Jennifer L. Schally

Help-Seeking in a National Sample of Victimized Latino Women: The Influence of Victimization Types

The current study aimed to examine formal and informal help-seeking responses to interpersonal victimization among a national sample of Latino women. In addition, an examination of help-seeking by victimization type was undertaken. Data came from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) study that obtained help-seeking rates among a victimized subsample of Latino women (n = 714; 35.7% of a national sample). Results show a majority (76.6%) of the victimized participants engaged in some form of help-seeking with informal resources (68.9%) more often used than formal (32.5%). Medical attention was the type of formal help-seeking sought most often among victimized women who were injured (34.7%), and parents were the most common source of informal help-seeking (26.6%). However, logistic regression analyses show that help-seeking responses were significantly affected by type of victimization. Latino women who experienced childhood victimization were significantly less likely to engage in formal and informal help-seeking. Latino women who experienced stalking were significantly less likely to engage in formal help-seeking. Victimization with a weapon was significantly related to increased odds of formal help-seeking. Thus, women respond to violence in a way that is shaped by the dynamics of the victimization experience. Practice implications include the need to increase knowledge and availability of formal help-seeking venues.

The effect of immigration and acculturation on victimization among a national sample of Latino women

The current study examined the effect of immigrant status, acculturation, and the interaction of acculturation and immigrant status on self-reported victimization in the United States among Latino women, including physical assault, sexual assault, stalking, and threatened violence. In addition, immigrant status, acculturation, gender role ideology, and religious intensity were examined as predictors of the count of victimization among the victimized subsample. The Sexual Assault Among Latinas (SALAS) Study surveyed 2,000 adult Latino women who lived in high-density Latino neighborhoods in 2008. The present study reports findings for a subsample of women who were victimized in the United States (n = 568). Immigrant women reported significantly less victimization than U.S.-born Latino women in bivariate analyses. Multivariate models showed that Anglo orientation was associated with greater odds of all forms of victimization, whereas both Latino orientation and being an immigrant were associated with lower odds of all forms of victimization. Latino orientation was more protective for immigrant women than for U.S.-born Latino women with regard to sexual victimization. Among the victimized subsample, being an immigrant, Anglo acculturation, and masculine gender role were associated with a higher victimization count, whereas Latino orientation and religious intensity were associated with a lower victimization count. The findings point to the risk associated with being a U.S. minority, the protective value of Latino cultural maintenance, and the need for services to reach out to Anglo acculturated Latino women.

The influence of ethnic group variation on victimization and help seeking among Latino women

Interpersonal violence research on Latinos has largely ignored the ethnic group variations that are included under the pan-ethnic term Latino. The current study adds to the literature by utilizing a national sample of Latino women to examine the interpersonal victimization experiences and help-seeking responses to victimization by ethnic group. The sample was drawn from the Sexual Assault Among Latinas Study (SALAS; Cuevas & Sabina, 2010) that surveyed 2,000 self-identified adult Latino women. For the purpose of this study, victimization in the United States was examined among Mexican ethnics (73.3% of sample), Cuban ethnics (14%), and other ethnics (12.8%). Mexican ethnicity was found to be significantly associated with increased odds of experiencing any, physical, sexual, threat, and stalking victimization. Findings also show that higher levels of Latino orientation and being an immigrant were associated with decreased odds of experiencing any victimization, whereas Anglo orientation, as measured by the Brief ARSMA-II (Cuéllar, Arnold, & Maldonado, 1995), was associated with greater odds of experiencing any victimization. Anglo orientation was significantly associated with formal help seeking. Taken as a whole, these findings emphasize the importance of bilingual and culturally competent services and also reveal that culturally competent services includes developing an understanding of the cultural differences between Latino ethnic groups. Specifically, service providers should be aware that Latinos of Mexican ethnicity may face unique risks for victimization.

Problematic alcohol and drug use and the risk of partner violence victimization among male and female college students

The current study expands previous research by examining the relationship between problematic alcohol and drug use and partner violence among a large sample of male and female college students and by partitioning out severe victimization for separate analysis. Data came from the International Dating Violence Study and included 4162 students from 19 colleges in the U.S. (69.1% women, 30.9% men). Victimization was measured using the revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2). There was no significant main effect for alcohol use, but analysis of the interaction with gender found that problematic alcohol use was associated with victimization of men. Problematic drug use was associated with physical victimization, injury, severe physical victimization, severe psychological victimization, and severe injury for the overall sample in multivariate models. Interaction effects showed that elevated odds of severe injuries were associated high drug scores for women. Dating violence programs addressing dating violence on campuses are urged to include discussions on drug use and victimization of men.

Industrial Agriculture and Its Harms

This chapter provides an overview of industrial agriculture and its harms, especially to animals, in order to provide a vivid and alarming context for my analysis of Tyson Foods’ website. First, the origins of industrial agriculture are traced. The chapter continues with emphasis on some of the particular harms of raising and processing animals for food in the industrial system, specifically harm to animals, harm to the environment, and harm to human health.

Taking Stock, Taking Action

This chapter provides a synthesis and reflection on the preceding chapters. In sum, my project finds that Tyson obscures their actions toward animals and the environment by talking about them abstractly or not at all. The chapter also reflects on possible future research as well as how change may be effected.

The Nature of Tyson’s Harms

This chapter explores and discusses some noteworthy cases of harm perpetrated by Tyson. Cases include multiple incidents of animal harm recorded via undercover video at Tyson processing plants and contracted farms as well as multiple documented environmental harms that resulted in legal action against Tyson.

Being Good: Or at Least Not Bad

This chapter discusses the ways that Tyson presents themselves benignly and as part of a decent whole. Tyson presents themselves as part of a decent whole by aligning themselves with popular cultural values, and they present themselves benignly by constructing an image of a good corporate citizen/neighbor.

Disguising Harms: Talking and Not Talking About It

This chapter discusses how Tyson disguises their actions toward animals and the environment. Unexamined, the passages from Tyson’s website that discuss the environment and animal well-being give the impression that Tyson is proactive and transparent. On closer inspection, we find that Tyson says a lot about their beliefs, but very little about what they are actually doing.

Contextualizing the “Socially Responsible” Corporation and the Cultural Legitimation of Harm

Corporate harms and their legitimation are situated within a complex cultural, structural, and historical landscape. This chapter is an effort to illuminate that landscape. The unifying argument of this chapter is that Tyson’s harm/socially responsible discourse reflects general attitudes about harm to nonhumans and corporate power, as well as weak corporate regulation. In addition, Tyson’s harm/discourse cannot be understood without also understanding the history of corporate public relations or “spin,” and its contemporary conduit par excellence, the corporate web page, and the particularly modern “need” for companies to project social responsibility.