Recognizing a Public Health Crisis

There is an epidemic of violence in America, but boys are trained to sit on the sidelines. This chapter introduces the reader to key definitions, such as sexual violence, as well as key concepts, such as consent and rape culture. It provides the scope of the identified violence and situates sexual violence as a public health concern. The chapter further explains why boys and men should care about this violence even though they are trained to ignore it. Boys, after all, know survivors and are survivors themselves in many cases. Boys are also positioned to reach other boys who possess problematic attitudes and behaviors. All violent men were once boys learning the ways of the world. Taken altogether, this chapter inspires readers to hold overdue conversations with boys about how they can help.

Dangerous and (In)Vulnerable

The chapter investigates how The Weeknd’s aestheticization of sex, drug use, and violence contributes to positioning him as a credible outsider within the pop mainstream. Presenting analyses of three of his music videos—Pretty (2013), Heartless (2019), and Blinding Lights (2020)—the chapter revolves around two questions that emerge from this part of his oeuvre. First, in what ways do graphic displays of violence shape a representation of masculinity that panders to a broad cultural fascination with violent men? Then, how does The Weeknd’s embrace of vulnerability simultaneously place his masculinity at risk and affirm it? In an attempt to provide answers to such questions, the chapter addresses issues pertaining to the cultural disarmament of women; how notions of place frame performances of gender; the anti-hero trope of masculinity; the gendered, sexual, and racialized connotations of dance; and the blurred boundaries between pop artists’ public personae and private lives.

Self-reported psychopathology profiles of high risk violent men with and without a history of physical intimate partner violence

<p>Although intimate partner violent men have been found to be different from non-violent men on a number of variables, little research has compared partner violent men to men who engage in violence outside of relationships. The present research explored the similarities and differences between men with and without a history of physical partner violence within a sample of high risk violent men who attended New Zealands' High Risk Special Treatment Units. Pre-treatment psychopathology, measured on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III;Millon, Davis, & Millon, 1997) was compared between these two groups and few differences were found. Comparisons on criminal history, criminal risk and change in dynamic risk also revealed no significant differences between these two groups. This research also explored whether similar or different psychopathology subtypes exist among men with and without a history of intimate partner violence. A latent profile analysis was conducted to examine psychopathology subtypes, and the proportions of men with and without a history of partner violence within each subtype were compared. The results showed that there were similar proportions of men from both groups within each of the subtypes, suggesting that men with and without a history of intimate partner violence share similar psychopathology profiles. The likelihood of reconviction or reimprisonment within 1 year of release from prison was also comapred between men with and without a history of intimate partner violence. The two groups were found to be reconvicted at a similar rate for any offence, violent offences, and were at a similar likelihood of being re-imprisoned. To conclude, the results suggest some similarity between men with and without a history of intimate partner violence, but future research should explore a wider range of factors that may distinguish between these two groups and inform whether men who engage in partner violence are unique from men who engage in other forms of violence.</p>

Self-reported psychopathology profiles of high risk violent men with and without a history of physical intimate partner violence

<p>Although intimate partner violent men have been found to be different from non-violent men on a number of variables, little research has compared partner violent men to men who engage in violence outside of relationships. The present research explored the similarities and differences between men with and without a history of physical partner violence within a sample of high risk violent men who attended New Zealands' High Risk Special Treatment Units. Pre-treatment psychopathology, measured on the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III (MCMI-III;Millon, Davis, & Millon, 1997) was compared between these two groups and few differences were found. Comparisons on criminal history, criminal risk and change in dynamic risk also revealed no significant differences between these two groups. This research also explored whether similar or different psychopathology subtypes exist among men with and without a history of intimate partner violence. A latent profile analysis was conducted to examine psychopathology subtypes, and the proportions of men with and without a history of partner violence within each subtype were compared. The results showed that there were similar proportions of men from both groups within each of the subtypes, suggesting that men with and without a history of intimate partner violence share similar psychopathology profiles. The likelihood of reconviction or reimprisonment within 1 year of release from prison was also comapred between men with and without a history of intimate partner violence. The two groups were found to be reconvicted at a similar rate for any offence, violent offences, and were at a similar likelihood of being re-imprisoned. To conclude, the results suggest some similarity between men with and without a history of intimate partner violence, but future research should explore a wider range of factors that may distinguish between these two groups and inform whether men who engage in partner violence are unique from men who engage in other forms of violence.</p>

Therapeutic Dynamics of Aggression, Readiness to Change, and Recidivism in a Partner Violent Men Typology

The Transtheoretical Model (TTM) of behavior change predicts that patients go through different stages of change prior to changing their problematic behavior. This study aims to evaluate the utility and validity of this model in a sample of 549 court-ordered partner violent men. Three types of perpetrators with respect to their readiness to change were revealed. Those in more advantage stage of change use more processes to change their problem and present with higher levels of intimate partner violence (IPV). Low readiness to change levels and treatment drop-out predict short-term criminal justice recidivism, while treatment drop-out predicts medium and long-term recidivism. Results highlight the applicability of the TTM in IPV and its usefulness in designing behavioral interventions with this population.

Facilitators of probation-based domestic violence perpetrator programmes: ‘Who’s in the room?’

The role that probation practitioners play in the desistance process has begun to receive much needed attention. Yet, the experiences of facilitators of probation-based, domestic violence perpetrator programmes have long been neglected. This article explores the experiences and wellbeing of eight facilitators from one cohort of the Building Better Relationships (BBR) programme in England. Drawing upon five-months’ observations and in-depth interviews, I demonstrate how working with domestically violent men with insufficient knowledge, experience, or support, exacerbated within the context of Transforming Rehabilitation reforms, impacted significantly on facilitator well-being, professional identities, and practice. Practice implications are discussed.

Hormonal Differences in Intimate Partner Violence Perpetrators When They Cope with Acute Stress: A Pilot Study

Background: Only a few studies have paid attention to the ability of perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPVAW) against women to cope with acute stress, including hormonal parameters. In fact, previous studies assessed how salivary testosterone (Tsal) and cortisol (Csal) changed after coping with an acute emotional stressor (directly related to IPVAW), and they concluded that an imbalance between the two hormones might be characteristic of these men. Nevertheless, they neglected to examine the role of other hormones, such as salivary oxytocin (OXsal), which also seemed to play an important role in behavioral regulation, and whether this response could be generalized to other types of stress not directly related to IPVAW. Methods: This study aims to assess whether IPVAW perpetrators (n = 19) present differential hormonal (Tsal, Csal, OXsal and their ratios) and psychological state (anxiety, anger, and general affect) responses when coping with an acute cognitive laboratory stressor (a set of neuropsychological tests performed in front of an expert committee) in comparison with non-violent men (n = 16). This quasi-experimental study also assessed whether the psychological state variables drive this different hormonal response. Results: Our results revealed that IPVAW perpetrators had lower Csal and higher Tsal/Csal ratio levels during the post-task period, as well as higher total levels (average) of OXsal than controls. We also found that, only in IPVAW perpetrators, high levels of baseline anxiety and negative affect were related to high rises in Csal during the stress task. Conclusions: These data present a background showing that IPVAW perpetrators and non-violent men cope differently with stress. These findings might help to identify idiosyncratic profiles of IPVAW perpetrators that can then be employed to establish their therapeutic needs. Moreover, we reinforced the importance of combining biological markers with self-reports, thus increasing the reliability of these forensic assessments.

“We Are the White Aryan Warriors”: Violence, Homosociality, and the Construction of Masculinity in the National Socialist Movement in Sweden

Violence is a significant element in the constitution, emotional structure, and reproduction of right-wing extremism and neo-Nazism. This article examines the life histories of former neo-Nazis and explores the roles of violence in the Swedish skinhead culture and neo-Nazi organizations. We conducted individual and group interviews with seven former neo-Nazis who held high positions in the movement. Our study focused on violence and violent acts, as well as feelings of redemption and regret. The findings show that violence had always been a part of our subjects’ lives. Violence was a means to solve disagreements and position themselves within the organizational hierarchy. Among our informants, masculinity was displayed and constructed through the performance of being “real men” within the circles of skinheads and neo-Nazis. The portrayal of real men as Aryan warriors attracted violent men to these circles to a greater extent and for longer than in other Nordic countries.