Assessing Receptivity to Empirically Supported Treatments in Rape Crisis Centers

Survivors of sexual violence are at risk for PTSD, depression, and anxiety. There are several empirically supported treatments (EST) that are effective for addressing these trauma symptoms; however, uptake of these ESTs among Rape Crisis Center (RCC) counselors is low. This research project sought to determine counselors’ attitudes toward evidence-based practices (EBPs); their perceptions of the intervention characteristics of three specific ESTs: Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy; and differences in attitudes and perceptions based on agency setting (urban/rural) and counselor education. The Consolidated Framework for Advancing Implementation Science (CFIR) was used to construct a web-based survey to send to all RCCs in Texas (n=83) resulting in an overall agency response rate of 72% (n=60) and responses from 76 counselors. Counselors’ attitudes towards EBP and perspectives on specific ESTs suggest that dissemination and implementation efforts are needed within the RCC service sector to advance the uptake of CPT, EMDR and PE

On the Front Lines of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Occupational Experiences of the intimate Partner Violence and Sexual assault Workforce

In the face of increasing risk for intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual assault during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to understand the experiences of the workforce providing support to survivors, as well as the evolving service delivery methods, shifting safety planning approaches, and occupational stress of frontline workers. We addressed this gap by conducting an online survey of members of IPV and sexual assault workforce using a broad, web-based recruitment strategy. In total, 352 staff from 24 states participated. We collaborated with practitioner networks and anti-violence coalitions to develop the brief survey, which included questions about work and health, safety planning, and stress. We used chi-square

The Development of a Culturally Responsive Scale to Measure Abuse by In-laws Among South Asian Immigrants: Considerations and Implications (Research Note)

South Asian immigrants are one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the U.S. Similar to other immigrant groups, domestic violence has become a cause of growing concern among this community. Owing to the multifaceted cultural nuances among South Asians, domestic violence manifests in distinctive ways, including abuse by in-laws. To accurately understand the ways in which domestic violence is experienced in this community, it is essential to utilize culturally responsive instruments. Therefore, a culturally responsive instrument called SMILE (Scale to Measure In-Laws Exploitation abuse) was developed to examine the items that were perceived to constitute in-laws abuse by South Asian men and women across the United States.  Implications for social work research, practice and policy are discussed, nationally and globally

Factors Influencing Help-seeking Choices Among Non-Service-Connected Survivors of IPV

Background: Substantial evidence highlights the role of formal intimate partner violence (IPV) services in reducing the negative impacts of IPV for survivors and their families. The decision to seek help and the process survivors navigate in the help-seeking journey is influenced by individual, interpersonal, and sociocultural factors. Understanding why survivors choose not to seek formal services is necessary to better understand their experiences and to improve survivor-centered outreach and support. Purpose: The goal of this study was to understand the perspectives and choices of survivors who are not engaged with IPV services. The primary research question was what factors influence help-seeking choices among non-service-connected IPV survivors. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 survivors in community settings or over the phone. The researchers used a process of inductive and deductive coding to identify themes and subthemes. Results: The researchers identified three themes1) intrapersonal barriers, 2) interpersonal barriers, and 3) macro/systems barriers. Conclusion: Implications include identifying factors that facilitate help-seeking to expand services to a wider group of survivors while providing support and information for informal support people, as well as the need for future research to engage and understand the perspectives of survivors who have not sought help from any formal services

Exploring the feasibility of shared mobility services for reducing transportation disadvantage among survivors of intimate partner violence

Introduction: Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) experience transportation disadvantages due to financial constraints often caused by their abusive partners. Shared mobility services like ridesource and car-share programs may be a feasible solution to transportation barriers for survivors to access needed resources like employment and healthcare. Methods: This study presented scenarios to providers who work with IPV shelter residents to determine if having access to an on-demand ridesource and car-share service would mitigate survivors’ transportation challenges. Ten participants were interviewed using scenario planning and an accompanying semi-structured interview guide. Participants were presented with two scenarios: 1) imagine if there was a ridesource service which operated at the shelter and 2) imagine if there was a car-share service placed at the shelter. Thematic analysis was used to develop themes around the utilization of the ridesource and car-share services, barriers and concerns that may need to be addressed, and policy recommendations that would make the program successful. Results: Participants agreed that with the proper policies in place, ridesource and car-share services could greatly aid survivors in getting the transportation they need to regain their independence both socially and economically. Conclusion: Exploring the potential for shared mobility services to be a viable transportation solution can aid social service providers, city planners, and shared mobility companies in understanding how to use the services to benefit not only survivors of IPV, but also other members within communities who may experience transportation disadvantage

Faculty Bystanders: Capturing University Faculty’s Willingness to Engage in Prosocial Behavior

This study explores faculty members’ rape-supportive beliefs and bystander attitudes and behaviors. An online survey was administered to a non-probability, convenience sample of 167 faculty from a university in the US. The results indicate that faculty gender influences bystander behaviors and their age influences rape myth acceptance. Study results found younger faculty and faculty from specific colleges were more likely to engage in bystander intervention programming. Younger bystander intervention program participants were also less likely to endorse rape myths. The findings offer insight regarding specific content to include in faculty-focused bystander intervention programming and suggestions for messaging to ensure that bystander intervention initiatives are impactful to faculty

Experiencing Moral Distress Within the Intimate Partner Violence & Sexual Assault Workforce

Purpose: Moral distress (MD) refers to the psychological disequilibrium that emerges when institutional policies and/or practices conflict with an individual’s professional values and ethics. MD has been interrogated frequently in health care and ancillary medical settings, and has been identified as a critical barrier to enhanced organizational climate and patient care. However, little work has investigated experiences of MD among members of the intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) workforce. Methods: This study investigates MD in a sample of IPV and SV service providers via secondary analysis of 33 qualitative interviews conducted with service providers in the summer and fall of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic response was unfolding. Results: Qualitative content analysis revealed multiple overlapping vectors of MD experienced by IPV and SV service providers related to institutional resource constraints, providers working beyond their capacity and/or competency, shifting responsibilities within service agencies creating burdens among staff; and breakdowns in communication. Impacts of these experiences at individual, organizational, and client levels were identified by participants. Conculsions: The study uncovers the need for further investigation of MD as a framework within the IPV/SV field, as well as potential lessons from similar service settings which could support IPV and SV agencies in addressing staff experiences of MD

“So many extra safety layers:” Virtual service provision and implementing social distancing in interpersonal violence service agencies during COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic necessitated rapid shifts in approach for service providers working with survivors of interpersonal violence. To reduce the spread of the virus, providers and agencies implemented a rapid and unplanned expansion of virtual services while also developing new protocols to support safe and socially distant in-person services. To understand how these shifts have impacted victim service professionals and the survivors they serve, to provide guidance for on-going efforts, and to inform planning for future public health emergencies, this study asks the question: What approaches did the interpersonal violence workforce use to address social distancing needs during COVID-19? Semi-structured interviews were conducted from July to December 2020 with 33 interpersonal violence service providers from across the United States, and data were analyzed via conventional content analysis with additional steps for data credibility. Findings fall within two primary categories: 1) Technology and Virtual Service Provision; and 2) Social Distancing for In-person Services. Within each category, a number of themes emerged illustrating strengths and challenges of each approach, and the complex web of technological, safety, and public health considerations being balanced in interpersonal violence service agencies. These results provide guidance for the implementation of virtual services in an on-going manner, as well as underscoring the importance of future planning to facilitate effective in-person but physically distant services. There is also a clear need for agencies to support the interpersonal violence workforce to reduce occupational stress and enhance skills and capacities with new forms of services