Sexual Harassment and Victimization from Four Other Types of Interpersonal Aggression in Ghana: A Cycle of Victimization

The aim of the study was to investigate victimization from sexual harassment, and level of emotional distress due to it, are associated with four other types of victimization. A questionnaire was completed by 280 female university students and lecturers in Ghana. The mean age was 26.7 years (SD = 6.2). The questionnaire included scales for measuring frequency of sexual harassment, emotional distress due to sexual harassment, physical punishment during childhood, victimization from peer aggression at school, and victimization from intimate partner aggression. Respondents who were more than average victimized from sexual harassment scored significantly higher on physical punishment during childhood, victimization from peer aggression at school (revictimization), and victimization from intimate partner aggression (multiple victimization).When frequency of sexual harassment was controlled for, emotional distress caused by sexual harassment correlated positively with victimization from peer aggression at school, and victimization from verbal intimate partner aggression, thus suggesting sensitization to aggression. Victimization from sexual harassment was associated with higher levels of both previous and simultaneous victimization from other types of aggression, thus corroborating the principles of both revictimization and multiple victimization. The finding does not suggest that sexual harassment in all cases is associated with other types of victimization.Keywords: sexual harassment, revictimization, emotional distress, Ghan

The Association between Intimate Partner Rape and Victimisation from Intimate Partner Controlling Behaviour and Physical Aggression in a Ugandan Sample

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between victimisation from intimate partner rape and two types of intimate partner aggression. A questionnaire was completed by 609 females and 420 males in Uganda. The age range was between 16 and 94 years. The mean age was 31.5 (SD 10.9) for females, and 34.4 (SD 11.3) for males. The questionnaire included scales for measuring the frequency of victimisation from intimate partner rape, controlling behaviour, and physical aggression from an intimate partner. Females had been significantly more often victimised from intimate partner physical aggression than males. No significant difference was found between females and males on victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviour. Victimisation from physical aggression and controlling behaviour from a partner were also highly correlated with each other for both females and males. Respondents who had been more than average victimised from intimate partner rape scored significantly higher than others on victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviour and intimate partner physical aggression. The association between victimization from intimate partner rape and victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviour and physical aggression followed the same pattern for females and males

Physical Punishment at School in Three Educational Systems in Pakistan

A questionnaire was completed by 1,100 students (550 girls, mean age 13.3 years, SD 1.0; 550 boys, mean age 14.1, SD 1.0) from three types of schools in Pakistan; Urdu medium, Elite English medium, and Madrassa. It included scales measuring frequency of victimisation from physical punishment by a teacher, physical injuries from being punished by a teacher, negative feelings after physical punishment by a teacher, reasons for being punished by a teacher, and acceptance of physical punishment at school. Boys had significantly more often been victimised from physical punishment than girls, with boys from Madrassas being more often victimised than all other groups. Students from English medium schools scored significantly lower on all scales than students from the other schools. Girls reported a significantly more accepting attitude towards physical punishment at  school than boys. Students from Urdu medium schools scored significantly highest on acceptance of physical punishment at school, while boys from English mediums schools reported the significantly lowest level of acceptance. For both girls and boys, acceptance of physical punishment at school was positively correlated with the other scales

Bullying escolar: um fenômeno multifacetado

School bullying can involve children in different ways, making them play different roles, among them, victims, bullies and bully-victims. The aim of this study was to describe how bullying occurs in high social vulnerability schools of Florianópolis metropolitan area and the roles played by students in this phenomenon. Overall, 409 children and adolescents from the 3rd to 5th grades and of two public elementary schools aged 8-16 years (X = 11.14) participated in this study. As a tool, the Olweus Questionnaire adapted to the Brazilian population was used. For data analysis, descriptive statistics and inferential statistics were applied by the Mann Whitney and Kruskal Wallis tests. As for results, 29.8% of boys and 40.5% of girls reported being victims; 32.3% of boys and 24.6% of girls reported being bullies. Victims were the most willing to help a colleague who is suffering from bullying (X = 1.54; p> 0.001), even if they do not know the victims (X = 1.57; p> 0.004). Bullies are differentiated from the group that does not participate (X = 1.73) and the group of victims (X = 2.34), being those who felt less alone (x = 1.47; p> 0.001). It was concluded that the information obtained in this study is indispensable in the search for alternatives to reduce school bullying. The strengthening of relations between school and students and a better preparation of teachers and school staff are extremely necessary to try to minimize the effects of risk factors to which these children are exposed and consequently violence at school.O bullying escolar pode envolver crianças de diferentes maneiras, fazendo com que essas assumam papéis diferenciados. Dentre estes, têm-se vítimas, agressores e vítimas-agressoras. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever como ocorre o bullying em escolas de alta vulnerabilidade social da Grande Florianópolis e os papéis assumidos pelos alunos nesse fenômeno. Quanto ao método, participaram 409 crianças e adolescentes do terceiro ao quinto ano e da quarta à sexta série do ensino fundamental, de duas escolas públicas municipais, com idades entre 8 e 16 anos (X=11,14). Como instrumento, utilizou-se o Questionário de Olweus adaptado à população brasileira. Para a análise dos dados, empregaram-se a estatística descritiva e estatística inferencial por meio dos testes Mann Whitney e Kruskal Wallis. Quanto aos resultados, 29,8% dos meninos e 40,5% das meninas relataram terem sido vítimas; já 32,3% dos meninos e 24,6% das meninas relataram terem sido agressores. As vítimas foram as que se mostraram mais dispostas a ajudar como podem um colega que esteja sofrendo agressão (X=1,54; p>0,001), mesmo que não o conheçam (X=1,57; p>0,004). Em contrapartida, os agressores se diferenciaram do grupo que não participa (X=1,73) e do grupo das vítimas (X=2,34), sendo aqueles que menos se sentiram sozinhos (X=1,47; p>0,001). Concluiu-se que as informações obtidas neste estudo são indispensáveis na busca de alternativas para redução do bullying escolar. O fortalecimento das relações entre escola e alunos, e um maior preparo dos professores e funcionários são extremamente necessários para tentar minimizar os efeitos dos fatores de risco a que essas crianças estão expostas e consequentemente a violência na escola.CAPES - Proc. nº 0815/14-4CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, IE, UMinho (UI 317 da FCT)Projeto Estratégico da FCT: UID/CED/00317/201

Social Integration and Attitudes Towards the Integration of Immigrants in Relation to Witnessing Domestic Aggression

The association between witnessing domestic aggression and respondents' level of social integration and their proactive attitudes towards the integration of immigrants was assessed with a questionnaire in a sample of the Swedish-speaking minority in Ostrobothnia, Western Finland (n = 298; 208 females and 90 males). The age span was between 16 and 90 years with a mean age of 31.6 years (SD = 13.5). Respondents scoring higher than average on witnessing domestic aggression scored lower than others on the following scales measuring social integration: Access to Social Benefits, Positive Social Relations, and Trust in the Finnish Judiciary System. They also scored lower than others on the following scales measuring proactive attitudes towards the integration of immigrants: (the need for making) Cultural Efforts, Structural Efforts, and Openness to Diversity. They also tended to have a lower level of education than other respondents. The implications of the findings are discussed.

The Association Between Intimate Partner Rape and Victimisation From Intimate Partner Controlling Behaviour and Physical Aggression in A Ugandan Sample

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between victimisation from intimate partner rape and two types of intimate partner aggression. A questionnaire was completed by 609 females and 420 males in Uganda. The age range was between 16 and 94 years. The mean age was 31.5 (SD 10.9) for females, and 34.4 (SD 11.3) for males. The questionnaire included scales for measuring the frequency of victimisation from intimate partner rape, controlling behaviour, and physical aggression from an intimate partner. Females had been significantly more often victimised from intimate partner physical aggression than males. No significant difference was found between females and males on victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviour. Victimisation from physical aggression and controlling behaviour from a partner were also highly correlated with each other for both females and males. Respondents who had been more than average victimised from intimate partner rape scored significantly higher than others on victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviour and intimate partner physical aggression. The association between victimization from intimate partner rape and victimisation from intimate partner controlling behaviour and physical aggression followed the same pattern for females and males

Physical Punishment at School in Three Educational Systems in Pakistan

A questionnaire was completed by 1,100 students (550 girls, mean age 13.3 years, SD 1.0; 550 boys, mean age 14.1, SD 1.0) from three types of schools in Pakistan; Urdu medium, Elite English medium, and Madrassa. It included scales measuring frequency of victimisation from physical punishment by a teacher, physical injuries from being punished by a teacher, negative feelings after physical punishment by a teacher, reasons for being punished by a teacher, and acceptance of physical punishment at school. Boys had significantly more often been victimised from physical punishment than girls, with boys from Madrassas being more often victimised than all other groups. Students from English medium schools scored significantly lower on all scales than students from the other schools. Girls reported a significantly more accepting attitude towards physical punishment at  school than boys. Students from Urdu medium schools scored significantly highest on acceptance of physical punishment at school, while boys from English mediums schools reported the significantly lowest level of acceptance. For both girls and boys, acceptance of physical punishment at school was positively correlated with the other scales