Open Access Research Collection
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This collection of resources includes scholarly journal articles, book chapters, government publications, statistical reports, evaluation studies, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, audio and video expert syntheses, and other authoritative, evidence-based resources pertaining to all aspects of crimes against individuals and support for victims.
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Item The Sexual Victimization of College Women. Research Report(2000) Fisher, Bonnie; Cullen, Francis; Turner, MichaelThe National College Women Sexual Victimization (NCVS) study attempted to build on and surmount the limitations of existing research on the sexual victimization of college students. In addition to the study of sexual victimization, the study investigated how rape estimates that use the two-stage process of behaviorally specific questions and incident reports compared with estimates drawn from survey responses. The study results were based on a telephone survey of a randomly selected national sample of 4,446 college women in 1996. Twelve types of sexual victimization, from completed rape through stalking and verbal forms of sexual victimization, were studied. Survey responses suggest that many students encounter sexist and harassing comments and that many have a good chance of being stalked or enduring some form of coerced sexual contact. During any given academic year, 2.8% of women will experience a completed or attempted rape. Study results also show that a methodology that uses behaviorally specific screen questions in combination with an incident report yields considerably higher estimates of completed, attempted, and threatened rape than are found using the telephone methodology of NCVS. Most sexual victimization occurred when college women were alone with a man they know, at night, and in the privacy of a residence. Several factors appeared to increase the likelihood of being victimized. (Author Abstract)Item School-associated violent deaths in the United States, 1994-1999(American Medical Association, 2001) Anderson, Mark; Kaufman, Joanne; Simon, Thomas R.; Barrios, Lisa; Paulozzi, Len; Ryan, George; Hammond, Rodney; Modzeleski, William; Feucht, Thomas; Potter, LloydThe article examines violent deaths associated with schools through a systematic investigation of all school-associated violent deaths in the U.S. between 1994-1999. Objectives include 1.) collection information on all identified school-associated violent deaths, 2.) provide a national estimate of risk for school-associated violent death, 3.) assess national trends in school-associated violent deaths, 4.) identify common features of the events, and 5.) identify and describe potential risk factors for perpetration and victimization. Report includes Tables and Figures summarizing findings.Item A vulnerable population in a time of crisis - drug users and the attacks on the World Trade Center(Springer, 2002) Weiss, Linda; Fabri, Antonella; McCoy, Kate; Coffin, Phillip; Netherland, Julie; Finkelstein, RuthIn this article, we present preliminary findings from a qualitative study focused on the impact of the World Trade Center attacks on New York City residents who are current or former users of heroin, crack, and other forms of cocaine. In it, we present data describing their responses to and feelings about the attacks, changes in drug use after the attacks, and factors affecting changes in use. Our analysis is based on 57 open-ended interviews conducted between October 2001 and February 2002. The majority of study participants reported that the attacks had a significant emotional impact on them, causing anxiety, sadness, and anger. Several described practical impacts as well, including significant reductions in income. On September 11th and the weeks and months that followed, several participants who had been actively using did increase their use of heroin, crack, and/or other forms of cocaine. Reductions in use were, however, as common over time as were increases. There was some relapse among former users, but this was limited to those who had stopped using drugs within the 6 months immediately preceding the attacks. A diverse set of factors interacted to control use. For some participants, these factors were internal, relating to their individual motivations and drug use experiences. Other participants were essentially forced to limit use by marked reductions in income. For others, access to health and social service professionals, as well as drug treatment, proved to be key. [Author abstract]Item Three-year follow-up of a mass shooting episode(New York Academy of Medicine, 2002) North, Carol S.; McCutcheon, Vivia; Spitznagel, Edward L.; Smith, Elizabeth M.This report describes a 3-year follow-up study of survivors of a mass shooting incident. Acute-phase and 1-year follow-up data from this incident have been previously reported. The Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Disaster Supplement was used to assess 116 survivors at 1–2 months and again 1 and 3 years later, with an 85% reinterview rate. Examining the course of postdisaster posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression in individuals allowed detailed consideration of remissions and delayed detection of disorders not possible from data presenting overall rates across different time frames. Only about one half of the PTSD cases identified at any time over 3 years were in remission at the 3-year follow-up. Those who did not recover from PTSD diverged from those who recovered at 3 years by reporting increased numbers of symptoms over time, especially avoidance and numbing symptoms. Although women and people with preexisting disorders were at greater risk for the development of PTSD, these variables did not predict chronicity. Chronicity of PTSD was predicted by functional impairment and seeking mental health treatment at baseline. Chronicity of major depression was predicted by report of family history of depression and treatment for paternal alcohol problems. No delayed cases of PTSD were identified. Studies are needed to compare these characteristics of the course of PTSD with other populations, using consistent methodology to allow valid comparison. [Author Abstract]Item Acute stress disorder, alcohol use, and perception of safety among hospital staff after the sniper attacks(American Psychiatric Publishing, 2003) Grieger, Thomas; Fullerton, Carol; Ursano, Robert; Reeves, JamesThis study examined emotional and behavioral effects on hospital staff after a series of sniper shootings in the Washington, D.C., area. Employees of a large tertiary care military hospital were anonymously surveyed about their perceptions of safety and threat, changes in activities, and peritraumatic dissociation as possible risk factors for acute stress disorder, depression, and increased alcohol use the week after the sniper suspects were captured. Of 382 study participants, 6% met criteria for acute stress disorder, 3% reported increased alcohol use, and 8% met criteria for depression. The sniper shootings were associated with substantial changes in perceived safety and threat assessment as well as decreased activities outside the home among highly educated hospital employees. Levels of acute stress disorder were similar to levels of posttraumatic stress disorder in New York City after the September 11th terrorist attacks. Peritraumatic dissociation was associated not only with acute stress disorder but also with depression and increased alcohol use after the attacks. (Author Abstract)Item Assessing Risk Factors for Intimate Partner Homicide(National Institute of Justice (NIJ), 2003) Campbell, Jacquelyn; Webster, Daniel; Koziol-McLain, Jane; Campbell, Doris; Curry, Mary Ann; Gary, Faye; McFarlane, Judith; Sachs, Carolyn; Sharps, Phyllis; Ulrich, Yvonne; Wilt, Susan; Block, Carolyn RebeccaA team of researchers studied the Danger Assessment and found that despite certain limitations, the tool can with some reliability identify women who may be at risk of being killed by their intimate partners. The study found that women who score 8 or higher on the Danger Assessment are at very grave risk (the average score for women who were murdered was just under 8). Women who score 4 or higher are at great risk (the average score for abused women was just over 3). The findings indicate that the Danger Assessment tool can assist in assessing battered women who may be at risk of being killed as well as those who are not. The study also found that almost half the murdered women studied did not recognize the high level of their risk. Thus, a tool like the Danger Assessment— or another risk assessment process— may assist women (and the professionals who help them) to better understand the potential for danger and the level of their risk. (Author Text)Item A Longitudinal Perspective on Dating Violence Among Adolescent and College-Age Women(2003) Smith, Paige Hall; White, Jacquelyn; Holland, LindsayObjectives: We investigated physical assault in dating relationships and its co-occurrence with sexual assault from high school through college. Methods: Two classes of university women (n = 1569) completed 5 surveys during their 4 years in college. Results: Women who were physically assaulted as adolescents were at greater risk for revictimization during their freshman year (relative risk = 2.96); each subsequent year, women who have experienced violence remained at greater risk for revictimization than those who have not. Across all years, women who were physically assaulted in any year were significantly more likely to be sexually assaulted that same year. Adolescent victimization was a better predictor of college victimization than was childhood victimization. Conclusions: There is a need for dating violence prevention/intervention programs in high school and college and for research on factors that reduce revictimization. (Author Abstract)Item Phenomenographic Study of Women's Experiences of Domestic Violence During the Childbearing Years(Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 2003) McCosker, Heather; Barnard, Alan; Gerber, RodMuch of the domestic violence and abuse literature contains reports of quantitative research approaches that quantify the experience, identify those at risk, and recommend interventions. Although important, these approaches often fail to describe the experience and understanding from the perspective of and in the language used by women who have experienced abuse. This article reports a phenomenographic study of six women's understanding of their experiences of domestic violence during their childbearing years, the time period associated with pregnancy and the first twelve months after birth. The women described domestic violence as being experienced as a loss of self, being controlled and destruction. This report presents the women's views of domestic violence as a complex and damaging phenomenon that is experienced by them in a number of qualitatively different ways. (Author Abstract)Item Ethics in Violence Against Women Research: The Sensitive, the Dangerous, and the Overlooked(Ethics and Behavior, 2004) Aronson Fontes, LisaTraditional disciplinary guidelines are inadequate to address some of the ethical dilemmas that emerge when conducting research on violence against women and girls. This article is organized according to the ethical principles of respect for persons, privacy and confidentiality, justice, beneficence, and nonmaleficence. In the article, I describe dilemmas involved in cross-cultural research, research on children, informed consent, voluntariness, coercion, deception, safety, mandated reporting, and dissemination. In the article, I include examples from qualitative and quantitative studies in many nations. I also offer suggestions for researchers and institutional review boards. (Author Abstract)Item Effectiveness of Hotline, Advocacy, Counseling, and Shelter Services for Victims of Domestic Violence: A Statewide Evaluation.(2004) Bennett, Larry; Riger, Stephanie; Schewe, Paul; Howard, April; Wasco, SharonThe authors report the results of an evaluation of services provided by 54 Illinois domestic violence agencies. In collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago evaluation team, domestic violence advocates identified services to be evaluated, specified desired outcomes of those services, and participated in developing measures of those outcomes in both English and Spanish. Within the limitations of the study, outcomes were positive in all four program areas: hotline, counseling, advocacy, and shelter. The authors then discuss implications for evaluation of domestic violence programs that maintain victim safety as a guiding principle. (Author Abstract)Item Does batterers’ treatment work? A meta-analytic review of domestic violence treatment(Pennsylvania State University, 2004) Babcock, Julia; Green, Charles; Robie, ChetThis meta-analytic review examines the findings of 22 studies evaluating treatment efficacy for domestically violent males. The outcome literature of controlled quasi-experimental and experimental studies was reviewed to test the relative impact of Duluth model, cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT),and other types of treatment on subsequent recidivism of violence. Study design and type of treatment were tested as moderators. Treatment design tended to have a small influence on effect size. There were no differences in effect sizes in comparing Duluth model vs. CBT-type interventions. Overall,effects due to treatment were in the small range, meaning that the current interventions have a minimal impact on reducing recidivism beyond the effect of being arrested. Analogies to treatment for other populations are presented for comparison. Implications for policy decisions and future research are discussed. (Author Abstract)Item Correlates of Rape while Intoxicated in a National Sample of College Women(Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 2004) Mohler-Kuo, Meichun; Dowdall, George; Koss, Mary; Wechsler, HenryObjective: Heavy alcohol use is widespread among college students, particularly in those social situations where the risk of rape rises. Few studies have provided information on rapes of college women that occur when they are intoxicated. The purpose of the present study was to present prevalence data for rape under the condition of intoxication when the victim is unable to consent and to identify college and individual-level risk factors associated with that condition. Method: The study utilizes data from 119 schools participating in three Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study surveys. The analytic sample of randomly selected students includes 8,567 women in the 1997 survey, 8,425 in the 1999 survey, and 6,988 in the 2001 survey. Results: Roughly one in 20 (4.7%) women reported being raped. Nearly three quarters (72%) of the victims experienced rape while intoxicated. Women who were under 21, were white, resided in sorority houses, used illicit drugs, drank heavily in high school and attended colleges with high rates of heavy episodic drinking were at higher risk of rape while intoxicated. Conclusions: The high proportion of rapes found to occur when women were intoxicated indicates the need for alcohol prevention programs on campuses that address sexual assault, both to educate men about what constitutes rape and to advise women of risky situations. The findings that some campus environments are associated with higher levels of both drinking and rape will help target rape prevention programs at colleges. (Author Abstract)Item Parent–Child Interaction Therapy With Physically Abusive Parents: Efficacy for Reducing Future Abuse Reports(Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 2004) Chaffin, Mark; Silovsky, Jane; Funderburk, Beverly; Valle, Linda Anne; Brestan, Elizabeth; Balachova, Tatiana; Jackson, Shelli; Lensgraf, Jay; Bonner, BarbaraA randomized trial was conducted to test the efficacy and sufficiency of parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT) in preventing re-reports of physical abuse among abusive parents. Physically abusive parents (N 110) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention conditions: (a) PCIT, (b) PCIT plus individualized enhanced services, or (c) a standard community-based parenting group. Participants had multiple past child welfare reports, severe parent-to-child violence, low household income, and significant levels of depression, substance abuse, and antisocial behavior. At a median follow-up of 850 days, 19% of parents assigned to PCIT had a re-report for physical abuse compared with 49% of parents assigned to the standard community group. Additional enhanced services did not improve the efficacy of PCIT. The relative superiority of PCIT was mediated by greater reduction in negative parent–child interactions, consistent with the PCIT change model. (Author Abstract)Item Psychosocial response to mass casualty terrorism: Guidelines for physicians(Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc., 2005) Fetter, Jeffrey C.After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there was renewed interest in defining the optimum psychiatric care for victims of mass casualty incidents. Terrorism is psychological warfare, often utilizing tactics designed to create mass casualties with maximum psychological impact.1 This article will provide an overview of the issues involved in the psychosocial care of mass casualty victims from the standpoint of medical professionals. Literature pertinent to the normal psychological response to mass violence was reviewed, as well as expert opinion on recommended psychiatric interventions. [Author Abstract]Item Survivors’ Opinions About Mandatory Reporting of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault by Medical Professionals(Research Consortium on Gender-based Violence, 2005) Sullivan, Cris; Hagen, LeslieSixty-one survivors of domestic or sexual abuse participated in focus groups to dis-cuss their perceptions of mandatory reporting by health care professionals. Only one participant believed that medical providers should notify the police when a woman seeks treatment. This survivor’s experience was different from that of most of the other participants in that she was raped by a stranger. The remaining participants were unanimous in their belief that medical reporting should not be mandatory until a number of changes are made in the system to promote victims’ safety. The survivors shared numerous examples of having been revictimized by the child protection system, health care system, mass media, and especially the criminal legal system. Practice, policy, and research implications are discussed. (Author Abstract)Item Physical Abuse of Boys and Possible Associations with Poor Adult Outcomes(Annals of Internal Medicine, 2005) Holmes, W.C.; Sammel, M.D.This publication summarizes a study conducted on the issue of male victims of domestic violence and physical abuse. The study was conducted on 197 men from neighborhoods with a high frequency of HIV infection reported to measure the effect of childhood abuse on adult health and social problems, along with adult Intimate Partner Violence and abuse. Findings showed that experiencing childhood abuse increased the likelihood of males experiencing health and social problems. The researchers did not ask study participants who experienced abuse as a child and if they perpetrated abuse as an adult. (CVRL Abstract)Item The Mental Health and Service Needs of Young Children Exposed to Domestic Violence: Supportive Data(2005) Lundy, Marta; Grossman, RebeccaAs the visibility of domestic violence (DV) continues to increase, so too does our awareness of the needs of the children in violent families. This study documents the various needs and problems of over 40,000 children as reported by their battered caretakers. What follows is a description of the findings from data collected between 1990 and 1995 from approximately 50 DV agencies in a Midwestern state. The findings indicate that large proportions of children had emotional and social problems whereas about one quarter had physical health and educational difficulties. Common problems included being very protective of family members, discipline issues, mood swings, and difficulty leaving parents. The implications of these findings and ideas for future planning are identified. (Author Abstract)Item Psychopathology among New York City public school children 6 months after September 11(American Medical Association, 2005) Hoven, Christina W.; Duarte, Cristiane S.; Lucas, Christopher P.; Wu, Ping; Mandell, Donald J.; Goodwin, Renee D.; Cohen, Michael; Balaban, Victor; Woodruff, Bradley A.; Bin, Fan; Musa, George J.; Mei, Lori; Cantor, Pamela A.; Aber, J. Lawrence; Cohen, Patricia; Susser, EzraChildren exposed to a traumatic event may be at higher risk for developing mental disorders. The prevalence of child psychopathology, however, has not been assessed in a population-based sample exposed to different levels of mass trauma or across a range of disorders. This study aims to determine prevalence and correlates of probable mental disorders among New York City public school students 6 months after the 9/11 World Trade Center attack. Using a citywide, random, representative sample of 8,236 students in grades 4-12, children were screened for probable mental disorders with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Predictive Scales. 1 or more of 6 probable anxiety/depressive disorders were identified in 28.6% of all children. The most prevalent were agoraphobia (14.8%), separation anxiety (12.3%), and PTSD (10.6%). Higher levels of exposure correspond to higher prevalence for all probable anxiety/depressive disorders. Girls and children in grades 4 and 5 were the most affected. In logistic regression analyses, child’s exposure, exposure of a child’s family member, and the child’s prior trauma were related to increased likelihood of probable anxiety/depressive disorders. The data suggest that there is a relationship between level of exposure to trauma and likelihood of child anxiety/depressive disorders in the community. The results support the need to apply wide-area epidemiological approaches to mental health assessment after any large-scale disaster. (Author Abstract) [CVRL Note: Tables are included summarizing the researchers' findings regarding the sociodemographic and exposure of students polled, prevalence of probable mental disorder by exposure, and prevalence by sex and grade group.]Item Comprehensive Services for Survivors of Human Trafficking: Findings from Clients in Three Communities(Urban Institute, 2006) Aron, Laudan; Zweig, Janine; Newmark, LisaThe Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) within the U.S. Department of Justice is responsible for developing and administering the “Services for Trafficking Victims Discretionary Grant Program—Comprehensive Services Sites.” The program provides direct services, such as shelter, medical care, crisis counseling, legal assistance, and advocacy to assist victims between the time they are encountered by law enforcement until they are “certified” to receive other benefits from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services....In 2002, Caliber Associates, along with their subcontractor, the Urban Institute, began an evaluation of the OVC “Services for Trafficking Victims Discretionary Grant Program—Comprehensive Services Sites.” The research design for this National Institute of Justice (NIJ)–funded evaluation was divided into three phases that included qualitative and quantitative data collection activities: (1) Phase I was an evaluability assessment with the eight OVC-funded trafficking grantees to select the three sites to be included in the evaluation; (2) Phase II was the planning, implementation, and outcome evaluation in the three selected sites; and (3) Phase III included interviews with human trafficking victims who had been served by the OVC-funded collaboratives. This report presents the results from Phase III. To learn more about the victim services being provided with OVC funding, Urban Institute researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with survivors and with case managers and other key service providers in the three NIJ evaluation sites. The in-depth interviews document victims’ experiences using OVC-funded services, and their perceptions of the OVC-funded collaborative networks between service providers. They also provide a unique opportunity to listen directly to the voices of the victims for whom these services are designed, and to consider their input in future replications and refinements. (Author Text)Item Incapacitated rape and alcohol use: A prospective analysis(2006) Kaysen, Debra; Neighbors, Clayton; Martell, Joel; Fossos, Nicole; Larimer, MaryThis study examined timing of alcohol-related sexual assaults (incapacitated rape) in relation to both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related negative consequences. The sample was drawn from a randomly selected pool of college students across three campuses (n =1238) followed over a three year time period. 91% of students never experienced an incapacitated rape, 2% reported an incapacitated rape prior to the first assessment point (n =30), and 6% reported one over the course of the study (n =76). Results indicated that incapacitated rape was associated with higher alcohol use and more negative consequences in the years prior to the assault. Incapacitated rape was also associated with higher alcohol use and more negative consequences during the year in which the rape took place and subsequent years, with highest rates measured for the year of the rape. These results suggest alcohol use can function as both risk factor and consequence of sexual victimization. (Author Abstract)