By Ruth Beecher

This open access book is an innovative history of community health practitioners’ responses to the seemingly intractable problem of men (and on rare occasions, women) sexually abusing children within the private family home. It is situated within a social history of the development of British community-based health professions in the last decades of the twentieth century. Drawing on archival research and newly gathered in-depth oral history interviews, the monograph argues that expectations placed upon community-based doctors, nurses and mental health staff since the 1980s in relation to predicting and preventing the sexual abuse of children by men they know are incongruous. Beneath a surface acquiescence to the need to protect children from such abuse or to intervene early lie cultural, social and structural barriers that prevent its fulfilment. The book is a first in specifically interrogating the recent history of the role of community health practitioners within the modern 'child protection workforce', and contributes to growing scholarship on the history of emotions in the medical professions.

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2025. 294p.

By  Mary Bylera , Tara L Mitchellb , Rhoda Witmerc , and Jasper Hoffmand

Background: Anabaptists are often stereotyped as quaint, conscientious objectors, peaceful, and gentle and are upheld as models for forgiveness, yet little is known about potential violence and abuse within their communities. Investigative reports, such as Espenshade and Alexander (2004) and Price (1992), though, suggest that sexual and physical violence may be common.

Objective: We sought participants for a study on their experiences of child sexual abuse (CSA). Because existing research on CSA has largely excluded Anabaptists or promoted the voices of their powerful over the marginalized voices of survivors, we intentionally sought current and non-practicing Anabaptist participants.

Methods: Participants (N = 384) responded to an online survey. Survey questions addressed participant demographics, religious affiliations, CSA experiences, and childhood teachings about CSA, as well as how CSA affected them.

Results: Of the 384 participants, 310 were born or joined in Anabaptist. Chi-square analyses showed that approximately half of participants experienced CSA, almost all participants were impacted by CSA, and CSA was related to changes in religious affiliation. Importantly, though, qualitative analysis revealed Anabaptist-background participants described CSA in ways that differed notably from participants not raised Anabaptist.

Conclusion: CSA occurs within conservative religious groups, including Anabaptist churches. Accurate information and language regarding bodies, abuse, consent, and resources could help conservative Anabaptist communities prevent CSA and provide culturally competent care for CSA survivors.

2024. 34p. 

By Jerski Jarzen Duria

This study explores the gendered dynamics of poverty porn vlogging in the Philippines, focusing on how male and female vloggers portray poverty and interact with impoverished subjects. "Poverty porn" refers to content that exploits the suffering of impoverished individuals for emotional or financial gain, often by framing the content creators as charitable figures. The research examines six vloggers-ForeignGerms, Raffy Tulfo, King Lucks, Ivana Alawi, Rosemarie Tan Pamulaklakin, and Alex Gonzaga-whose content frequently centers around poverty in the Philippines. Through a qualitative content analysis approach, this study identifies recurring patterns, themes, and narrative structures within their vlogs. Drawing on Gender Role Theory, the research explores how societal expectations shape the behavior of male and female vloggers. Power and Exploitation Theory further explains the power dynamics between vloggers and their vulnerable subjects. Key themes include the emotional exploitation and the commodification of gendered vulnerability, reinforcement of gendered power dynamics and the savior complex, the gendered gaze and performative charity. Male vloggers tend to adopt dominant roles, positioning themselves as rescuers, while female vloggers often emphasize emotional labor and caregiving. This gendered framing perpetuates stereotypes of men as saviors and women as dependent and vulnerable. This study highlights the ethical concerns of such content, where vloggers profit from the suffering of impoverished individuals, particularly women and children. By analyzing these gendered portrayals, the research contributes to the discourse on the ethics of poverty porn in the digital age, shedding light on how social media creators exploit poverty for profit.

Unpublished paper, 2024.

By Luis E C Rocha1  · Petter Holme  · Claudio D G Linhares  

Differences in the social and economic environment across countries encourage humans to migrate in search of better living conditions, including job opportunities, higher salaries, security and welfare. Quantifying global migration is, however, challenging because of poor recording, privacy issues and residence status. This is particularly critical for some classes of migrants involved in stigmatised, unregulated or illegal activities. Escorting services or high-end prostitution are well-paid activities that attract workers all around the world. In this paper, we study international migration patterns of sex-workers by using network methods. Using an extensive international online advertisement directory of escorting services and information about individual escorts, we reconstruct a migrant fow network where nodes represent either origin or destination countries. The links represent the direct routes between two countries. The migration network of sex-workers shows diferent structural patterns than the migration of the general population. The network contains a strong core where mutual migration is often observed between a group of high-income European countries, yet Europe is split into diferent network communities with specifc ties to non-European countries. We find non-reciprocal relations between countries, with some of them mostly ofering while others attract workers. The Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPc) is a good indicator of country attractiveness for incoming workers and service rates but is unrelated to the probability of emigration. The median fnancial gain of migrating, in comparison to working at the home country, is 15.9%. Only sex-workers coming from 77% of the countries have financial gains with migration and average gains decrease with the GDPc of the country of origin. Our results suggest that high-end sex-worker migration is regulated by economic, geographic and cultural aspects. 

 Journal of Computational Social Science (2022) 5:969–985

By  Petrina Hargrave, PhD., Oliver Donaldson, Moana Hamana, Joanna Miller, and Anja Uhlmann 

Victim blaming, where crime victims are held responsible for their victimisation, deflects blame from perpetrators. This may discourage victims from seeking help or reporting crime, a significant issue in New Zealand where only 28% of crime is reported. It may also impede their recovery. Preventing victim blaming requires understanding victims’ experiences, especially among Māori, Rainbow, and disabled communities, who face higher crime rates. This research aims to raise awareness of victim blaming and its impact on help-seeking, crime reporting and recovery. Victim Support interviewed 31 New Zealand crime victims who had experienced victim blaming, uncovering five key themes.

New Zealand:  Manaaki Tāngata Victim Support , 2024. 40p.

By Ben Mathews, Kelsey L Hegarty, Harriet L MacMillan, Monica Madzoska, Holly E Erskine, Rosana Pacella, James G Scott, Hannah Thomas, Franziska Meinck, Daryl Higginss

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence in Australia of intimate partner violence, each intimate partner violence type, and multitype intimate partner violence, overall and by gender, age group, and sexual orientation.

Study design: National survey; Composite Abuse Scale (Revised)—Short Form administered in mobile telephone interviews, as a component of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study.

Setting: Australia, 9 April – 11 October 2021. Participants 8503 people aged 16 years or older: 3500 aged 16–24 years and about 1000 each aged 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, or 65 years or older.

Main outcome measures: Proportions of participants who had ever been in an intimate partner relationship since the age of 16 years (overall, and by gender, age group, and sexual orientation) who reported ever experiencing intimate partner physical, sexual, or psychological violence.

Results: Survey data were available for 8503 eligible participants (14% of eligible persons contacted), of whom 7022 had been in intimate relationships. The prevalence of experiencing any intimate partner violence was 44.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 43.3–46.2%); physical violence was reported by 29.1% (95% CI, 27.7–30.4%) of participants, sexual violence by 11.7% (95% CI, 10.8–12.7%), and psychological violence by 41.2% (95% CI, 39.8–42.6%). The prevalence of experiencing intimate partner violence was significantly higher among women (48.4%; 95% CI, 46.3–50.4%) than men (40.4%; 95% CI, 38.3–42.5%); the prevalence of physical, sexual, and psychological violence were also higher for women. The proportion of participants of diverse genders who reported experiencing intimate partner violence was high (62 of 88 participants; 69%; 95% CI, 55–83%). The proportion of non-heterosexual participants who reported experiencing intimate partner violence (70.2%; 95% CI, 65.7–74.7%) was larger than for those of heterosexual orientation (43.1%; 95% CI, 41.6–44.6%). More women (33.7%; 95% CI, 31.7–35.6%) than men (22.7%; 95% CI, 20.9–24.5%) reported multitype intimate partner violence. Larger proportions of participants aged 25–44 years (51.4%; 95% CI, 48.9–53.9%) or 16–24 years (48.4%, 95% CI, 46.1–50.6%) reported experiencing intimate partner violence than of participants aged 45 years or older (39.9%; 95% CI, 37.9–41.9%).

Conclusions: Intimate partner violence is widespread in Australia. Women are significantly more likely than men to experience any intimate partner violence, each type of violence, and multitype intimate partner violence. A comprehensive national prevention policy is needed, and clinicians should be helped with recognising and responding to intimate partner violence.

Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume 222, Issue 9, May 2025, Pages, 423-480

By Catriona Stevens, Loretta Baldassar, Eileen O’Brian, and Everyone's Business: Research into responses to the abuse of older people (elder abuse) in Western Australia" is a study that examines how different sectors in Western Australia respond to elder abuse. The research, conducted between 2020-2022, is a key component of the WA Strategy to Respond to the Abuse of Older People (2019-2029). It involved over 750 participants from various sectors, making it the largest study of its kind in Western Australia. 

The study aimed to: 

• Understand the types of abuse experienced by older people in Western Australia .

• Map agency and service provider responses and referral pathways: to understand the support journey for older people experiencing or at risk of abuse.

• Explore best practice recommendations: tailored to the Western Australian context, considering available resources and the specific needs of diverse populations.

The research highlights that elder abuse is a significant issue in Western Australia, with one in six older people experiencing some form of abuse. The study also reveals that many older people experiencing abuse don't seek help due to various reasons, such as shame, fear, or lack of awareness about available services. 

The research findings inform the WA Strategy to Respond to the Abuse of Older People, which has four key priority areas: raising awareness and early identification; prevention and early intervention; integrated and coordinated response; and data and evidence. The strategy emphasizes that addressing elder abuse is everyone's responsibility and requires a whole-of-community approach. 

Perth: Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab.2023. 409p.

This Statistical Bulletin presents the results from the 2023–24 Fraud Against the Commonwealth census. A similar number of internal fraud investigations were finalised compared with the previous financial year. Fewer external fraud investigations were finalised. Automatic processes were the primary method of detecting internal and external fraud allegations in 2023–24. Program information and program payments were the principal targets of substantiated internal and external fraud allegations respectively. Internal and external fraud losses were lower than the losses reported in 2022–23. Australian Government entities reported greater internal fraud and lower external fraud recoveries in 2023–24 than in the previous financial year

Statistical Bulletin 47

Canberra: Australian Institute of Criminology, 2025. 16p.

Introduction

Australian survey and seizure data suggest a growing illicit tobacco market. As an illicit product, accurately tracking trends in illicit tobacco growing, manufacture, and sales is challenging. We examined trends in Australian illicit tobacco-related crimes using a content analysis of news articles.

Aims and Methods

We analyzed Australian news articles identified in the Factiva database and government press releases describing Australian illicit tobacco-related crimes reported between January 2000 and December 2023. Sources were coded for crime type, location, product type, dollar value of seized products, methods of distribution or storage, agencies involved, and other crimes involved.

Results

We identified 447 crimes reported in 389 sources. The number of illicit tobacco-related crimes reported increased between 2000 and 2023. The most common crimes were possession of illicit tobacco (n = 196/43.7%) and smuggling (n = 187/41.8%), and the most common product type was “illicit cigarettes” (n = 197/44.1%). The most common distribution/storage method reported was via residential premises (n = 98/21.9%). One-hundred and twenty incidents involved other crimes such as financial crimes involving money laundering (n = 59/13.2%). Across all included news articles, the quantity of seized products totaled 827 529 307 cigarette sticks, 76 185 cartons, 668 687 packs, 239 hectares (of land growing tobacco plants), and 2 149 000 plants of illicit tobacco between 2000 and 2023. The median value (worth; AUD) of each seizure was $1 500 000 (range $43 to $67 000 000).

Conclusions

Australian media reporting on illicit tobacco-related crimes increased over the past two decades, particularly since 2018. These findings highlight a need for improved border detection measures, investment in enforcement, and other deterrent activities.

Implications

This media analysis complements trends identified in national survey data that indicate a growing illicit tobacco market in Australia since 2013 with a marked increase since 2018. While survey data suggests that the Australian tobacco tax policy, which has included regular large tax increases since 2010, has decreased consumer demand for tobacco overall, it may have also incentivized criminal networks to supply illicit tobacco products due to it being a “low risk” and “high reward” activity. Controlling the Australian illicit tobacco market should be a policy priority.

Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 27, Issue 6, June 2025, Pages 980–987,

By John P. Sullivan

In his landmark trilogy, The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture, sociologist Manuel Castells argued that networks, information technology, and global economic flows were altering the nature of politics, power, and states. This article examines the network dynamics Castells wrote about in relation to transnational crime and illicit economic markets. The article further explores Castells’s influence on the study of transnational organized crime, illicit networks, and the global illicit economy 

Journal of Strategic Security 16, no. 1 (2023) : 51-71

 Written and edited by Sullivan and Robert J. Bunker

Third Generation Gangs and Transnational Cartels brings closure to the long running Small Wars Journal–El Centro Anthology series edited by Dr. John P. Sullivan and Dr. Robert J. Bunker under the auspices of the Small Wars Foundation. The curated work focuses on Latin American gangs, cartels, and the cross-cutting issues related to them. Its forty-four chapters and supporting front and back essays highlight the important contributions of some forty scholars and practitioners in the fields of criminal insurgency, gang studies, and transnational organized crime. The chapters span the mid-2018 through later-2024 period, with the inclusion of late 2024 and early 2025 essays specifically written to give context and provide analysis related to this work. The anthology benefits from a Foreword provided by Dr. Rashmi Singh, an Afterword offered by Dr. Alexandra Phelan, and a Postscript written by Dr. Mahmut Cengiz.

(A Small Wars Journal–El Centro Anthology). Bloomington: Xlibris, 2025 [ISBN: 979-8369442999, Paperback, 782 Pages]

By James Hawdon· Katalin Parti  Thomas Dearden

This research uses longitudinal data to investigate if illegal online drug purchases changed over time during the COVID-19 pandemic, and if these changes were primarily driven by users adjusting to market conditions or by a heightened level of pandemic-induced strain that could drive a greater demand for drugs. Data were collected across four waves between fall 2019 and fall 2021 using an online survey. Data showed an increase in reported online drug purchases across the waves, but the online drug purchases remained consistent for the frst year of the pandemic, but increased by approximately 44% between the fall 2020 and fall 2021 when over 13 percent of the sample admitted to buying illegal drugs online. Strain was also related to buying illegal drugs online as those respondents who made illegal online purchased had an average of 5.2 strain events in the past 12 months compared to only 2.4 events among those who did not report purchasing illegal drugs online. However, the infuence of strain on online purchases remained consistent across time. These results suggest that the increase in online drug purchases was primarily driven by users adapting to changing market conditions rather than the cumulative strains associated with the pandemic producing a greater effect on purchases. Policy implications are also discussed.

  American Journal of Criminal Justice (2022) 47:712–734  

By Corinne Meltzer Graffunder, MPH

Through the Rape Prevention and Education (RPE) program, the Center’s for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides funding, translates research findings, provides technical assistance, develops tools and other products, and conducts program monitoring of state health agencies functioning as intermediary organizations within a prevention support system. (Wandersman et al., 2008) The aims of this dissertation were to 1. Create an assessment tool defining the capacities needed to support the implementation of priority, evidence-based sexual assault prevention strategies; 2. Assess select priority needs and capacities of intermediary organizations to support this implementation; and 3. Develop a strategy to enhance the prevention support system capacity of intermediary organizations.

Department of Public Health, Chapel Hill, 2008, 319p.

By Kamalini Wijayatilake and Camena Guneratne

The Sri Lanka Report on domestic violence was undertaken by CENWOR for the regional project on Monitoring Progress in the Elimination of Discrimination Against and the Achievement of Equality for women, conducted by the International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia-Pacific (IWRAW-AP). The purpose of the project was to create a mechanism by which to assess and facilitate the fulfilment of State obligations under the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Beijing Platform for Action. CENWOR as the focal point in Sri Lanka for this project was required to identify a priority area to be monitored based on whether it results in extensive gender disparities. CENWOR identified violence against women as the area it would study, with specific reference to domestic violence. The first activity of the project would be to produce a baseline report on the identified issue as a basis on which to measure the fulfilment of the State’s obligations in the advancement of women’s rights.

Asia Pacific Gender Equality Network (APGEN), Centre for Women’s Research (CENWOR) Colombo, 2002, 105p.

Report completed by Jane E. M Callaghan and Joanne H. Alexander

This epot fouses o hildes epeiees of doesti iolee, i failies affeted doesti iolee. Ou epot is oeed ith hildes epeiees i situatios hee the ai perpetrator and victim of violence would be legally defined as two adults in an intimate relationship ot hee the hild is ioled i datig iolee.  Research and professional practice that focuses on children as damaged witnesses to domestic violence tends to describe children as passive and helpless. Our study, based on interviews with more than a hundred children across four European countries, recognises the significant suffering caused to children who experience domestic violence. However, it also tells a parallel story, about the capacity of children who experience domestic violence to cope, to maintain a sense of agency, to be resilient, and to find ways of resisting violence, and build a positive sense of who they are.

UNARS, 2015, 272p.

By Amy Stanton

There is a scarcity of research that considers the role of school for children who have relocated because of domestic violence and abuse. In spite of this, the impact on school age children is well evidenced and can have severe long- lasting implications for a child in their ecosystem (CAADA, 2014; Sterne & Poole, 2010). This research used qualitative methodology and a social constructionist perspective underpinned by Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory to investigate how children 7 – 10 years experienced school when they had relocated because of domestic violence and abuse. Data was collected from five children using vignettes and drawings. Four Deputy Head Teachers, one Inclusion Manager and five Educational Psychologists were interviewed using a semi-structured interview. Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the accounts of children and school professionals. The findings showed children felt under threat in the classroom and playground

UCL Institute of Education

By R.A.Duff*

Both the trial judge and the Court of Appeal seemed to base their view that a mistaken belief in consent must be reasonable if it is to secure an acquittal on evidential principles, not on the substantive principle that one who acts on an unreasonable belief really has the mens rea of rape. That mens rea consists, they agreed, in "the intention to do the prohibited act":" it involves an awareness of the woman's lack of consent, and is in principle negatived by any honest belief in consent. But proof of the fact of non-consensual intercourse creates a presumption that the defendant knew she did not consent, and casts on him the evidential burden of adducing evidence to rebut that presumption. "before any issue as to his state of mind can arise for the jury's consideration".' This burden is not discharged by "a bald assertion of belief for which the accused can indicate no reasonable ground"," but only by evidence of a reasonable belief: if such evidence is adduced, the prosecution must prove either that that belief was not honestly held or that it was not reasonable.

The Liverpool Law Review VoJ. III (2) 119811, 16p.

By Rachel Egan & Janet Clare Wilson

The present study examined victims’ attitudes to rape and rape-reporting behaviour. There were 36 Rape Victims, and approximately half reported their rape to the police (Rape Victim – Report) and half did not report their rape to the police (Rape Victim – Not Report). There were 42 Crime Victims, and approximately half reported the crime to the police (Crime Victim – Report) and half did not (Crime Victim – Not Report). Participants filled out a questionnaire which consisted of six scales: Rape Myth Acceptance, Just World Beliefs, Attitudes towards the Police, Locus of Control, the Pro-Victim scale and the Anti-Rapist scale. The results showed that Rape Victims-Not Report had significantly higher levels of Rape Myth Acceptance and Internal Locus of Control than Rape Victims-Report. However, all rape victims reported similar levels of Just World Beliefs and Attitudes towards the Police. Rape Myth Acceptance was significantly related to Just World Beliefs for crime victims but not for rape victims. Finally, crime victims had higher levels of Internal Locus of Control than rape victims.

Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, Vol. 19, No. 3, June 2012, 345–357

By John Braithwaite

A proposition of the theory of reintegrative shaming is that a reason some societies have lower rates of rape is that rape is unthinkable to most men in those societies. This presentation shows how war interrupts the unthinkableness of rape. Bougainville society seems to have had a low level of rape until its war of the 1980s and 1990s. A single rape was one of the important sparks that lit its civil war. It caused perhaps over 5% of the population to lose their lives and perhaps over a third to be displaced from their homes. As in most wars, rape became common in Bougainville. A theory of why war causes epidemics of rape helps criminologists understand rape better. It can also help international relations scholars to see that the bigger problem caused by armed conflict today may be crime rather than battle deaths. Rape in peace and in war is interpreted according to Eliza Ahmed’s theory of shame management and pride management. Ahmed’s work is seen as an important advance in evidence- based criminological theory. A deficiency of reintegrative shaming theory is that it neglects pride as the flip-side of shame as an emotion. Shame displacement may be important to the explanation of rape; yet narcissistic pride may be more important. In war we see more vividly the social dynamics of how shame displacement and narcissistic pride allow both rape and the onset of war itself. Bougainville helps us to ponder how historically sustained, deep and broad restorative justice processes may be part of what is needed to return a society to peace and to low levels of rape.

Address to Stockholm Criminology Symposium, 16 June, 2006, 15p.

By Kimberly A. Lonsway and Louise F. Fitzgerald

Theories of sexual aggression and victimization have increasingly em- phasized the role of rape myths in the perpetuation of sexual assault. Rape myths are attitudes and generally false beliefs about rape that are widely and persistently held, and that serve to deny and justify male sexual aggression against women. Acceptance of such myths has been assessed with a number of measures, and investigators have examined its relationship with numerous variables and interventions. Although there has been extensive research in this area, definitions, terminology, and measures of rape myth acceptance (RMA) continue to lack adequate theoretical and psychometric precision. Despite such criticisms, we em- phasize that the significance of this type of research cannot be overstated because it has immense potential for the understanding of sexual assault. The present article offers a theory-based definition of rape myths, re- views and critiques the literature on rape myth acceptance, and suggests directions for future research. In particular we argue that such work must include the development and application of improved measures, with more concern for the theoretical and methodological issues unique to this field.

Cambridge University Press 0361-6843194, 32p.