“Our Fans Deserve Better”

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 436-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deb Waterhouse-Watson

When rugby league star Blake Ferguson was arrested and charged with indecent assault in June 2013, for squeezing the vagina of a woman at a Cronulla night spot, the story made headlines around the country. It was the first sexual crime involving a National Rugby League (NRL) player to be reported since Brett Stewart was acquitted of sexual assault in 2010, and reporting of previous cases focused largely on footballers’ attitudes towards women, women’s behaviour towards footballers, and use of alcohol. Using mixed methods discourse analysis, this article shows that the first 2 weeks of print media reporting created a frame for the case that had nothing to do with sexual crime, attitudes towards women, or gender relations. Although Ferguson had a history of inappropriate behaviour towards women, and alcohol abuse, the alcohol frame was almost unanimously chosen, marginalising the sexual crime and Ferguson’s actual victim. In contrast to reporting of previous cases, the focus was overwhelmingly on the impact on Ferguson’s career, his well-being and the game (including teammates, fans, and the NRL). The primacy of sport, and use of language to represent the case, impedes serious consideration of problematic attitudes towards women and the seriousness of sexual crime.

Author(s):  
Jeff Levin ◽  
Stephen G. Post

In Religion and Medicine, Dr. Jeff Levin, distinguished Baylor University epidemiologist, outlines the longstanding history of multifaceted interconnections between the institutions of religion and medicine. He traces the history of the encounter between these two institutions from antiquity through to the present day, highlighting a myriad of contemporary alliances between the faith-based and medical sectors. Religion and Medicine tells the story of: religious healers and religiously branded hospitals and healthcare institutions; pastoral professionals involved in medical missions, healthcare chaplaincy, and psychological counseling; congregational health promotion and disease prevention programs and global health initiatives; research studies on the impact of religious and spiritual beliefs and practices on physical and mental health, well-being, and healing; programs and centers for medical research and education within major universities and academic institutions; religiously informed bioethics and clinical decision-making; and faith-based health policy initiatives and advocacy for healthcare reform. Religion and Medicine is the first book to cover the full breadth of this subject. It documents religion-medicine alliances across religious traditions, throughout the world, and over the course of history. It summarizes a wide range of material of relevance to historians, medical professionals, pastors and theologians, bioethicists, scientists, public health educators, and policymakers. The product of decades of rigorous and focused research, Dr. Levin has produced the most comprehensive history of these developments and the finest introduction to this emerging field of scholarship.


2021 ◽  
pp. 152483802110302
Author(s):  
Caroline Bailey ◽  
Jessica Shaw ◽  
Abril Harris

Adolescents experience alarmingly high rates of sexual violence, higher than any other age-group. This is concerning as sexual violence can have detrimental effects on teens’ personal and relational well-being, causing long-term consequences for the survivor. Still, adolescents are hesitant to report the assault or seek out services and resources. When an adolescent survivor does seek out services, they may interact with a provider who is a mandatory reporter. This scoping review sought to synthesize the current U.S.-based research on the role, challenges, and impact of mandatory reporting (MR) in the context of adolescent sexual assault. Database searches using key words related to MR, sexual assault, and adolescence identified 29 peer-reviewed articles. However, none of these articles reported on empirical investigations of the phenomenon of interest and instead consisted of case studies, commentaries, and position papers. The scoping review was expanded to provide a lay of the land of what we know about the intersection of adolescent sexual assault and MR. Results of the review indicate that though implemented broadly, MR policies vary between individuals, organizations, and states and have historically been challenging to implement due to this variation, conflicts with other laws, tension between these policies and providers’ values, and other factors. Based on the available literature, the impact of MR in the context of adolescent sexual assault is unknown. There is a critical need for research and evaluation on the implementation and impact of MR policies, especially in the context of adolescents and sexual violence.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 2349
Author(s):  
Heather Clements ◽  
Stephanie Valentin ◽  
Nicholas Jenkins ◽  
Jean Rankin ◽  
Nancy R. Gee ◽  
...  

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, countries worldwide placed limitations on social interaction, which is anticipated to have severe psychological consequences. Although findings are inconsistent, prior research has suggested that companion animals may positively influence human well-being and reduce loneliness. In the context of COVID-19, this has important implications, as companion animal guardians may be less negatively affected by the pandemic. The primary aim of this research was to investigate the influence of companion animals on mental well-being and loneliness during the pandemic, with specific interest in the role of ornamental fishes. A mixed-methods study was conducted, using an international sample. Quantitative data were collected via an online survey (n = 1199) and analysed using robust hierarchical multiple regression analyses; the influence of level of engagement with companion animals was examined for dogs, cats and ornamental fishes. There was no evidence that companion animal guardianship was associated with loneliness and mental well-being during the pandemic but spending more time engaging physically or socially with dogs (and to a lesser extent cats) was generally associated with poorer outcomes. Qualitative data were collected through open-ended survey responses (n = 757) and semi-structured interviews (n = 25) and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Two themes were developed—one related to companion animals as providers of social and emotional support, and the other to companion animals as providers of purpose and perspective. Concerns regarding the impact of the pandemic on animal welfare were also identified. Compared to other animal types, more participants expressed indifference regarding the impact of their fishes on their well-being during the pandemic, possibly because fishes cannot provide comfort via physical touch. The findings of this study reflect the wider field of human–animal interaction; although qualitative data suggest guardians believe their companion animals are a positive influence in their lives, there is little convincing quantitative data to support these beliefs. This highlights the need to refine theories regarding which aspects of companion animal guardianship may influence human well-being; the findings from this research may be useful in the refinement of such theories.


Author(s):  
Julia Evangelista ◽  
William A. Fulford

AbstractThis chapter shows how carnival has been used to counter the impact of Brazil’s colonial history on its asylums and perceptions of madness. Colonisation of Brazil by Portugal in the nineteenth century led to a process of Europeanisation that was associated with dismissal of non-European customs and values as “mad” and sequestration of the poor from the streets into asylums. Bringing together the work of the two authors, the chapter describes through a case study how a carnival project, Loucura Suburbana (Suburban Madness), in which patients in both long- and short-term asylum care play leading roles, has enabled them to “reclaim the streets,” and re-establish their right to the city as valid producers of culture on their own terms. In the process, entrenched stigmas associated with having a history of mental illness in a local community are challenged, and sense of identity and self-confidence can be rebuilt, thus contributing to long-term improvements in mental well-being. Further illustrative materials are available including photographs and video clips.


2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052097819
Author(s):  
Jodie Murphy-Oikonen ◽  
Karen McQueen ◽  
Ainsley Miller ◽  
Lori Chambers ◽  
Alexa Hiebert

One in four women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime. Although less than 5% of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement, one in five cases reported to police are deemed baseless (by police) and therefore coded as “unfounded.” Police officers are in a unique position to act as gatekeepers for justice in sexual assault cases, given their responsibility to investigate sexual assault reports. However, high rates of unfounded sexual assaults reveal that dismissing sexual violence has become common practice amongst the police. Much of the research on unfounded sexual assault is based on police perceptions of the sexual assault, as indicated in police reports. Women’s perspectives about their experiences with police are not represented in research. This qualitative study explored women’s experiences when their sexual assault report was disbelieved by the police. Data collection included open-ended and semi-structured interviews with 23 sexual assault survivors. Interviews covered four areas including the sexual assault, the experience with the police, the experience of not being believed, and the impact on their health and well-being. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and entered into NVIVO for analysis. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s analytic method, resulting in the identification of four themes, including, (a) vulnerability, (b) drug and alcohol use during the assault, (c) police insensitivity, and (d) police process. The women in this study who experienced a sexual assault and reported the assault to police were hopeful that police would help them and justice would be served. Instead, these women were faced with insensitivity, blaming questions, lack of investigation, and lack of follow-up from the police, all of which contributed to not being believed by the institutions designed to protect them. The findings from this research demonstrate that police officers must gain a deeper understanding of trauma and sensitive communication with survivors of sexual assault.


This chapter looks at the purpose and history of the development of good clinical practice (GCP). The international conference on harmonisation (ICH) GCP is the international quality standard for conducting clinical research to ensure the rights and well-being of patients are protected and the resulting data are valid. The cornerstone of ethics in research stems from the Declaration of Helsinki and the chapter looks at the changes in the Declaration and the impact on clinical trials. The development of the ICH process is described and the E, S, Q and M guidelines are discussed, The efficacy guidelines affect the practical aspects of trials and the efficacy guideline number 6 (E6) is on GCP. The content of the E6 guidelines is reviewed including the responsibilities of ethics committees, investigator and sponsor. Documentation requirements including the Protocol and Investigator Brochure as well as all the other documents are outlined. The guidelines are written to be interpreted and companies and institutions have to document their interpretation using standard operating procedures (SOPs). Although ICH GCP is regarded as the world-wide standard it sits alongside countries' legislation. In Europe CTIMPs have to follow the EU Directives and Regulation. Non pharmaceutical/non interventional healthcare research has no legal requirements to adhere to ICH GCP and is carried out under different research governance frameworks (RGF), however they all have their principles based on ICH GCP. The chapter also discusses the definition of an IMP and the decisions and processes that have to be followed when conducting non CTIMP studies.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e028336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Jackson ◽  
Delphine S Courvoisier ◽  
Aline Duvoisin ◽  
Giovanni Ferro-Luzzi ◽  
Patrick Bodenmann ◽  
...  

IntroductionMigrants without residency permit, known as undocumented, tend to live in precarious conditions and be exposed to an accumulation of adverse determinants of health. Only scarce evidence exists on the social, economic and living conditions-related factors influencing their health status and well-being. No study has assessed the impact of legal status regularisation. The Parchemins study is the first prospective, mixed-methods study aiming at measuring the impact on health and well-being of a regularisation policy on undocumented migrants in Europe.Methods and analysisThe Parchemins study will compare self-rated health and satisfaction with life in a group of adult undocumented migrants who qualify for applying for a residency permit (intervention group) with a group of undocumented migrants who lack one or more eligibility criteria for regularisation (control group) in Geneva Canton, Switzerland. Asylum seekers are not included in this study. The total sample will include 400 participants. Data collection will consist of standardised questionnaires complemented by semidirected interviews in a subsample (n=38) of migrants qualifying for regularisation. The baseline data will be collected just before or during the regularisation, and participants will subsequently be followed up yearly for 3 years. The quantitative part will explore variables about health (ie, health status, occupational health, health-seeking behaviours, access to care, healthcare utilisation), well-being (measured by satisfaction with different dimensions of life), living conditions (ie, employment, accommodation, social support) and economic situation (income, expenditures). Several confounders including sociodemographic characteristics and migration history will be collected. The qualitative part will explore longitudinally the experience of change in legal status at individual and family levels.Ethics and disseminationThis study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Geneva, Switzerland. All participants provided informed consent. Results will be shared with undocumented migrants and disseminated in scientific journals and conferences. Fully anonymised data will be available to researchers.


2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Selman

Peter Selman examines the recent history of intercountry adoption in Europe in the context of the enlarged EU, which contains both receiving and sending countries. The article provides a detailed analysis of the movement of children for adoption between European countries and examines the impact of intercountry adoption on the well-being of children in Europe and current debates in the European Parliament on the future of intercountry adoption in Europe.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen McQueen ◽  
Jodie Murphy-Oikonen ◽  
Ainsley Miller ◽  
Lori Chambers

Abstract Background. Sexual assault is a prevalent crime against women with known negative effects on health. Recent media attention has identified that many sexual assault reports are not believed by police, and therefore coded as “unfounded”. This is consistent with public discourse of inaccurate rape myths that indicate that some women lie about sexual assault. Whereas he actual rate of false reporting is low. Negative reporting experiences of sexual assault have been associated with re-victimization and trauma among survivors. However, little is known about the impact that being sexually assaulted and not believed by police has on a survivor’s health and well-being. Thus, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore women’s experiences of not being believed by police after sexual assault and their perceived impact on health. Results. Thematic analysis revealed three salient themes: 1) Broken Expectations, 2) Loss of Self, and 3) Cumulative Effect. Within the theme of Broken Expectations, two subthemes emerged including Loss of Trust and Re-victimization.Conclusion. The findings highlighted that not being believed by police resulted in additional mental and social burdens beyond that of the sexual assault. Many survivors felt re-victimized at a time when they needed support, leading to maladaptive coping mechanisms. Having a better understanding of the negative health impacts is important for police, health, and social service providers who may be able to positively influence reporting experience and overall health effects.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Priyanka Ahimaz ◽  
Maya Sabatello ◽  
Min Qian ◽  
Aijin Wang ◽  
Erin M. Miller ◽  
...  

Background: Genetic testing is indicated for children with a personal or family history of hereditary cardiomyopathy to determine appropriate management and inform risk stratification for family members. The implications of a positive genetic result for children can potentially impact emotional well-being. Given the nuances of cardiomyopathy genetic testing for minors, this study aimed to understand how parents involve their children in the testing process and investigate the impact of genetic results on family dynamics. Methods: A survey was distributed to participants recruited from the Children’s Cardiomyopathy Foundation and 7 North American sites in the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry. The survey explored adolescent and parent participants’ emotions upon receiving their/their child’s genetic results, parent-child result communication and its impact on family functionality, using the McMaster Family Assessment Device. Results: One hundred sixty-two parents of minors and 48 adolescents who were offered genetic testing for a personal or family history of cardiomyopathy completed the survey. Parents whose child had cardiomyopathy were more likely to disclose positive diagnostic genetic results to their child ( P =0.014). Parents with unaffected children and positive predictive testing results were more likely to experience negative emotions about the result ( P ≤0.001) but also had better family functioning scores than those with negative predictive results ( P =0.019). Most adolescents preferred results communicated directly to the child, but parents were divided about whether their child’s result should first be released to them or their child. Conclusions: These findings have important considerations for how providers structure genetic services for adolescents and facilitate discussion between parents and their children about results.


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