Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Epidemiologic studies suggest that depression is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although several possible mediators of this association have been proposed, few studies have examined the role of moderators. Accordingly, I examined adverse childhood experiences (ACE) as a potential moderator of the depression-CVD association, given that individuals with a history of ACE show a greater inflammatory response to depression, and inflammation plays a role in the development of CVD. Data from Waves 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) were analyzed. Participants were 29,282 adults (58% female, 42% non–white) aged 18–97 years, free of CVD diagnoses at baseline. Lifetime depressive disorder (LDD) was assessed by the Alcohol Use Disorder and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule–IV (AUDADIS–IV), and adverse childhood experiences (abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction), and CVD were assessed during separate interviews. The primary outcome was incident CVD (n = 1,255), defined as nonfatal arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and/or stroke reported during the Wave 2 interviews. All analyses were adjusted for demographic and traditional CVD risk factors. Logistic regression models revealed that both LDD (OR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.28–1.62, p < .001) and any ACE (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.16–1.35, p < .001) were independent predictors of incident CVD. Interactions between LDD x any ACE (p = .024), LDD x neglect (p = .003), and LDD x household dysfunction (p < .001), but not LDD x abuse (p = 0.16), were detected. Analyses stratified by the ACE variables revealed that LDD was a predictor of incident CVD among adults with a history of (1) any ACE (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.32–1.73, p < .001), but not among those without a history (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.87–1.50, p = .332); (2) neglect (OR = 1.59, 95% CI: 1.36–1.87, p < .001) and among those without a history (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.07–1.62, p = .005); (3) household dysfunction (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.46–2.04, p < .001), but not among those without a history (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.96–1.43, p = .11). Overall, the present findings suggest that depression may be a stronger risk factor for CVD among adults with a history of ACE, especially neglect and household dysfunction, than among adults who did not have these experiences.

Thesis (M.Dev. (Planning and Management)) -- University of Limpopo, 2022 / There is a high rate of gender-based violence in South Africa. The study aimed at examining the effectiveness of Ikhaya Lethemba as a community based organisation in empowering victims of gender-based violence in Gauteng province of the republic. In ensuring that the objectives of this study used predominantly qualitative research approach. The study method has been a case study. Representative of the study were selected purposively and participants were ten staff members including principals of Ikhaya Lethemba along with twenty-four respondents. The sample consisted of thirty-four participants. As this was predominantly qualitative study, data collection was using semi structured in-depth interviews. The narrative data from the interview guide was analysed qualitatively through open-ended questions. Data was also collected by using closed-ended questions for responding to semi-structured questions. Patterns of experiences were noted from the emerged themes. Those emerged themes were then grouped together. The main findings indicated that Ikhaya Lethemba played a significant role in empowering gender-based violence victims in Gauteng province, South Africa. The study discussed the nature of gender based violence experienced by the respondents, the legislative and policy framework in responding to gender based violence within the Republic of South Africa, and to examine the effectiveness of Ikhaya Lethemba as a community based organisation in empowering victims of gender based violence.

De nos jours, l’usage des outils de communication électronique chez les jeunes est largement répandu et donne lieu à de nouvelles opportunités d’exercer de violence dans les relations intimes, par exemple la surveillance, le harcèlement ou les cyberviolences sexuelles (CVS). Si beaucoup d’études ont porté sur les facteurs de risque associés à la CVS chez les jeunes, c’est-à-dire de contraindre une personne à aborder un contenu à caractère sexuel (photos ou messages) sans le consentement de la personne, peu de travaux se sont penchés sur les facteurs de protection. Plus précisément, la CVS a surtout été abordée sous l’angle des sextos, l’appréhendant comme un comportement délinquant et néfaste pour le bien-être des jeunes. S’appuyant sur un devis quantitatif, ce mémoire s’intéresse aux filles ayant vécu une expérience amoureuse et sexuelle sous un angle victimologique et cherche à documenter les facteurs de risque et principalement de protection luttant contre les CVS dans un contexte de relation intime. Un échantillon de 1 082 filles de 14 à 19 ans (âge moyen 16,7 ans) ont rempli un questionnaire en ligne, nous renseignant sur leur vie sexuelle et amoureuse, sur les événements de victimisation subis, ainsi que sur des facteurs personnels et relationnels associés. Les résultats indiquent que l’attachement romantique (types sécurisant et préoccupé), l’assertivité sexuelle (la capacité à refuser un contact sexuel non désiré et à initier un contact sexuel souhaité) et le soutien social perçu pourraient limiter les risques de vivre une CVS, alors que l’exposition à la violence familiale, une plus forte estime de soi sexuel et l’attachement craintif sont associés à un risque plus élevé. Ainsi, à la lumière de ces résultats, les programmes de prévention de la CVS devraient lutter contre la violence familiale, miser sur l’importance de développer un style d’attachement romantique sécurisant chez les adolescentes ainsi que le renforcement de l’assertivité sexuelle et l’établissement d’un réseau social de confiance. Enfin, il serait important d’accompagner les adolescentes dans l’expression de leur estime de soi sexuel qui se déploient dans leur utilisation des outils technologiques, tout en renforçant leur capacité à mettre leurs limites et en légitimant l’importance du consentement lorsqu’il est question de cybersexualité entre partenaires intimes. / Today, the use of digital communication tools among youth is widespread and new possibilities arise for cyber dating abuse such as surveillance, harassment, or sexual cyber violence (SCV). While many studies focus on risk factors linking teenagers to SCV, i-e the use of force to broach sexual content (photos or messages) without the consent of the person, few researchers have focused on protective factors. More specifically, SCV has mainly been analysed from a “sexting” perspective, a delinquent behavior which represent a threat to the well-being of the adolescents. This quantitative thesis focuses on teenage girls who had romantic and sexual experiences from a victimological viewpoint and seeks to document the risk and, primarily, the protective factors that would limit SCV. A sample of 1 082 girls between the ages of 14 and 19 (mean age 16.7) completed an online questionnaire, informing us about their sex and love life, victimization events as well as personal and relational factors. Results indicate that romantic attachment (secure and anxious attachment types), sexual assertiveness (refusal of unwanted sex and sexual intimacy initiation) and perceived social support would limit the risk of experiencing SCV while the exposure to family violence, sexual self-esteem and fearful attachment would be associated with an increased risk. Thus, SCV prevention programs should focus on family violence, rely on good practices that promote a secure romantic attachment style, reinforce sexual assertiveness and establish a social network of trust. In addition, it would be important to support adolescent girls in expressing their sexual self-esteem through digital tools while strengthening their ability to set their limits and legitimizing the importance of consent on Internet.

Emotional abuse is a problem experienced worldwide, crossing all economic, educational, social and ethnic segments of all societies. Overtime, many empirical researchers concentrated on studying the occurrence and impact of physical abuse on women but neglected to study the effects of emotional abuse on the woman's physical and mental health. But with time, researchers began to realise that emotional abuse also had a great impact on the lives of women. Therefore, a detailed exploration of emotional abuse between intimate adult partners has only recently emerged in the literature. Though it is difficult to separate emotional abuse from other forms of abuse, many women in our research who were provided with a definition of emotional abuse identified and confirmed that they have been emotionally abused in their past or are being abused in their current intimate relationships. This research project focused mainly on women who suffered and have survived the wounds of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Group work is aimed at the growth and development of the individual. This study reports on an in-depth analysis of the arrangements and formulation of the structure of support groups, and the effectiveness of the functioning of these groups. Participants who joined the support groups in this research, were women who have undergone therapeutic intervention and are/or were engaged in a healing process that involved reintegration, implementation and maintenance of therapeutic goals. Support groups do provide a place where people can share their experiences in a safe environment, and where they can symbolise their experiences and consequently make them more acceptable to the self. It has been concluded in this research that support groups were effective in giving members the opportunity of helping each other to heal from the wounds of emotional abuse by being supportive, giving feedback, making helpful suggestions and providing useful information necessary for their growth and development. Therefore, participants who joined the support groups agreed that they have benefited by receiving the encouragement and support from one another, which contributed towards their process of healing emotionally, and in turn, caused them to change from being helpless victims to survivors of emotional abuse. / Sociology / D. Phil (Sociology)

Text in English / Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a major problem among women of child-bearing age in Uganda. This study explored the IPV experiences of women living in urban slums and their health needs in order to assist in developing strategies to prevent and respond to IPV. This was a cross-sectional explanatory study using a mixed methods approach among women aged 20-45 years in Kabalagala slums, Kampala, Uganda. The quantitative survey data was collected using a structured questionnaire while qualitative data was collected using in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were collected from a random sample of 372 women and qualitative data from a purposive sample of 48 women with IPV experiences. The quantitative data was analysed using STATA (version 11), and the qualitative data was coded and analysed manually into thematic content. The study revealed a high overall lifetime prevalence of IPV. The different IPV forms prevalent in the study population included psychological (99.7%), economic (93%), physical (92%) and sexual (88%). Physical violence in the last one year was 91%. The qualitative findings revealed the manifestations of IPV in this context. Furthermore, the physical and psychological health impacts of IPV included but were not limited to injuries; chronic pain and complications; HIV infection; low self-esteem; stress and fear of death, and loss of relationships. The researcher proposed three strategies to prevent and respond to IPV, namely implementing economic empowerment and poverty reduction programmes for women; strengthening the legal and justice system to respond appropriately to the problem of IPV, and improving the social and institutional support including training of health workers to prevent and respond to IPV. The proposed regulation of substance and alcohol use would also contribute to reducing IPV prevalence and scaling-up the response. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies)

Using the International Violence Against Women Survey (IVAWS), this paper identifies factors contributing to women’s individual risk of being victimized by their current intimate partner. Additionally, this analysis examines the overlap of physical and sexual violence within intimate relationships. Past research into IPV has identified a numerous predictor variables. Adapting nine such variables (controlling behaviours, male heavy drinking, female only income, female past marriage, female past IPV, respondents’ age, relationship duration, relationship status and violence outside the home) to the IVAWS dataset, a framework identifying risk patterns for physical and sexual violence was developed. The results identify a number of variables that performed as expected and increased a women’s risk of being a victim of IPV; however, some variables decreased women’s risk and therefore acted as protective factors. These findings suggest that IPV at the country level is more complex and requires additional research to fully explain the variation observed.

Using the International Violence Against Women Survey (IVAWS), this paper identifies factors contributing to women’s individual risk of being victimized by their current intimate partner. Additionally, this analysis examines the overlap of physical and sexual violence within intimate relationships. Past research into IPV has identified a numerous predictor variables. Adapting nine such variables (controlling behaviours, male heavy drinking, female only income, female past marriage, female past IPV, respondents’ age, relationship duration, relationship status and violence outside the home) to the IVAWS dataset, a framework identifying risk patterns for physical and sexual violence was developed. The results identify a number of variables that performed as expected and increased a women’s risk of being a victim of IPV; however, some variables decreased women’s risk and therefore acted as protective factors. These findings suggest that IPV at the country level is more complex and requires additional research to fully explain the variation observed.

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Using the International Violence Against Women Survey (IVAWS), this paper identifies factors contributing to women’s individual risk of being victimized by their current intimate partner. Additionally, this analysis examines the overlap of physical and sexual violence within intimate relationships. Past research into IPV has identified a numerous predictor variables. Adapting nine such variables (controlling behaviours, male heavy drinking, female only income, female past marriage, female past IPV, respondents’ age, relationship duration, relationship status and violence outside the home) to the IVAWS dataset, a framework identifying risk patterns for physical and sexual violence was developed. The results identify a number of variables that performed as expected and increased a women’s risk of being a victim of IPV; however, some variables decreased women’s risk and therefore acted as protective factors. These findings suggest that IPV at the country level is more complex and requires additional research to fully explain the variation observed.

Emotional abuse is a problem experienced worldwide, crossing all economic, educational, social and ethnic segments of all societies. Overtime, many empirical researchers concentrated on studying the occurrence and impact of physical abuse on women but neglected to study the effects of emotional abuse on the woman's physical and mental health. But with time, researchers began to realise that emotional abuse also had a great impact on the lives of women. Therefore, a detailed exploration of emotional abuse between intimate adult partners has only recently emerged in the literature. Though it is difficult to separate emotional abuse from other forms of abuse, many women in our research who were provided with a definition of emotional abuse identified and confirmed that they have been emotionally abused in their past or are being abused in their current intimate relationships. This research project focused mainly on women who suffered and have survived the wounds of emotional abuse in intimate relationships. Group work is aimed at the growth and development of the individual. This study reports on an in-depth analysis of the arrangements and formulation of the structure of support groups, and the effectiveness of the functioning of these groups. Participants who joined the support groups in this research, were women who have undergone therapeutic intervention and are/or were engaged in a healing process that involved reintegration, implementation and maintenance of therapeutic goals. Support groups do provide a place where people can share their experiences in a safe environment, and where they can symbolise their experiences and consequently make them more acceptable to the self. It has been concluded in this research that support groups were effective in giving members the opportunity of helping each other to heal from the wounds of emotional abuse by being supportive, giving feedback, making helpful suggestions and providing useful information necessary for their growth and development. Therefore, participants who joined the support groups agreed that they have benefited by receiving the encouragement and support from one another, which contributed towards their process of healing emotionally, and in turn, caused them to change from being helpless victims to survivors of emotional abuse. / Sociology / D. Phil (Sociology)