Utilizing life story interviews of immigrant women whose children were abducted by abusive (ex-)husbands, the article unpacks a three-part pattern of transnational mobility: first, husbands apply strategies of coercive control to dominate wives in Denmark; second, wives draw on Scandinavian “woman-friendly” state support to challenge men and seek divorce; and third, men try to regain control through abducting children to the Middle East, seeking to blackmail mothers into leaving Denmark and resubmitting themselves to male control. While some wives accede to their husband’s demands, others skillfully manage to “re-abduct” children back to Denmark, thereby belying the trope of the victimized immigrant woman.
In recent years, there has been considerable concern about the deterioration of mental health in children and adolescents, and there is a coincidence between mental disorders and addictive disorders. In view of this situation, it is important to review preventive interventions from the educational field, since it is considered an area of socialization par excellence of the subjects that can avoid or reduce exposure to adversities at an early age. For this purpose, a narrative review was carried out. The databases PubMed, PsycINFO and ERIC were searched. A total of 2096 records were retrieved from which 16 studies were selected. Most of the interventions reviewed adopted a universal approach. Most of the articles reviewed refer to interventions around 13–15 years of age and, in general terms, no specific actions are specified by groups according to their needs or risks. The intervention is usually applied by teachers in collaboration with other health experts. The focus is mainly on depression, anxiety, alcohol, cannabis and tobacco, but mental health is also promoted with reinforcement of emotional competence and training in social skills. Also, there is a scarce presence of programs on non-substance addictions and long-term follow-up studies. Based on what has been studied in this research, preventive initiatives are at a point of unquestionable reflection that requires redirecting efforts based on solid scientific evidence that determines approaches adjusted to the realities of the target populations and that helps to make decisions on when to carry out universal or specific interventions.
Remedios Aguilar-Moya, Raquel Ibáñez-Martínez, David Melero-Fuentes
This article examines whether a clearer lexical and conceptual distinction between the various stages of development, from birth to adulthood, is required to better recognize and protect the needs of the young female population affected by armed conflict. Using intersectional feminist theory, this analysis proposes a reflection on the use of a more precise definition and conceptualization of the term girls and girl children, as two distinct age stages with distinct physical and psychological development.
Violence against children is widespread in the Region of the Americas and it takes many different, equally unacceptable forms. This report is a major milestone for the Region, because it is the first of its kind. It specifically builds on and is informed by the momentum of INSPIRE: Seven Strategies to End Violence Against Children, a technical package of seven strategies based on the best available evidence and with the highest potential to end violence against all children. The report provides a more in-depth analysis of strategies and approaches to prevent and respond to violence against children in the Americas. Being in line with the commitment made by Member States to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and multiple regional and global strategies, attention to this topic is timely. Its importance is further underlined by the fact that it is the first time that governments are self-reporting on their work to address violence against children in line with the evidence-based strategies of INSPIRE. The report comes at unprecedented times, as the COVID-19 pandemic has created a new urgency for action on violence against children. This report offers a baseline of effort in the Region to prevent and respond to violence against all children everywhere.
This chapter introduces the key themes of Against Youth Violence, laying out the three senses in which the authors are against youth violence: against the perpetration of violence between young people – advocating for a reduction in this violence; against the misleading connotations of the label ‘youth violence’ – advocating for more fruitful framings of the issue; and against the commodification of ‘youth violence’ – advocating for less exploitation of young people’s suffering. As well as outlining the contents and structure of Against Youth Violence, the introductory chapter articulates the need to shift away from narrow and distorting portrayals of and perspectives on violence between young people. The chapter critiques ideas of ‘youth violence’ which are stigmatizing, patronizing and counterproductive, and suggests ways of looking at the issue which are more constructive, and which are explained at greater length through the course of Against Youth Violence.
This article examines the governance transition in Indonesia’s Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism (P/CVE) policy. It traces the governance perspective used in the National Action Plan for the Prevention and Countering of Violent Extremism Leading to Terrorism (RAN-PE), which has shifted from a policy-network perspective toward a whole-of-government approach. Using qualitative methods, the study finds that the whole-of-government approach does not yet fully recognize digital platforms as actors beyond the traditional P/CVE policy network. Although coordination among state institutions has developed in addressing communications and cyber issues, the government has not effectively regulated the infrastructural power of digital platforms. This limitation is particularly visible in cases of child radicalization. The study therefore recommends strengthening P/CVE efforts through platform governance as a complement to the whole-of-government framework in responding to radicalization in digital spaces.
This article investigates the effects of firstborn sex on intimate partner violence (IPV) in India, taking into account heterogeneity across state sex ratios and maternal education. In states with masculine sex ratios of first births, firstborn daughters are found to elevate the risk and severity of IPV. The effects of firstborn daughters on sexual IPV are particularly pronounced among uneducated women in these states. These findings suggest that amid son preference at low birth orders, the sex of firstborn children can contribute to violence against mothers, providing new insights into the household reproduction of gender discrimination and violence.
Abstract Children who are in alternative care facilities experience unacceptable rates of violence prior to entering care, during care, and potentially after they leave care. Prior to a transition into care, children are often exposed to violence in the home through abuse or neglect, or in their community or broader socioecological context. This chapter uses a polyvictimization framework to explore how violence impacts children in various types of alternative care from larger scale institutions such as orphanages to family-based care models like foster care. Children face increased risks of violence across this continuum and continue to be vulnerable after they “age out” of the alternative care available for them. Institutional care heightens the risk of trafficking both into and out of orphanages. Policy implications are discussed, including strengthening protective policies, increased research attention to the context and scope of violence against children, and strengthening training and resourcing for caregivers.
Background: Violence against women (VAW) and violence against children (VAC) are pervasive global health and human rights issues with severe health consequences. Burden estimates alone cannot inform policy without cost data, and existing analyses remain limited. This study addresses this gap by estimating the global cost of the health burden attributable to VAW and VAC. <div> <br> </div> <div> Methods: We used a welfare-based valuation approach to calculate the cost of the attributable health burden of intimate partner and non-partner (sexual and physical) VAW, and physical and sexual VAC. We analysed prevalence, relative risk, and burden estimates from the WHO, UNICEF, and Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study to estimate the attributable health burden of VAW and VAC for each country. Using value of statistical life estimates, we calculated the cost associated with each form of violence. Scenario analyses examined variations in relative risks, valuation approach, and country inclusion criteria. Results are presented globally, by 2023 World Bank income group, and by country. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Findings: The monetary value of the health burden of VAW and VAC is US $1·50 trillion (1·4% of global GDP) and US $1·98 trillion (3·97% of global GDP) respectively. Mental health conditions represent the largest contributor to the economic burden across income groups. </div> <div> <br> </div> <div> Interpretation: The cost of the health burden of VAW and VAC is staggering. Integrated violence prevention strategies and stronger investments in health systems are needed to support survivors, especially to address mental health burden. </div>
Sakshi Jain, Beverley M. Essue, Jack Cagney et al.
The escalating involvement of Indonesian children in violent extremism through digital platforms, encrypted messaging services, and online gaming ecosystems demands an integrated, cross-sectoral, and child-sensitive security governance approach. Mainstream counter-terrorism scholarship, largely shaped by Global North liberal paradigms, often misinterprets non-state actors' engagement as evidence of state fragility or institutional deficiency. Furthermore, existing research largely overlooks platform-level technical architectures and key psychosocial drivers, such as chronic peer victimization and extreme isolation. Addressing this critical theoretical and empirical gap, this study reconceptualizes hybrid security governance from a distinct Global South vantage point by dissecting the complex interplay among peer bullying, excessive screen time, algorithmic recommendation systems, and digital radicalization trajectories. Employing a qualitative post-positivist methodology, the investigation incorporates rigorous policy reviews, cyber-forensic evaluations, and structured focus group discussions conducted across three strategic regions: Jakarta, West Java, and Central Java. Key participants comprised relevant state apparatuses (Densus 88 AT, BNPT, BSSN, Komdigi, KPAI, and KemenPPPA) alongside vital non-state actors, including Islamic mass organizations, traditional boarding schools (pesantren), ethical hacker collectives, and local community leaders. The findings delineate a multi-stage radicalization pipeline wherein psychological trauma stemming from peer bullying induces compensatory screen dependency. Recommendation algorithms, gamified cyber-grooming tactics, and covert recruitment within private encrypted communication channels then exploit this vulnerability. In response, Indonesia demonstrates an indigenous Global South Hybrid Security Governance model with four core pillars: mobilizing relational authority, synchronizing formal-informal cyber coordination, family-centric psychosocial rehabilitation, and community-driven digital literacy initiatives rooted in religious moderation. Theoretically, this research contributes to contemporary cyber-criminology and critical security studies by challenging conventional, state-centric orthodoxies. Practically, the empirical insights offer actionable frameworks for policymakers aiming to formulate youth-oriented prevention strategies that safeguard vulnerable minors while advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).
Machya Astuti Dewi, Herlina Jayadianti, Melaty Anggraini et al.
