Previous judicial detection and paedophilic sexual interest partially predict psychological distress in a non-forensic sample of help-seeking men feeling inclined to sexually offend against children

Little is known about overall psychological distress in paedophiles who are not formally involved with the criminal justice system. Since knowledge in this context could help to optimise intervention efforts, this study aimed to examine the association between distress as measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) and preference- and offence-related variables in a sample of N?=?455 men self-reporting sexual interest in children, of whom 402 were diagnosed as paedophiles. Results showed that 59% reported clinically relevant levels of distress, with paedophiles being significantly more distressed than teleiophiles. A regression analysis revealed that a paedophilic preference and prior detection were relevant predictors for distress. However, past offending behaviour had no impact and the major part of variance could not be explained. The results suggest that paedophilia is associated with distress, but other factors influence whether a paedophilic man is distressed on a clinically significant level.     

The Competition–Violence Hypothesis: Sex,Marriage, and Male Aggression

Sexually active men, who are not in a monogamous relationship, may be at a greater risk for violence than men who are sexually active within monogamous relationships and men who are not sexually active. The current study examines changes in sexual behavior and violence in adolescence to early adulthood. Data on male (n = 4,597) and female (n = 5,523) respondents were drawn from four waves of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent and Adult Health (Add Health). HLM regression models indicate that men who transition to a monogamous, or less competitive, mode of sexual behavior (fewer partners since last wave), reduce their risk for violence. The same results were not replicated for females. Further, results were not accounted for by marital status or other more readily accepted explanations of violence. Findings suggest that competition for sex be further examined as a potential cause of male violence.     

Mother–infant separations in prison. A systematic attachment-focused policy review

Abstract

Mothers in prison separated from their young children are an overlooked group. Attachment theory could provide a useful model to underpin interventions and better support women affected by separation from their infants. Current policy draws on a limited body of evidence and research has developed considerably since its first design. This review systematically searched all relevant UK prison policy and government documents with regards to mother and child separation in prison and analysed the extent to which these documents draw on attachment theory. Following initial searches, 58 documents were thematically analysed. Attachment was implicitly referred to in most documents but only explicitly mentioned in four. Global themes identified included ‘separation as trauma’. However, document groups varied in focusing either on the mother or the child and there were no joint perspectives. Developing and researching specific attachment-informed interventions might be one way forward as would further attachment-based research in this area.     

The relation between interviewers’ personal characteristics and investigative interview performance in a child sexual abuse context

Despite important progress in knowledge about interview ‘best practice’ with child victims, few studies had yet evaluated the impact of interviewers’ personal characteristics on adherence to these ‘best practice’. This study was designed to determine whether interviewers’ personal characteristics are associated with adherence to a structured interview protocol (National Institute of Child and Human Development), the use of open-ended questions and the amount of details provided in children’s responses during investigative interviews with alleged victims of child sexual abuse. 114 interviews were scored from 13 police investigators after they followed a one-week training program. Results showed that experience, emotional intelligence, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness and Neuroticism were related with adherence to the protocol and ratio of open-ended questions. Cognitive abilities were related to the amount of details obtained from the child. Generalized estimating equations were used to compare relative contribution of each variable. These findings raise questions about how investigative interviewers are selected and trained.     

重新审视我国的事实婚姻

事实婚姻是指男女双方未办理结婚登记手续 ,以夫妻名义共同生活 ,群众也认为是夫妻的一种合法婚姻。《婚姻法》的根本目的在于保护当事人的权益。事实婚姻与登记婚姻都是当事人根据自己不同的要求作出的选择 ,在不违反公序良俗的前提下 ,法律应当尊重男女双方的意思自治 ,自由选择结婚方式。     

Fatal acute intracranial injury, subdural hematoma, and retinal hemorrhages caused by stairway fall

We describe an infant with an acute subdural hematoma, a fatal head injury, and severe hemorrhagic retinopathy caused by a stairway fall. His cerebral and ocular findings are considered diagnostic of abusive head trauma by many authors. Our literature search of serious injuries or fatalities from stairway or low-height falls involving young children yielded 19 articles of primary data. These articles are discrepant, making the classification of a young child's death following a reported short fall problematic. This case report contradicts the prevalent belief of many physicians dealing with suspected child abuse that low-height falls by young children are without exception benign occurrences and cannot cause fatal intracranial injuries and severe retinal hemorrhages. The irreparable harm to a caregiver facing an erroneous allegation of child abuse requires physicians to thoroughly investigate and correctly classify pediatric accidental head injuries.     

Are Children's Best Interests Really Best? ZH (Tanzania) (FC) v Secretary of State for the Home Department

Although the Supreme Court's decision in ZH (Tanzania) is an important one, as this note explains, it is less novel than many suppose – and is in some ways disappointing. By stressing the importance of immigrant children's best interests, it fails to use this opportunity to promote their Convention rights effectively.     

非婚同居的规制不会冲击结婚登记制度

结婚登记制度是非婚同居产生的制度条件,非婚同居不是对现行婚姻制度的冲击,非婚同居制度与结婚登记制度可以相得益彰。法律保护非婚同居,虽在一定程度上弱化婚姻法价值导向,但并没有动摇婚姻的主流地位,破坏家庭法目标的实现。婚姻危机无法缓解,并不能因此归责于法律承认和保护了非婚同居,而应正视和反思婚姻制度自身所面临的问题。法律对非婚同居的承认,并不排斥婚姻制度,人们根据自身的需要选择不同的两性结合方式。婚姻依然是人类自我延续和子女健康成长的必不可少的组织,应将婚姻置于优先保护的地位,赋予婚姻与非婚同居不同的待遇,婚姻家庭模式的主流地位得以巩固。     

How unique is the Western European marriage pattern?: A comparison of nuptiality in historical Europe and the contemporary Arab world

In this article a comparison is drawn between the historical Western European marriage pattern (WEMP), and more recent trends in nuptiality in Arab countries. This comparison makes clear that marriage behavior in the present-day Arab world shows striking similarities to nuptiality patterns which have been described by Hajnal and adherents as typically Western European. Due to a combination of economic hardship, ever growing costs in the marriage ceremony, prolonged education and the emancipation of women, people in the Arab world have started to marry at ever higher ages during the past decades. Moreover, there are indications that universal marriage is in decline. Just as Western European couples in the nineteenth century had to spend years of saving in order to meet the economic requirements for marriage, young couples in today's Arab world have to postpone marriage as they are only at a more advanced age able to bear the economic burden involved in getting married. Striking is also the fact that marriage restriction in both societies started at a moment when the social and legal position of women was improving (in late Medieval Western Europe and today in the Arab world). However, in some ways the historical Western European marriage pattern differs from the contemporary Arab pattern. No other marriage regime has been able to completely reduce fertility and balance population growth to economic development. Whereas population growth in pre-twentieth century Europe was only restricted by nuptiality control, demographic expansion in present day Arab society is also restricted by modern family planning. Declining nuptiality in the Arab world can however not, as some might assume, be put under the header of the Second Demographic Transition observed in Western societies, from the 1960s on. After all, until today, a rise in cohabitation and extra-marital births has not occured in the Arab world.