Kathryn Elizabeth Moracco

We examined the impact of COVID-19 pandemic onset (2020 April) on homicide mortality in the United States. We conducted a single interrupted time series analysis using homicide events from the National Vital Statistics System that occurred over six years (2017-2022), with COVID-19 onset as an interruption. Monthly homicide deaths rates were calculated per 100,000 person-years to create a monthly time series. We used autoregressive integrated moving average regression, adjusted for seasonality, to model the immediate and sustained trend changes in the homicide mortality rate ratios due to the pandemic. We stratified models by length of stay-at-home order, race and ethnicity, sex, age, and weapon used to examine effect measure modification. In Jan 2017, the US homicide mortality rate was 5.9/100,000 PY. While there were annual seasonal changes, the overall time trend before April 2020 was stable. However, with COVID-19 onset, the overall homicide mortality rate ratio increased by 32% (95% CI: 0.23, 0.41), which persisted through 2022 without additional trend changes, but with seasonal variations. Immediate increases with stable sustained trends in homicide rates were also observed in most stratified analyses. COVID-19 pandemic onset is associated with US homicide mortality rates immediately increasing and remaining stable and higher afterwards.

Domestic violence protective orders (DVPOs) are the most used legal intervention for secondary prevention of intimate partner violence (IPV) in the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic may have impacted DVPO access and outcomes as IPV incidence increased and stay-at-home order (SAHO) closures decreased access to civil proceedings. In North Carolina (NC), e-filing was designed to expedite the DVPO process and reduce barriers to filing for IPV survivors. E-filing may have further modified the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on DVPO access and outcomes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19-related SAHO on the DVPO filing rates and outcomes over time in 2020 compared to previous years (2017–2019) and examine effect modification by DVPO e-filing. We conducted controlled interrupted time series (CITS) analyses to examine if COVID-19-related SAHO and the second wave of COVID cases in October 2020, using administrative court data from 2017 to 2020. We measured DVPO filing rates and outcomes (grants, denials, involuntary and voluntary dismissals) for all e-filing and non-e-filing counties. The outcome time series from 2020 was compared to that from 2017 to 2019. We observed reductions in DVPO filings and granted orders and increases in denials, voluntary and involuntary dismissals during the COVID-19–related SAHO in NC. E-filing counties had fewer granted orders and involuntary dismissals and more denials and voluntary dismissals than non-e-filing counties during the SAHO period. Higher denials and voluntary dismissals in e-filing counties may be attributed to stricter standards for granting protective orders, as well as assessment of the severity of cases filed during the COVID-19–related SAHO. In addition, variations in support services by county could influence these outcomes. We recommend future research measure staff advocacy using a quantitative scale to assess its impacts for survivors throughout the DVPO filing to outcome process.

Electronic filing (e-filing) addresses logistical and psychological barriers to Domestic Violence Protective Order access, allowing survivors to file from a secure remote location, supported by a domestic violence advocate. We sought to identify stakeholders’ perceptions of the impact, benefits of and barriers to e-filing. We analyzed 46 interviews with clerks (n = 11), advocates (n = 15), sheriffs (n = 10), and judges (n = 10), and found that stakeholders perceived that e-filing streamlined DVPO processes, increased survivor safety, and facilitated connection among stakeholders and between survivors and services. E-filing also increased time burden on advocates, which, without provision of adequate resources, could lead to staff turnover.

Background: Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to caregiver intimate partner violence (IPV) can have cascading negative impacts on children that elevate the risk of involvement in dating abuse. This cascade may be prevented by programs that support the development of healthy relationships in children exposed to IPV. This paper describes the results of a study of the web-based adaptation of an evidence-based dating abuse prevention program for IPV-exposed youth and their maternal caregivers. Core information and activities from an evidence-based program, Moms and Teens for Safe Dates, were adapted to create the web-based program (e-MTSD), which comprises 1 module for mothers only and 5 modules for mother-adolescent dyads to complete together. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the e-MTSD program and the associated research processes. We also examined the practicability of randomizing mothers to receive SMS text message reminders and an action planning worksheet, which were intended to support engagement in the program. Methods: Mothers were recruited through community organizations and social media advertising and were eligible to participate if they had at least one adolescent aged 12 to 16 years of any gender identity who was willing to participate in the program with them, had experienced IPV after their adolescent was born, and were not currently living with an abusive partner. All mothers were asked to complete the program with their adolescent over a 6- to 8-week period. Participants were randomized to receive SMS text message reminders, action planning, or both using a 2×2 factorial design. Research feasibility was assessed by tracking recruitment, randomization, enrollment, and attrition rates. Program feasibility was assessed by tracking program uptake, completion, duration, and technical problems, and acceptability was assessed using web-based surveys. Results: Over a 6-month recruitment period, 101 eligible mother-adolescent dyads were enrolled in the study and were eligible for follow-up. The median age of the adolescent participants was 14 years; 57.4% (58/101) identified as female, 32.7% (33/101) identified as male, and 9.9% (10/101) identified as gender diverse. All but one mother accessed the program website at least once; 87.1% (88/101) completed at least one mother-adolescent program module, and 74.3% (75/101) completed all 6 program modules. Both mothers and adolescents found the program to be highly acceptable; across all program modules, over 90% of mothers and over 80% of adolescents reported that the modules kept their attention, were enjoyable, were easy to do, and provided useful information. Conclusions: Findings suggest the feasibility of web-based delivery and evaluation of the e-MTSD program. Furthermore, average ratings of program acceptability were high. Future research is needed to assess program efficacy and identify the predictors and outcomes of program engagement.

Introduction Intimate partner violence (IPV) is associated with suicidal ideation, yet it remains unclear how often IPV precipitates suicide mortality. To overcome limitations with national data, we applied novel methods to: (1) document the prevalence of IPV-related suicide in the USA and (2) identify correlates for IPV-related suicide. Methods Using National Violent Death Reporting System data (NVDRS, 2015–2019, n=1 30 550), we recorded IPV circumstances (yes/no) by leveraging prior textual reviews of death narratives and applying a validated natural language processing tool. We could not systematically differentiate IPV perpetration versus victimisation given limited details in NVDRS. Logistic regression compared IPV-related suicides with referent group suicides (no evidence of IPV), stratified by sex. Results 7.1% of suicides were IPV related (n=9210), most were isolated suicide events (82.8%, n=7625; ie, not homicide suicide). There were higher odds of IPV circumstances when the decedent had civil legal problems (aOR for men: 3.6 (3.3 to 3.9), aOR for women: 2.6 (2.2 to 3.2)), criminal legal problems (aOR men: 2.3 (2.2 to 2.5), aOR for women: 1.7 (1.4 to 2.1)), or used a firearm (aOR men: 1.9 (1.8 to 2.0), aOR for women: 1.9 (1.7 to 2.1)). There were lower odds of IPV circumstances when the decedent had a current mental health problem (aOR men: 0.7 (0.7 to 0.8), aOR for women: 0.7 (0.6 to 0.8)). Conclusions IPV circumstances contribute to a notable proportion of suicides. IPV-related suicides are distinct from other suicide deaths. Targeted suicide screening and intervention in IPV settings may be beneficial for prevention.

Social media communication is a promising way to deliver important health messages about sexual violence to a key population of adolescent men. The researchers conducted an online, between-participants experiment to examine the impact of personal narrative TikToks about sexual violence on adolescent men. Participants were adolescent men (n = 580) aged 15 to 19 (M = 17.3, SD = 1.43). Participants were randomly assigned to treatment (personal narrative TikToks about sexual violence) or control (hair braiding TikTok tutorials) conditions. Adolescent men who viewed personal narrative TikToks about sexual violence had higher knowledge of consequences and higher perceived severity of sexual violence. Additionally, adolescent men found personal narrative TikToks more attention-grabbing (vs. control) and did not have negative reactions. Findings that short (approximately one-minute) TikTok videos led to differences in knowledge and beliefs among, and were interesting and not aversive to, adolescent men are important for sexual violence prevention research. Health messages on TikTok can help shift adolescent perceptions of sexual violence, which is a key starting point towards changing norms.

Although male-focused sexual and relationship violence (SRV) prevention programs are widely promulgated, limited guidance concerning how programs should be implemented for rigorous evaluation exists. To help develop evidence for such guidance, this paper reports on 20 interviews with leaders at youth-serving community-based organizations (CBOs) and educational institutions, which are sites for male-focused SRV prevention programs. This study examined: (1) how programs can be designed to engage male participants; and (2) how youth-serving CBOs and educational institutions can partner with researchers for evaluations. Findings underscore the importance of attending to the unique needs of program participants, their parents/guardians, and host organizations.

BACKGROUND Numerous studies have demonstrated that exposure to caregiver intimate partner violence (IPV) can have cascading negative impacts on children that elevate the risk of involvement in dating abuse. This cascade may be prevented by programs that support the development of healthy relationships in children exposed to IPV. This paper describes the results of a study of the web-based adaptation of an evidence-based dating abuse prevention program for IPV-exposed youth and their maternal caregivers. Core information and activities from an evidence-based program, Moms and Teens for Safe Dates, were adapted to create the web-based program (e-MTSD), which comprises 1 module for mothers only and 5 modules for mother-adolescent dyads to complete together. OBJECTIVE The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the e-MTSD program and the associated research processes. We also examined the practicability of randomizing mothers to receive SMS text message reminders and an action planning worksheet, which were intended to support engagement in the program. METHODS Mothers were recruited through community organizations and social media advertising and were eligible to participate if they had at least one adolescent aged 12 to 16 years of any gender identity who was willing to participate in the program with them, had experienced IPV after their adolescent was born, and were not currently living with an abusive partner. All mothers were asked to complete the program with their adolescent over a 6- to 8-week period. Participants were randomized to receive SMS text message reminders, action planning, or both using a 2×2 factorial design. Research feasibility was assessed by tracking recruitment, randomization, enrollment, and attrition rates. Program feasibility was assessed by tracking program uptake, completion, duration, and technical problems, and acceptability was assessed using web-based surveys. RESULTS Over a 6-month recruitment period, 101 eligible mother-adolescent dyads were enrolled in the study and were eligible for follow-up. The median age of the adolescent participants was 14 years; 57.4% (58/101) identified as female, 32.7% (33/101) identified as male, and 9.9% (10/101) identified as gender diverse. All but one mother accessed the program website at least once; 87.1% (88/101) completed at least one mother-adolescent program module, and 74.3% (75/101) completed all 6 program modules. Both mothers and adolescents found the program to be highly acceptable; across all program modules, over 90% of mothers and over 80% of adolescents reported that the modules kept their attention, were enjoyable, were easy to do, and provided useful information. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest the feasibility of web-based delivery and evaluation of the e-MTSD program. Furthermore, average ratings of program acceptability were high. Future research is needed to assess program efficacy and identify the predictors and outcomes of program engagement.