Little evidence exists about the prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) inflicted by different relational classes of perpetrators (e.g., parents; institutional adults; adolescents), and by individual ...types of perpetrators (e.g., fathers and male relatives; male teachers and male clergy; known and unknown adolescents).
To generate evidence of the prevalence of CSA by different perpetrators, and trends by victim gender and age group.
The Australian Child Maltreatment Study collected information about CSA victimisation from a nationally-representative sample of 8503 individuals aged 16 and over.
We analysed data about 42 perpetrator types, collapsed into eight classes. We generated national prevalence estimates of CSA inflicted by each perpetrator class and individual perpetrator type, and compared results by victim gender and age group.
Australian CSA prevalence was 28.5%, with the following prevalence by perpetrator classes: other known adolescents (non-romantic): 10.0%; parents/caregivers in the home: 7.8%; other known adults: 7.5%; unknown adults: 4.9%; adolescents (current/former romantic partners): 2.5%; institutional caregivers: 2.0%; siblings: 1.6%; unknown adolescents: 1.4%. Women experienced more CSA by all perpetrator classes except institutional caregivers. Age group comparison showed significant declines in CSA by parents/caregivers, and other known adults; and increases in CSA by adolescents (current/former romantic partners). Individual perpetrator type comparison showed declines in CSA by fathers, male relatives living in the home, non-resident male relatives, and other known male adults; and increases in CSA by known male adolescents, current boyfriends, and former boyfriends.
CSA by adults has declined, indicating positive impacts of prevention efforts. However, CSA by adolescents has increased. Further declines in CSA by adults are required and possible. Targeted prevention of CSA by adolescents must be prioritised.
Sexual violence committed by multiple perpetrators is a particularly worrying phenomenon given that the severity of psychopathological sequelae for the victims are increased when the sexual offense ...is committed by more than one offender. Preliminary studies showed that sexual violence committed by solo offenders is different from that of duos or groups of offenders. This study explores the heterogeneity within 983 cases of sexual violence committed by multiple perpetrators, with a focus not only on offenders' modus operandi, but also victims' routine activities and situational aspects of the crime. Results from a latent class analysis identified four offending patterns: sexual violence committed by multiple perpetrators where: 1) stranger victims were randomly selected; 2) offenders were geographically mobile; 3) victims were assaulted during social events; and 4) offenders were non-sexually motivated. Findings help identify situational characteristics interacting with offenders' behaviors and victims' routine activities associated with sexual violence committed by multiple perpetrators. The implications regarding the heterogeneity of criminal patterns in these forms of violence is discussed in relation to police practice, situational crime prevention strategies, and future research.
The present study examines the influence of prior relationship (intimate, non‐intimate), perpetrator‐target sex (male‐female, female‐male) and perpetrator motivation (romance, upset) on (1) the point ...at which behavior crosses the line and becomes stalking, and (2) the likelihood of offering five forms of advice to the target (formal support, informal support, protective measures, avoidance measures, threatening action). The study used a 2 × 2 × 2 between‐participants experimental design. Four‐hundred and sixty‐one UK students read one of eight versions of a hypothetical scenario that they were informed may or may not depict a stalking situation. Analyses revealed that 97.8% (n = 451) of participants believed the perpetrator's behavior constituted stalking, and that behavior was perceived to cross the line earlier in the scenario when the perpetrator's motivation was to upset the target in the context of a non‐intimate prior relationship only. Prior relationship, perpetrator‐target sex and perpetrator motivation also influenced the likelihood of offering various forms of advice to the target. These findings further demonstrate the impact of situational characteristics on perceptions of stalking and highlight the importance of educational campaigns and programs to increase people's understanding of stalking.
This study assessed associations between experiences of physical or sexual violence in childhood and self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among young people in low- and middle-income ...countries (LMICs) and whether these associations varied by sex and perpetrator identity.
We used nationally representative data from the Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys in eight LMICs (2017–2019). The analytic sample included 33,381 young men and women (ages 13–24 years). Multivariable logistic regressions with country-fixed effects were used to estimate the associations between childhood physical and sexual violence and the three outcomes. Stratified analyses were performed by country, participant's sex, and type of perpetrator (parent/caregiver, other adults, peers, and intimate partner).
About 40% of the participants reported physical childhood violence, and 10% experienced childhood sexual violence. Childhood violence was associated with increased odds of self-harm (physical violence: adjusted odds ratio aOR: 2.2, 95% confidence interval CI: 2.0–2.4; sexual violence: aOR: 2.7, 95%, CI: 2.3–3.0), suicidal ideation (physical: aOR: 3.0, 95% CI: 2.7–3.3; sexual: aOR: 4.0, 95%, CI: 3.6–4.5), and suicide attempts (physical: aOR: 3.6, 95% CI: 3.2–4.1; sexual: aOR: 4.9, 95%, CI: 4.3–5.7). Consistent findings were observed in country-specific analyses. The odds of all outcomes were highest among those who experienced childhood physical violence by intimate partners and childhood sexual violence by parents or caregivers. Young women who experienced childhood sexual violence had higher odds for all outcomes than young men.
Violence prevention and mental health programs for young people in LMICs should consider the types of violence experienced, the perpetrator, and the sex of the survivor.
When witnessing an uncivil, immoral, or discriminatory behavior, bystanders have the opportunity to “speak up” and confront the perpetrator about his/her act. We examined whether the closeness of the ...relationship between the bystander and the perpetrator affects the bystander's reaction. We asked middle schoolers, high schoolers, and university students (N = 1,386) to indicate how they would react if they were to witness each of 26 uncivil, immoral, or discriminatory behaviors. We experimentally manipulated the relationship to the perpetrator, who was described as a friend, an acquaintance, or a stranger. Results showed that the closer the relationship to the perpetrator the greater the bystander's self‐reported likelihood of “speaking up.” The findings speak to the role of close relationships in the perpetuation of social norms. They also suggest ways to curb anti‐social behaviors in a variety of school and organizational settings.
There is a need for robust evidence on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of domestic abuse perpetrator programmes in reducing abusive behaviour and improving wellbeing for victim/survivors. ...While any randomised controlled trial can present difficulties in terms of recruitment and retention, conducting such a trial with domestic abuse perpetrators is particularly challenging. This paper reports the pilot and feasibility trial of a voluntary domestic abuse perpetrator group programme in the United Kingdom.
This was a pragmatic individually randomised pilot and feasibility trial with an integrated qualitative study in one site (covering three local-authority areas) in England. Male perpetrators were randomised to either the intervention or usual care. The intervention was a 23-week group programme for male perpetrators in heterosexual relationships, with an average of three one-to-one sessions, and one-to-one support for female current- or ex-partners delivered by third sector organisations. There was no active control treatment for men, and partners of control men were signposted towards domestic abuse support services. Data were collected at three-monthly intervals for nine months from male and female participants. The main objectives assessed were recruitment, randomisation, retention, data completeness, fidelity to the intervention model, and acceptability of the trial design.
This study recruited 36 men (22 randomly allocated to attend the intervention group programme, 14 to usual care), and 15 current- or ex-partners (39% of eligible partners). Retention and completeness of data were high: 67% of male (24/36), and 80% (12/15) of female participants completed the self-reported questionnaire at nine months. A framework for assessing fidelity to the intervention was developed. In interviews, men who completed all or most of the intervention gave positive feedback and reported changes in their own behaviour. Partners were also largely supportive of the trial and were positive about the intervention. Participants who were not allocated to the intervention group reported feeling disappointed but understood the rationale for the trial.
It was feasible to recruit, randomise and retain male perpetrators and female victim/survivors of abuse and collect self-reported outcome data. Participants were engaged in the intervention and reported positive benefits. The trial design was seen as acceptable.
ISRCTN71797549, submitted 03/08/2017, retrospectively registered 27/05/2022.
ABSTRACT
To keep up with the demands from increasingly complex systems, information technology (IT) departments have sought IT professionals and frequently provided these individuals with privileged ...access to organizational systems early in their tenure. This study uses survey data obtained from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) Research Institute, to examine occupational frauds committed by IT professionals versus frauds committed by non-IT personnel. The differences between IT and non-IT personnel can have an impact on organizational fraud. Findings show that IT perpetrators engage in fraud earlier in their tenure and generate similar losses to their non-IT counterparts but in shorter time frames. Organizational managers and forensic accountants should be aware of these important differences and consider the use of monitoring controls, such as management reviews of access and user activity, to detect fraud committed by IT perpetrators. This study provides several suggestions for future research in this vein.
Data Availability: Data are available from the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE).
JEL Classifications: M480; L860; L250.
I congratulate the author for bringing this topic regarding the ethical dilemmas faced by NGOs when a perpetrator of torture requests a clinical evaluation to prove claims of persecution or being ...victim of torture. Such dilemmas may arise in the case of NGOs whose primary mission is to provide supportive documentation for asylum claims by victims of torture, in accordance with the Istanbul Protocol.
Questions related to these dilemmas may emerge in the daily practice of any rehabilitation centre for survivors of torture (RCTs). I will proceed to discuss the paper from the perspective of RCTs...
•Given the deleterious effects of IPV on the wellness of families and society, there is an increasing need to understand what is effective in treating and preventing intimate partner violence based ...on good-quality evidence.•This study combines a systematic review with a meta-analysis and includes more updated research in terms of methodology and intervention strategies.•Our results indicated that together (pre-post test data), these various intervention programs are effective in reducing violence for male perpetrators of intimate partner violence comparing post to pre intervention.•Subgroup analysis revealed that incorporating substance abuse and trauma augmented treatments yielded better results as compared to programs that do not have these components.
Aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of different batterer intervention programs in reducing violence for male IPV perpetrators. The Cochrane Handbook for Systemic Reviews of Interventions guidelines for the process of conducting systematic reviews and meta-analysis were followed. Pooled together, overall these various intervention programs are effective in reducing violence for male perpetrators of IPV comparing post to pre-intervention (pooled estimate = -0.85; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) (-1.02 to -0.69). Exploratory subgroup analysis revealed that incorporating substance abuse or trauma components to the interventions yielded better results (substance abuse: CI = -3.20 to -1.08 and trauma: CI = -2.63 to -0.30) as compared to programs that did not have these components. Gender-role based batterer intervention programs yielded mixed results. Analysis of the three controlled studies with 223 participants comparing batterer programs to a minimal control group showed mixed effects. In conclusion, treatment strategies that are addressing highly comorbid issues such as substance abuse and trauma issues may work more effectively in preventing violence.
Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive social and public health issue affecting millions globally, regardless of age, gender or socioeconomic background. Understanding victim and perpetrators' ...characteristics as well as the DV injury patterns are essential for developing targeted interventions and prevention strategies. Although past DV studies have often focused on female victims, it is increasingly recognised that DV affects a significant proportion of male victims as well. This study aimed to comprehensively examine both male and female DV victims and perpetrators, as well as the anatomical regions affected in DV cases in Kuching, Sarawak, so that a deeper understanding of DV within this community can be enhanced.
This prospective, observational study was conducted from March 2021 to March 2023, involving adult DV victims aged 18 years and above admitted to the One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) of Sarawak General Hospital. Data were collected from the OSCC clerking sheet, focusing on the victims, perpetrators and the violence characteristics.
A total of 133 DV victims were analysed, with 25.6% being male victims. Although majority of the perpetrators in cases involving male victims were male perpetrators, there was a significantly higher number of female perpetrators in these male DV cases (i.e., 5 out of 34 cases,14.7%) compared to in female DV cases (4 out of 99 cases, 4.0%) (p = 0.05). The commonest type of relationship between the victims and perpetrators was spouses or ex-spouses (56.4%). Male victims had more cases involving weapons (67.6%) compared to female victims (26.3%), p < 0.001. The most affected anatomical region was the head and neck (63.9%) region although no significant differences were observed.
The study reveals that DV affects individuals across all societal classes and income groups. Although weapons were used more frequently in male DV cases, other injury characteristics and affected anatomical regions were not significantly different between genders, suggesting female perpetrators can inflict similar injuries as male perpetrators. Subgroup analysis showed that the majority of male victims faced abuse from their children or grandchildren, hinting at hidden geriatric abuse, that should be unmasked and treated as a separate entity.