Background This protocol focuses on male-perpetrated intimate partner violence and aims to explore how Black women and children are supported to thrive post-intimate partner violence. Although this form of violence affects women across all cultures, Black women remain significantly underrepresented in the existing literature and often face various barriers to disclosure and help-seeking, including patriarchal silencing, immigration status, language issues and unsupportive attitudes of staff. It remains unclear how they transition from surviving to thriving individuals. The scoping review addresses the question: What are the lived experiences of intimate partner violence among Black women and children, and what factors shape their concept of thrivership?. The scoping review explores the knowledge gap in understanding how Black women and children affected by systemic oppression at the intersection of race, immigration and gender, experience thriving after leaving their abusive relationship. It examines existing research to identify key factors that contribute to their thrivership in the UK context. This study protocol provides a detailed outline of the planned methodology for conducting the scoping review. Methods and analysis The scoping review of qualitative evidence will be guided by the five steps of the framework proposed by Arksey and Malley, which include identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, selecting studies, charting the data, collating, summarising and reporting the results and an additional consultation stage with stakeholders. The results from the scoping review will be presented using the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR), and the data will be analysed using thematic analysis. The databases searched will be Ovid PsycINFO, Scopus, ASSIA and Web of Science. Ethics and dissemination The anticipated results from the review will help generate new ideas for future studies and inform policy. The findings will be submitted for publication in relevant peer-reviewed journals and presented at conferences and to appropriate stakeholders. No ethics is required as this is a review without human participants being involved. This protocol has been registered on the Open Science Framework (OSF).
There is a clear imperative to prevent youth crime and violence owing to the significant social and economic costs for individuals involved and wider society. A considerable evidence base for 'what works' in this space exists but gaps remain. To address these, it is necessary to evaluate intervention effectiveness. The aim of this article is to explore challenges and potential solutions regarding outcome measurement in such evaluations. To do this we draw on the literature and our experience as evaluators. We argue that outcome selection should be informed by a robust theory of change, and that normally this will mean focusing on non-crime/violence outcomes. We identify challenges with self-report measures of youth crime and violence, and consequent effects on participants' engagement in the intervention and the quantity and quality of data they provide. We also discuss ways of using administrative data on crime and violence in evaluations and the practical, scientific and ethical issues these raise. While the challenges identified can partially be addressed, we conclude that currently evaluations of preventive interventions should mostly focus on intermediate outcomes with a known causal link to crime and violence. The longer-term impact on crime and violence can be tracked using administrative data accessed via an archive. We appreciate policymaker and funder pressure to quantify short-term intervention impact on crime and violence but contend that it is important not to force the issue. Meanwhile, it is essential to test the feasibility and acceptability of alternative approaches to measuring crime and violence in evaluations and to share the learning.
Background Domestic violence is a global public health concern that negatively affects maternal mental health, parent-child relationships, and child behavioral outcomes. Attachment theory suggests that disruptions in maternal sensitivity and caregiving due to violence can compromise children's emotional security and development. Aim To evaluate the impact of domestic violence on maternal-child relationship quality and child behavior among pre-school and school-aged children in Egypt. Design Descriptive correlational study. Setting Maternal and Child Health Center, Assiut, Egypt. Participants A convenience sample of 100 mothers with children aged 3-12 years. Methods Data collection involved a Personal Data Questionnaire, the Severity of Violence Against Women Scale, the Child Behavior Checklist, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Scale for Family Violence. Statistical analyses included Pearson correlation, Chi-square, logistic regression, and ANOVA to examine associations and predictors. Results Most mothers (58%) reported low levels of violence exposure. Severity of violence was strongly associated with maternal post-traumatic stress (r = .648, p < .001) and child behavioral problems (r = .650, p < .001) and negatively associated with mother-child relationship quality (r = -.185, p = .066). Regression analyses indicated that violence significantly predicted maternal PTSD and children's clinical behavioral concerns, whereas demographic factors such as child age and maternal education moderated mother-child relationship outcomes. Conclusion Exposure to domestic violence adversely affects maternal mental health and children's behavioral outcomes, potentially compromising the mother-child relationship. These findings underscore the importance of interventions aimed at supporting maternal caregiving sensitivity, promoting secure parent-child attachment, and mitigating the effects of violence on family well-being in the Egyptian context.
Delayed early childhood development and violence against children are major global challenges, particularly in low-resource settings. Universal digital-human parenting interventions may offer a scalable solution by overcoming barriers associated with traditional in-person programs. This study reports the first pragmatic randomized controlled trial evaluating a blended chatbot-based parenting intervention delivered within the Chinese preschool system. The trial was conducted in a lower-middle-income city in central China. Twenty-one preschool classes were cluster-randomized to a treatment group (n = 10) or waitlist control (n = 11). Primary caregivers of enrolled children participated following informed consent. The intervention comprised a 2.5-month chatbot-led digital parenting program supported by weekly or twice-weekly online group sessions facilitated by headteachers and social workers. Data were collected at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Primary outcomes were caregiver-provided early learning and stimulation, and caregiver-perpetrated violence. Analyses followed the intention-to-treat principle using multilevel regression models. Equity effects related to caregiver and child disability were explored through moderation and subgroup analyses. Sustainability of impacts was assessed, and complier average causal effects examined the role of intervention completion. Between March 2024 and June 2025, 541 caregivers of children aged 3-6 years were enrolled (treatment: n = 272; control: n = 269), of whom 25.2% were male. Overall, 60.3% completed all chatbot modules. At post-intervention, the program significantly improved early learning and stimulation (β = 1.79, 95% CI [0.24, 3.34]) and reduced caregiver-perpetrated violence (IRR = 0.87, 95% CI [0.80, 0.96]). The intervention showed potential to advance equity for families affected by disability, with some effects sustained at follow-up. Complier analyses indicated reduced endorsement of corporal punishment and lower parental anxiety among participants completing at least 30 modules. Universal digital-human parenting interventions embedded in preschool systems can enhance early childhood development and reduce violence, highlighting the importance of human support and cultural adaptation to optimize engagement and outcomes.
Background Sexual violence against children is a major public health and human rights concern. Penetrative abuse may be accompanied by genital infections that are relevant in medicolegal examinations. Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common vaginal infection among female victims and may be associated with age, sexual exposure, and vaginal discharge. This study examined the association of age, sexual intercourse history, and vaginal discharge with BV among child victims of sexual violence in Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, and compared BV prevalence with non-abused controls. Methods A retrospective case-control study was conducted using medicolegal and clinical records from January 2020 to December 2024. Cases included 250 female children and adolescents who were victims of sexual violence, and controls were 250 age-matched non-abused female children. BV was diagnosed using clinical and laboratory findings. Associations were analyzed using chi-square tests and logistic regression, reporting odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results BV prevalence was higher among victims than controls (45.6% vs. 26.0%). Adolescents had higher odds of BV (OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.85-4.18). Sexual intercourse history was associated with BV (OR = 2.31, 95% CI 1.60-3.34). Vaginal discharge was the strongest predictor (OR = 4.03, 95% CI 2.50-6.50). Conclusions BV is significantly associated with age, sexual intercourse history, and vaginal discharge among child victims of sexual violence, supporting its role as a supplementary medicolegal finding.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as controlling behaviors. However, there is limited information on how emotional, financial, and controlling behaviors affect the occurrence of physical and sexual violence during pregnancy. This study aimed to establish the associations between these types of violence and the occurrence of physical and sexual violence during pregnancy. The study used a secondary analysis of data derived from a larger analytical cross-sectional study. The research was conducted in Central Tanzania between March 4 and April 20, 2024 and included 360 women who had recently delivered. Participants were selected using a 4-stage sampling technique and were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Participants were selected using a 4-stage sampling technique and interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25 to examine factors associated with the outcome variable. The strength of associations was expressed using adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was considered at P < .05. A total of 36 women (10.0%) experienced physical violence during pregnancy, while 35 women (9.7%) experienced sexual violence. After adjusting for possible confounders, the predictors of physical violence were emotional violence (AOR = 4.316 at 95% CI = 1.488-12.513, P = .007) and financial abuse (AOR= 4.356 at 95% CI = 1.711-11.091, P = .002), while the predictors of sexual violence were emotional violence (AOR=3.612 at 95% CI = 1.393-9.367, P = .008) and controlling behavior (AOR= 4.314 at 95% CI = 1.307-14.241, P = .016). The findings demonstrate that multiple forms of intimate partner violence during pregnancy often coexist and collectively compromise maternal and fetal well-being. Comprehensive IPV screening should be integrated into prenatal care, and healthcare providers should be trained to identify all forms of abuse, including emotional, financial, controlling, physical, and sexual violence. Future research should use longitudinal and intervention-based designs to clarify causal pathways, evaluate preventive strategies, and understand how different forms of violence affect maternal and child health outcomes.
Violence is a major cause of morbidity and mortality among young adults in low- and middle-income countries. Men aged 18-24 years (young men) account for the majority of victims and perpetrators of many types of interpersonal violence. Childhood experiences, such as exposure to emotional, physical, or sexual violence or witnessing violence in their homes or communities, might increase risk for perpetration of violence in adulthood. Data from eight Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys conducted in low- and middle-income countries during 2018-2023 were analyzed to assess prevalence of physical and sexual violence perpetration by young men and associations of these events with their exposure to violence during childhood. Lifetime prevalence of physical or sexual violence perpetration among young men was common in all countries and ranged from 12.4% in Eswatini to 44.9% in Côte d'Ivoire. Physical violence victimization or witnessing violence in the household or community before age 18 years was associated with increased odds of violence perpetration among young men in all eight countries after adjusting for demographic covariates and childhood adversity indicators. Efforts to prevent exposure to violence during childhood, a pivotal developmental period, might reduce perpetration of violence by young men and create safer and more secure homes and communities.
BACKGROUND: Sexual health education has been globally recognized as one of the preventive factors in sexual violence prevention. Online child sexual exploitation and abuse (OCSEA) has emerged as a form of sexual violence against children facilitated by electronic media. This study aims to explore the experiences of parents, teachers, and public health center staff in providing sex education as a means of preventing OCSEA. METHODS: An interpretative qualitative exploratory study was conducted on 32 participants selected by purposive sampling (10 parents of students, 16 school officials, 5 public health center officials, and 1 gender and family academics). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 participants, and three focus group discussions were held with 17 participants from April to July 2025 in Bengkulu City, Indonesia. The interview guide was adapted from the health promotion model and school health promotion, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four themes with thirteen sub-themes were identified: 1) parenting dilemmas, 2) OCSEA as an iceberg phenomenon, 3) Preventive measures required, and 4) the importance of government and community support. CONCLUSION: Protecting children from OCSEA requires the implementation of comprehensive sexuality education integrated into the school curriculum in Indonesia. This study can be used as material for further studies related to OCSEA prevention interventions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable.
Objective The Takini/Survivor project examined factors promoting healing and resilience among women survivors of domestic violence in primarily South Dakota, with particular attention to American Indian/Native American (Native hereinafter) and rural experiences through the resilience portfolio model. Method Using a phenomenological design, this study explored the narratives of 31 Native women using semistructured qualitative interviews. When appropriate, the study also delineated between narratives of Native rural (10) and nonrural women (21). Results Participants described "poly-strengths" sequences in which environmental strengths (such as housing and transportation) enabled them to draw on their other strengths across resilience portfolio model domains. Rural participants emphasized how geographic isolation, limited mobility, and safety concerns in small communities constrained access to additional resources such as interpersonal supportive relationships. Survivors contextualized abuse within intergenerational trauma, drew on cultural identity and spirituality as distinct meaning-making pathways, and cited children/grandchildren and helping others as central purposes. Conclusions Healing occurs through reinforcing poly-strengths rather than isolated protective factors. Our findings contribute to resilience portfolio model by building on the importance of environmental strengths and how cultural identities create distinct resilience pathways. Implications include culturally responsive and supportive services, innovative service delivery in rural areas, and reforms to transportation policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).
More than two-thirds of children report experiencing at least one traumatic event by the age of 16. Childhood trauma can negatively affect youth's physical and mental health, learning, relationships, and behavior, with implications for their long-term development. Schools are uniquely positioned and equipped to help youth cope with their trauma and prevent further traumatic events from occurring through programming, policy, and staff training. This scoping review investigates the relationship between trauma-informed school-based efforts and violence prevention in K-12 schools in the United States over the past twenty years (2004-2024). We conducted our review in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and limited our search to peer-reviewed articles published in the following databases: Education Abstracts, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Scopus. To be included, studies must meet the criteria for a trauma-informed intervention based on the framework employed by Avery and colleagues (J Child Adolescent Trauma 14(3):381-397, 2021). Findings from the review suggest that trauma-informed school-based efforts (N = 7), such as social-emotional learning curricula, multi-tiered school-level models, and culturally relevant programs, are related to reduced violence in schools. Findings point to how school-based, trauma-informed interventions might be one avenue to addressing school violence and improving school safety, given the role of trauma as both a precursor to and consequence of violence. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12310-026-09874-2.
