Rachel C. Garthe

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) may seek formal support across systems of care; however, those with marginalized identities, and from rural communities, may also experience more barriers while seeking help. The current study highlights findings from 13 focus groups in a needs assessment of domestic violence services in Illinois. Participants included 46 survivors of IPV who accessed formal supports in urban and rural communities; they were diverse in terms of gender (61% cisgender female, 21% cisgender male, 15% transgender/gender non-conforming), sexual identity (37% sexual minority), and race/ethnicity (41% African American/Black, 28% White, 11% Asian/Asian American, and 11% Hispanic/Latino/a/x); 26% were an immigrant and 20% had a disability. Through reflexive thematic analysis, this study highlighted the complexities of help-seeking and attainment through nine themes related to barriers. Intertwined in these barriers were aspects related to one’s identity or geography. For example, there was a lack of cultural awareness and trust within services, issues with accessibility, and perceptions of shame and stigma. Among barriers noted, many survivors were navigating formal structures that were oppressive and harmful, contributing to feelings of dehumanization. More research is necessary to continue examining intersectional identities and communities that remain at the margin of IPV services. Results highlight the urgent need to strengthen the coordination of services, emphasizing the necessity of DV advocates, and urging providers to deliver more inclusive and culturally responsive services.

Experiencing adolescent dating violence (ADV) can have serious short- and long-term consequences. To date, most studies focus on risk factors of ADV; however, summarizing research on protective and promotive factors can provide critical information for intervention and prevention practices that foster healthy adolescent relationships. In the literature, many researchers conceptualize both promotive and protective factors broadly as “protective factors,” without making an analytic distinction, leaving the difference between the two ambiguous in the field. This systematic review summarized findings from quantitative studies (2000-July 2025) and identified protective and promotive factors related to ADV within the social-ecological model (SEM), focusing on adolescents aged 10 to 18 years in the United States and Canada. By examining the analytic approaches of each study, this review distinguished between protective and promotive factors. A total of 55 articles were identified through full-text screening of six databases. Factors were categorized across levels of the SEM: individual ( n = 17), relationship ( n = 40), community ( n = 19), and societal ( n = 8). Of these studies, 65% examined promotive factors, 25% examined protective factors, and 10% examined both. Findings highlighted the importance of examining both protective and promotive factors to clarify their unique contributions and to advance theoretical and empirical rigor. These results also emphasize the need to consider multilevel factors in ADV prevention and call for future research that integrates both protective and promotive perspectives to inform strength-based practices.

Purpose: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive problem associated with a plethora of negative outcomes, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and chronic illness. Prior research has identified adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as an important antecedent to IPV perpetration, and various mechanisms have since been examined to explain this association, including attachment. The purpose of this research is to investigate the mediating role of insecure adult romantic attachment in the relationship between ACEs and IPV perpetration, while also examining group differences among men and women. Methods: The current study included a cross-sectional sample of 395 young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 (M _age = 19.1; 64% cisgender female; 54% White). We fit structural equation models to investigate the relationship between ACEs and IPV perpetration and the mediating role of attachment insecurity. Results: In women, part of the relationship between ACEs and IPV perpetration is mediated by attachment anxiety. In men, attachment anxiety plays a mediating role despite no total effect of ACEs on IPV perpetration. Attachment avoidance did not mediate the association between ACEs and IPV in men or women. Conclusions: Attachment anxiety may play a role in the intergenerational transmission of violence. These findings can be used by clinicians and practitioners to prevent the development of an anxious attachment orientation or target anxious attachment in adults.

This study examined longitudinal trajectories of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among 228 adult female sexual assault survivors using growth mixture modeling. Three distinct PTG trajectories were identified across four time points over 9 months: High-Stable (35%), Moderate-Stable (41%), and Low-Stable (24%). None of the trajectories showed significant growth or decline over time. These findings suggest that PTG may plateau following sexual assault. To foster meaningful psychological recovery, postassault services should incorporate interventions that actively promote PTG. Further research is needed to identify individual and contextual factors that facilitate growth in this population.

Gun violence is a critical public health issue in the United States and is a leading cause of death among youth and young adults. Firearm-related injury and death disproportionately impact racial and ethnic minoritized youth. Critical to addressing gun violence as a public health issue is researching the etiology of gun violence, as well as developing and testing violence prevention strategies. In response to the growing need for gun violence prevention efforts, the Illinois Department of Human Services established the Office of Firearm Violence Prevention in 2021. With that funding included the development of Training and Technical Assistance Services (TTAS) centers to assist organizations in developing, implementing, and evaluating gun violence prevention initiatives. This paper examines the strategies of one TTAS center in Illinois, which collaborated with 20 social service agencies and community-based organizations to provide tailored training and technical assistance and support. This TTAS center conducted needs assessments, offered training and technical assistance, and engaged in collaborations with other TTAS centers providing similar support. In this article, we highlight strategies (e.g., delivering an array of trainings, developing and utilizing needs assessments, consultation sessions) as well as barriers (e.g., difficulties engaging organizations and ensuring attendance at trainings). This article concludes with recommendations for future TTAS initiatives, emphasizing the need for better infrastructure, clearer communication, and more robust support from state agencies. This study underscores the importance of TTAS centers in supporting gun violence prevention initiatives, particularly in the context of increased demands on social services following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cybervictimization can occur within friendships, within dating, peer, or family relationships, between strangers, or it can be anonymously perpetrated. However, research examining cybervictimization across these various relationships and contexts—especially the cybervictimization that can occur within dating relationships during early adolescence—remains underdeveloped. The current study examined cybervictimization among a sample of early adolescents in middle school. We also examined if cybervictimization (across relationships and contexts) and traditional forms of victimization (i.e., peer and dating violence that happen offline) were associated with an increased risk for cybervictimization from a dating partner. Participants included 554 early adolescents (49% female) in the sixth and seventh grades at a public middle school in the Midwestern United States during the fall of 2019. Participants were racially diverse (33% African American or Black, 26% White, 15% Hispanic or Latinx, 19% multiracial) and half of the sample had started dating (n = 230). Approximately 59.2% of the sample experienced at least one form of cybervictimization in the past year. Adolescents experienced cybervictimization from friends (39.9%), someone at school (24.4%), a stranger (22.6%), a family member (25.6%), or another perpetrator (20.8%). About 72% of adolescents who started dating experienced at least one form of cybervictimization and about one in four experienced cybervictimization from a dating partner (22.6%). Experiencing offline dating violence and cybervictimization from friends was associated with cybervictimization from a dating partner. Implications are discussed, including the importance of focusing on cybervictimization and dating violence prevention among early adolescents.