenon.


Author(s):  
Adam M. Messinger

Many nations today recognize intimate partner violence (IPV) in romantic-sexual relationships as a major public health threat, yet not all victims are treated equally. Contrary to myths, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans*, and queer (LGBTQ) people are more likely to experience IPV than heterosexual-cisgender people. Unfortunately, LGBTQ victims face major barriers to reaching safety in a world that too often stigmatizes their identities and overlooks their relationships when forming victim services and policies. Offering a roadmap forward, LGBTQ Intimate Partner Violence: Lessons for Policy, Practice, and Research is the first book to synthesize nearly all existing research from the past forty years on this pressing issue. At once highly organized and engaging, it provides evidence-based tips for academic and nonacademic audiences alike.


2021 ◽  
pp. 155708512098763
Author(s):  
Emily M. Wright ◽  
Gillian M. Pinchevsky ◽  
Min Xie

We consider the broad developments that have occurred over the past decade regarding our knowledge of how neighborhood context impacts intimate partner violence (IPV). Research has broadened the concept of “context” beyond structural features such as economic disadvantage, and extended into relationships among residents, collective “action” behaviors among residents, cultural and gender norms. Additionally, scholars have considered how the built environment might foster (or regulate) IPV. We now know more about the direct, indirect, and moderating ways that communities impact IPV. We encourage additional focus on the policy implications of the research findings.


2021 ◽  
pp. 107780122110139
Author(s):  
Karen B. Vanterpool ◽  
William L. Yarber ◽  
Molly Rosenberg ◽  
Rasul A. Mowatt ◽  
Justin R. Garcia

This study explores how perceptions of the availability of male dating partners (sex ratio) affect heterosexual Black women’s tolerance and experiences with intimate partner violence (IPV). Evolutionary behavioral models suggest that when the sex ratio is high (more available men than women), violence against women is more likely to occur, whereas the Guttentag–Secord model suggests that when there is a surplus of men, violence against women is less likely to occur. Testing these theories, results show perception of a high sex ratio was significantly positively associated with experiences of IPV in the past 12 months and more tolerant attitudes toward IPV.


Author(s):  
Sally McManus ◽  
Paul E. Bebbington ◽  
Leonie Tanczer ◽  
Sara Scott ◽  
Louise M. Howard

Abstract Purpose Threatening or obscene messaging is repeated, unwanted texts, emails, letters or cards experienced by the recipient as threatening or obscene, and causing fear, alarm or distress. It is rarely examined as an aspect of intimate partner violence. We describe the prevalence of exposure to threatening/obscene messaging from a current or ex-partner; characteristics of victims; and associations with other forms of violence and abuse, mental disorder, self-harm, and suicidality. Methods Cross-sectional probability-sample survey of the general population in England aged 16 + . Multivariable regression modelling tested associations between receipt of threatening/obscene messaging and current common mental disorder, past-year self-harm and suicidality. Results Threatening/obscene messages were received from a current/ex-partner by 6.6% (95%CI: 5.9–7.3) of adults who had been in a relationship; 1.7% received these in the past year. Victims were more likely to be female, under 35, single or divorced, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and to have experienced other forms of sexual and partner violence and abuse. Those who received threatening/obscene messages in the past year were more likely to experience common mental disorder (adjusted odds ratio 1.89; 1.01–3.55), self-harm (2.31; 1.00–5.33), and suicidal thoughts (2.00; 1.06–3.78). Conclusion Threatening/obscene messaging commonly occurs in the context of intimate partner violence. While often occurring alongside sexual and physical violence, messaging has an additional association with mental disorder and suicidality. Routine enquiry in service settings concerning safety, including those working with people who have escaped domestic violence, should ask about ongoing contact from previous as well as current partners. This should include asking about messaging, as well as other forms of potentially technology-enabled abuse which may become increasingly common.


2021 ◽  
pp. 147332502110028
Author(s):  
Emmy Högström Tagesson ◽  
Carina Gallo

This article examines how seven social workers within the Swedish social services describe intimate partner violence between teenagers (IPV-BT). The article adds to the literature by examining IPV-BT outside a U.S. context, where most studies have been conducted. Based on semistructured qualitative interviews, the authors analyze descriptions of IPV-BT in relation to Charles Tilly’s notion of category making through transfer, encounter, negotiation, and imposition. They also analyze how the social workers’ descriptions of IPV-BT relate to the intersection between age and gender. The results show that the social workers mostly described IPV-BT by referring to encounters with teenagers and by transferring knowledge and theoretical definitions from their specialized working areas, primarily intimate partner violence between adults (IPV-BA) and troubled youth. More rarely, the social workers based their definitions of IPV-BT upon negotiating dialogues with teenagers. Also, those who worked in teams specialized on IPV had the mandate to impose their definitions of IPV-BT to other professionals and teenagers. When taking age and gender hierarchies in consideration, the results show IPV-BT risks being subordinate IPV-BA on a theoretical level, a practical level and in terms of treatment quality. The study suggests that social work with IPV-BT needs to be sensitive to the double subordinations of the teenage girl and of the teenagers who do not follow gender expectations.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110131
Author(s):  
Ilana Seff

In light of the many robust quantitative data sets that include information on attitudes and behaviors related to intimate partner violence (IPV), and in an effort to expand the evidence base around social norms and IPV, many researchers construct proxy measures of norms within and across groups embedded in the data. While this strategy has become increasingly popular, there is no standardized approach for assessing and constructing these norm proxies, and no review of these approaches has been undertaken to date. This study presents the results of a systematic review of methods used to construct quantitative proxy measures for social norms related to IPV. PubMed, Embase, Popline, and Scopus, and PsycINFO were searched using Boolean search techniques. Inclusion criteria comprised studies published since 2000 in English that either (i) examined a norm proxy related to gender or IPV or (ii) analyzed the relationship between a norm proxy and perpetration of, experiences of, or attitudes toward IPV. Studies that employed qualitative methods or that elicited direct measures of descriptive or injunctive norms were not included. Twenty-six studies were eligible for review. Evidence from this review highlights inconsistencies in how proxies are constructed, how they are assessed to ensure valid representation of norms, and how researchers acknowledge their respective method’s limitations. Key processes and reflections employed by some of the studies are identified and recommended for future research inquiries.


2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 779-795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith E. Bagwell-Gray

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) have an elevated risk for negative sexual health outcomes, including HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI). Given the unique risk contexts for survivors, there is a need for effective sexual health interventions that take into account the imbalances of power for women who are survivors of IPV. Toward the aim of informing contextually relevant intervention approaches, this article describes women’s strategies toward maintaining their sexual health in the context of violent, controlling relationships. Strategies are examined across women’s healing process. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-person interviews with women who had experienced IPV ( N = 28). Participants had a wide range of negative sexual health outcomes and commonly used an analogy of a journey to describe their healing. Throughout these journeys, women gained more confidence and ownership over their sexuality. Themes centered around enhanced self-acceptance, ownership of personal sexuality, and readiness for desirable sexual partnerships.


Sexual Health ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (5) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anindita Dasgupta ◽  
Niranjan Saggurti ◽  
Mohan Ghule ◽  
Elizabeth Reed ◽  
Balaiah Donta ◽  
...  

Background The existing literature on the intersection between women’s reports of spousal intimate partner violence (IPV) and contraceptive use in South Asia is conflicted. Results vary based on method of contraception use and form of violence (physical or sexual), and few examine the relationship between IPV and various methods of modern spacing contraceptive (MSC) use. This study examines associations between IPV and MSC use among a sample of married, not-currently pregnant couples in rural Maharashtra, India (n = 861). Methods: Multinomial logistic regression models assessed wives’ physical and sexual IPV victimisation (for the past 6-months) in relation to the wives’ past 3-month MSC use (categorised as condom use, other MSCs [oral pills, Intrauterine device (IUD)] and no MSCs). Results: In terms of violence, 9% (n = 78) and 4% (n = 34) of wives reported recent physical and sexual IPV victimisation, respectively. The majority (72%; n = 621) did not use any MSC method in the past 3 months; 14% (n = 119) reported recent condom use, and the same proportion reported other MSC use. Recent physical IPV was associated with increased likelihood of recent condom use (AOR: 2.46, 95% CI: 1.20, 5.04), and recent sexual IPV was associated with increased likelihood of recent use of other MSC (AOR: 3.27, 95% CI: 1.24, 8.56). Conclusions: These findings reinforce the need for integration of counselling around IPV prevention and intervention programming into existing family planning services targeting married couples in rural Maharashtra, India.


Encyclopedia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 1038-1046
Author(s):  
Octav-Sorin Candel ◽  
Mihaela Jitaru

Since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted most people’s activities and relationships. Romantic relationships are a crucial source of fulfillment and emotional safety for many individuals. However, due to the risk of illness and the social distancing norms, human interaction, even inside one’s couple or family, suffered great changes. Some of these changes have the potential of disrupting people’s relational or psychological well-being, but they can also have positive impacts. On the other hand, one of the most negative consequences is the growing number of intimate partner violence (IPV) incidents. Considering all these aspects, therapy would be beneficial for those affected.


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