Childhood victimization and prostitution. A developmental victimology perspective

Parental violence poses a considerable, yet mitigable risk for the mental health and well-being of refugee children living in resource-poor refugee camps. However, little is known about potential risk factors for parental violence in these settings. Using an ecological systems perspective and a multi-informant approach, we investigated ontogenic (parental childhood experiences of violence), microsystem (parents’ and children’s psychopathology) and exosystem (families’ monthly household income) risk factors for child-directed parental violence in a sample of 226 Burundian families living in refugee camps in Tanzania. Data were collected through individual structured clinical interviews with mothers, fathers, and children. In the child-report path model [ χ2 (6) = 7.752, p = .257, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.99, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.036 ( p = .562)], children’s posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, externalizing symptoms and paternal PTSD symptoms were positively associated with violence by both parents. Maternal psychosocial impairment was positively associated with child-reported paternal violence. In the parent-report path model [ χ2 (6) = 7.789, p = .254, CFI = 0.97, RMSEA = 0.036 ( p = .535)], children’s externalizing problems as well as a lower monthly household income were positively related to maternal violence. Each parent’s childhood victimization was positively linked to their use of violence against children. Maternal psychosocial impairment and paternal alcohol abuse were positively associated with paternal violence. Child and paternal psychopathology, maternal psychosocial impairment, parents’ childhood victimization, and families’ socioeconomic status may be important targets for prevention and intervention approaches aiming to reduce parental violence against refugee children living in camps.

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Exploring the experience of intimate partner violence in the LGBT community

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.799 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

M Papadakaki ◽

F Zioti ◽

Z N Karadimitriou ◽

M Papadopoulou

Keyword(s):

Intimate Partner Violence ◽

Sexual Violence ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Physical Violence ◽

Intimate Partner ◽

Childhood Victimization ◽

Psychological Violence ◽

Violence Victimization ◽

Lgbt Community ◽

Forms Of Violence

Abstract Background The study aimed at measuring the prevalence and identifying the risk factors of intimate partner violence in individuals from the LGBT community. Methods A total of 180 individuals participated in the study, both male and female, aged 18-60 years, living in the broader area of Athens, Greece. Snowball sampling was applied to identify eligible individuals and social media were employed to recruit them. The questionnaire explored the violence victimization and perpetration in their relationships, the preferred reaction to various forms of violence and the role of childhood victimization in adulthood experiences of violence. Results 72.8% were homosexual, 26.7% bisexual, 81.7 % were women with a mean age of 25.2 years (6.0 standard deviation). A total of 67.2% were subjected to verbal abuse before the age of 16, 49.4% to physical violence, 6.7% to sexual violence and 46.7% were neglected. The prevalence of violence victimization was higher than the prevalence of violence perpetration (mean 9.81 and 5.92 respectively). Psychological violence was the most common among other forms of violence, both in victimization (psychological 7.34, physical 1.66, sexual 0.81) and perpetration (psychological 4.48, physical 1.26, sexual 0.18). In hypothetical scenarios of psychological violence, the majority of participants preferred separation and discussion about boundaries as strategies to deal with the situation (56.1 and 45.0 respectively), in scenarios of physical violence they primarily preferred separation and secondarily asking a professional advice (73.3 and 20.6, respectively) and in sexual violence they primarily preferred a discussion about boundaries and secondarily separation (69.4% and 31.7% respectively). Experiences of childhood victimization (p=.006), and female gender (p=.002), were found to be associated at a statistically significant level with violent victimization in adulthood. Conclusions Further research is necessary to identify groups at risk of victimization. Key messages Preventive efforts need to take into account individual sociodemographic and attitudinal characteristics that increase the risk of victimization. Experiences of victimization during childhood are highly associated with victimization in adulthood.

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