Old‐age protection for women in the Spanish pension system

The example of Spain confirms the common view that contributory pension systems reproduce inequalities between the sexes that result from the nature of labour market structures and the sharing of family responsibilities. In general, women who stay at home are not entitled to their own pensions and are dependent on benefits of lower value such as survivors' pensions (derived entitlements) or non‐contributory pensions. In turn, women who work outside the home accrue lower entitlements than men and, consequently, lower old‐age or disability pensions (personal entitlements). The purpose of this article is to examine the figures for pension distribution by sex in Spain, review some of the pension policies that have been implemented since 2000, and propose direct action for progress in the transition from derived entitlements to personal entitlements. These proposals are designed to promote sex equality, defined as the right to equal well‐being and financial security in old age.     

Nonparametric estimation of the sojourn time distributions for a multipath model

Summary. We use a multipath (multistate) model to describe data with multiple end points. Statistical inference based on the intermediate end point is challenging because of the problems of nonidentifiability and dependent censoring. We study nonparametric estimation for the path probability and the sojourn time distributions between the states. The methodology proposed can be applied to analyse cure models which account for the competing risk of death. Asymptotic properties of the estimators proposed are derived. Simulation shows that the methods proposed have good finite sample performance. The methodology is applied to two data sets.     

Filling the psychic gap: Understanding psychosomatic problems in a multi-cultural clinic

This paper describes an analytic approach I used some years ago when working in a multi-cultural clinic to understand psychosomatic difficulties in an Asian Muslim woman who suffered from recurring headaches and dizzy spells. Her symptoms revealed and concealed a much needed psychic equilibrium aimed at producing a stalemate in her mental growth and development. The headaches occurred when she began to think about herself, particularly conflicting thoughts and feelings which she found intolerable because it represented signs of psychic movement and separation. The dizzy spells acted like a psychic switch that closed her mind down and enabled her to escape into a phantasy of fusion with her mother which would have posed another type of psychic threat--the potential loss of her identity. Adopting others both literally and metaphorically had the aim of filling a psychic gap left by a failure of internalisation resulting in an 'addictive' way of relating to others such as her husband and the wider system of health care professionals who ultimately failed her.     

Between exclusion and colonisation: seeking a place for mad people’s knowledge in academia

The omnipresent psychiatric narrative of mental illness has always had its counter-narrative – the life stories of people labelled mad. The relationship between these two accounts has always been one of domination: mad voices have been – and continue to be – not heard, overwritten, silenced or even erased in the course of psychiatric treatment. As survivor researchers who have had these kinds of experiences, we wish to discuss parallels between this tradition and some contemporary academic efforts that claim to disrupt it.     

Child Abuse Detection

No abstract available for this article.     

Working with Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Abuse Survivors

Abstract

While the new economic globalization provides the overarching context for human development, the influence of political economy on personal values, beliefs, and behaviors is not usually directly addressed in the HBSE texts and coursework. Making the connections between the dimly visible structures of global capitalism and the lives of students and clients in the U.S. is challenging. This paper makes a case for the inclusion of content on globalization in HBSE and presents two dynamic “experiments” aimed at increasing student insight into the political and economic roots of human behavior in Western society.     

A sickle transition-rate model with starting threshold

Billari (2001) introduced a new type of single-spell parametric transition-rate model: transition-rate models with a starting threshold. In such models, the transition-rate function is composed of two additive terms. The first term is a constant that holds for any given duration; the second is a ‘traditional’ transition-rate function with the threshold as its time origin, and it is added after a certain threshold point. The possibility of allowing for the presence of long-term survivors in the social process has not yet been dealt with, and it is of specific interest in several domains of application. In this paper, we develop the specific case of the sickle model. We discuss its features, its implementation as a starting threshold model, and the estimation of its parameters. The sickle model with starting threshold is then applied to the union formation of Italian men and women, using the Fertility and Family Survey data.     

“From that Moment on My Life Changed”: Turning Points in the Healing Process for Men Recovering from Child Sexual Abuse

Recent research indicates that child sexual abuse often undermines the health of boys and men across the lifespan. However, some male survivors experience a turning point marking a positive change in their health trajectories and healing process. Although frequently discussed in reference to physical health problems or addictions, very little is known about turning points with respect to child sexual abuse for men. The purpose of this secondary qualitative analysis was to describe the different types of turning points experienced by male survivors who completed the 2010 Health and Well-Being Survey (N = 250). Using conventional content analysis, researchers identified seven types of turning points that were classified into three broad categories: influential relationships (professional and group support, personal relationships), insights and new meanings (cognitive realizations, necessity to change, spiritual transformation), and action-oriented communication (disclosure of CSA, pursuit of justice). Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.     

Gender Differences in the Path From Sexual Victimization to HIV Risk Behavior Among Homeless Youth

ABSTRACT

Experiencing sexual victimization prior to becoming homeless is common among homeless youth and is associated with increased HIV risk behavior. This study examined mediating variables that underlie this association, adding to the understanding of gender differences in these paths. Participants were homeless youth in Los Angeles recruited through service access centers who completed a computerized self-administered interview in English or Spanish using an iPad. Findings indicate a high presence of sexual victimization across both genders. Female participants experienced posttraumatic stress disorder and subsequent engagement with exchange sex, whereas male participants were primarily involved in substance use risk pathways. Results indicate paths in the association between sexual victimization and HIV risk behavior differ between male and female homeless youth. Gender-specific, mental-health-informed interventions targeting sexual risk reduction are warranted.     

Practical Ways Psychotherapy Can Support Physical Healthcare Experiences for Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

This pilot study was conducted to examine older child molestation victims' self-report of their long-term psychological adjustment at least 12 months after the date of their initial clinic evaluation. Female participants were assesed using the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, Children's Depression Inventory, and the Hopelessness Scale which were also administered during their first evaluation. T-ratios revealed that scores on all measures, including five of the six Piers-Harris subscales showed significant improvement. The high rate of noncompliance associated with this population is also discussed in terms of removal from the home, type of abuse, and age of the perpetrator.