Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important social problem, but historically the scientific research has focused mostly on the female victims. Several reviews exist on female victims, but no on male victims. The prevalence rates presented in the literature are very heterogeneous, which has been explained by variations in methodology, a lack of a clear recognized definition and a missing golden standard. This thesis reviews prevalence rates in studies on IPV with a male victim, and answers the following questions; (1) What are the total prevalence rates in relation to the different study characteristics and do we see any significant differences within these characteristics? (2) How does the definition of intimate partner violence and study characteristics affect the prevalence rate? (3) What type of relationship do we see between the quality of studies and prevalence rate?A systematic review has been carried out resulting in 49 relevant studies on male victims of IPV. The data from these 49 studies have been extracted based on the operationalization of “definition” in categories of type of violence, type of instrument and number of survey questions and in the operationalization of study quality based on a quality index by Looney et al. (2000). A students t-test and linear regression models was conducted to answer the research questions. This study finds that men are more often victims of psychological violence than physical violence, which is in contrast to female victims. The study also finds that the introduction of each of the definition-variables results in higher prevalence rates. This indicates, that factors related to the definition are important elements in the study of IPV prevalence in male victims.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a problem of global proportions that affect men and women worldwide. It is a problem that occurs in all stages of life where we have intimate partners, starting in adolescence. Previous research show that the prevalence of IPV in adolescence is high, around 30% in most parts of Europe and North America. In Scandinavia the levels are a bit lower with previous research showing rates from approximately 10 to 20%, although the research in the Scandinavian context is scarce. The effects of morality on IPV perpetration is even less studied, with previous research showing that there is a significant correlation between the personal morality regarding IPV (IPV morality) and IPV perpetration. The aim of the present study is to use a Situational action theory perspective to study the prevalence of physical IPV and to investigate if there are significant associations between IPV perpetration, levels of IPV morality and levels of partner conflict in a sample of Swedish adolescence. The study is cross-sectional and based on self-reported data collected in the Malmö Individual Neighborhood Development Study (MINDS) during 2014 when the participants were between 18-19 years old. The results showed an IPV prevalence around 4-7% and that there were significant associations between morality and IPV perpetration and between IPV morality and IPV perpetration. The association between partner conflict and IPV perpetration was not significant. Also, the results revealed that levels of IPV morality may shift depending on the situation and that girls seem to have lower IPV morality than boys. Furthermore, the results showed that IPV perpetration is bidirectional with boys and girls being as likely to commit acts of IPV.

Sexual assault on college campuses continues to be a pervasive public health issue with approximately one in five women experiencing sexual assault. Stranger rape is most commonly what people think of when they think of sexual assault, however, acquaintance rape is the most common form of sexual assault. Yet, victims are blamed more in acquaintance rape as compared to stranger rape situations. Thus, the perceptions of sexual assault occurring in various romantic relationships warrants further attention. Using an online survey at a large southern university, the current study examines the perceptions of college students, in various sexual assault scenarios, including stranger, acquaintance, committed dating, cohabitating, and marital. In addition, the levels of victim blame, rape myths, sexual attitudes and beliefs, and hostility toward women are examined. Findings may help inform future prevention efforts to help reduce rape myths regarding dating and marital rape.

There has been a heightened effort to research the overwhelming prevalence of sexual assault on college campuses. Female undergraduates are the most common victims, with rates of one in five experiencing nonconsensual sexual contact during their college years. However, there is very little research that has examined sexual assault among students with disabilities. Students with intellectual disability are sexually assaulted at rates more than seven times higher than students with no disabilities. Thus, students with disabilities are hidden victims who experience sexual violence at extremely high rates. The current study used an online survey to assess the prevalence of sexual assault among students with disabilities at a large southern university. Findings may help inform future prevention efforts to help the high rates of sexual violence rates among students with disabilities on college campuses.

Bakgrund: Våld mot kvinnor är ett globalt problem och en kränkning av de mänskliga rättigheterna. Våld i nära relation drabbar cirka 30 procent av alla kvinnor världen över och bara i Sverige dör varje år mellan 16–19 kvinnor, till följd av våld från sin partner. Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva hur kvinnor, utsatta för våld i nära relationer, upplevt bemötandet i vården. Metod: Denna litteraturöversikt baserades på tio kvalitativa vetenskapliga originalartiklar. Artiklarna analyserades sedan mot Watsons omsorgsteori för att identifiera nya teman. Artiklarna samlades in från databaserna Medline, Cinahl Complete och Pubmed. Resultat: I denna litteraturöversikt framkom fyra teman; skuld och skam, trygghet, våldet nonchaleras och vårdmiljöns inverkan. När bemötandet från vårdpersonalen upplevdes negativt av kvinnorna ledde det till skuld- och skamkänslor, hopplöshet och ensamhet vilket innebar ökat lidande hos kvinnorna. Slutsats: När vårdrelationen brast i tillit mellan kvinnorna och vårdpersonalen ledde det till negativa upplevelser av vården. Detta resulterade i att kvinnorna inte avslöjade våldsutsatthet och de undvek att söka vård i största möjliga utsträckning. Kvinnorna var besvikna över vården de fått och upplevde att de inte fick tillräckligt stöd. Vårdpersonalen behöver upptäcka och identifiera tecken på våld i nära relation och erbjuda adekvat och personcentrerad vård till dessa kvinnor. / Background: Violence against women is a global issue and it is a violation against human rights. Intimate partner violence affects approximately 30 percent of all women in the world, only in Sweden 16-19 women die each year  out of intimate partner violence. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe how women exposed to intimate partner violence experienced the treatment in care. Method: This literature review were based on the result of ten qualitative scientific original articles. The articles were then analyzed by dint of Watsons nursing theory to identify new themes. The articles were collected from the databases Medline, Cinahl complete and Pubmed. Results: This literature review showed four themes; experiences of guilt and shame, lack of trust, that the violence was being ignored and that the care environment had an impact on women's experiences of the treatment received from healthcare professionals. Women who have been exposed to intimate partner violence, experienced a lack of trust or felt offended and unimportant by the care staff, which led to the women not revealing being exposed to domestic violence. Conclusion: When the relationship between the women and health-care professional wasn´t based on trust, women choosed not to or avoid seeking health care or reveal being exposed to intimate partner violence. The attitude from healthcare professionals towards women and various barriers to good care are factors that affect the meeting between healthcare professionals and women. The care staff needs to detect and identify signs of VNR and offer adequate and person-centered care to these women.

Male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV) against women remains as a pervasive and detrimental issue both in the United States and globally. Researchers, counselors, and others often develop psychological measures to help understand the causes of IPV in an effort to prevent this issue from occurring. Debate still persists within IPV research as to the definitive factors that contribute to the perpetration of IPV. The socio-feminist perspective remains as the predominant theoretical basis that drives IPV research and understanding. Despite this, no psychological measure grounded in this theory that predicts IPV perpetration proclivities has been developed and validated to date. The purpose of the current project was to develop and validate a psychological measure that predicts a likelihood to physically abuse a female intimate partner among heterosexual men – the Likelihood to Physically Abuse (LPA) scale. The development of which followed the methods of previously developed and validated measures of likelihood to rape and likelihood to sexually harass. Two studies were conducted that utilized two, independent and samples of adult, English-speaking American men. Study I involved a review of the literature to develop the LPA scale and initial internal reliability testing. Two hundred men were recruited using Qualtrics and were administered the LPA scale online. In Study II, three hundred men were recuited using Qualtrics and were administered the LPA scale along with other measures related to male-perpetrated IPV online. The purpose of the second study was to further test the internal reliability of the LPA scale and test the construct and external validity of this measure. The results from both studies demonstrated good internal reliability and initial evidence for good construct validity of the LPA scale. The LPA scale was concluded to show promising reliability and validity. However, the external validity results require further investigation. Implications for future IPV research and applications, and limitations are discussed.

Bakgrund Många kvinnor är utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Vårdpersonal kan ha en avgörande del i processen i att kunna uppmärksamma och hjälpa våldsutsatta kvinnor. Våldsutsatta kvinnor är särskilt sårbara och omvårdnaden ska utgå ifrån ett personcentrerat förhållningssätt. Mötet med den våldsutsatta kvinnan ska bygga på respekt, lyhördhet samt förmågan att beröra och hantera det som den enskilda patienten berättar. Syfte Syftet var att belysa kvinnors upplevelse av mötet med vårdpersonalen efter att ha blivit utsatta för våld i nära relationer. Metod En icke-systematisk litteraturöversikt har genomförts där 17 vetenskapliga artiklar har legat till grund för resultatet. Artiklarna har sökts fram i databaserna PubMed och CINAHL. Artiklarna har därefter kvalitetsgranskats. Innehållet i artiklarna analyserades och sammanställdes genom en integrerad dataanalys. Resultat Huvudkategorier som framställdes var upplevelsen att inte våga berätta om våldet, upplevelsen av att sekretessen kring kvinnornas identitet och vård inte hanterades på ett säkert sätt, upplevelsen av att inte bli tagen på allvar samt kvinnornas delade meningar kring att bli tillfrågad om våldet. Resultatet visade att många kvinnor upplevde att vårdpersonalens attityder påverkade dem negativt och att många kvinnor inte vågade berätta om våldet. Kvinnorna upplevde även att vårdpersonalen saknade engagemang och intresse vilket skapade känslor som skam och skuld. Många kvinnor eftersökte ett mer empatiskt förhållningssätt från vårdpersonalen. Slutsats Våld i nära relationer är ett hot mot såväl kvinnors grundläggande rättigheter som folkhälsan i stort och kan ge långsiktiga konsekvenser för samhället. Vårdpersonalen måste visa engagemang och empati för de våldsutsatta kvinnorna. Kunskap om bemötande av våldsutsatta kvinnor är något som vårdpersonalen saknar. Det första mötet med den våldsutsatta kvinnan är en viktig del för att kunna främja en vårdrelation baserad på förtroende, tillit och respekt. Då våldsutsatta kvinnor är särskilt sårbara är integritet och värdighet viktigt att bevara vid mötet. / Background Many women are suffering from intimate partner violence. Healthcare professionals plays a crucial role in the processes to pay attention and help abused women. Women exposed to intimate partner violence are particularly vulnerable. Nursing should be based on a person-centred approach. The meeting with the abused woman must be based on respect and the ability to handle what the individual patient tells you. Aim The aim for this study was to describe how women who have suffered from intimate partner violence experienced the meeting with the healthcare professionals.  Method A non-systematic literature review has been done based on 17 scientific articles. The articles have been searched in the databases, PubMed and CINAHL. The articles have then been quality reviewed. The content of the articles was analysed and conducted into main categories. Results The main categories were, experience of not daring to talk about the violence, experience that the confidentiality of women's identity and care is not handled in a safe way, experience of not being taken seriously and the women had different opinions about being asked about the violence. The results showed that many women felt that the attitudes of the healthcare professionals had a negative effect on them and that many women did not dare to talk about the violence. The women also experienced that the healthcare professionals lacked commitment and interest, which created feelings such as shame and guilt. Many women sought a more empathetic approach from healthcare professionals. Conclusions Intimate partner violence is a major problem and a threat to both women's fundamental rights and public health in general, which can have long-term consequences for the society. The healthcare professionals must show commitment and empathy for abused women. Knowledge how to treat abused women is something that the healthcare professional lacks. The first meeting with the abused woman is an important part to be able to promote a relationship based on trust and respect. Women exposed to violence is particularly vulnerable, integrity and dignity are important to preserve.

Background: Intimate partner violence, nursing care, men’s violence against women, nurses. Intimate partner violence and men’s violence against women is a health problem globally,socially and across all social classes. Different theoretical perspectives exist about the causes of intimate partner violence. Health consequences for women who are victims of intimate partner violence is a fact and go against human rights. Healthcare and nurses have a responsibility in providing good reception and good nursing care. Women exposed to intimate partner violence have torn experiences of nurses nursing care. Aim: To describe nurses’ nursing care towards women that are victims of intimate partner violence. Method: A literature study based on nine qualitative scientific articles with a content analysis. Results: Two main categories and four sub-categories emerged about nurses’ care of abused women. The main category Aspects related to care with the subcategories Nurses’ treatment and Nurses’ nursing measures. The main category Aspects related to communication with the subcategories Nurses’ identification of intimate partner violence and Nurses’ sensitivity. Conclusion: A deficiency in nursing care is between nurses and women exposed to intimate partner violence. Organizational factor, social structures and uncertainty about referrals can affect nursing care. Screening for intimate partner violence, knowledge and experience of intimate partner violence as well as the women participating in their own care is important to provide good care. Clinical significance: Discussions regarding attitudes toward intimate partner violence and how the nurses nursing care can be facilitated on organizational level need to be carried out. Training about intimate partner violence is still needed in workplaces and nursing school to provide better care to women exposed to intimate partner violence. Screening should be implemented and insured in nursing care.

This dissertation is comprised of three stand-alone articles, two of them co-authored, and one solo. The solo article, "Increases in Victim Mortality Rates in the Aftermath of Mandatory Arrest Laws: A Study in Unintended Effects" is in Part I. The first co-authored article "Teachers' Strikes and Standardized Test Scores: Impact on Performance & Participation", is in Part II. The last chapter, Part III, is already published in the journal "Information Economics and Policy" (ISSN: 0167-6245), accessible under the title "The Value of Online Scarcity Signals". / Graduate / 2022-08-24

Thesis advisor: Lisa A. Goodman / At the vulnerable time of separation, many survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) enter into family courts in search of protection for themselves and their children. However, they may instead face a distressing court process in which they must confront the person who abused them and encounter legal determinations that place them and their families in danger. As many survivors – particularly those who are mothers - have no choice but to engage in the family court system to address matters such as divorce and child custody, this legal institution serves as an important gatekeeper to safety. Thus, it is essential to understand why survivors repeatedly report such - often extreme - negative experiences. A growing number of qualitative studies point to legal abuse -- abusive partners’ use of court processes to enact coercive control -- as an overlooked, yet critical mechanism through which survivors and their children are harmed during family court processes. To shed light on the role of this pernicious process, this study 1) established an ecologically and psychometrically valid measure of legal abuse, 2) used the measure to explore the psychological correlates of legal abuse for survivors, and 3) leveraged a mixed-methods approach to investigate the vocational, economic, and related mental health factors associated with legal abuse. Results pave the way for further research and policy efforts that recognize and respond to legal abuse in family court. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2021. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Counseling, Developmental and Educational Psychology.