December 2011

December 1^st is World AIDS Day. Domestic violence can increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.  More than one-third of adolescent girls tested for STIs/HIV have experienced dating violence. Additionally, women who are HIV positive report experiencing more severe intimate partner violence (IPV) and more frequent abuse compared to HIV negative women who also experience IPV. Perpetrators of intimate partner violence can also restrict treatment outcomes for their HIV positive partners. For more examples of how intimate partner violence and STIs/HIV/AIDS are linked, view Chapter 7: IPV and Sexually Transmitted Infections/HIV from Making the Connection: Intimate Partner Violence and Public Health.

There are different ways you can help bring awareness to domestic violence not only this month, but all year long. Find out what you can do at your school, clinic, and community by reading the features below. Read our online fact sheets to learn more about the issue and take a look at our online catalog of materials to support your campus activities.  Let me know what you’re planning on your campus for December and beyond by sending an email to: healthintern1@futureswithoutviolence.org.  If you would like to subscribe to this listserv, click here and be sure to check the box for “Student Health Network.”

The end of November marks the end of my 15-month Graduate Health Internship with Futures Without Violence. My initial interest in working in the field of domestic violence prevention stemmed from my personal experience with teen dating violence. Although I would like to forget about the abuse I endured, my work with Futures Without Violence forced me to look at that experience and learn how I can prevent other teens from experiencing the same life-altering situation. I know one day, when I am a health professional, that I will ask the critical question to a patient: “Do you feel safe in your relationship?” I hope that this question will provide an open dialogue between me and my patient so that I may give him or her resources and solutions to help them if the answer happens to be, “No.”

I wish you all the best as your continue with your studies and work in the health industry. If you’re interested in interning with Futures Without Violence as a 2012 graduate health intern, view the application here.

Sincerely,
Michelle Dalida
Futures Without Violence, formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund
Graduate Health Intern
healthintern1@futureswithoutviolence.org

FEATURED NEWS
Attend A Domestic Violence Clinical Skills Training for Health Professional Students Pre-Conference Institute for the National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence
In an energizing session, students and faculty from all areas of health care will come together to learn about domestic violence and its impact on adult and child health.  To help identify and support individuals and families facing abuse, participants will learn how to conduct domestic violence clinical screening, intervention and referral.  This institute will also feature graduate students engaged in research, community-based projects, and other innovative efforts to prevent and address the adverse health impact of domestic violence/sexual assault. At the end of this session participants will: identify the dynamics and health impact of domestic violence; know how to conduct domestic violence routine screening, intervention and referral; and identify three domestic violence clinical educational tools for health care providers and clients. This program will be led by Futures Without Violence staff Aubree Kendall, MA, Leiana Kinnicutt, MSW, and Anna Marjavi. The institute will be held the evening of March 12, 2012 from 5:30-7:30pm. For more information on the National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence and to register, click here.

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Webinar: Domestic and Dating Prevention Violence on Campus
ePanic Button presents this webinar which focuses on domestic and dating violence prevention on college campuses as well as community-wide initiatives. This session will highlight peer education models and illustrate how to orchestrate a large-scale community event designed to raise awareness about abuse. Presenter Laura Finley, assistant professor of sociology and criminology at Barry University, will lead the discussion. The webinar will be held on December 2 from 1-2pm EDT. To sign up for this event, click here.
[Source: icontact-archive.com]

Louisiana’s 8^th Annual Conference on Sexual and Domestic Violence: Where’s the Outrage-Baton Rouge, LA
Louisiana Foundation Against Sexual Assault (LaFASA) and the Louisiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence is co-sponsoring this conference to help educate professionals of all fields who work with victims of sexual and domestic violence and those who work to bring perpetrators to justice.  This three day event will feature presenters from different disciplines on various topics such as stalking response and investigation to effective responses to domestic violence in rural areas. The conference will be held on December 7-9 at the Baton Rouge Marriott. The deadline to register is December 2. To view the conference brochure and register, click here.
[Source: lafasa.org]

4^th Annual Trauma Spectrum Conference- Betheseda, MD
The Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury is hosting their conference with the theme, “Bridging the Gap Between Research and Clinical Practice of Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury: Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment and Recovery for the Iraq and Afghanistan Cohort.” Conference attendees will engage in plenary and working lunch sessions where presenters will provide overviews on key topics such as cognitive rehabilitation, sleep disorders, implementation science and co-occurring disorders. This event is scheduled for December 8-9 at the Natcher Conference Center in Betheseda, Maryland. For more information and to register, click here.
[Source: ncdsv.org]

mPreventViolence: Communication and Technology for Violence Prevention Workshop- Washington, D.C.
The Institute of Medicine will convene a two day workshop to explore gaps in the four areas of knowledge management (knowledge generation, integration, dissemination, and application) and how closing these gaps might accelerate violence prevention in low-and middle-income countries. This event will be held from December 8-9 at the Canadian Embassy. For more information, click here.
[Source: iom.edu]

Responding to Crime Victims with Disabilities National Training Conference- Orlando, FL
The National Center for Victims of Crime is hosting this conference which will serve to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of providers to effectively serve people with disabilities who are victims of crime. The conference will facilitate partnerships among the fields of victim assistance, advocacy for persons with disabilities, and all allied professions. The conference will be held from December 13-15 at the JW Marriott Orland Grand Lakes. For more information and to register, click here.
[Source: ncvc.org]

CURRENT NEWS AND RESEARCH FINDINGS
Allen-Collinson, J. Assault on Self: Intimate Partner Abuse and the Contestation of Identity. Symbolic Interaction. 2011; 34(1): 108-127.
Abstract: The complexities of intimate partner abuse and violence have been studied from a range of theoretical, conceptual, and methodological perspectives. It is argued here that symbolic interactionist analyses offer specific and powerful insights into this particular interactional domain. This article is based on data generated by a topical life-history case study of a well-educated, middle class, middle-aged man, whose wife subjected him to sustained unilateral violence and abuse, resulting in deleterious consequences for his health and well-being. Data were gathered via a serried of in-depth interviews and a personal diary. The analysis draws on Goffman’s conceptualization of “possessional territory” as one of the “territories of the self,” in order to examine the role of possessions in the interational routines of intimate partner abuse.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Dixon L, Graham-Kevan N. Understanding the nature and etiology of intimate partner violence and implications for practice and policy. Clinical Psychology Review. 2011; 31(7): 1145-1155.
Abstract: Theoretical perspectives underlying hypotheses about the nature and etiology of intimate partner violence are important as they inform professional how they should best respond to reduce or eliminate this social problem. Therefore, it is crucial that practice led initiatives are driven by theory that is supported by good quality empirical evidence. This review aims to provide a synthesis of methodologically sound research to understand how intimate partner violence is best conceptualized, and what the implications of this evidence based theory hold for practice and policy. A wealth of evidence supporting the need to further explore and respond to the spectrum of partner violence from a gender inclusive perspective is demonstrated. Implications of the evidence for the multidisciplinary work, prevention, assessment, treatment and policy related to intimate partner violence are discussed.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Ford JD, Gagnon K, Connor DF, Pearson G. History of Interpersonal Violence, Abuse, and Nonvictimization Trauma and Severity of Psychiatric Symptoms Among Children in Outpatient Psychiatric Treatment. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 2011; 26(16): 3316-3337.
Abstract: In a clinical sample of child psychiatry outpatients, chart review data were collected for 114 consecutive admissions over a 1-year period at a Child and Adolescent Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic. Data included history of documented maltreatment, potentially traumatic domestic or community violence, neglect or emotional abuse, and noninterpersonal stressors as well as demographics, psychiatric diagnoses, and parent-rated child emotional and disruptive behavior problems. On a bivariate and multivariate basis, any past exposure to interpersonal violence-but not to noninterpersonal traumas-was related to more severe disruptive behavior problems, independent of the effects of demographics and psychiatric diagnoses. Noninterpersonal trauma and psychiatric diagnoses were associated with emotional problems; exposure to interpersonal violence appeared to partially account for this relationship despite not being independently associated with emotional problem severity. History of exposure to interpersonal violence warrants clinical and research attention as a severity marker and potential treatment focus in psychiatric outpatient services for children, particularly those with disruptive behavior problems.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Ely GE, Otis MD. An Examination of Intimate Partner Violence and Psychological Stressors in Adult Abortion Patients. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 2011; 26(16): 3248-3266.
Abstract: The purpose of this article is to describe an exploratory study examining the relationship between intimate partner violence and psychological stressors in a sample of 188 adult abortion patients. Results indicate the almost 15% of respondents report a history of abuse by the co-conceiving partner. In addition, women who reported having had one or more past abortions were more likely to also report that the person involved in the current pregnancy had also emotionally abused them. Women reporting one type of partner abuse were significantly more likely to also report other types of abuse. Women reporting abuse were less likely to report informing their co-conceiving partner of their appointment at the clinic, less likely to report that their partner contributed financially to the abortion cost, and more likely to report partner refusal to wear a condom. Women who reported emotional abuse were more likely to score higher on all but one of the psychological stressor scales. The implications of these findings are discussed.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Garcia- Esteve L, Torres A, Navarro P, Ascaso C, Imaz ML, et al. Validation and comparison of four instruments to detect partner violence in health-care setting. Medicina Clinica 2011; 137(9): 390-397.
Abstract: Background and objectives: To validate four instruments to detect domestic violence in health-care settings against external criteria -Index of Spouse Abuse (ISA), Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory short form (PMWI-SF), Woman Abuse Screening Tool (WAST), Partner Violence Screen (PVS)- and to assess the concordance and compare the diagnostic accuracy. Subjects and method: This was a case-control study. The study sample was recruited from primary care and domestic violence centers. The ISA, PMWI-SF, WAST and PVS were administered to 223 controls and 182 intimate partner violence cases. Received Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was carried out. Measures were compared in terms of ROC curves and overall agreement. Results: The areas under the curve (AUC) were: ISA 0.99 (IC 95%, 0.98-0.99), PMWI-SF 0.98 (IC 95% 0.97-0.99), WAST 0.95 (IC 95% 0.93-0.97), PVS 0.91 (IC 95% 0.87-0.94). The overall agreement between the four tools was excellent (Fleiss Kappa = 0.82). The ISA and the PMWI-SF performed slightly better than WAST, and these three instruments performed better than PVS for detecting domestic violence. The PVS had lower concordance values with the other instruments. Conclusions: The four instruments demonstrated adequate diagnostic accuracy and overall agreement for detect domestic violence. Some overestimation of sensitivity may occur due to different source of cases.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Levendosky AA, Bogat GA, Huth-Bocks AC. The Influence of Domestic Violence on the Development of the Attachment Relationship Between Mother and Young Child. Psychoanalytic Psychology.  2011; 28(4): 512-527.
Abstract: This paper uses a case study from a longitudinal research project to illustrate the influence of domestic violence on the developing attachment relationship between mother and child that begins during pregnancy. The case study illustrates particular mechanisms involved in damaging the mother child relationship in the context of domestic violence, including maternal projection, projective identification, as well as emotional dysregulation and dissociation. The paper includes quotes from the Working Model of the Child interviews (Zeanah & Benoit, 1995) conducted with the mother during pregnancy and at the child's 1st birthday as well as descriptions of observed mother child interactions and Strange Situation paradigms (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978) at ages 1 and 4. The trajectory of this particular mother-child dyad is interpreted in the context of theory and research on the care giving and attachment relationship and the effects of domestic violence on women and children. The discussion includes both theoretical and clinical implications for the influence of domestic violence on the early and developing mother child relationship.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Romero-Gutierrez G, Cruz-Arvizy VH, Araceli C. Prevalence of violence against pregnant women and associated maternal and neonatal complications in Leon, Mexico. Midwifery. 2011; 27(5): 750-753.
Abstract: Objectives: to determine the prevalence of violence against women and associated maternal and neonatal complications in a developing country setting. Design: cross-sectional study using a face-to-face questionnaire. Setting: postpartum area at a tertiary care referral hospital in Leon, Mexico. Participants: 1623 postpartum women. Data collection: women were recruited at 24-72 h post partum. The diagnosis and severity of violence were assessed using a modified questionnaire based on the Index of Spouse Abuse and Severity of Violence against Women Scale. Findings: of 1623 women, 711( 43.8%) were diagnosed with violence during pregnancy; 563( 79.1%) experienced mild violence and 148( 20.9%) experienced severe violence. Of the women who experienced violence, 72.9% experienced psychological violence, 15.8% experienced physical violence and 11.3% experienced sexual violence. Maternal complications were higher in women who experienced violence (30.2% vs 23.6%, p=0.004). Women who experienced sexual violence had more maternal complications (43.2%), and women who experienced psychological violence had more neonatal complications (54.2%). Key conclusions: violence during pregnancy is quite common in the study setting. Maternal complications are higher in women who experience violence during pregnancy. The type of violence has different effects on maternal and neonatal health. Implications for practice: it is recommended that pregnant women who are experiencing violence should be identified during antenatal care to avoid maternal or neonatal complications.[Source: Web of Knowledge]

Miller E, Beslau J, Petukhova M, Fayyad J, Green JG, et al. Premarital mental disorders and physical violence in marriage: cross-national study of married couples. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2011; 199(4): 330-337.
Abstract: Backgroud: Mental disorders may increase the risk of physical violence among married couples. Aims: To estimate associations between premarital mental disorders and marital violence in a cross-national sample of married couples. Method: A total of 1821 married couples (3642 individuals) from 11 countries were interviewed as part of the World Health Organization's World Mental Health Survey Initiative. Sixteen mental disorders with onset prior to marriage were examined as predictors of marital violence reported by either spouse. Results: Any physical violence was reported by one or both spouses in 20% of couples, and was associated with husbands' externalising disorders (OR = 1.7, 95% Cl 1.2-2.3). Overall, the population attributable risk for marital violence related to premarital mental disorders was estimated to be 17.2%. Conclusions: Husbands' externalising disorders had a modest but consistent association with marital violence across diverse countries. This finding has implications for the development of targeted interventions to reduce risk of marital violence.
[Source: Web of Knowledge]

FUNDING LINKS-SCHOLARSHIPS-RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Funding Opportunity: Prevention of Violence and Trauma of Women and Girls
The Office on Women’s Health is funding activities and events in support of Prevention of Violence and Trauma of Women and Girls in the United States and its affiliated territories and tribal nations. OWH is seeking projects which increase awareness of violence and trauma affecting women and girls, offer prevention strategies and messages, and promote trauma-informed care to decrease violence against women and girls and promote recovery and resiliency. Projects will be funded up to a maximum amount of $2,500. The deadline to apply is December 7 by 5pm MT. For more information and to apply, click here.
[Source: ncdsv.org]

Request for Statements of Interest: Anti-Trafficking Project in Thailand
The Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons is accepting applications for 2012 funding of projects to combat trafficking in persons in Thailand.  If chosen, candidate could receive grants of up to $750,000. All statements of interest must be submitted online by 5pm EST on December 16. For more information, click here.
[Source: state.gov]

JOB AND INTERNSHIP LISTINGS
Graduate Health Intern for Futures Without Violence- San Francisco, CA
The Health Care and Domestic Violence Graduate Internship Program is open to medical, nursing, public health, social work, psychology, health care administration, or other health care related graduate students (includes law, media, policy, or business students with a health care focus). The internship allows a student to spend up to 12 months interning with Futures Without Violence and working on the National Health Initiative. For more information or to apply, click here.
[Source: futureswithoutviolence.org]

Domestic Violence Coordinator- Cheyenne, WY
Cheyenne Regional Medical Center is searching for a part-time domestic violence coordinator. The candidate would work directly under the supervision of the Director of Trauma, Emergency Services, and Procedural Nursing and work closely with the Forensic Nursing Coordinator. For more information or to apply for the position, click here.
[Source: indeed.com]

Domestic Violence Program Director- Arlington, VA
Doorways for Women and Families is seeking a Domestic Violence Program director responsible for directing all aspects of operations in the Domestic Violence Programs, which include the 11-bed safe house and kennel, 24-hour hotline, and court advocacy program. For more information and to apply for this position, click here.
[Source: idealist.org]

Domestic Violence Liaison- Concord, CA
STAND! For Families Free of Violence is seeking a part time domestic violence liaison to support and build the capacity of our partnering agency, Rainbow Community Center, to work with the issue of domestic violence. This position conducts case work for the Rainbow Community Center’s clients experiencing domestic violence, as well as advocating for those clients and accompanying them when necessary. For more information and to apply, click here.
[Source: nonprofitjobmarket.org]

Supervising Residential Specialist- Staten Island, NY
Safehorizon is searching for a supervising residential specialist to provide counseling, advocacy, intervention, and support to meet the needs of victims and their families.  For more information and to apply, click here.
[Source: safehorizon.org]

Domestic Violence Counselor/Transitional Housing Specialist- White Plains, NY
My Sister’s Place, located in Westchester County, is looking for a domestic violence counselor/transitional housing specialist that will spend 24 hours per week under the direction of the Manager of the community counseling and advocacy program providing individual support and counseling to adult victims of domestic violence and human trafficking. For more information and to apply, click here.
[Source: idealist.org]

Domestic Violence Case Manager- Los Angeles, CA
First to Serve Inc. is searching for a domestic violence case manager to provide individual needs assessments, biopsychosocial assessments, and treatment/individual service plan. For a detailed list of responsibilities, click here.
[Source: socialservice.com]