Intimate partner abuse is a major public health driver of mental and physical morbidity in Palestine. This qualitative study examines how domestic violence becomes biologically embedded through chronic stress and cardiometabolic risk. We thematically analyzed 30 testimonies posted by Palestinian women in two large Facebook groups between January and March 2023, purposively sampling accounts that described health sequelae. Texts were coded in MAXQDA using Braun and Clarke's framework, with deidentification, moderator permission, and institutional ethical approval (Braun and Clarke, 2006). Six interlinked themes traced a stress-to-illness cascade: persistent strain that pervades daily life; physiological pathways involving sleep disruption, palpitations, tremors, and elevated blood pressure; emotional trauma with somatic pain; intergenerational effects on children's fear, school performance, and caregiving roles; scarcity of support and escalating harm; and breaking points that compel help seeking. The findings suggest that abuse in the West Bank functions as a chronic stress condition that reorganizes family life and accelerates cardiometabolic vulnerability. Integrated trauma-informed primary care, confidential referral pathways, childcare supports, and school-based buffers are required.
This study aimed to explore potential racial and ethnic disparities in the vulnerability of college students to sexual violence victimization (SVV). Using data from the 2017 to 2021 National Crime Victimization Survey incident file. The study analyzed responses from 3563 college students who provided valid information on race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and household income. Bivariate analyses compared descriptive characteristics by SVV status, and multivariable logistic regression models assessed associations between SVV, race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. The findings revealed notable disparities among racial-ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic black and Hispanic college students were less likely to report SVV than their non-Hispanic white counterparts, while students categorized as non-Hispanic other races-ethnicities including Asian, Native American, and multiracial students, were more likely to report experiencing SVV. Female students reported higher rates of SVV than male students, and sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) were more likely to report SVV than non-SGM students. Additionally, an important interaction effect was identified between gender and sexual orientation across all racial-ethnic groups. This suggests that the compounded experiences of being both an SGM regardless of race or ethnicity contribute to increased vulnerability to SVV. These findings hold important public health implications, underscoring the need for inclusive, intersectional, victim-centered, and trauma-informed approaches to SVV prevention on college campuses that address structurally produced barriers to disclosure, including institutional mistrust and racialized power dynamics within higher educational systems. Culturally responsive prevention efforts and SGM-inclusive support services are needed to reduce disparities, improve reporting, and foster safer, more equitable campus environments.
While perspectives on conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) have changed in recent years, questions remain about how to understand and represent this issue, particularly in relation to gender and racialized sexual violence. In this study, we explore the intersection of sex, gender, and race in the experiences of CRSV endured by Afro-Colombian women within the context of the armed conflict in Colombia. Drawing on testimonies collected by the Colombian Truth Commission, we analyze how these narratives expose the structural entanglement of sexism and racism. Our analysis identifies three thematic categories: ambivalence between desire and contempt, sexual object identity, and enslavement. These findings emphasize the unique vulnerability of Afro-Colombian women in armed conflict and underscore the importance of centering their voices within transitional justice and peacebuilding frameworks.
Research underscores the epidemic of sexual violence (SV) among Indigenous populations including youth, which is rooted in colonization and multiple historical traumas. Yet, little research has examined the prevention of SV in the context of tribal reservations. The purpose of the current study was to examine the promise of the program, including (a) examining program acceptability and fidelity; and (b) changes in intermediary outcomes (e.g., gender-equitable attitudes, rape myths) associated with participation in a program (i.e., Sources of Strength [SOS]) intended to prevent SV and among middle school boys residing on a rural reservation in the Northern Great Plains. SOS teaches boys to understand and manage violence in peaceful ways, including an emphasis on cultural values and resisting peer pressure. Participants were 56 middle school boys who completed a pretest, participated in SOS over a 6-week period, and completed a posttest several weeks following the last SOS session. Participants also completed a postsession survey after each session where we assessed acceptability. Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses on the postsession surveys found that the program was acceptable and perceived as impactful (e.g., commitment to nonviolence, living life consistent with Lakota manhood). Results from analyses examining changes from pre- to posttest found reductions in rape myths and some domains of conformity to masculine norms and increases in gender-equitable attitudes. There were no changes in recognizing the importance of sexual consent. This initial study documents that SOS holds promise as a program to prevent the use of SV among Indigenous middle school boys.
Despite the pervasive threat of firearm violence across the United States, research has overwhelmingly centered on male victims, often overlooking the devastating impact on black women and girls. In 2023 alone, 2320 black women and girls were victims of firearm violence. This scoping review explores the effects of firearm violence on this demographic, examining the disproportionate burden of firearm-related homicide, suicide, and police violence, as well as the associated social, economic, and psychological consequences. It also analyzes the systematic factors contributing to this overlooked public health crisis. A search of EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases was conducted in September 2024. Search terms related to firearm violence, black women, black girls, and intersecting factors such as race and gender were used to identify relevant studies. Peer-reviewed empirical articles focusing on black women and girls in the United States were included; reports, dissertations, and theses were excluded. All eligible studies were uploaded to DistillerSR for screening, analysis, and data extraction. Fifty-six studies were included, generating four themes: demography ( n = 29), intimate partner violence ( n = 10), neighborhood disparities ( n = 11), and mental health consequences ( n = 6). Findings revealed a disproportionate exposure to firearm violence among black women and girls, along with significant gaps in research focused on this population. Findings highlight the need for research on the intersection of race, gender, and firearm violence, especially regarding mental health and firearm suicide. Improved data collection and intersectional approaches are essential to understand and mitigate the impact of firearm violence on this demographic.
This article presents a scoping review of empirical research on public perceptions, the perpetration and harms associated with sexual deepfakes, nonconsensual explicit content fabricated through generative technologies. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses methodology, 14 peer-reviewed studies retrieved from three academic databases were analyzed. The literature predominantly focuses on Anglo-Western contexts, resulting in a significant absence of research from culturally diverse settings. The findings are organized into three main topics and related subthemes: (i) “public opinions,” which includes perceptions of sexual deepfake content, motivations, harms, construction of perpetrators’ identity, and the role of digital platforms; (ii) “perpetration,” which addresses the sociotechnical aspects of the sexual deepfakes, such as the accessibility of generative nudatory technologies and its relationship with the cultural frameworks surrounding the abuse; and (iii) “impacts and harms,” which details the real, embodied consequences experienced by victims and survivors and the barriers they face. The review identifies three critical areas of debate: (1) terminological debates surrounding sexual deepfakes; (2) differences between survey-based and online studies; and (3) empirical gaps and directions for research. Future research is encouraged to employ intersectional, survivor-centered, culturally grounded, and prevention-focused methodologies to better understand how sexual deepfakes are produced and experienced.
Transgender individuals in Pakistan face physical and mental health challenges due to marginalization, discrimination, and victimization, which may increase their vulnerability to depression, anxiety, negative body image, and suicidal behaviors. This study aimed to examine the relationship between demographic factors, depression, anxiety, and low body appreciation with suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and suicide risk among transgender individuals in Pakistan. Demographic variables included age, gender assigned at birth, gender identity, profession, education, and socioeconomic status, assessed through a self-developed semistructured questionnaire. Psychological constructs were measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Body Appreciation Scale-2, and Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised. Reliability of instruments was evaluated through Cronbach's alpha. Data were collected from 135 participants through respondent-driven sampling using both online and in-person interviews after informed consent, ensuring anonymity and privacy. Analyses included questionnaire validation, frequencies, descriptive statistics, mean comparisons, bivariate correlations, and logistic regressions. Results indicated that demographic factors significantly influenced suicidal ideation and attempts. Correlation analyses showed significant associations between depression (r = 0.071), anxiety (r = 0.147), low body appreciation (r = 0.110), and suicidal behaviors (r = 0.008). Depression, anxiety, and low body appreciation were significantly related to past suicidal ideation (R-2 = 0.395), attempts (R-2 = 0.376), and future suicide risk (R-2 = 0.415). Regression analysis further revealed that depression (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.024, p = 0.001) and low body appreciation (AOR = 1.071, p = 0.044) were associated with a higher number of past suicide attempts. These findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive mental health interventions for transgender individuals in Pakistan.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) and firearm violence threaten women's health and safety in the United States. Despite the magnitude of female homicides and mass shootings resulting from IPV-related firearm incidents, research in this critical area remains limited. A retrospective review of prospectively collected data using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) Firearm Injury Surveillance Study from 1993 through 2019 was performed. The study focused on firearm shooting injuries seen in US Emergency Departments (ED) during assaults, excluding unintentional injuries, suicide attempts, or law enforcement activity. The demographics and injury patterns of IPV and non-IPV groups were compared using statistical methods accounting for the weighted, stratified nature of the data. Over the 27-year period from 1993 through 2019, there were 60,730 ED visits for firearm injuries (limited to assaults when shot by the firearm for those 10 years or older) for an estimated 1,564,078 visits. IPV represented 0.9% (137,740 of the 1,564,078) estimated firearm-related injuries. IPV patients were more likely to be older (39.3 vs 27.7 years; p < 0.0001), female (59.0% vs 11.3%; p < 0.0001), white (62.5% vs 19.5%; p < 0.0001), occurred at home (67.1% vs 13.8%; p < 0.0001), sustained head and neck injuries (30.2% vs 15.0%; p = 0.0056) and with a higher mortality (12.3% vs 6.6%; p < 0.01) compared with non-IPV patients. Female IPV patients had more head and neck injuries (37.2% vs 20.2%; p = 0.03) than male patients. The average age of IPV patients when the perpetrator was an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend was lower (25.8 years) than when the perpetrator was a spouse (40.6 years) or ex-spouse (37.7 years) (p < 0.0001). One-third of the IPV patients were not married or did not report their marital status, supporting firearm restrictions for those already convicted of domestic violence offenses from a public health viewpoint. The study highlights the urgent need for interventions to reduce IPV-related firearm injuries, given the deliberate targeting of head and neck regions in female IPV patients and the high fatality rates observed in IPV patients presenting to ED.
Violence against women is a global public health issue with serious physical and psychological consequences, most commonly inflicted by an intimate partner. The attitudinal acceptance of intimate partner violence (IPV) is a crucial factor associated with its prevalence. The current study aims to estimate the prevalence rates of attitudes toward IPV and identify associated factors among Honduran women and men who have experienced marital relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted using data from the National Demographic and Health Survey carried out in 2019. Separate analyses were done based on sex, employing univariate analyses to estimate prevalences and bivariate analyses, as well as Poisson regression models, to determine associated factors. The results revealed that the prevalence of attitudinal acceptance of IPV was 6.2% in women and 5.1% in men. For women, being previously married or cohabiting, belonging to the lowest wealth quintile, and having educational levels below or equal to high school were associated with a higher prevalence of attitudinal acceptance of IPV. In the case of men, higher prevalence of attitudinal acceptance of IPV was associated with marrying before reaching 18 years old, belonging to the lowest wealth quintile, and reporting some form of functional disability. These findings provide guidance for policymakers to develop strategies focused on reducing acceptance of IPV.
The study examines how revenge fantasies are expressed through drawings and narratives, revealing how cultural norms, hierarchy, and gender expectations shape responses to injustice. This is the first study to explore gendered revenge fantasies using arts-based methods within a Buddhist collectivist context. Using a mixed-methods approach, 50 participants (aged 18-30) created drawings and narratives depicting both unjust events and their revenge fantasies. Four primary revenge strategies emerged: direct punishment, indirect punishment (by proxy), karma, and avoidance. Findings suggest that hierarchical and gendered constraints influence revenge ideation, with socially disadvantaged individuals favoring indirect strategies. At the same time, those of equal status with their perpetrators were more likely to envision direct retaliation. Women gravitated toward symbolic or emotional revenge, while men depicted direct- or proxy-based retaliation. Cultural and religious values reinforced indirect, socially sanctioned revenge, with karma-based retaliation reflecting a belief in inevitable justice. These findings suggest that indirect revenge strategies may function as emotional regulation mechanisms and could inform culturally adapted violence prevention efforts.
This article presents a collection of personal stories of Dalit women highlighting their daily experiences of microaggressions, which they did not even realize or endured in silence, but how it left deep psychological, emotional, and relational scars. These experiences are examined from a postmodern theory perspective. In addition, the article will describe Anderson Franklin and Nancy Boyd-Franklin's theoretical concepts of invisibility and Kenneth Hardy's concepts of voicelessness and psychological homelessness. These stories indicated that having mental illness defined these women, leading to a lack of opportunities and resources and further chipping away at their sense of self, capabilities, and value. As a therapist, the primary author felt drawn to connect with these women's humanity, suffering, and pain, but also felt vulnerable to seeing them as different and ignoring the fact that she exercised power by categorizing them as low-income, Dalit, and traumatized. By seeing these women differently, the primary author felt less vulnerable and safer in a therapeutic relationship but also realized how language in therapy reinforces the internal psychological and emotional experience of being invisible and thus unimportant. Mental health professionals should use caste-sensitive language and adopt caste-affirmative therapy to prevent the drop-out of these women from therapy.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) has multiple emotional and psychological effects. Globally, one in three women have experienced IPV in their lifetime. Pakistan ranks 142 in the list of 146 countries on the global gender gap index. By using data from more than 15,000 households from the Pakistan Demographic and Health Survey from 2018, this article aims to explore the factors affecting the tolerance of violence against women in Pakistan. While there is existing research focusing on the factors linked to IPV, there is nonexistent literature quantifying the tolerance of IPV against women. Results suggest that the two most significant factors linked to tolerance of IPV are (i) the level of education of a woman and (ii) the male partner's employment status. An educated woman was 29.5% less likely to tolerate IPV, whereas the employment of a husband was linked with a 16.5% reduction in the likelihood of tolerating IPV. Moreover, the social networking phenomenon is also correlated with the reduction in the probability of tolerating IPV.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition triggered by experiencing traumas, such as witnessing domestic violence. Chronic PTSD can increase the chances of developing bipolar disorder, psychosis, and even later in life, schizophrenia. The probiotics of the digestive system synthesize compounds that ultimately can be utilized by the nervous system. The intestinal microbiota and brain behavior, therefore, are connected to each other, probably by managing the amount of anti/proinflammatory cytokines released in the bloodstream. This study was performed to investigate the effect of synbiotic supplementation consumption on PTSD severity and stability in women who experienced domestic violence. A total of 140 women, divided into two study and control groups, were enrolled in this study and were given "synbiotic" supplementation or placebo for 10 weeks. All the subjects answered the PTSD questionnaire before and after consumption of synbiotic supplementation or placebo to determine the changes in the levels of their PTSD severity and their blood plasma or saliva sample levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as saliva melatonin biomarker levels, which were measured using ELISA. The results indicate a reduction in PTSD symptoms and severity after synbiotic supplementation consumption. The plasma anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-1 beta and IL-6 were decreased, while the saliva melatonin biomarker was increased when compared with the placebo control group. These results were confirmed by the PTSD questionnaire PCL test results, which indicate that synbiotic consumption positively affects the treatment of PTSD symptoms. Our results suggest that synbiotic consumption may ease stress and reduce the symptoms of anxiety in PTSD and perhaps in other similar psychological conditions.
