scholarly journals Profiling Children Sexual Abuse in a Sample of University Students: A Study on Characteristic of Victims, Abusers, and Abuse Episodes

Author(s):  
Angel Castro ◽  
José David Moreno ◽  
Berta Maté ◽  
Javier Ibáñez-Vidal ◽  
Juan Ramón Barrada

Because of its prevalence and its potential negative consequences, child sexual abuse (CSA) is a public health problem in every country in the world. Knowledge of the characteristics of abuse episodes (victim, abuser, relationship between them, type of sexual contact, duration, threat and/or use of force) is essential to specify the contents of intervention programs for the detection and reduction of the negative consequences of CSA. Starting with an initial sample of 1605 university students of both sexes (70.9% women, 29.1% men), aged between 18 and 26 years (M = 21.1, SD = 2.2), 90 participants who had suffered an episode of CSA up to age 16 were selected (84.4% women, 15.6% men; Mage = 21.1, SD = 2.2). It was found that: (1) there was a higher prevalence of CSA among women and that the victims’ average age when they suffered abuse was around 11 years; (2) the abusers were mostly male, close to the victims, and with an average of slightly less than 30 years; and (3) there was a significant proportion (25.6%) of CSA cases with penetration and in which force was used or threatened. These results are relevant, as they show that there is still a noteworthy prevalence of CSA cases on university campuses that needs to be addressed. Knowing the characteristics of these episodes is critical to implementing more effective interventions.

Author(s):  
V. B. Zamkevich ◽  
M. D. Diachuk ◽  
T. S. Gruzieva

Introduction. The development of the public health system provides for the solution of the basic operational functions of public health, including surveillance and assessment of the state of health and well-being of the population, taking into account risks to public health.Given the importance of alcohol as a risk factor for the development of diseases, the study of its prevalence in the population, consumption patterns and health effects is an important public health problem. The aim of the study. To identify current trends in alcohol consumption and the associated risk factor for health damage in Ukraine and countries of the WHO European Region.Materials and methods. Bibliographic, medical, statistical and information-analytical methods were used in the study. The key  scientific base were the European Health for All Database, the Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) and the European Information System on Alcohol and Health (EISAH). Results. Significant differences were found in the prevalence of alcohol consumption by population in different regions of the world per capita per year, up to 16 times, with the highest rates in the WHO ER. Ukraine is characterized by high levels of alcohol consumption (8.6 liters) and negative tendencies for their growth during 1991-2016 by 45.8%. At the same time, in Ukraine the consumption of strong alcoholic drinks predominates, while in the countries of the European Union - wine and beer. The increase in alcohol consumption in Ukraine and the prevalence of strong drinks in the structure of consumed products (51.5%) is an unfavorable prognostic indicator and requires the adoption of preventive measures. The negative consequences of alcohol consumption are the prevalence of alcohol dependence (2.2%), alcohol-related disorders (6%), a significant proportion of deaths (20.5%) due to this risk factor in the overall structure of all deaths, etc. Significant is the contribution of alcohol to the formation of indicators of road traffic injuries, including those with a fatal outcome, crime rates, etc. Conclusions. Surveillance of the prevalence of alcohol use, patterns of consumption and assessment of alcohol-related public health problems is an important basis for determining directions, justification and taking countermeasures.


2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Divya Ravindran ◽  
Janardhana N ◽  
Indiramma V

Child sexual abuse is a major public health problem with significant psychosocial consequences (Afifi & Macmillan, 2011). All child sexual abuse victims do not depict adverse consequences in later life. The variability of impact in a potentially traumatic experience like child sexual abuse is explained by the construct of resilience and it being the outcome of the influence of certain protective factors (Henley, 2010). The present article conceptualizes resilience in the area of child sexual abuse where individual, familial and community level factors are identified as predictors to fostering resilience. Formulation and development of effective interventions to reduce the impairment following child sexual abuse and to foster resilience in children, adolescents and survivors are recommended.


2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-363 ◽  
Author(s):  
Onalenna Phillip ◽  
Kennedy Amone-P’Olak

Globally, childhood sexual abuse is a public health problem that affects millions of people. Few studies have considered its long-term ramifications, especially among young adults in developing countries. This study assessed the influence of childhood sexual abuse on depression and behaviours in young adults. Data were obtained from 362 students enrolled at a university in Botswana (Age: M = 21.40, standard deviation = 2.48) using the Childhood Sexual Abuse Scale, the 21-item Beck’s Depression Inventory–II, Revised Sociosexual Orientation Inventory, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). The t test and chi-square test of independence were used to assess subgroup differences and regression analyses were used to assess the extent to which childhood sexual abuse predicted depression and risky behaviours. About 25% ( n = 90) reported childhood sexual abuse, 18% reported harmful alcohol use ( n = 66, 18.2%), 7.82% ( n = 28) reported severe depression, and 24% ( n = 101) reported failure to use contraceptives. Childhood sexual abuse significantly predicted depression and all the behavioural outcomes in the study. The effect sizes of the associations between childhood sexual abuse on the one hand and mental health and behavioural outcomes on the other were modest. Consequently, the current study is a precursor to further studies on the long-term outcomes of childhood sexual abuse in Botswana. Consequently, a history of childhood sexual abuse should be considered in planning interventions to mitigate depression and behavioural problems on university campuses.


Author(s):  
Carolyn S Dewa ◽  
Jaap Van Weeghel ◽  
Margot CW Joosen ◽  
Evelien PM Brouwers

Background: Stigma can be a barrier for workers experiencing a mental illness to access accommodations at work. However, work accommodations may be necessary to maintain a worker's ability to work. Therefore, it may be important to develop effective interventions to address workplace stigma. Objective: To determine (1) what proportion of workers would probably disclose their mental health issue to their manager, (2) what are the motivating factors for the decision of whether or not to disclose, and (3) what would potentially change the disclosure decision? Methods: A link to a Web-based questionnaire was sent to a nationally representative sample of 1671 Dutch adults over 18 years of age. The response rate was 74%. We focused on the 892 respondents who indicated they were either employed for pay or looking for employment, not in management positions, and never experienced a mental health issue. This group comprised 73% of the total sample. They were asked if they would disclose their mental health issue to their manager. For what reasons would they disclose/not disclose the issue? And, what could change their decision? Results: We found that almost 75% of workers would disclose to their managers. The perceived relationship with their managers and feelings of responsibility to their workplaces were important contributors to the decision. A large minority of workers would not tell, preferring to deal with their issues alone. In addition, a significant proportion of workers would choose not to disclose fearing negative consequences. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the majority of these Dutch workers would disclose a mental health issue to their managers. The relationship with the manager plays a central role. The advice from a trusted individual and the experiences of colleagues are also significant factors in the disclosure decision.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 787-817 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hira Kanwal ◽  
Humaira Jami

The purpose of the study was to explore modes, strategies, and consequences of cyberbullying perpetration and victimization among university students. In-depth interviews of 14 volunteer university students (8 male and 6 female) were conducted who volunteered to participate in the study in which 10 participants were “cybervictims” whereas 4 were “cyberbully-victim”. Interview guide was used for conducting unstructured interviews. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed different experiences in cyberspace with respect to gender and role (cybervictim and cyberbully-victim) in experiencing cyberbullying and cyber-victimization. Three themes emerged that is psychological consequences (emotional, behavioral, and cognitive), social consequences (family and peers), and change in lifestyle (online, offline, and academic). Facebook was found to be the most prevalent mode of cyberbullying. The cyberbully-victim participants derived more happiness while bullying and had revengeful attitude; whereas, cybervictims experienced more depression, increased family surveillance, social isolation, and became aware of negative consequences of social networking sites, became more vigilant and conscious in cyberspace. Moreover, the consequences reported by cyberbully-victim were distrust on security settings, low academic achievement, and their peers learnt from their cyberspace experience. Perception of cyber-victimization was different across gender and its psychological impact was more pronounced for girls than boys. The results and implications were discussed in Pakistani context.


2017 ◽  
pp. 125-130
Author(s):  
Minh Tam Nguyen ◽  
Phuc Thanh Nhan Nguyen ◽  
Thi Thuy Hang Nguyen

The increasing use of smartphone among young people is creating negative effects and is an important public health problem in many countries. Smartphone abuse and addiction may cause physical and psychological disorders among users. However, the awarenes on this issue has been inadequate due to lacking of evidence. Objectives: To describe the current situation of smartphone using among students at highschools and universities in Hue city and to examine the relationship between smartphone using and sleep disturbances and psychological disstress among participants. Methods: A cross-sectional study with a randomly selected sample of 1,150 students at highschools and universities in Hue city. SAS-SV scale was used to evaluate phone addiction status, K10 scale was used for psychological distress assessment and PSQI scale was used to examine the sleep quality. Results: The proportion of students at highschools and universities having smartphones was 78.0%. The rate of smartphone addiction among high school students was 49.1% and that among university students was 43.7%. There was 57.3% of high school students had poor sleep quality, and that of university students was 51.6%. There was a statistically significant association between smartphone addiction and sleep disturbances and psychological disstress among participants (p <0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of smartphone addiction among students at highschools and universities is alarming and is related to sleep disturbances and psychological disstress among participants. There is a strong call to develop intervention to help students to aware and manage the use of smartphone effectively.


Author(s):  
Aura Yolima Rodríguez-Burbano ◽  
Isabel Cepeda ◽  
Ana Magdalena Vargas-Martínez ◽  
Rocío De-Diego-Cordero

(1) Background: Gender-based violence has no geographical, personal, or social boundaries. It constitutes a serious public health problem that affects the entire society. This research aims to identify and compare the level of ambivalent sexism in Spanish and Colombian university students and its relationship with sociodemographic factors. Ambivalent sexism, developed by Glick and Fiske (1996), is considered a new type of sexism since, for the first time, it combines negative and positive feelings that give rise to hostile and benevolent sexism, maintaining the subordination of women through punishment and rewards. (2) Methods: The methodology consisted of the application of the validated Spanish version of the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI) to a sample of 374 students in their final academic year of the Law program, of which 21.7% were students at the University of Santander (Bucaramanga, Colombia), 45.5% at the University Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid, Spain), and the remaining 32.9% at the University of Seville (Seville, Spain). (3) Results: A high level of ambivalent sexism is reported in Colombian students nowadays. In the two countries. there are similarities (e.g., the great weight of religion and the variation in attitudes towards sexism in people who identify themselves as women, compared to male or students consulted that prefer not to answer) and differences (e.g., absence in Colombia of gender-specific legislation, low number of students who have received gender education in Spain). (4) Conclusions: These findings may contribute to the construction of laws that take into account the particular problems of women and the development of educational programs on gender that are offered in a transversal and permanent way and that take into account cultural factors and equity between men and women as an essential element in the training of future judges who have the legal responsibility to protect those who report gender violence.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 117822182110045
Author(s):  
Zelalem Tadese Feyisa

All the associated risk factors were not equally responsible for influencing individuals either in alcohol use, khat use, tobacco, or cannabis use. This study attempted to examine sociocultural factors influencing university students in substance use by comparing one with another. A cross-sectional study was carried out. The study used a quantitative approach to collect data from 384 students. Compared with their involvement in khat use, female students were positively influenced in cigarette and hashish use (Adjusted Odds Ratio, AOR = 1.102, 95% CI: 1.056, 1.149) and alcohol use (AOR = 1.066, 95% CI: 1.021, 1.113). The involvement of students in alcohol use (AOR = 0.884, 95% CI: 0.838, 0.932) and cigarettes and hashish use (AOR = 0.909, 95% CI: 0.866, 0.953) were negatively associated with stress related to their academic activities. The involvement of students in alcohol use (AOR = 0.942, 95% CI: 0.906, 0.979) was negatively associated with parental influences; involved in alcohol use (AOR = 0.445, 95% CI: 0.210, 0.941) was negatively associated with the thoughts of considering substances as an energizer. The involvement of students in alcohol use (AOR = 4.980, 95% CI: 1.614, 15.368) was positively associated with peer influences. It was, thus, suggested that the management of Haramaya University should work on creating awareness of the negative consequences of substance use. Concerned professionals, including sociologists, psychologists, and health workers, should work on raising students’ awareness as it was possible to undertake their studies without substance use. Moreover, the university management is strongly recommended to expand recreational centers within the campus. Lastly, Haramaya woreda administration should restrict the availability and accessibility of these substances around the campus.


Author(s):  
Malik Sallam ◽  
Deema Dababseh ◽  
Huda Eid ◽  
Hanan Hasan ◽  
Duaa Taim ◽  
...  

Vaccination to prevent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as a promising measure to overcome the negative consequences of the pandemic. Since university students could be considered a knowledgeable group, this study aimed to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among this group in Jordan. Additionally, we aimed to examine the association between vaccine conspiracy beliefs and vaccine hesitancy. We used an online survey conducted in January 2021 with a chain-referral sampling approach. Conspiracy beliefs were evaluated using the validated Vaccine Conspiracy Belief Scale (VCBS), with higher scores implying embrace of conspiracies. A total of 1106 respondents completed the survey with female predominance (n = 802, 72.5%). The intention to get COVID-19 vaccines was low: 34.9% (yes) compared to 39.6% (no) and 25.5% (maybe). Higher rates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance were seen among males (42.1%) and students at Health Schools (43.5%). A Low rate of influenza vaccine acceptance was seen as well (28.8%), in addition to 18.6% of respondents being anti-vaccination altogether. A significantly higher VCBS score was correlated with reluctance to get the vaccine (p < 0.001). Dependence on social media platforms was significantly associated with lower intention to get COVID-19 vaccines (19.8%) compared to dependence on medical doctors, scientists, and scientific journals (47.2%, p < 0.001). The results of this study showed the high prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and its association with conspiracy beliefs among university students in Jordan. The implementation of targeted actions to increase the awareness of such a group is highly recommended. This includes educational programs to dismantle vaccine conspiracy beliefs and awareness campaigns to build recognition of the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.


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