No One Type of Intimate Partner Abuse: Exploring Physical and Non-Physical Abuse Among Intimate Partners

Although research into intimate partner abuse has expanded throughout the past several decades and increased our understanding of this multi-faceted phenomenon, the vast majority of empirical work is still focused almost exclusively on physical violence—against women in particular. Although a crucial issue in our society, physical violence against women is only one facet in an array of possible abusive behaviors toward an intimate partner. Researchers have long acknowledged the existence of multiple forms of non-physical abuse. These types of abuse have received little research attention, however, and are commonly lumped together simply as “non-physical” or “emotional” abuse. There is no reason to believe, however, that all forms of non-physical abuse are the same, whether in intensity, frequency, or co-existence with physical violence. The current study attempts to disentangle the multiple types of nonviolent abuse to examine prevalence, differences by sex, and its relationships to physical abuse. Using Tjaden and Thoennes’ (1998) survey data, this study examines the prevalence of different types of non-physical abuse, both in the general population and among those experiencing physical violence Findings indicate that non-physical partner abuse is more common than physical and that non-physical abuse does not show striking sex differences, as is commonly believed. There is strong evidence that some types of non-physical abuse serve as clear risk factors for physical abuse and may increase risk of more frequent violence among those already being abused. These relationships do not, however, differ by sex. Implications for future research are discussed.

Decision-Making About Volitional Impairment in Sexually Violent Predators

The Kansas v. Hendricks (1997) decision, in which the Supreme Court authorized post-sentence civil commitment for certain sex offenders, appeared to be constitutionally legitimized by limiting the class of offenders eligible for this special form of civil commitment to those who are "unable to control" their dangerousness. Nowhere in the available record, however, did the Court elucidate what they meant by this notion of volitional impairment. This study sought to examine factors that legal professionals (n=43), psychologists (n=40), and mock jurors (n=76) deem most relevant to a determination of sex offender volitional impairment. Participants, who were randomly assigned to a sexual predator commitment or an insanity hearing context, read a series of 16 vignettes that described a pedophilic offender and included combinations of variables hypothesized to be related to judgments of volitional impairment. Results suggested that participants, who as a group made remarkably high estimates of likelihood of future sexual violence, considered verbalization of control, history of sexual violence, and the context of the hearing as highly relevant to determinations of volitional impairment. Implications for policy and practice are explored.     

Speaking about sexual abuse in British South Asian communities: offenders,victims and the challenges of shame and reintegration

Abstract

Cultural dynamics have a significant impact on how sexual matters, including sexual abuse, are discussed in British South Asian communities. The ways in which these communities talk about sexual violence often reinforce patriarchal norms and values, especially those concerned with honour and shame. As a result, victims are either silenced or the blame for the sexual violence they have suffered is laid at their own feet. Addressing the fact that these problems are rooted in patriarchal norms and values is key to understanding how to tackle sexual offending effectively in such communities. Both retributive and restorative justice are necessary in responding to sex crimes; retributive approaches help to recognise victims’ suffering, while restorative approaches offer promising avenues for encouraging victims and offenders alike to speak about their experiences. Both approaches are essential components to reintegrating victims and offenders into their communities.     

黔东南苗族侗族自治州出生性别比失调问题研究

本文在对贵州黔东南苗族侗族自治州出生性别比长期、重度、整体偏高的历史与现状描述的基础上,就其失调原因及影响进行了分析研究,并结合调查就治理问题提出了建议,以期为民族地区和谐社会建设所需的良好人口安全环境构建提供积极的资政参考。     

Developing a theory of dynamic risk

ABSTRACT

The Propensities Model is now the dominant applied conceptualization of dynamic risk factors for sexual offending. In this paper five important limitations of this model are identified: it asserts causality but does not explain it; it does not represent human agency; it offers no account of what is involved in the development of propensities; it does not explain stable change in risk; and its account of the operation of static factors is a theoretical leap not supported by the evidence. A more elaborate theoretical framework is developed by integrating ideas from Ward's Good Lives model, Beck's account of schema modes, and Fishbein and Ajzen's Theory of Reasoned Action. This more elaborate framework incorporates the Propensities Model in a way that mitigates its limitations. Implications for research, assessment, and rehabilitation are explored.     

Univariate sex dimorphism in the Nepalese dentition and the use of discriminant functions in gender assessment

Sex dimorphism in the Nepalese dentition is described using univariate and discriminant analyses. Canines showed the greatest univariate sex dimorphism, followed by the buccolingual (BL) dimension of maxillary first and second molars. Overall, the maxillary teeth and BL dimensions showed greater univariate sex differences. However, less than half of the measured variables (46.4%) showed statistically significant differences between the sexes and the magnitude of sex dimorphism was reduced when compared to other populations. Moreover, reverse dimorphism--where females showed larger teeth than males--was observed in the mesiodistal dimension of mandibular second premolars. This reflects reduction in sexual dimorphism observed through human evolution and the consequent overlap of tooth dimensions in modern males and females. A specific purpose of the study was to develop discriminant functions to facilitate sex classification. A group of functions were developed considering the possibility of missing teeth and/or jaws in forensic scenarios. The functions permitted moderate to high classification accuracy in sexing (67.9% using maxillary posterior teeth; 92.5% using teeth from both jaws). The superior expression of sex dimorphism by means of discriminant functions is in contrast to the univariate results. This is due to discriminant analysis utilising the inter-relationship between all teeth within a dentition--these tooth correlations are not utilised in univariate analysis which results in a loss of information. It is inferred that large-scale statistically significant univariate differences are not a prerequisite for sex assessment.     

头颅CT片性别的识别

目的 通过头颅CT片研究性别识别的方法.方法 在头颅CT片测量头颅多项指标,应用各个指标进行二分类logistic回归分析建立性别判定方程. 结果应用颧弓间距指标可以建立一元方程:Z=-69.051 0.521X1,p=1/1 e-z.应用多项指标可以建立多元方程:Z=-115.873 0.585X1 0.119X4 0.254X7 0.229X8 0.101X6,P=1/1 e-z.结论 根据头颅CT片进行性别判定时,最好是测量多项指标.在指标不全时,就只需测量颧弓间距,也可以有较好的判别效果.     

A molecular genetic approach for species identification of mammals and sex determination of birds in a forensic case of poaching from South Korea

DNA-based analysis was performed using partial mitochondrial cytochrome b genes of five mammalian specimens and Chromo-Helicase-DNA-binding (CHD) genes of five pheasants to determine whether specimens were from illegally hunted animals. Mammalian specimens were identified as being those of horse, roe deer, and cow through gene amplification using cytb981f and cytb981r primer set and sequencing. CHD genes were revealed to be those of three male and two female pheasants through polymerase chain reaction amplification. Because hunting of roe deers and female pheasants is prohibited in Korea, these results provided forensic evidences of illegal wild animal hunting.     

Impact of aging on fingerprint ridge density: Anthropometry and forensic implications in sex inference

The variation in the epidermal ridge's width between the sexes, during various growth stages, and among different populations has been previously assessed. However, the changes that occur with aging are barely known.The goal of this study was to analyse the degree of variation in epidermal ridge width due to aging. So that, fingerprint ridge density was estimated to establish their relationship with body and hand size changes that typically occur in adulthood.In this study, a sample of 213 adults of both sexes from a Spanish native population of different age ranges—18–30?years old (“junior” group) and 50–66?years old (“senior” group)—was used. Ridge density was assessed in three counting areas of the distal phalanx of each finger (radial, ulnar, and proximal). Height, weight, and a set of anthropometric measurements for both hands were also taken.Our results show that ridge density is higher in females than males throughout adulthood and decreases with aging in the radial and ulnar areas (as the hands widen) but not in the proximal region. Thus, a relationship between hand dimensions and ridge density was found.The data indicate that aging changes may conceal the recognized sex differences in ridge density, and so a better understanding of the topological variations in the epidermal ridge width throughout the life cycle and the factors involved would facilitate the interpretation of the differences between the sexes and different age groups.     

Blood Will Not Justify My Relation: Same‐Sex Couples and their Battle for Standing as De Facto Parents

A parent's right to maintain a relationship with his/her child lies within the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution; however, this right does not apply to every type of parent. Although the U.S. Supreme Court granted same‐sex couples the right to marry, they still face parental rights issues when their child(ren) are nonbiological or nonadoptive because they lack standing for custody and/or visitation as de facto parents. Moreover, the rise of nontraditional same‐sex‐couple families has been placing states in a predicament, and the lack of uniform rights for de facto parents creates great inconsistency across the United States. The creation of a uniform statute with specific elements distinguishing de facto parents from mere caretakers will grant same‐sex nonbiological parents standing and create uniformity across the United States.