Rachel Voth Schrag

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been linked to substantial physical, social, and mental health concerns across the lifespan. Health impacts of IPV are linked to economic and housing instability. Emergency shelter is primarily focused on the safety and stabilization of the most vulnerable IPV survivors. Despite frequent use of shelter interventions, little is known about the health service experiences of IPV survivors in shelters, including the extent to which these services are perceived as helpful. To address these gaps, we surveyed 214 IPV shelter residents in a Southern state. We asked socioecological and economic questions, and health conditions including food insecurity, physical health status, mental health (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, somatic symptoms). We asked participants about seven IPV shelter health services use and perceived helpfulness. We used bivariate and regression analysis to examine study queries. In our racially and ethnically diverse sample of mostly (95%) women, over 40% self-report a disability. Over 63% of participants met criteria for probable PTSD, 43.9% met criteria for probable depression, and 40.2% reported severe somatic symptoms. Over 59% reported very low food security. Both food insecurity and PTSD were associated with economic, sexual and physical IPV before shelter. Participants used an average of five health services in shelter, with advocacy being perceived as most helpful. Participants with poor health and/or depression were less likely to find key health services helpful. This study demonstrated the ongoing need for health services for survivors of IPV residing in emergency shelter environments. While most services are perceived as helpful, substantial gaps prevent holistically addressing survivor health concerns.

Interpersonal violence on college campuses disrupts academic experiences and impacts outcomes for students. This study sought to understand the experiences of students in the United States engaging with Title IX offices, within the context of additional state mandates. Interviews were conducted with 24 students and analyzed through inductive content analysis. Students described negative impacts such as challenges with the organizational processes, impacts to institutional trust, frustration with ineffective protections, and high personal and academic costs. Positive outcomes expressed included feeling more empowered to engage in self-advocacy and finding validation of their experience. Recommendations for promising university violence response practices are included.

Local interpersonal violence service agencies are increasingly turning to digital crisis hotline platforms to enhance their reach. However, limited data describes the impact of digital approaches on survivors’ help-seeking experiences, or the role of digital hotline in survivor safety planning. The study employs a concurrent mixed-methods evaluation design drawing on four streams of data: (a) qualitative and (b) quantitative review of digital hotline transcripts ( n = 328), (c) semi-structure staff interviews ( n = 17), and (d) quantitative fidelity assessments completed by program staff after digital hotline service interactions ( n = 99). Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze data separately, before mixed methods data integration procedures were employed to synthesize data across streams and draw conclusions. Transcript data revealed a predictable phased process employed by digital hotline advocates, which begins with the identification of immediate safety risks and continues with an assessment of participant safety needs and goals via open-ended questions and building a supportive connection, and a joint effort to pursue individualized safety planning strategies based on participant expressed wishes. Together, these data demonstrate that digital hotlines are a viable method for survivors of violence to begin to include formal services in their safety planning processes. Ensuring that hotline advocates have access to key safety supports can facilitate digital hotline as a venue for increasing survivor and family safety and well-being.

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) and their children face threats to mental and physical health and economic stability. Housing stability is addressed in domestic violence transitional housing (DVTH) programs across the country, which provide longer-term (6–24 month) housing paired with supportive advocacy. Little is known about DVTH participant needs related to health, or accompanying DVTH program approaches. The current study seeks to understand DVTH service providers’ ( n = 22) perspectives on the needs and supports in DVTH for physical and mental health. Staff members participated in qualitative interviews, which were analyzed thematically. Service providers discussed physical and mental health needs, key advocacy strategies and barriers that prevent effective services. Advocates also identified important aspects of health trajectories for DVTH participants.

Objective: This study seeks to determine if comfort with affirming language is related to stigma, self-compassion and recovery capitol for those associated with collegiate recovery programs and if this differed by respondent demographics. Participants and Methods: An anonymous online survey was disseminated to individuals participating in collegiate recovery programs to determine their level of comfort with the use of non-affirming language and its association with recovery capital, self-compassion, and stigma. Results: Comfort with the use of non-affirming language was not significantly correlated to other study measures. However, between group comparisons indicate significant differences in responses to key study measures based on age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender and if they incorporated 12 step approaches into their recovery process. Conclusions: This work provides those affiliated with collegiate recovery programs information on language preferences, stigma, recovery capitol and self-compassion to better support students in recovery.

Despite a growing body of research on the negative mental health impacts of intimate partner violence (IPV) on college students, little work has explored the potential of protective factors to buffer symptoms. This study used the American College Health Assessment (ACHA) dataset to examine protective factors (campus belonging, campus safety, flourishing, and resilience) in addressing psychological distress and suicidal ideation among college student survivors of IPV. Fall 2019 panel data were analyzed, and the sample size was 35,220 following listwise deletion. Stata was used to conduct multivariate regression analyses, which included examination of interaction effects. Survivors of IPV reported greater psychological distress ( B = 0.96, p < .05, R ² = 0.39) and suicidal ideation ( B = 1.26, p < .001, R ² = 0.30) than non-survivors. All hypothesized protective factors significantly mitigated the negative mental health outcomes associated with IPV while highlighting the ways that experiencing IPV can reduce the strength of some of these traditionally emphasized protective pathways for students. Namely, campus safety and flourishing offered additional protection for survivors of IPV compared to those who had not experienced IPV. Addressing the mental health needs of survivors on college campuses requires a multifaceted approach that encompasses early identification, tailored interventions, fostering a supportive campus culture, promoting protective factors, and implementing supportive university policies. The findings underscore the critical importance of implementing proactive screening measures to identify survivors of IPV who may need mental health support. Cultivating a supportive campus culture that prioritizes student belonging and safety is fundamental in promoting the well-being of survivors. Universities should invest in initiatives that bolster protective factors, such as mentorship programs, community-building activities, and campus-wide campaigns promoting mental health awareness.