Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / This study explored the consequences of passion killing (PK) on the academic wellbeing of undergraduates in Botswana and Namibia. The study is motivated by the alarming rate of intimate partner femicide popularly referred to as passion killings in both countries; where dozens of young women are being killed by their jilted and angry boyfriends (who most times commit suicide after the murder). The victims and perpetrators are the future generation youths; and noticeably, this monstrous crime had permeated awfully into the universities in some African countries. However, to date, there is paucity of information on the influence of such occurrence on the academic wellbeing of undergraduates. The study employed qualitative research approach, with intrinsic case study design. It was grounded in interpretative paradigm. The participants were purposefully selected given the nature of the study as well as the site; the study used snowball purposive sampling. The samples were of six participants and the data was obtained through semi-structured face-to-face interviews. The data were coded and thematic analysis was used to analyse the content. Member checking procedures were also employed to assess the credibility and trustworthiness of the study as well as the suitability of the subjects in order to ensure that the results of the study were dependable and could be confirmed. The study adhered to the professional research ethical considerations like voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, anonymity and avoidance of harm. The study found that incidence of PK is still burgeoning in the locations of study and very rampant among the young people; the victims are largely women. It is established from the data collected during in depth interviews with the students that passion killing has negative influence on the academic wellbeing of students in tertiary institutions in Botswana and Namibia. It causes social shock which leaves students in disconnected and disenchanted relationships; causes psychological trauma leading to feelings of insecurity and instability which affects their learning and concentration.

In this paper, we try to understand the high prevalence rates of domestic violence in the United States. Using the history behind domestic violence, the psychology behind male batterers and batterer intervention programs we discover solutions to help reduce battery recidivism rates. An analysis of the criminal justice system regarding police intervention and Family Court result in future policy implications. In addition, the proposed solutions are creating lasting impact in either batterer intervention programs or policies. Lastly, policy and future implications are discussed without reducing batterer responsibility.

The effect of self-control on one’s criminal offending is a product of both an individual’s capacity to exercise self-control as well as their desire to exercise self-control. The present study utilized self-report data gathered at a large urban university in Florida (n=1,307) to test the independent and interactive effects of control-capacity and control-desire on intimate partner violence perpetration. The study suggests that while both capacity and desire for control have effects on one’s likelihood of reporting IPV, these effects are independent of each other.

Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a concerning, yet relatively understudied form of intimate partner violence (IPV). Furthermore, the majority of research regarding sexual violence fails to differentiate between different forms of control used to facilitate this violence. Although IPV has been linked to a multitude of adverse physical and health outcomes, it is less clear how these outcomes vary by type of control experienced. Using data from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), the current study examines the physical and non-physical tactics used to facilitate sexual violence, and the associated health outcomes. Potential gender differences in tactics experienced and resulting victim health are also explored. Results show that while physical force is associated with the greatest number of health outcomes, all three tactics are related to reporting adverse health. Additionally, gender analyses reveal that women are more likely to suffer from frequent headaches, injuries, and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and to report a greater number of physical health outcomes and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms, while men who experienced physically forced sexual violence are more likely to report overall worse mental health than their female counterparts. These findings, along with policy implications and directions for future research, are then discussed.

This study focuses on the interrelationships between gender, self-control and intimate partner violence (IPV). The sample consists of 960 undergraduate and graduate university students who are currently in a dating relationship. A series of bivariate and multivariate analyses are used to: 1) determine if self-control and IPV vary across gender and 2) assess the effect of gender on the relationship between self-control and IPV. Overall, results provide partial support for Gottfredson and Hirschi’s (1990) general theory of crime. Self-control operated similarly on IPV for both males and females, supporting the gender-neutrality of their theory. However, the gender gap in crime, as it relates to self-control, remains in question as females were more likely than males to commit more types of IPV. The implications of these findings, limitations of the current study, and directions for future research are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Family Studies and Human Services / William H. Meredith Jr / Children experience catastrophic loss when they have a parent killed by intimate partner violence. Their lives are immediately changed by this event. They are often left orphaned and separated from natural support systems. This study looks at the social support that children and their families have had after the death of a parent from intimate partner violence. The support is reported as seen by mental health professionals who worked with the children and their caretakers after the death. The study is a phenomenological study taken from interviews with six mental health professionals in three communities in three states. The themes found were described by at least five of the six interviewees and were also identified by a secondary rater. The themes outlined the existence of social support prior to the death as well as knowledge by the community that violence was present in the family before the murder. Stressors after the death of the parent were significant and required family re-organization. Families took steps to engage both existing and potential social supports but were often not able to utilize formal services at the time that they were offered. The importance of a consistent long-term attachment for the child was reinforced repeatedly. Grief response for both the child and the primary caretaker were complicated by the reality of the parent/son or daughter having been killed by their intimate partner. Finally, the difficulty of providing care and support for these children extracted a toll on the caretakers in their physical and mental health. Several messages emerged beyond these themes. Caretakers needed to provide emotional as well as physical care. When the emotional support was available children were able to tell the story of their experience, which they needed to do over and over again. The most problematic situations that participants described were with children who had not discussed this life event since it occurred. These children did not explore their feelings about the death of their parent or share what the loss meant to them with others.

Domestic violence remains a serious social issue. In North America, millions of women are victimized each year, and many of these women are victims of violence at the hand of their intimate partners. A small but growing body of research on domestic violence has shown that companion animals are among the victims of such violence. Abuse of or threats to the pets are used to control, manipulate and emotionally abuse the female partner. However, the majority of this research has focused on the perspective of the abused female partner; the male perspective is missing. Through semi-structured interviews with ten incarcerated men who have committed intimate partner violence (IPV), this thesis explores the abuser’s motivations for abuse of the pet as well as their perspective of pets in the context of a violent relationship. The findings indicate that, contrary to previous research, most men do not abuse pets in the relationship, and in fact have positive relationships with their pets. Just as pets are sources of comfort for women in abusive relationships, pets can be sources of comfort and support for the abusive men as well. When incorporated into violence intervention and treatment programs, relationships with pets can provide a venue for men construct a masculine identity in a positive way, and the treatment of animals can illustrate how violence is not an effective solution.

Using a purposive sampling technique, this study employed an online questionnaire to assess the relationship between attitudes towards gender-related constructs (e.g. rape myth acceptance, shared power in relationships, the acceptability of dating violence and perceived seriousness of dating violence) and the tolerance of dating violence among undergraduate students in the Faculty of Social Science at the University of Ottawa. Linear regression models were conducted to identify the most salient predictors of the tolerance of dating violence. A general/combined model was examined as well as three subtype-specific models (e.g. psychological, physical and sexual dating violence). A total of seven predictor variables were entered into each model in three blocks: sociodemographic variables were entered first, followed by sex and then gender-related constructs (e.g. rape myth acceptance, power in relationships, the acceptability and seriousness of dating violence). The results identify a number of variables that are associated with the tolerance of dating violence scales and some that led to a decrease in scores on these scales. Findings suggest that the link between gender-related constructs and the tolerance of dating violence is complex and multidimensional and warrants further research to explain the variation observed.

“Rapid repeat pregnancy”, which is common among young mothers, is the onset of pregnancy within 24 months of a previous pregnancy outcome. Teenage motherhood is associated with many economic, social, and health challenges. These challenges often become more serious and more difficult to manage after a subsequent delivery. The circumstances surrounding rapid repeat pregnancy among young mothers living in Ottawa remain unclear. This study explores the experiences, knowledge, and attitudes of young mothers towards rapid repeat pregnancy and contraception through a multi-method study. The multimethod study includes in-depth interviews with young mothers living in Ottawa who have experienced rapid repeat pregnancy and in-depth interviews with services providers who work with them. Results from the interviews indicate that young mothers often do not use post-partum contraception, actively and passively plan their pregnancies, experience violence, and have mental health and substance abuse issues. Many young mothers expressed that trying to access services, especially mental health support services, can be a long and difficult process. Key informants expressed the need for more sexpositive, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health education. There is a need to identify and further develop youth-friendly services that young mothers feel comfortable accessing. Supporting efforts to increase adolescent mothers’ and service providers’ awareness of existing services appears warranted.

The aim of this study was to examine the experience among women who have been victims for domestic violence in heterosexual relationships. More specifically the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding when it comes to how women manage to live with the violence and also to examine why some women are staying in the relationship despite being exposed to violence. Another purpose was to find out how women experienced support from authorities if they requested such support. The study was based on reading five autobiographies written by women who have been in a relationship with partner who was abusive both physically and mentally. The normalization process and emotions as a theory were used as theoretical perspectives. The results showed that the women of the study tended to get used to the violence over time and that they started to accept it as a part of their relationship. Another result of the study was that the women felt feelings of shame which resulted in the fact that they kept quiet about the violence and therefore stayed in the relationship. Lastly one of the main results of the study showed that women overall did not feel satisfied with the help and support that they gained from authorities.