Differences in childhood sexual abuse experience between adult Hispanic and Anglo women in a primary care setting

The literature on racial and ethnic factors in childhood sexual abuse is limited. The purpose of this exploratory study was to document Hispanic-Anglo differences in childhood sexual abuse experiences and assess whether these differences may be explained by socio-demographic and family environmental differences. Adult Hispanic (n = 69) and Anglo (n = 19) women from a family medicine clinic waiting room reporting a history of childhood sexual abuse completed an in-depth survey concerning the sexual abuse experience and their childhood environment. In this study, Hispanics were more likely to report a family member as the perpetrator and to experience more self-blame as a result of the abuse. Hispanics were also more likely to take action in response to the abuse, especially those who were more acculturated to U.S. culture. However, most of the observed differences in this study could be explained by socio-demographic or family environment variables, not by ethnic background. Qualitative research on the family environments of Hispanic victims of child sexual abuse may further explicate the dynamics and risk factors for abuse by family members.     

Present and accounted for: measuring attendance in out-of-school-time programs

Evidence is emerging that youth who attend out-of-school-time (OST) programs more frequently and for longer periods of time benefit more than youth who attend less frequently or do not attend at all. It is also increasingly clear that children and youth will not reap the benefits of programs if they do not attend regularly. Collecting attendance data can help program leaders gauge demand for services, plan and manage programs effectively, and evaluate participant outcomes in relation to attendance. This chapter presents these and other reasons for collecting attendance data, as well as the methods and techniques that program leaders and researchers have at their disposal for measuring attendance. It describes four indicators of attendance--absolute attendance, intensity, duration, and breadth--that can provide detailed information and insight about youth participants and their use of programs. The chapter also provides tips for collecting attendance data and features examples from OST programs. Throughout, the chapter illustrates that the right indicators and data collection methods depend on program needs, characteristics, and goals.     

An Endangered Species: The Female as Addict or Member of an Addict Family*

When a woman is the identified addict or a member of a drug/alcohol abusing family system she often experiences considerably more psychiatric abuse than her male cohorts. This paper surveys some of the representative literature reflecting attitudes and practices imposed on these women. Explanations based on a study of healthy family systems are given with interpretations anchored in cultural rather than sexist phenomena. It is suggested that women need to be understood according to the complex interlocking transactions within family systems.     

Bargaining over waiting time in ultimatum game experiments

While preference-based explanations play an increasing role in economics and sociology, the accurate measurement of social preferences deserves more attention. Most laboratory experiments measure social preferences by studying the division of “a cake that nobody had to bake” (Güth and Kliemt, 2003). This article reports results of the first ultimatum game experiment with bargaining over waiting time. The experiment was created to avoid effects of windfall gains. In contrast to donated money, time is not endowed by the experimenter and implies a natural loss to subjects. This allows for a better measurement of the inherent conflict in the ultimatum game. We implemented three anonymity conditions; one baseline condition, one condition with anonymity among subjects and one double-blind condition in which the experimenter did not know the division of waiting time. While we expected to observe less other-regarding behavior in ultimatum game bargaining over time, our experimental results rather confirm previous ultimatum game experiments, in which people bargained over money. The modal offer was half of the waiting time and only one offer was rejected. Interestingly, anonymity did not change the results significantly. In conclusion, our experiment confirms other-regarding behavior in the ultimatum game.     

Preventing child abuse and neglect: a national evaluation of Parents Anonymous groups

This evaluation assessed whether participation in Parents Anonymous mutual support groups was associated with child maltreatment prevention. Parents new to groups across the United States were interviewed at baseline, one month, and six months. Using standardized scales, all parents showed improvements in some child maltreatment outcomes, risk factors, and protective factors. Parents starting out with particularly serious needs showed statistically significant improvement on every scale. Results indicated that Parents Anonymous participation contributes to child maltreatment reduction.     

Breaking the Silence of Child Sexual Abuse in the Caribbean: A Community-Based Action Research Intervention Model

In Trinidad and Tobago, little data exists on child sexual abuse, although there are many anecdotal reports of high prevalence. The Breaking the Silence Gender and Community Empowerment Model is a multidisciplinary intervention to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse in Trinidad and Tobago. It is an innovative, gender-sensitive intervention that uses a community based action research methodology anchored in a national framework. Preliminary evaluation of the Breaking the Silence model shows increased knowledge of child sexual abuse, increased willingness to discuss child sexual abuse, and an impact that goes beyond the target communities. This model can be replicated in communities to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse and adapted to address other sensitive social issues in the Caribbean.     

How Heterosexism Plagues Practitioners in Services for Lesbians and Their Families

Barriers to services for lesbians and their families have been well documented in the literature (DeCrescenzo, 1984; Harris, Schatz, & O'Hanlan, 1994; Nightengale, & Owen, 1995; Mallon, 1998), especially among medical professionals and social service providers. This study seeks to explore the prevalence of heterosexism and homophobia among mental health practitioners who identify as qualified providers for lesbians and the recipients' perspectives regarding the services they have received. Of the twenty-five practitioners who responded, 48% of them “knew personally of incidences of professional bias against lesbian clients.” Interestingly, only 26% of the 98 families reported heterosexual bias from their providers.     

Student Rights in an Age of Austerity? ‘Security’, Freedom of Expression and the Neoliberal University

In this profile, we examine a worrying trend taking place in institutions of higher education around the world: a notable increase in their managerial corporatization and neoliberalization, combined with greater repression of freedom of expression on campuses under the aegis of ‘securitization’. We focus attention specifically on how these twinned trends have impacted student activism in a post-2008 austerity-driven economic environment. Drawing on examples from Canada and elsewhere, we highlight attempts to depoliticize and institutionalize student engagement, as well as evidence of students working to break free of myriad constraints to foment change in their respective communities.     

Soft Sovereignty,Rising Powers,and Subnational Foreign Policy-Making: The Case of India

Abstract

The rise of ‘new powers’ in international politics has been frequently associated with a re-emergence of traditional notions of sovereignty as a backlash against the weakening of nation-state sovereignty related to globalization. We argue that the coexistence of these trends has led to new forms of ‘soft sovereignty’. Soft sovereignty means that rising powers both gain and lose authority: From above, their freedom from interference within the international state system is strengthened due to their new status and influence. At the same time, rising powers’ governments are losing authority due to the rise of a multiplicity of sub and transnational actors from below. We apply the concept of soft sovereignty to the analysis of foreign policy-making in India as a least-likely case of a weakening of sovereignty from within a sovereignty-oriented rising power. The analysis of India's relations with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka reveals the huge impact that subnational governments have had on India's policies towards its South Asian neighbours over the past years. The dynamics observed in the case of India reflect many of the traits of current globalization processes, from regionalization to identity politics to the multiplication of actors in the conduct of foreign politics.