Development of a Measure of Anti-Rape Attitudes as a Potential Protective Factor Against Rape Perpetration.

The role of attitudes toward women and sexual violence in predicting men's perpetration of rape has been well documented in the literature. While research on rape perpetration has primarily focused on identifying risk factors, the limited understanding of protective factors has hindered the development of psychometric measures to assess attitudinal protective factors. However, comprehending these protective factors is essential for a comprehensive understanding of the risk of rape perpetration and the advancement of strength-based approaches.

"In the End You Keep Silent": Help-Seeking Behavior Upon Sexual Victimization in Older Adults.

Sexual violence is considered a prominent mental health problem. Exposure to sexual victimization during lifetime has been linked to mental health problems in old age. Research in adult victims has shown that they experience many barriers for disclosure and seeking professional help upon sexual victimization.

More Than Just a Scratch: A Scoping Review on Physical and Psychological Consequences of Violence Against Police.

Violence against police is a reality for many officers. Despite growing concerns over the rise in violence against police and the serious individual and societal repercussions associated with it, a comprehensive overview of the psychological and physical consequences of verbal and physical violence against police remains elusive. By performing a scoping review ( = 21) of studies and reports identified via database searches (Web of Science and Google Scholar), reference mining, and purposive sampling, and published between 2010 and 2023, this article is the first of its kind to map psychological and physical consequences of violence against police, as well as the risk and protective factors that respectively increase and decrease adverse consequences.

Exploring Sociodemographic and Mental Health Differences Among Constructed Male Victim Severity Profiles.

Stigmas and taboos surrounding male sexual violence, stating that men cannot be sexually victimized and would not experience many adverse effects as a result, continue to shroud the issue of male sexual victimization (SV). Male victims, therefore, remain under-recognized in research, policy, and treatment provisions. Furthermore, knowledge regarding male SV is severely compromised by studying male victims in convenience samples with a focus on hands-on forms of sexual violence.

Victimization of Applicants for International Protection Residing in Belgium: Sexual Violence and Help-Seeking Behavior.

Background: Sexual violence (SV) literature on applicants for international protection (AIPs) shows that they are at high risk of victimization. The study objectives are to provide an exploratory overview of the occurrence of SV in AIPs in Belgium and their help-seeking behavior (HSB). This overview is crucial to develop prevention strategies and care paths focusing on providing adequate care to AIP SV victims in Belgium.

Locked up at home: a cross-sectional study into the effects of COVID-19 lockdowns on domestic violence in households with children in Belgium.

Background: Policymakers worldwide took measures to limit the spread of the COVID-19-virus. While these sanitary measures were necessary to fight the spread of the virus, several experts warned for a significant impact on mental health and a potential increase in domestic violence. To study the impact of the COVID-19 measures in Belgium, and the factors influencing the occurrence of domestic violence, we set up the study on relationships, stress, and aggression.

"Time Does Not Heal All Wounds": Sexual Victimisation Is Associated with Depression, Anxiety, and PTSD in Old Age.

Sexual violence (SV) has an important impact on mental health. Childhood sexual abuse is linked to internalising disorders in later life. In older adults, SV occurs more often than previously believed.

Sexual Activity and Physical Tenderness in Older Adults: Prevalence and Associated Characteristics From a Belgian Study.

Background: Despite the World Health Organization calling for sexuality to be recognized as an aspect of well-being, no studies have explored sexual activity and physical tenderness in older adults aged ≥ 75 years in Belgium or those aged ≥ 85 years worldwide.

Aim: To assess the prevalence and predictors of sexual activity and physical tenderness in a sample of older adults.

Methods: Using data from a Belgian cross-sectional study on sexual violence (UN-MENAMAIS), information on sexual activity, physical tenderness, and associated characteristics was collected during structured face-to-face interviews with older adults living in the community, assisted living facilities, or nursing homes.

Sexual violence in older adults: a Belgian prevalence study.

Background: Sexual violence (SV) is an important public health problem which may cause long-lasting health problems. SV in older adults remains neglected in research, policies and practices. Valid SV prevalence estimates and associated risk factors in older adults are currently unavailable.

Research in Hard-to-Reach Populations: Challenges and Strategies for Conducting Sexual Violence Studies in Applicants for International Protection Beyond the European General Data Protection Regulation.

Background: Conducting research in hard-to-reach populations such as applicants for international protection (AIPs) brings along a number of research challenges. This is especially true for sexual violence (SV) research.

Methods: We developed a study design with the intent to reach AIPs in a randomized and anonymous manner including potential illiterate respondents as well, while avoiding as much bias as possible.

The impact of strict measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic on the spatial pattern of the demand for police: case study Antwerp (Belgium).

COVID-19 impacts the daily lives of millions of people. This radical change in our daily activities affected many aspects of life, but acted as well as a natural experiment for research into the spatial distribution of 911 calls. We analyse the impact of the COVID-19 measures on the spatial pattern of police interventions.

The Elephant in the Room - A Critical Interpretive Synthesis of Older Adults' Sexuality.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore past studies that have focused exclusively on the sexuality of adults older than 65 from a positive public health approach.

Methods: We performed a critical interpretive synthesis, starting with the literature review on sexual behaviors in later life, adding policy documents on aging sexuality, and bringing new perspectives.

Results: Older adults continue to be sexually active.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Sexual Victimization: Findings from a National Representative Sample of Belgian Adults Aged 16-69.

Sexual victimization is a major public health, judicial, and societal concern worldwide. Nationally representative and comparable studies are still lacking. We applied a broad definition of sexual violence, including hands-off and hands-on victimization, and behaviorally specific questions to assess sexual victimization.

'Breaking the silence': Sexual victimisation in an old age psychiatry patient population in Flanders.

Background: Sexual violence (SV) is linked to mental health problems in adulthood and old age. However, the extent of sexual victimisation in old age psychiatry patients is unknown. Due to insufficient communication skills in both patients and healthcare workers, assessing SV in old age psychiatry patients is challenging.

Challenges in Conducting Sexual Health and Violence Research in Older Adults Beyond the General Data Protection Regulation: A Belgian Case Study.

Because of a growing older population, the sexual health (SH) of older adults, including sexual violence (SV), is becoming an increasingly important public health concern. Yet, reliable SV prevalence rates and risk factors are lacking, due to methodological shortcomings in current studies. SV research involves challenges regarding safety and disclosure, especially in older adults.

"Too Grey To Be True?" Sexual Violence in Older Adults: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis of Evidence.

Sexual violence (SV) is an important public health issue with a major impact on victims and their peers, offspring and community. However, SV in older adults is under-researched. This paper aims to establish the prevalence and nature of SV in older adults in Europe, link this with existing policies and health care workers' response to sexual health needs in older age, and critically revise the currently used frameworks in public health research.

The effectiveness of DNA databases in relation to their purpose and content: A systematic review.

Different stakeholders use forensic DNA databases for different purposes; for example, law enforcement agencies use them as an investigative tool to identify suspects, and criminologists use them to study the offending patterns of unidentified suspects. A number of researchers have already studied their effectiveness, but none has performed an overview of the relevant literature. Such an overview could help future researchers and policymakers by evaluating their creation, use and expansion.

Big Boys Don't Cry: A Critical Interpretive Synthesis of Male Sexual Victimization.

Sexual victimization is typically presented as a gender-based problem involving a female victim and a male offender. Science, policy, and society focus on female victims at the expense of male victims. Male sexual victimization is thus understudied compared with female sexual victimization.

Are DNA data a valid source to study the spatial behavior of unknown offenders?

Studying the spatial behaviour of unknown offenders (i.e. undetected offenders) is difficult, because police recorded crime data do not contain information about these offenders.

Measurement equivalence of the CES-D 8 depression-scale among the ageing population in eleven European countries.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in later life. However, despite considerable research attention, great confusion remains regarding the association between ageing and depression. There is doubt as to whether a depression scale performs identically for different age groups and countries.