Janice Du Mont

The Role of “Real Rape” and “Real Victim” Stereotypes in the Police Reporting Practices of Sexually Assaulted Women

Some feminists have argued that rape myths constrain women’s reporting of sexual assault to the police. The authors investigated whether myth-associated characteristics of sexual assaults play a role in police reporting behaviors of women. A sample of 186 sexual assault cases seen at a hospital-based sexual assault care center in 1994 was analyzed using logistic regression. A positive association was found between reporting a sexual assault to the police and two overtly violent components of the “real rape” myth: the use of physical force and the occurrence of physical injury.

Who Is Most at Risk for Intimate Partner Violence?: A Canadian Population-Based Study

Whole population studies on intimate partner violence (IPV) have given contradictory information about prevalence and risk factors, especially concerning gender. The authors examined the 1999 Canadian General Social Survey data for gender patterns of physical, sexual, emotional, or financial IPV from a current or ex-partner. More women (8.6%) than men (7.0%, p = .001) reported partner physical abuse in general, physical IPV causing physical injury (p < .0001), sexual abuse (1.7% vs. 0.2%, p < .0001), and financial abuse (4.1% vs. 1.6%, p < .0001). There were no gender differences for partner emotional abuse. Significant risk factors after multivariate modeling for physical/sexual IPV were younger age, being divorced/separated or single, having children in the household, and poor self-rated physical health. These findings from a large, randomly generated data set further refine our understanding of the risk profile for IPV in the developed world.

The Association Between Length of Stay in Canada and Intimate Partner Violence Among Immigrant Women

OBJECTIVE We examined the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among recent (0-9 years) and nonrecent (>/= 10 years) immigrant women in Canada to determine whether differences in IPV were associated with length of stay in Canada. METHODS We analyzed data from the 1999 General Social Survey, a national cross-sectional telephone survey. We used weighted logistic regression analysis to examine the effect of length of stay in Canada on IPV and controlled for socio-cultural and other factors associated with IPV. RESULTS The crude prevalence of IPV was similar among recent and nonrecent immigrant women. However, after adjustment, the risk for IPV was significantly lower among recent immigrant women compared with nonrecent immigrant women. Country of origin, age, marital status, and having an activity limitation (physical/mental disability or health problem) also were associated with a higher risk for IPV. CONCLUSIONS Our findings have important implications for both prevention and detection of IPV among immigrant women.

Changing Help-Seeking Rates for Intimate Partner Violence in Canada

ABSTRACT The adverse physical and psychological sequelae of intimate partner violence (IPV) are well documented, as are government initiatives in Canada since the early 1990s to address the problem through public awareness campaigns and service enhancement programs. While these initiatives have been designed to encourage abused women to come forward, there has been little research examining changes over time in help-seeking rates among this group. To fill this void, we compared data from two large Canadian population-based, cross-sectional telephone surveys: the 1993 Violence Against Women Survey (1993-VAWS) and the 1999 General Social Survey (1999-GSS). Among women who reported physical and/or sexual violence by a current or previous partner, we examined differences in rates of disclosure of abuse, help-seeking by type of service, and barriers to service use. Abused women in the 1999-GSS were significantly more likely than those in the 1993-VAWS to have reported disclosing a violent incident(s) to a family member (66.4% vs. 43.9%), friend or neighbor (67.4% vs. 45.4%), doctor or nurse (31.9% vs. 23.0%), and/or minister, priest, or cleric (11.5% vs. 7.3%). The 1999-GSS cohort was also more likely to have presented to a shelter or transition house (11.0% vs. 7.8%), a crisis center (17.3% vs. 4.2%), a counselor or psychologist (39.1% vs. 14.7%), a womens center (11.2% vs. 3.4%), and/or a community or family center (15.4% vs. 4.7%). Among those women who did not seek help, fewer in the 1999-GSS reported that they did not know of any services (6.4% vs. 17.0%), or that services were not available (0.8% vs. 14.5%). Although we found a demonstrable increase in the numbers of abused women seeking help, overall, rates of service utilization were still low as late as 1999, highlighting the importance of continued government commitment to funding IPV initiatives.

Factors associated with suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault

Background: There has been little systematic investigation of widespread reports of drugging and sexual assault. We sought to determine the prevalence of and factors associated with suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault. Methods: Between June 2005 and March 2007, a total of 977 consecutive sexual assault victims underwent screening for suspected drugging at 7 hospital-based sexual assault treatment centres. We defined victims of drug-facilitated sexual assault as those who presented to a centre within about 72 hours of being assaulted and who provided at least 1 valid reason for suspecting that she or he had been drugged and sexually assaulted. We used logistic regression modelling to compare victims of suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault with other sexual assault victims, controlling for covariates. Results: In total, 882 victims were eligible for inclusion in the study. Of these, 855 (96.9%) were women, and 184 (20.9%) met the criteria for suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault. Compared with other victims, victims of drug-facilitated sexual assault were more likely to have presented to a large urban centre for care (odds ratio [OR] 2.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47–3.65), to be employed (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.34–2.76), to have consumed over-the-counter medications (OR 3.97, 95% CI 2.47–6.38) and street drugs (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.12–2.62) in the 72 hours before being examined and to have used alcohol before the assault (OR 4.00, 95% CI 2.53–6.32). Interpretation: Suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault is a common problem. Sexual assault services should be tailored to meet the needs of those experiencing this type of victimization.

Help-Seeking Rates for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Among Canadian Immigrant Women

We examined rates of help seeking for intimate partner violence (IPV) among recent (0–9 years in Canada) and nonrecent (10+ years in Canada) immigrant women. Data from a national, cross-sectional, telephone survey were used. Help-seeking variables included disclosure of IPV, reporting IPV to police, use of social services subsequent to IPV, and barriers to social service use. Recent immigrant women, compared with nonrecent immigrant women, were significantly more likely to report IPV to police and less likely to use social services. Findings have important implications for prevention and detection of IPV in immigrant communities and in future research.

So Few Convictions The Role of Client-Related Characteristics in the Legal Processing of Sexual Assaults

This study examines the role of client-related characteristics in the legal processing of sexual assaults. Data were collected from the hospital and legal records of 187 women who presented to a sexual assault treatment center and the police of a large Canadian city in 1994. The data analyses revealed that cases involving older women and women who did not physically resist the assailant were less likely to have resulted in a charge. However, women who were known to the assailant for more than 24 hours (including current or previous partners) were more likely to see their cases forwarded for prosecution.

Help-seeking behavior for intimate partner violence among racial minority women in Canada.

INTRODUCTION Intimate partner violence (IPV) is experienced by women of all ethnoracial backgrounds. Despite the serious adverse impacts of IPV on womens lives, many abused women do not seek help. The main objective of this paper was to determine whether a womans racial minority status was a significant predictor of help-seeking for IPV after controlling for other factors associated with help-seeking. METHODS Data from a national Canadian, cross-sectional, telephone survey were used. Help-seeking variables included disclosure of IPV, reporting IPV to police, the use of social services subsequent to IPV, and barriers to social service use. RESULTS In the bivariate analyses, rates of disclosure and reporting to police were similar for racial minority and white women, however, racial minority women, compared to white women, were significantly less likely to use social services. After adjustment for age, marital status, household income, number of young children at home, immigration status, household language, and severity of IPV, racial minority status was not a significant predictor of help-seeking in the multivariate analysis. DISCUSSION Our findings suggest that further investigation is necessary to understand what aspects of membership in a racial minority group or sytemic factors may be contributing to inequalities in accessing help for IPV.

An Exploratory Analysis of Suspected Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault Seen in a Hospital Emergency Department

ABSTRACT This retrospective review of sexual assault cases seen in an emergency department from 1993 to 1999 examined rates and characteristics of suspected drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA). Overall, 12% of cases were identified as suspected DFSAs. The rate of suspected DFSA in 1999 was more than double that in the preceding six years. As well, compared to other sexual assaults, suspected DFSA cases had a longer time delay in presenting to the hospital, were less likely to involve the police, and had a lower occurrence of both genital and extra-genital injury. The clinical implications of these findings, particularly in terms of toxicology evidence collection, are discussed.

Violence in Known-Assailant Sexual Assaults

This study examined characteristics of sexual assaults among a community-based sample of 1,162 women that were committed by unknown and known assailants. Assailant groups were examined on a continuum of familiarity that included strangers (30.6%), acquaintances known for less than 24 hours (13.9%), acquaintances known for more than 24 hours (40.2%), and current or previous husbands or boyfriends (15.3%). Client background, presentation information, and assault characteristics were examined through client self-report as well as clinician observation. The results of the study support the association of some assault characteristics and assailant-victim relationship status. In particular, variables related to coercion, violence, and physical trauma revealed that assaults by husbands or boyfriends were more violent and resulted in more physical trauma to victims than assaults by other known assailants. Overall, the results indicated that husband/boyfriend assaults were most similar to those committed by strangers.