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Unemployment, access to guns among factors that turn domestic violence deadly

A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that a combination of factors, including unemployment, access to firearms, highly controlling behavior, and separation, increases the likelihood of female murder by their partner. Researchers identified key risk factors that can help identify women at high risk of homicide.

SourceJohns Hopkins Medicine·JournalAmerican Journal of Public Health·DateJun 30, 2003

Psychological, physical abuse equally harmful to health

A recent study found that psychological abuse is equally damaging to physical health as physical abuse, with both forms of abuse linked to chronic illnesses and poor general health. The study analyzed data from the National Violence Against Women Survey and found that men and women who experienced either form of violence were more like...

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalAmerican Journal of Preventive Medicine·DateOct 24, 2002

Hopkins researchers find domestic violence services are not reaching low-income women

A study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that nearly two-thirds of low-income women in Baltimore can predict an episode of violence and over 70% do not seek help. The researchers suggest a greater need for identification and provision of appropriate services, including education and job training.

SourceJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health·JournalPatient Education and Counseling·DateApr 22, 2002

'Oliver Twist' is a textbook of child abuse

The novel depicts institutional and domestic abuse against children, including Oliver's mistreatment in a workhouse and Nancy's abuse by her pimp Bill Sykes. Dickens identifies recognized parental risk factors for abuse, such as substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental health problems, which are now acknowledged by modern research.

SourceBMJ Specialty Journals·JournalArchives of Disease in Childhood·DateNov 21, 2001

Childhood abuse strongly linked to revictimisation

A UK study found that childhood maltreatment and revictimisation of children and women are common problems. Abusive experiences co-occurred in both childhood and adulthood, with repetition and severity of childhood abuse independently associated with specific types of adult revictimisation.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateAug 9, 2001

Women not 'passive victims' in domestic violence

A study of 500 Nicaraguan women found that two-thirds defended themselves against domestic violence and 70% left their partners. The authors suggest that better education, younger age, and no history of family violence are key predictors of faster separation from an abusive partner.

SourceBMJ Group·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateJul 11, 2001

One in three women may have been abused in childhood

A recent report from the World Bank suggests that violence against women is responsible for one out of every five working days lost. Research found a third of women aged 40-50 had been abused as children, with common symptoms like joint pain and fatigue more likely in those who were beaten or sexually abused.

SourceBMJ Specialty Journals·JournalJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health·DateOct 17, 2000

Women abused as children show elevated hormonal responses to stress that may add to risk of adult psychiatric disorders

A study by Emory University researchers found that women who experienced childhood abuse have elevated hormonal responses to stress, which may contribute to greater vulnerability to depression and anxiety disorders in adulthood. The study suggests that early-life trauma plays a major role in the development of mood and anxiety disorders.

Penn study shows that most battered women know their attackers and many assaults occur in public

A new Penn study found that over 50% of violently assaulted women were attacked by non-intimates, and most knew or were acquainted with their attackers. The majority of these victims were beaten in public, highlighting the need for crisis interventions within Emergency Departments and long-term community programs.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNew England Journal of Medicine·DateDec 14, 1999

Physical Abuse Common Among Depressed Women

A study found that depressed women who experienced physical abuse were less likely to receive mental health care compared to those who had not been abused. Nearly all abused women sought recent medical help, highlighting the need for effective screening for domestic violence.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateSep 3, 1998

Why Abused Women Don't Tell Their Doctors

A study by Jeanne McCauley and colleagues found that abused women face significant barriers to discussing their abuse with doctors, including shame, denial, and a lack of supportive physicians. Despite this, many women reported improvement in their health after leaving the relationship or speaking with a doctor.

SourceCenter for Advancing Health·JournalJournal of General Internal Medicine·DateAug 13, 1998

Childhood Sex Abuse Impacts Adult Relationships

A new study from Cornell University finds that college women who experienced childhood sexual abuse tend to have less secure and trusting relationships with their partners. The researchers also found that the quality of a girl's childhood attachment to her primary caregivers plays a significant role in mitigating the long-term negative...