Search Results (729)

Sexual violence against women frequently originates during adolescence, when structural inequalities and gendered power dynamics heighten vulnerability, making early identification of risk factors essential to prevent trajectories leading to sexual exploitation. This study presents the psychometric validation of the EDR-ESIA, a screening instrument designed to detect vulnerability to Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) in healthcare, education, and social care settings, with particular relevance for prevention strategies targeting adolescent girls. The sample comprised 199 adolescents aged 11–17 years (M = 15.23; SD = 1.59) residing in Spain (58.8% female, 40.2% male, 1.0% unspecified), assessed by trained professionals using case records and reports. The 88-item instrument underwent expert review and pilot testing prior to validation, and its internal structure was examined using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results indicated that all subdimensions and higher-order constructs showed an adequate fit to the theoretical model, supporting the instrument’s validity. Female adolescents scored significantly higher than males on CSE target indicators, reflecting a medium-to-large gender difference in vulnerability levels. Overall, the EDR-ESIA constitutes an evidence-based instrument for the timely recognition of CSE vulnerability, supporting prevention, education, and intervention efforts aimed at reducing sexual violence against women from early developmental stages. Full article

This concept paper advances stigma power as a central analytical mechanism for understanding how patriarchy, capitalism, white supremacy, and cis-heteronormativity operate with particular intensity against sex workers. Integrating Link and Phelan’s stigma power with Bourdieu’s symbolic violence and Foucauldian productive power, the framework theorises stigma as a mechanism institutionalised through law and enforced by institutions, which produces measurable consequences that include violence, exclusion, and health harms. Analysing the intersecting axes of gender, sexuality, race, migration, and class across three qualitative studies (SWMH, SEXHUM, VICSW), the article demonstrates why labour-rights reforms, including decriminalisation, are necessary but insufficient. Dismantling stigma requires not only removing sanctions but actively contesting the actors exercising stigma power and interrupting the stabilising mechanisms that reproduce it. This requires policy that acknowledges stigma’s existence whilst working to dismantle it, rather than eliding its reality through liberal mainstreaming or strengthening it through criminalisation or rescue frameworks. The framework explains why decriminalisation is associated with better access to rights and health; why all criminalisation including the so-called Swedish model correlates with increased violence; why stigma persists under optimal legal conditions; and how intersecting marginalisations produce differential vulnerability. Policy implications emphasise pairing decriminalisation with peer-led anti-stigma work, institutional reform, migrant rights, and funded support for sex worker self-organisation. Full article

Children increasingly consume online video content, creating a growing need for scalable approaches to support content moderation workflows. However, directly identifying harmful or policy-violating content, such as violence, sexual content, or self-harm, remains a complex task that typically requires specialized classifiers and domain-specific annotations. In this context, sentiment analysis can provide complementary information by capturing affective signals expressed through language and visual cues. This study does not treat sentiment polarity as a direct indicator of unsafe or policy-violating content. Instead, it explores multimodal sentiment analysis as an auxiliary triage signal that may help prioritize content for human review or identify segments requiring further inspection. This paper investigates the feasibility of using large vision–language models (LVLMs) for zero-shot multimodal sentiment analysis on utterance-aligned video segments. We evaluate two LVLMs, LLaVA-OneVision-7B and Qwen2.5-VL-7B, under three input settings: text-only, vision-only, and multimodal, using a conversational TV-series dataset consisting of short utterance-level video segments and transcripts. The results show that multimodal sentiment inference can provide useful screening signals without task-specific fine-tuning, although the benefits are model-dependent. LLaVA-OneVision-7B consistently outperforms Qwen2.5-VL-7B and benefits more clearly from combining textual and visual inputs, whereas Qwen2.5-VL-7B shows limited improvement across modality settings. We also analyze the trade-off between frame sampling and image resolution. Finally, we discuss limitations related to dataset scope, annotation subjectivity, class imbalance, and the need for broader validation before real-world deployment. Full article

Background: Violence in healthcare settings affects nursing students during clinical training and may compromise their mental well-being, learning experiences, and professional development. Despite evidence from high-income countries, limited data exist on how contextual and organizational factors in Latin American settings shape these experiences. This study aimed to assess the frequency and types of violence experienced by nursing students during clinical practice and the academic and emotional consequences. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted among undergraduate and graduate nursing students in Mexico City who had completed at least one hospital-based clinical placement in the previous 12 months. Data were collected between January 2024 and September 2025 using a validated questionnaire assessing types of violence, perpetrators, academic and emotional consequences. Violence was defined as experiencing events “occasionally,” “sometimes,” or “frequently.” Descriptive statistics were calculated. Associations were examined using Pearson’s chi-square test, and logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, and year of study. Results: Seventy-three students participated (86.3% female). Non-physical violence was the most frequent type (90.4%), followed by sexual harassment (49.3%), mainly perpetrated by nurses (62%) and physicians (46.5%). Considering leaving the profession (41.4%) and feelings of inadequacy (66.2%) were the most common academic and emotional consequences. Although some associations were observed in bivariate analyses, these were not significant after adjustment. Conclusions: Violence during clinical training is highly prevalent and may represent a significant threat to nursing students’ mental well-being and professional development. Strengthening institutional policies, reporting mechanisms, and supportive learning environments is essential to mitigate its impact and promote safer clinical training. Full article

This scoping review synthesises the current literature to explore the related concepts of victim blaming and bystander intervention in the context of image-based sexual abuse. Image-based sexual abuse refers to the creation, taking and distribution of non-consensual intimate images, including the threat to share or distribute. The databases Web of Science, ASSIA, ProQuest Dissertation & Theses and Scopus were searched in August 2024, with an updated search being conducted in December 2025. A supplementary search was conducted in Google Scholar, along with a hand search of four key journals within the topic area. The search focused on five geographical locations that share a common cultural background (UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia). A total of 31 studies and reviews were included. The main findings were that: (a) there is limited research in relation to bystander intervention in the context of image-based sexual abuse; (b) there are no studies that examine the relationship between victim blaming and bystander intervention; (c) there appears to be a gendered dimension in relation to the phenomena (victim blaming and bystander intervention), which is reflected in the literature around image-based sexual abuse; (d) accountability and victim blaming are increased when a victim–survivor has created the images/videos themselves; (e) research within this area neglects the experiences of diverse communities, specifically sexual and gender minority people; and (f) there appears to be a disregard to capture the experiences of men who are victim–survivors, irrespective of sexual identity. Full article

Gender-based violence (GBV) in higher education is increasingly recognized as a systemic problem across offline and online contexts, yet the pathways linking gender-related attitudes, victimization, and formal help-seeking remain insufficiently understood in Southern Europe. This study examined whether Sexual Harassment/Assault and Coercive Control mediate associations between ambivalent sexism, Acceptance of Dating Violence, Perceived Behavioral Control, and Formal Help-Seeking Intentions among women students in Greek higher education. An anonymous online survey was completed by 550 women students, and structural equation modeling tested direct, mediated, and multi-group associations by age, education level, and perceived financial situation. Coercive Control was the strongest predictor of Formal Help-Seeking Intentions, followed by Acceptance of Dating Violence and Perceived Behavioral Control, whereas Hostile and Benevolent Sexism had no significant direct effects. Mediation analyses showed that Coercive Control, rather than Sexual Harassment/Assault, provided the more consistent pathway to help-seeking intentions. Multi-group analyses indicated broadly stable patterns, with selected differences by age, education, and financial situation. The findings suggest that university GBV policies should move beyond incident-based responses, address patterned Coercive Control, and improve students’ perceived ability to access formal support services. Full article

Sexual harassment (SH) in academia constitutes a pervasive form of gender-based violence that undermines individual well-being and academic equity. While existing research has largely investigated risk factors, less attention has been paid to protective factors, coping strategies, and the cumulative burden generated by the reporting process itself. This qualitative study explores how victims of SH in Italian universities mobilize resources when disclosing their experiences informally to peers and colleagues or formally through institutional channels and how this process generates extra-fatigue: the cumulative cognitive, emotional, and practical labor victims have to perform as a direct consequence of inadequate institutional responses. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, we employed thematic and dialogical narrative analyses to examine cognitive, emotional, and behavioral coping dimensions. Findings highlight the central role of informal networks in enabling victims to recognize harassment, validate their narratives, and mobilize coping strategies. Trusted colleagues and supportive professors provided cognitive clarity, emotional relief, and practical protection. However, institutional responses were frequently perceived as inadequate or emotionally detached, reinforcing self-doubt and generating significant extra-fatigue to absorb largely alone or through informal support. Understanding extra-fatigue as structurally produced labor, rather than individual fragility, has implications for designing victim-centered institutional responses and structural reform in universities. Full article

Background: Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) frequently co-occurs with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but the prevalence and clinical correlates of this comorbidity remain incompletely understood. Methods: We examined a clinical sample of 603 patients with a primary diagnosis of OCD, of whom 149 (24.7%) presented with comorbid ASD. Sociodemographic variables, clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and obsessive–compulsive symptom dimensions were compared between patients with and without ASD. Results: Patients with OCD + ASD reported an earlier onset of both obsessive–compulsive symptoms and full-blown disorder. While overall symptom severity (Y-BOCS, HAM-D, and HAM-A) was comparable, OCD + ASD patients were characterized by a higher exposure to stressful and traumatic life events, including severe trauma (e.g., death of a close family member, sexual abuse, physical violence, serious illness, and bullying). Severe traumatic events, in particular, were independently associated with ASD comorbidity in our OCD cohort (exploratory model). Comorbidities were also distinct: onychophagia (66.4% vs. 0.4%) and trichotillomania (8.7% vs. 0%) were markedly more prevalent in the OCD + ASD group. Phenomenologically, OCD + ASD patients more often exhibited religious and somatic obsessions, as well as repetition compulsions. Specifically, somatic obsessions were independently associated with ASD in our regression analysis. Conclusions: OCD with comorbid ASD represents a clinically distinct subgroup, characterized by greater vulnerability to trauma, earlier onset, unique symptom profiles, and specific comorbidities. Recognition of these features, and in particular a history of severe traumatic experiences and the presence of somatic obsessions, may support earlier consideration of ASD comorbidity during OCD assessment and may inform personalized treatment planning. Full article

Globally, intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health concern and the most prevalent type of violence against women. Social norms that condone violence have been strongly associated with intimate partner violence, making them relevant to women’s wellbeing. The identification of social norms unique to a population is necessary for interventions based on shifting social norms. Thus, the current research is aimed at examining the association between women’s attitudes toward wife-beating (a social norm) and women’s experiences of partner’s controlling behavior, physical violence, and emotional and sexual abuse in Tanzania from national representative data. The cross-sectional data used for the study were from Tanzanian women (n = 3033) aged 15–49 years who have ever been married or in a relationship and responded to the domestic violence questionnaire. Nearly, 60% of women reported that their most recent partner had engaged in controlling behavior, 27.5% had experienced physical violence, while 23% and 9.1% had experienced emotional and sexual violence, respectively. The multivariate analysis revealed that IPV was more common among women who had a positive attitude toward wife-beating. In addition to other behavioral and structural interventions, changing societal norms that support violence against women may be helpful to prevent IPV among Tanzanian women. Full article

The present study attempts to understand factors that influence bystanders’ decisions to intervene in risky sexual situations in the Ivory Coast. The study aimed to examine the influence of personality traits, history of sexual violence victimization, sense of community, and rape myths on bystander intervention among college students. Two hundred college students from one of the major cities in the Ivory Coast were invited to participate in the study using a convenience sampling approach. Using an OLS framework, our analysis revealed that extroversion is associated with a willingness to intervene, whereas prior sexual assault experience undermines the desire to intervene. Moreover, we found that students’ demographic characteristics influence their willingness to intervene. Policy implications of the findings are discussed. Full article

The conviction rate for sexual assault and rape in the UK has decreased since the 1980s. In part, this has been due to survivors’ negative experiences during their journey through the criminal justice system. While thorough reviews of the criminal justice system have taken place and recommendations have been made, there is a lack of psychological evaluation of the effects of this journey. In this study, we interviewed eight survivors who had gone through the criminal justice system, asking about their experiences and their impact. Thematic analysis, with triangulation, was undertaken, revealing that the negative experiences of feeling let down and the disjointed communication led to prolonged mental health difficulties. The interrelated subthemes highlighted how survivors’ expectations, potentially from seeking justice, were different from reality. Their reality of delayed, poor, and misguided communication from members of the criminal justice system made them feel abandoned, helpless, and powerless. The consequence of this was negative strain, additional trauma, and prolonged distress. These results are interpreted within a framework of the practicalities of investigating serious sexual assault and how best to support survivors of sexual violence while they are treated as witnesses under the criminal justice system in the UK. Full article

Name.Narrate.Navigate (NNN) is a trauma-informed program for justice-involved young people aged 12–18 years, recognising that experience and use of violence are often interconnected and may involve serious criminal behaviour, including vulnerability to criminal exploitation. NNN addresses a gap in evidence-based, culturally responsive tertiary interventions for this cohort in regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia, integrating dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) principles with Aboriginal ways of knowing and doing, co-designed through community-based participatory research (CBPR) with Aboriginal community members, young people, and frontline practitioners. The program aims to strengthen skills for self-awareness, self-regulation and healthy connection through relational, creative, and participatory approaches. Using a realist evaluation framework, this paper examines what works in NNN, for whom, and under what circumstances. Drawing on participant session ratings, practitioner observations, program documentation, and interviews, findings are organised across four domains: effects, mechanisms, moderators, and implementation. Indicative findings show that engagement, emerging changes in the narratives of self, and developing skills for self-regulation were most evident when trauma-informed and culturally safe practice was enacted within genuinely relational, strengths-based encounters. These conditions are identified and discussed as transferable principles for the field, key amongst them that intervention readiness must be treated as a capacity to be actively built rather than a precondition to be screened for; and that creative, participant-led methods represent an epistemological commitment to whose knowledge counts in practice. This case study contributes to a critically underserved evidence base by documenting not only what a tertiary youth violence intervention looks like, but the conditions under which it begins to work and for whom. Full article

Background: Transgender and gender expansive (TGE) people experience high rates of interpersonal victimization, which has been linked to high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD, a highly disabling and under-studied mental illness among TGE people). This systematic review identifies, classifies, critically appraises, and synthesizes the peer-reviewed literature describing the association between interpersonal victimization and post-traumatic stress among TGE people. This review collates what is known about the associations between victimization and PTSD among TGE people and makes recommendations to guide future research and intervention development. Methods: Searches were conducted across five databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, PsycInfo, and CINAHL) following PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were: English language; peer-reviewed original research; articles describing the association between victimization and PTSD among TGE youth or adults; reporting TGE-specific data. Exclusion criteria were: reviews, commentaries without original data, dissertations or theses, conference abstracts, animal studies, studies without TGE-specific findings, and case studies. Quality appraisal was completed for all studies, which included a discussion of bias. Data extraction was completed by two independent authors, and conflicts were resolved by a third. Data were stratified by gender identity, race or ethnicity, and type of violence for further synthesis. Results: 25 studies were evaluated for design, measure quality, and key findings. Findings were highly consistent across studies: multiple forms of interpersonal violence (e.g., childhood maltreatment, sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and transgender-specific victimization) were significantly associated with PTSD symptom severity or diagnosis across diverse identities and geographic contexts. All studies examining childhood sexual abuse reported significant associations with PTSD outcomes, highlighting early life as a critical period of vulnerability. Samples were disproportionately White and adult, with limited examination of intersectional experiences shaped by race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Discussion: Interpersonal violence-related PTSD among TGE populations reflects a pervasive and systemic pattern of trauma rooted in structural discrimination rather than isolated individual risk. Addressing this inequity requires multilevel prevention and intervention strategies. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, culturally responsive measurement tools, and intersectional analyses to inform prevention, clinical care, and policy responses. The majority of studies were cross-sectional designs, so causality cannot be inferred. Additionally, the samples were disproportionately White and adult, which may bias the magnitude of associations reported and limit generalizability to racially and ethnically diverse TGE populations. Although many studies reported race and ethnicity descriptively, none disaggregated violence-related PTSD outcomes by racial or ethnic group within TGE samples, representing a critical limitation for intersectional analysis. Full article

This article examines how mental health discourse functions as a credibility technology in Portuguese news reporting on sexual violence between 2014 and 2023. Using Critical Thematic Analysis and grounded in feminist media studies and critical mental health scholarship, the article analyses a qualitative corpus of reporting-oriented news items published in Público and Observador. The dataset consists of systematically selected articles in which mental health discourse functions as a substantive explanatory frame for sexual violence. Psychiatric, psychological, therapeutic, and metaphorical registers grant, withhold, or condition believability, allocating responsibility and organising care through norms of stability, risk, and expert verification. The analysis identified eight recurring discursive clusters through which mental health language stabilises truth claims: it can legitimise institutional authority, regulate survivors’ credibility, and explain perpetration through pathologising tropes, while often displacing structural accounts of gendered violence and reproducing ableist stigma. By specifying the credibility work performed by mental health discourse, the article contributes to debates on trauma-informed, survivor-centred, and anti-ableist reporting and proposes a transferable framework for analysing the sexual violence–mental health nexus in journalism. Full article

This study examined whether attitude toward sport moderates the association between attitude toward violence and attitude toward sexual harassment among university students. Based on evidence that harassment-supportive beliefs are embedded within broader violence-supportive orientations, sport-related values were tested as a conditional factor. A cross-sectional correlational design was used with 350 undergraduates (45.1% female; M_age = 21.81, SD = 2.57) from a public university in Türkiye. Participants completed validated measures of attitudes toward sexual harassment, violence, and sport. Moderation analysis was conducted using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 1) with 5000 bootstrap resamples and HC3 standard errors. Gender was included as a control variable; male participants reported significantly higher tolerance toward sexual harassment (β = 7.258, p < 0.001). Attitude toward violence was positively associated with attitude toward sexual harassment (B = 0.271, p < 0.001). Attitude toward sport showed a small negative main effect (B = −0.199, p < 0.001) and significantly moderated this association (B = −0.010, p = 0.0008). The model explained 26.06% of the variance (R² = 0.261, F (4, 345) = 33.607, p < 0.001). The association weakened at higher sport attitude levels but remained significant, indicating a pattern of conditional attenuation. Full article