Kathryn Laughon

Risk factors for femicide in abusive relationships: results from a multisite case control study.

OBJECTIVES This 11-city study sought to identify risk factors for femicide in abusive relationships. METHODS Proxies of 220 intimate partner femicide victims identified from police or medical examiner records were interviewed, along with 343 abused control women. RESULTS Preincident risk factors associated in multivariate analyses with increased risk of intimate partner femicide included perpetrators access to a gun and previous threat with a weapon, perpetrators stepchild in the home, and estrangement, especially from a controlling partner. Never living together and prior domestic violence arrest were associated with lowered risks. Significant incident factors included the victim having left for another partner and the perpetrators use of a gun. Other significant bivariate-level risks included stalking, forced sex, and abuse during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS There are identifiable risk factors for intimate partner femicides.

Intimate Partner Homicide Review and Implications of Research and Policy

Current rates of intimate partner homicide of females are approximately 4 to 5 times the rate for male victims, although the rates for both have decreased during the past 25 years. The major risk factor for intimate partner homicide, no matter if a female or male partner is killed, is prior domestic violence. This review presents and critiques the evidence supporting the other major risk factors for intimate partner homicide in general, and for intimate partner homicide of women (femicide) in particular, namely guns, estrangement, stepchild in the home, forced sex, threats to kill, and nonfatal strangulation (choking). The demographic risk factors are also examined and the related phenomena of pregnancy-related homicide, attempted femicide, and intimate partner homicide-suicide

Intimate partner violence and the childbearing year: Maternal and infant health consequences

Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a significant public health problem with negative physical and mental health consequences. Pregnant women are not immune to IPV, and as many as 4% to 8% of all pregnant women are victims of partner violence. Among pregnant women, IPV has been associated with poor physical health outcomes such as increased sexually transmitted diseases, preterm labor, and low-birth-weight infants. This article focuses on the physical health consequences of IPV for mothers and their infants. The purpose of this review is therefore to examine timely research ranging from 2001 to 2006 on IPV during pregnancy, the morbidity and mortality risks for mothers and their infants, and the association between IPV and perinatal health disparities. It will also identify gaps in the published empirical literature and make recommendations for practice, policy, and research.

Could we have known? A qualitative analysis of data from women who survived an attempted homicide by an intimate partner

AbstractOBJECTIVE: To examine in-depth the lives of women whose partners attempted to kill them, and to identify patterns that may aid in the clinician’s ability to predict, prevent, or counsel about femicide or attempted femicide. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis of 30 in-depth interviews. SETTING: Six U.S. cities. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty women, aged 17–54 years, who survived an attempted homicide by an intimate partner. RESULTS: All but 2 of the participants had previously experienced physical violence, controlling behavior, or both from the partner who attempted to kill them. The intensity of the violence, control, and threats varied greatly, as did the number of risk factors measured by the Danger Assessment, defining a wide spectrum of prior abuse. Approximately half (14/30) of the participants did not recognize that their lives were in danger. Women often focused more on relationship problems involving money, alcohol, drugs, possessiveness, or infidelity, than on the risk to themselves from the violence. The majority of the attempts (22/30) happened around the time of a relationship change, but the relationship was often ending because of problems other than violence. CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should not be falsely reassured by a woman’s sense of safety, by the lack of a history of severe violence, or by the presence of few classic risk factors for homicide. Efforts to reduce femicide risk that are targeted only at those women seeking help for violence-related problems may miss potential victims.

Abused African American Women's Processes of Staying Healthy

Fifteen African American women with a history of intimate partner violence (IPV) were interviewed to examine (a) the ways in which poor, urban African American women stay healthy, and particularly how they protected themselves from sexually transmitted diseases and HIV while in abusive relationships; and (b) the roles of intersecting contextual factors such as lifetime experiences of violence, mental health symptoms, and substance use in womens processes of maintaining their health. Data were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive approach. Women were managing numerous, complex problems as they actively worked to maintain their mental and physical health and that of their children. The turning point at which women made substantial changes came when women were “tired” and believed that a new beginning was needed. Racism, poverty, multiple experiences of violence, and health and mental health problems influenced womens health care decisions. Womens health maintenance strategies were often not visible to health care providers and included some behaviors that may place women at greater risk of violence or disease from the point of view of the health care provider.

Young adult intimate partner femicide: An exploratory study

The study identified risk factors for young adult intimate partner femicide. Secondary analysis of proxies of 23 young adult (ages 18-20 years) femicide victims identified from police or medical examiner records in 11 U.S. cities were interviewed using the Danger Assessment Scale. The femicide cases were compared with 53 abused young women (ages 18-20). Risk factors for young adult intimate partner femicide differ from their abused counterparts. More hostile violence, threats, unemployment, access to a gun, controlling activities, and having a nonbiological child of the abusive partner placed young adult women at higher risk for murder. Risk factors in younger femicides identified are consistent with risk factors identified in cases of femicides in older adult women. Although consistent, jealousy and controlling behaviors, partner unemployment, and perpetrator being an ex-partner appear to have increased importance for younger women. A validated lethality assessment, such as the Danger Assessment, may be useful to identify risk factors for lethal violence in young adult intimate partner violence.

A Critical Pathway for Intimate Partner Violence Across the Continuum of Care

Objective: The authors developed an interdisciplinary critical pathway for intimate partner violence (IPV) assessment and intervention for use across health care settings. Intimate partner violence may be emotional, physical, and/or sexual and involves coercion and control by one partner over the other. Design: A pathway developed with input from focus groups of battered women was subjected to a modified Delphi technique to improve the pathways scientific accuracy and feasibility. Setting: The study was conducted in one urban, one suburban, and one rural hospital with IPV advocacy programs in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Patients/Participants: Four researchers and 13 clinicians participated in the validation, with at least one physician, one nurse, and one social worker or IPV counselor from each hospital. Main Outcome Measures: Each element of the pathway was analyzed for the degree of consensus on scientific accuracy and feasibility. Results: Consensus on the scientific accuracy and feasibility of the pathway was achieved after three rounds of the Delphi process. Conclusions: This is the first known critical pathway for IPV. It addresses physical and mental health and safety and has content validity affirmed by an interdisciplinary panel of experts. Further process and outcome evaluation is warranted and invited.OBJECTIVE The authors developed an interdisciplinary critical pathway for intimate partner violence (IPV) assessment and intervention for use across health care settings. Intimate partner violence may be emotional, physical, and/or sexual and involves coercion and control by one partner over the other. DESIGN A pathway developed with input from focus groups of battered women was subjected to a modified Delphi technique to improve the pathways scientific accuracy and feasibility. SETTING The study was conducted in one urban, one suburban, and one rural hospital with IPV advocacy programs in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS Four researchers and 13 clinicians participated in the validation, with at least one physician, one nurse, and one social worker or IPV counselor from each hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Each element of the pathway was analyzed for the degree of consensus on scientific accuracy and feasibility. RESULTS Consensus on the scientific accuracy and feasibility of the pathway was achieved after three rounds of the Delphi process. CONCLUSIONS This is the first known critical pathway for IPV. It addresses physical and mental health and safety and has content validity affirmed by an interdisciplinary panel of experts. Further process and outcome evaluation is warranted and invited.

Gender differences in attitudes and beliefs associated with bystander behavior and sexual assault.

ABSTRACT Sexual violence is a significant problem on many college campuses. Bystander education programs have been found to train individuals to act to prevent sexual and partner violence and improve the responses of peers to survivors. Limited evidence suggests that gender differences exist between males and females regarding both attitudes toward, and use of, bystander behavior, with females reporting more supportive attitudes and greater use of bystander behavior. The purpose of this study is to compare male and female college students on attitudes toward date rape, bystander efficacy, intention to act as a bystander, and actual use of bystander behaviors. A secondary aim explored gender differences in theoretically driven bystander behaviors and barriers to acting as a bystander. A convenience sample of 157 full-time undergraduate students aged 18–24 years completed survey measures of attitudes related to sexual and partner violence and willingness to help. Analysis of variance and chi-square were used to compare gender differences in scores. Significant gender differences were found for date rape attitudes, efficacy, and intention to act as a positive bystander. Men reported more rape-supportive attitudes and greater intention to act as a bystander than women, whereas women reported greater levels of bystander efficacy than men. The findings can be used in tailoring gender-specific components of bystander education programs for sexual assault prevention and intervention.

Breast cancer in the context of intimate partner violence: a qualitative study.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the experiences of women who were diagnosed with breast cancer while also encountering intimate partner violence (IPV). IPV was determined by scores on the Womens Experience With Battering Scale and the Abuse Assessment Screen. RESEARCH APPROACH Qualitative interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of seven women. Data were analyzed with a hermeneutic phenomenologic approach. SETTING Community settings in central Virginia and Maryland. PARTICIPANTS 7 participants ranging in age from 37-63 years (X = 50 years); age at diagnosis ranged from 36-58 years (X = 46 years). All were in relationships with men, and relationship length ranged from 2-29 years (X = 12 years). METHODOLOGIC APPROACH Each participant had one semistructured qualitative interview. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Experiences of women simultaneously experiencing breast cancer and IPV. FINDINGS A number of themes emerged, including: (a) reassessing life, (b) believing that stress from the relationship caused the cancer, (c) valuing support from others, and (d) the significance of the breast. CONCLUSIONS For all of the participants, the breast cancer diagnosis changed their intimate relationships in some way. The cancer was an opportunity for the women to engage in life review, focus inward, and, in some cases, change the relationship status. INTERPRETATION Increased awareness and screening for IPV are needed in oncology clinical settings. Women with cancer are members of a vulnerable population and use the diagnosis to reassess their intimate relationships.

Who sends the email? Using electronic surveys in violence research.

Introduction: Students aged 16–24 years are at greatest risk for interpersonal violence and the resulting short and long-term health consequences. Electronic survey methodology is well suited for research related to interpersonal violence. Yet methodological questions remain about best practices in using electronic surveys. While researchers often indicate that potential participants receive multiple emails as reminders to complete the survey, little mention is made of the sender of the recruitment email. The purpose of this analysis is to describe the response rates from three violence-focused research studies when the recruitment emails are sent from a campus office, researcher or survey sampling firm. Methods: Three violence-focused studies were conducted about interpersonal violence among college students in the United States. Seven universities and a survey sampling firm were used to recruit potential participants to complete an electronic survey. The sender of the recruitment emails varied within and across the each of the studies depending on institutional review boards and university protocols. Results: An overall response rate of 30% was noted for the 3 studies. Universities in which researcher-initiated recruitment emails were used had higher response rates compared to universities where campus officials sent the recruitment emails. Researchers found lower response rates to electronic surveys at Historically Black Colleges or Universities and that other methods were needed to improve response rates. Conclusion: The sender of recruitment emails for electronic surveys may be an important factor in response rates for violence-focused research. For researchers identification of best practices for survey methodology is needed to promote accurate disclosure and increase response rates.