Determinants of Domestic Violence in Pakistan: A Qualitative and Econometric Analysis

Domestic violence exists in every country, irrespective of the culture, ethnicity, age, income, and education of the women. World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that approximately 35% of women worldwide had experienced sexual or physical violence. The present study has attempted to analyze the role of different socioeconomic indicators on the prevalence of domestic violence. In this regard, data of Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey (PDHS) 2017–2018 has been used and logit models have been estimated. It has been found that women married below the age of 18; living in rural areas; have more children; whose mothers experienced violence; feared their husbands; with little to or no autonomy in decision-making; had a bank account; married outside of the family; and had not inherited any land or property were significantly more vulnerable victims of domestic violence. It has been found that women’s education, education of her husband, and exposure to media by creating awareness may protect women from domestic violence. Furthermore, working women are more likely to face domestic violence, but women who have started working before marriage are significantly less vulnerable victims of domestic violence. However, the age of women herself, the age of husband, age of household head and wealth of household, living in the nucleus or joint family, receiving any support from Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) have no significant role in determining the domestic violence in Pakistan.

“I've Never Felt Such Absolute Devastating Loss”: A Photo Elicitation Exploration of Men's Postseparation Experiences of Coping After Intimate Partner Violence

Current research and statistics support that there are a significant number of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet less is known about how men cope with, and indeed move on from, these experiences postseparation. The aim of the current study is to discuss the findings from a photo elicitation study exploring men’s postseparation experiences of coping after IPV experiences; photo elicitation as a method of interviewing is simply the use of photos within an interview setting (Harper, 2002), they are used as a stimulus to elicit richer accounts of the topic under study (Frith & Harcourt, 2007). We interviewed 16 men who brought photos that represented their experience for discussion. Interviews were analyzed thematically, and several overarching themes were identified: (a) power, (b) postseparation support, (c) systemic injustice and separation, (d) separation, impact, and loss. Men described the ways in which they engaged in mechanisms to help their “recovery” and help them to cope, but these efforts were often hampered by ongoing issues of power with their ex-partners, gender stereotyped treatment, a lack of support from systems they approached for help, and separation from their children. Findings are discussed in relation to current legislation and practice, with recommendations made around the need for tailored support and intervention to support men and their children.

Predictors of Discontinuation From Individual Treatment in Men Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Violence

Practitioners working with male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV) observe high rates of treatment dropout in their clientele, which can undermine their ability to reduce the occurrence of IPV. Studies have also mostly documented predictors of dropout from group-format IPV treatment programs, but not from individual-format treatment modalities. This study aimed to identify the predictors and key moments of dropout in 206 French-Canadian men seeking individual treatment for IPV. Results of Cox regression survival analyses indicate that age, education, employment, court-ordered treatment, adult attachment, and the number of perpetrated acts of psychological violence were significant predictors of dropout. Findings highlight the need to assess and target those predictors early in treatment to help men remain in therapy and prevent further use of IPV.

Traditional Gender Roles and Emotion Dysregulation as Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration Among College Men

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent public health issue in the United States that affects millions of individuals each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019). Throughout their lifetime, 43 million women will experience psychological aggression (CDC, 2019). However, a gap in the literature on traditional gender role beliefs (TGRB) and IPV poses potential expansion on our understanding of individuals who perpetrate violence and adhere to traditional gender roles. The present study investigated whether emotion dysregulation moderated the relationship between TGRB and IPV perpetration among 132 undergraduate men. We hypothesized that TGRB would positively associate with psychological and physical IPV perpetration among men with high, but not low, emotion dysregulation. TGRB positively associated with psychological IPV among men with high and average, but not low, emotion dysregulation. Emotion dysregulation, but not TGRB, positively related to physical IPV perpetration. Results suggest that emotion dysregulation may be an important target for college IPV interventions, particularly for men who endorse TGRB.

Male IPV Perpetrators’ Self-Reports of Accountability: A Content Analysis of Exit Letters Written by Clients Who Completed a Batterer Intervention Program Between 1990 and 2015

Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) continue to be the primary mode of intervention for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). The extent, however, to which BIPs are effective remains unclear. In particular, studies are needed that can provide detailed information on how accountability is promoted during the BIP process, and if clients leave a BIP with a clear sense of what it means to be responsible for their behaviors. The present study seeks to expand our knowledge of accountability as it is understood in the BIP context through an exploration of clients’ written reflections on their experiences with such a program. A random sample of 555 exit letters were collected from a participating BIP in 2015 and analyzed to understand clients’ perceptions on accountability. A three-coder iterative approach to analysis, focusing on content and global coding of broad thematic and subthematic categories was used. Our findings show that many clients admitted to the use of some type of abusive behavior as the precipitating factor for their involvement in the BIP, and that additionally, they generally recognized the need to be responsible for their behaviors and the consequences associated with their abuse. However, we also found that an increased emphasis on accountability in BIPs may be warranted. In particular, more research is needed to explore how BIPs promote accountability among their clients, and how individuals who complete a BIP understand and interpret their role in perpetrating abuse.

Therapists' Experiences of Working With Iranian-Immigrant Intimate Partner Violence Clients in the United States

Mental health practitioners have a responsibility to provide effective interventions to all their clients, accounting for each client’s cultural context and values relevant to their well-being. In this study, eight therapists who have worked with Iranian-immigrant intimate partner violence (IPV) clients were interviewed to answer two questions: (a) What have therapists who work in the United States learned about challenges of working with Iranian IPV clients living in the United StatesŒ and (b) What suggestions do these therapists have for improving services to Iranian IPV clients living in the United StatesŒ In response to this question, six main themes were found: (a) Clients’ lack of knowledge, (b) cultural acceptance that men are not accountable for their behaviors/gender norms in patriarchal culture, (c) women’s sense of disempowerment (victim’s role), (d) clients do not disclose IPV due to a sense of obligation, (e) clients’ fear of consequences of disclosing, and (f) clients’ difficulty trusting therapists and the mental health field. In response to the second question, that is, what suggestions do these therapists have for improving the services to Iranian IPV clients living in the United StatesŒ three main themes emerged: (a) clients need for knowledge and psychoeducation, (b) the services for Iranian-immigrant clients are not culturally appropriate, (c) therapists need to have a broad perspective of clients. Results add to the understanding of IPV grounded in the Iranian immigrant culture and ultimately contribute to a culturally based conceptualization of IPV among Iranian immigrants to sensitize therapists regarding culturally appropriate interventions that reflect the concerns of the Iranian living in the United States.

What Can Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in Iran Learn From the Google Search Engine?

Given the ever-increasing number of people accessing the Internet and the widespread use of search engines, social activists and human rights advocates have a great opportunity to use this resource to better serve victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), create cultural movements, and even create pressure to change the laws. This study utilized qualitative methods to analyze the content of the Google search engine to learn what information regarding IPV in Iran is available in Farsi language. Scholarly articles and the links addressing IPV in other Farsi language countries were excluded. Three themes were found: “knowledge,” “barriers and obstacles,” and “solutions.” The implications and suggestions derived from this study are designed to help activists better use the digital world to raise awareness about IPV in Iran.

“I've Never Felt Such Absolute Devastating Loss”: A Photo Elicitation Exploration of Men's Postseparation Experiences of Coping After Intimate Partner Violence

Current research and statistics support that there are a significant number of male victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), yet less is known about how men cope with, and indeed move on from, these experiences postseparation. The aim of the current study is to discuss the findings from a photo elicitation study exploring men's postseparation experiences of coping after IPV experiences; photo elicitation as a method of interviewing is simply the use of photos within an interview setting (Harper, 2002), they are used as a stimulus to elicit richer accounts of the topic under study (Frith & Harcourt, 2007). We interviewed 16 men who brought photos that represented their experience for discussion. Interviews were analyzed thematically, and several overarching themes were identified: (a) power, (b) postseparation support, (c) systemic injustice and separation, (d) separation, impact, and loss. Men described the ways in which they engaged in mechanisms to help their “recovery” and help them to cope, but these efforts were often hampered by ongoing issues of power with their ex-partners, gender stereotyped treatment, a lack of support from systems they approached for help, and separation from their children. Findings are discussed in relation to current legislation and practice, with recommendations made around the need for tailored support and intervention to support men and their children.

Perception of Risk in Intimate Partner Violence Is Influenced by Risk Scales, Perpetrator and Victim Gender, and Mental Illness Diagnosis: A Risk Communication Study With Laypeople

Despite considerable research on the predictive accuracy of risk scales, there is limited research exploring other factors that influence perceptions of risk. We recruited participants (N = 1,955) from Amazon's Mechanical Turk to read a vignette about a fictional intimate partner violence offender, varying risk level on a fictional scale (low or high), perpetrator gender (cis male, cis female, or transgender female), victim gender (cis male or cis female), and mental health diagnosis (none, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or anxiety disorder). The strongest effect was for the risk scale, with offenders perceived as highest risk when the scale reported “high risk” as opposed to “low risk.” The other main effects were also statistically significant. Cases were perceived as riskier when the perpetrator was cis male or the victim was cis female. Regarding mental health diagnosis, the highest risk ratings were provided in the schizophrenia condition. There was also a significant interaction among risk level, perpetrator gender, and diagnosis. The extent to which participants relied on gendered stereotypes about the relationship between mental illness and violence when providing risk judgments should be examined in future research. Overall, these findings enhance our understanding of characteristics that are secondary to risk level but are likely to influence case management decisions in cases of intimate partner violence.

Examining Resource-Driven Resilience and Intimate Partner Violence in Women

Resilience is gaining attention in trauma research, but how it is conceptualized across studies often differs. Further, limited empirical research has been conducted on group-level resilience factors in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV). The current study assessed resilience using two models (i.e., social-ecological and “bounce back”) by investigating how resilience resource variables across the social ecology cluster together and relate to an individual's ability to bounce back after experiencing IPV. Latent profile analysis was used to generate profiles of individual (spirituality), social (social support, community cohesion), cultural (ethnic identity), and physical (use of public assistance) resources consistent with the social-ecological model of resilience. Differences among the latent profiles on overall resilience scores were investigated. Participants were 160 women (Mage = 34.7, 69% Black-identified, 75% with yearly household income less than $20,000) who experienced IPV in the past 6 months. Four resource profiles emerged: (a) generally high (GH); (b) low individual and cultural (LIC); (c) high physical (HP); and (d) low social (LS). The GH profile reported significantly higher resilience than the LIC profile. Findings suggest nuanced variations in resources among women experiencing adversity. These varied resource profiles relate to unique differences in resilience among women exposed to IPV. Based on these findings, interventions to address IPV may be most impactful if they promote stronger ethnic identity and increased spirituality. Future research should build on this work by utilizing more systems-level conceptualizations of resilience and including factors that capture not only physical resources, but also individual, social, and cultural resources.