The Effects of Ritual Healing on Female Victims of Abuse: A Study of Empowerment and Transformation

The present study sought to make a descriptive account of how forms language use is violence against young women. It specifically sought to identify various forms of linguistics violence against women and assess the diversity of such linguistics violence on the women’s self image. The study involved 107 students of different levels of secondary education out of whom 71 were females and 35 males. Data were gathered through questionnaire and observation. The findings revealed that linguistics violence is plural as it involved different forms and strategies which were captured under six themes: pejorizing, sexualizing, animalizing, feminizing, masculining and stupidizing. I was also noted that of the six forms of linguistics violence, pejorizing was the most prevalent and most diverse. However, it was sexualizing which was the most pervasive and the most offensive since the women’s sexual and excretory organs and processes are used as disgusting and sickening sight. Further, the continuous use of female-related body parts and psycho-sexual behaviors and processes has resulted in women being adversely affected so much that they are not only the source of linguistic repository from which insults are mined and served to male and female victims, but also the perpetrators of the same.

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Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence during Lockdown and the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of Family Violence ◽

10.1007/s10896-021-00260-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Minna Lyons ◽

Gayle Brewer

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Global Health ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Substantial Impact ◽

Female Victims ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽

Service Disruption

AbstractPrevious studies have demonstrated that there is an increase in Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) during times of crisis (e.g., financial, environmental, or socio-political situations). The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered an unprecedented global health and financial tragedy, but research is yet to establish exactly how the situation may impact on IPV. The present study investigates victims’ experience of IPV during lockdown and the COVID-19 pandemic. We report a qualitative thematic analysis of 50 discussion forum posts written by victims of IPV. Of these, 48 forum posts were written by female victims of male perpetrated violence. All forum posts were obtained from the popular online platform, Reddit. We identified four themes associated with IPV victims’ experiences during lockdown and the global pandemic: (i) Use of COVID-19 by the Abuser, (ii) Service Disruption, (iii) Preparation to Leave, and (iv) Factors Increasing Abuse or Distress. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a substantial impact on those living with IPV, often increasing the severity of IPV experienced. The experiences of those affected by IPV during this period inform interventions and the guidance and support provided to IPV victims during times of crisis.

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Impact of poor evidence management on DNA profiling in sexual assault and homicide: A case report

Medico-Legal Journal ◽

10.1177/0025817220966487 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 002581722096648

Author(s):

Naresh Kumar ◽

Pooja Puri ◽

SK Shukla ◽

Deepa Verma

Keyword(s):

Case Report ◽

Sexual Assault ◽

Dna Profiling ◽

Sexual Assaults ◽

Criminal Cases ◽

Her Family ◽

Female Victims ◽

Vaginal Swabs ◽

Biological Evidence

Increasing numbers of female victims of violent sexual assaults are being murdered with the aim of concealing the identity of the perpetrator. Proper handling and analysis of evidence is very important in gaining a conviction in many criminal cases. After evidence is collected, due precautions must be taken to ensure that the integrity of the sample is maintained, and chances of contamination are minimised. This paper presents a case study where improper handling of biological evidence led to loss of evidentiary value, and the semen could not be located on the vaginal swabs and victim’s garments due to improper preservation of samples. However, the DNA from the nail of a decomposed finger helped identify the victim, and the suspect was apprehended based on the clues given by her family.

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Bringing the problem home: The anti-slavery and anti-trafficking rhetoric of UK non-government organisations

Politics ◽

10.1177/0263395720962402 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 026339572096240

Author(s):

Nick Turnbull ◽

Rose Broad

Keyword(s):

Human Trafficking ◽

Policy Framing ◽

Female Victims ◽

Policy Problem ◽

The Past ◽

Problem Framing ◽

Labour Exploitation ◽

Modern Slavery ◽

Problem Frame ◽

Historical Rhetoric

Rhetoric is a way to explain policy problem framing by recognising the practical necessity to persuade audiences in contextual situations. Modern slavery and human trafficking is a complex and emotive problem, simplified through rhetorical demands to motivate an audience of supporters. This article analyses rhetoric by 212 UK anti-trafficking and anti-slavery non-government organisations (NGOs) to uncover rhetorical practices and their effects on policy framing, supplemented by archival research to compare past and present anti-slavery oratory. Our data show NGOs use rhetoric to motivate supporters and promote a humanitarian problem frame, in opposition to a state-driven security frame. Findings confirm other research in identifying an emphasis on female victims and on sexual over labour exploitation. Past and present rhetoric are equivalent in terms of liberal, Christian values (ethos) and appeals to pathos through sympathy for victims. Historical rhetoric is distinctive in arguing for the equal human status of slaves, whereas contemporary activists argue victims are denied agency. Contemporary rhetoric represses the question of migration, whereas past rhetoric is more deliberative. Rhetoric varies with the requirements of persuasion related to contextual distance, between unlike humans in the past, but in regard to geographical distance today.

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Femicide Fatal Risk Factors: A Last Decade Comparison between Italian Victims of Femicide by Age Groups

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17217953 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (21) ◽

pp. 7953

Author(s):

Anna Sorrentino ◽

Chiara Guida ◽

Vincenza Cinquegrana ◽

Anna Costanza Baldry

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Older Women ◽

Violence Against Women ◽

Age Differences ◽

Policy Implication ◽

Age Groups ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

International Studies ◽

Wide Spread ◽

Female Victims

Femicide is a wide-spread lethal form of violence against women. Despite its diffusion, to date, very few studies analyzed possible victims’ age differences in regard to fatal risk factors for femicide. To this aim, we carried out archive research on Italian femicide cases in the last decade, by comparing prior types of violence suffered and motives for femicide, which are considered crucial fatal risk factors for femicide, across adolescent/young (15–24 years), adults (25–64 years) and older women (65–93 years). From 2010 to 2019 we found 1207 female victims. Characteristics of victims, perpetrators, and their relationship were consistent with those found by international studies and underlined that the majority of femicides were perpetrated by an intimate partner. The results regarding fatal risk factors comparisons across age groups showed the existence of significant differences regarding both types of violence suffered prior to femicide and motives for femicide. The results are discussed in terms of policy implication and intervention.

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Challenges of Using Videos in Exam Rooms of Safety-Net Clinics to Encourage Patient Self-Disclosure of Intimate Partner Violence and to Increase Provider Screening

Violence Against Women ◽

10.1177/10778012211000136 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107780122110001

Author(s):

Paula Tavrow ◽

Brittnie Bloom ◽

Mellissa Withers

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Safety Net ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

High Turnover ◽

Management Tools ◽

Self Disclosure ◽

Female Victims ◽

Safety Net Clinics ◽

Main Components

Identifying intimate partner violence (IPV) in clinics allows for early intervention. We tested a comprehensive approach in five safety-net clinics to encourage female victims to self-identify and providers to screen. The main components were (a) short, multilingual videos for female patients; (b) provider training; and (c) management tools. Although videos were viewed 2,150 times, only 9% of eligible patients watched them. IPV disclosure increased slightly (6%). Lack of internal champions, high turnover, increased patient load, and technological challenges hindered outcomes. Safety-net clinics need feasible methods to encourage IPV screening. Management champions and IT support are essential for video-based activities.

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