Part I. Introduction -- 1. Constitutional fundamentals -- 2. States -- Part II. The executive power of the Commonwealth -- 3. The executive power of the Commonwealth and the executive branch -- Part III. The legislative power of the Commonwealth -- 4. Inconsistency -- 5. Commerce and corporations -- 6. External affairs and defence -- 7. Commonwealth financial powers -- 8. Freedom of interstate commerce -- 9. Excise duties -- 10. Express rights and freedoms -- 11. Implied rights and freedoms -- 12. Intergovernmental immunities -- Part IV. The judicial power of the Commonwealth -- 13. The separation of judicial power -- 14. Constitutional interpretation.
Recent research demonstrated that more men, particularly those in couple relationships, are using vibrators to enhance sexual pleasure. However, men's perceptions of vibrator use with a partner have rarely been investigated. The purpose of this analysis was to study men's perceptions of the impact of vibrator use on their and their partner's sexual pleasure and sexual satisfaction. Forty-nine men, aged twenty-five to fifty-eight, in heterosexual relationships responded to a series of open-ended questions regarding their experience of incorporating a couple-oriented vibrator into their sexual repertoire over a six-week period. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The data were organized into four themes: physical pleasure, awareness of partner's experience, novelty and variety, and intimacy. Men's experiences of sexual pleasure were tied to perceptions of their partner's pleasure and to the addition of novelty and variety in sexual encounters.
In: Child abuse & neglect: the international journal ; official journal of the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, Band 105, S. 104416
Abstract Intimate partner violence (IPV) research highlights unique immigration-related risk factors, abusive tactics, and barriers to seeking help. With the aim of developing practice-informed guidance, data from nine focus groups (N = 57) were analyzed thematically to examine practitioners' experiences and approaches to risk assessment with survivors of IPV who are immigrants and refugees. Participants noted the importance of fostering relationships and trust in client disclosure and assessment of risk. Participants highlighted using a conversation-based approach; carefully chosen words; and open-ended, indirect, and probing questions to help clients feel at ease and generate information regarding risk. Additionally, practitioners emphasized the importance of conducting risk assessment and client education in concert with safety and service planning. However, safety and service planning must account for variations in context and language, as well as social pressures to keep families together. The adaptation of risk assessments to reflect immigrant experiences is a critical step forward. Nevertheless, listening to practitioners with expertise serving immigrant and refugee IPV survivors and developing additional guidance on how to use risk assessment tools and engage survivors are paramount to expanding relevant and responsive domestic violence services for diverse groups.
Sexual violence (SV) is recognized as a significant problem in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). SV can contribute to high levels of mental health symptoms, impaired functioning, and experiences of social stigmatization in female survivors, many of whom also face extreme economic hardship and poverty. This report provides results addressing the impact of a mental health intervention, cognitive processing therapy (CPT), on specific domains of social, physical, and economic functioning, and on the reduction of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and feelings of stigma and shame, associated with being an SV survivor.
Abstract Background Systematic violence is a long-standing problem in Iraq. Research indicates that survivors often experience multiple mental health problems, and that there is a need for more rigorous research that targets symptoms beyond post-traumatic stress (PTS). Our objective was to test the effectiveness of two counseling therapies in Southern Iraq in addressing multiple mental health problems among survivors of systematic violence: (1) a transdiagnostic intervention (Common Elements Treatment Approach or CETA); and (2) cognitive processing therapy (CPT). The therapies were provided by non-specialized health workers since few MH professionals are available to provide therapy in Iraq. Methods This was a randomized, parallel, two site, two-arm (1:1 allocation), single-blinded, wait-list controlled (WLC) trial of CETA in one site (99 CETA, 50 WLC), and CPT in a second site (129 CPT, 64 WLC). Eligibility criteria were elevated trauma symptoms and experience of systematic violence. The primary and secondary outcomes were trauma symptoms and dysfunction, respectively, with additional assessment of depression and anxiety symptoms. Non-specialized health workers (community mental health worker, CMHW) provided the interventions in government-run primary health centers. Treatment effects were determined using longitudinal, multilevel models with CMHW and client as random effects, and a time by group interaction with robust variance estimation, to test for the net difference in mean score for each outcome between the baseline and follow up interview. Multiple imputation techniques were used to account for missingness at the item level and the participant level. All analyses were conducted using Stata 12. Results The CETA intervention showed large effect sizes for all outcomes. The CPT intervention showed moderate effects sizes for trauma and depression, with small to no effect for anxiety or dysfunction, respectively. Conclusions Both CETA and CPT appear to benefit survivors of systematic violence in Southern Iraq by reducing multiple mental health symptoms, with CETA providing a very large benefit across a range of symptoms. Non-specialized health workers were able to treat comorbid symptoms of trauma, depression and anxiety, and .
Abstract Background Valid measures of sexual violence stigma that can be readily incorporated into program monitoring and evaluation systems are needed to strengthen gender-based violence (GBV) services in humanitarian emergencies. This study sought to assess the psychometric properties, construct validity, and measurement invariance of sexual violence stigma scales among female Somali GBV survivors in Kenya and Syrian GBV survivors in Jordan to identify an abbreviated scale that could be used across humanitarian contexts.
Methods We administered measures of sexual violence stigma to 209 female survivors of sexual violence aged 15 and older in Kenya and Jordan. Exploratory factor analysis was used to assess the underlying latent structure, and Item Response Theory was used to estimate item difficulty and discrimination parameters to guide efforts to shorten the scales. Differential item functioning (DIF) by site was assessed using Multiple Indicators, Multiple Causes models. Construct validity of the sexual violence stigma scales was assessed by estimating correlations with functional impairment, depression, and disability.
Results The sexual violence stigma measure exhibited distinct factor structures among Somali and Syrian GBV survivors. Among Somali survivors, a two-factor model with separate felt (10 items) and enacted (4 items) stigma constructs was identified, with scales for both domains exhibiting good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93 and 0.88, respectively). In Jordan, a single factor solution was uncovered for a 15-item stigma scale with good internal consistency (alpha = 0.86). The shortened core sexual stigma scale consisting of the 4 items that did not exhibit DIF had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.82 in Kenya and 0.81 in Jordan. The felt stigma scale in Kenya, the full stigma scale in Jordan, and abbreviated core stigma scales in both countries were meaningfully correlated with depression, while correlations with functional impairment were weaker and inconsistent across scales.
Conclusions An abbreviated core set of invariant perceived and internalized sexual violence stigma items demonstrated evidence of construct validity in two diverse settings. The ability of this measure to be efficiently administered as a part of routine program monitoring and evaluation activities, with the potential addition of items from a measurement bank to improve contextual relevance, can facilitate improvements in the delivery and quality of gender-based violence programs in humanitarian emergencies.
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a national and international public health and human rights concern. Immigrant women are disproportionately affected by IPV that includes homicides. This study explored the perspectives of survivors of IPV, who are immigrants to the United States, regarding their sources of strength that enhance their safety and promote coping in abusive relationships. Data for this qualitative study were collected from ethnically diverse immigrant women residing in Massachusetts, Arizona, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New York, Minnesota, and California, using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Eighty-three in-depth interviews were conducted with adult immigrant survivors of IPV who self-identified as Asian ( n = 30), Latina ( n = 30), and African ( n = 23). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Women identified both external (e.g., community support, support from social service agencies) and internal (e.g., optimism, faith, beliefs) sources of strength. The study highlights how these sources can adequately address needs of survivors and offers areas for improvement in services for survivors. The findings are informative for practitioners serving immigrant survivors of IPV in legal, social service, and physical and mental health settings.
