Lähisuhdeväkivallan tehokkaampi tunnistaminen vähentäisi väkivallasta aiheutuvia terveyshaittoja ja -kustannuksia

Lähisuhdeväkivalta aiheuttaa lukuisia terveyshaittoja, kuten fyysisiä vammoja, kiputiloja, mielenterveysongelmia, psykosomaattisia oireita, gynekologisia ongelmia, nukkumisvaikeuksia ja erilaisia pitkäaikaissairauksia. Terveyshaittojen vuoksi lähisuhdeväkivallan uhrit käyttävät terveydenhuollon palveluita jopa kaksinkertaisesti muuhun väestöön verrattuna. Nykyisellään kuitenkin vain murto-osa uhreista tunnistetaan asianmukaisesti terveydenhuollossa. Lähisuhdeväkivallan tehokkaammalla tunnistamisella voitaisiin merkittävästi vähentää terveydenhuollon kuormitusta, koska tunnistamisen on havaittu vähentävän lähisuhdeväkivaltaan liittyviä terveyskustannuksia. Aihe on erityisen ajankohtainen, si…

Family violence and mental health in a sample of Finnish health care professionals : the mediating role of perceived sleep quality

Background Family violence (FV) is a prevalent health issue around the world and health care services have an important role in both recognizing and treating the consequences of violence. However, FV experiences among health care professionals themselves have not been investigated much. We also lack specific knowledge on the associations between FV and mental health. Aim The purpose of the study was to investigate the prevalence and effects of FV in a sample of Finnish health care professionals. In addition to analysing direct connections between different types of FV and mental health, the mediating effect of sleep quality was also taken into account. Methods The study followed a cross‐sec…

Ideological, Institutional and Affective Practices of Interpersonal Violence

The first chapter presents the book’s point of departure as well as its central concepts and structure. It outlines the current understandings of and theoretical approaches to the intersections of violence, gender and affect. The starting point is that gendered violence and violating practices are embedded in social structures of power and in inequalities, institutions, regimes and the symbolic order. They are manifested in human interaction as well as in cultural discourses and representations. The chapter also gives an overview of the abundant research and various perspectives involved in analysing the intersections of violence, gender and affect as well as the continuities and interconne…

Lähisuhdeväkivallan tunnistaminen ja ehkäisy edistävät hyvinvointia

Sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon ammattilaisetkaan eivät aina huomaa lähisuhdeväkivaltaa, ja siksi sen havaitsemiseen pitää panostaa

Lähisuhteissa eli muun muassa pari- ja perhesuhteissa tapahtuva väkivalta on Suomessa hyvin yleistä. Noin joka kymmenes suomalainen eli noin 340 000 henkilöä elää parhaillaan väkivaltaisessa parisuhteessa ja lapsuudessaan lähisuhdeväkivaltaa on kokenut jopa 70 % aikuisväestöstä eli yli kaksi miljoonaa henkilöä. Lähisuhdeväkivalta voi olla henkistä, fyysistä tai seksuaalista. nonPeerReviewed

Gendered Violence Online : Hate Speech as an Intersection of Misogyny and Racism

Social media has been adopted by radical right populists and alt-right demagogues as a platform for circulating misogynous and racist hate speech and affectively mobilising supporters. This chapter examines hate speech as a form of gendered and racist violence, focusing on social media posts by two influential right-wing populist politicians: Jussi Halla-aho, the leader of the Finns Party, and Donald Trump, the president of the United States. It demonstrates how these politicians intertwine misogyny and racism in blog posts and tweets that target women in particular. Their affective online communication is interpreted as a new form of violence. This digitally mediated violence, although a r…

Domestic Violence Interventions in Social and Health Care Settings: Challenges of Temporary Projects and Short-Term Solutions.

Social welfare service and health care providers are in a key position to implement successful domestic violence (DV) interventions. However, it is known that DV intervention and prevention work is often lacking in coordination and continuity. In addition, the limited resources, hectic work pace, and changing practices negatively affect the development of successful ways to prevent and intervene in DV. This qualitative study involving 11 focus groups, composed of social welfare and health care professionals ( n = 51) in a midsized Finnish hospital, examined the challenges and possibilities within DV interventions and the adoption of good practices produced by a DV intervention development …

The adverse effects of domestic violence on psychosocial well-being

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of domestic violence on psychosocial well-being.Comparisons were made between the effects of psychological, physical and sexual abuse. Possible gender differences in the prevalence and effects of domestic violence were also taken into account. The data used in this study was collected from the staff of the Central Finland Health Care District in 2010. A total of 1 952 people participated in the study. The dependent variables included in this study were depressive symptoms, sleep quality and well-being as measured by both self-evaluation and MHC-SF questionnaire. The relationship between domestic violence and well-being was studied usi…

Intimate Partner Violence in Finland

High prevalence of intimate partner violence against women and high levels of gender equality in Finland yield to what has been called the “Nordic paradox.” It has been argued that the high level of gender equality has caused the need for IPV interventions and especially the gendered perspective to be overlooked. However, there has been recent and ongoing development in IPV intervention and prevention in regard to perpetrator programs, couple therapy, and programs to address post-separation stalking. Training programs for social and healthcare professionals and the police have been developed, as well as for teachers and other professionals at school. We hope the current government’s new act…

Reporting, Reflecting and Recognising Emotions in Therapeutic Work with Domestic Violence Perpetrators : Experiences of the Jyväskylä Group Model

Emotions are central in therapeutic work, but interventions for violence vary in how they address emotions. While emotional work with perpetrators is often associated with ‘anger management’ and behavioural elements, a more comprehensive view of emotions might be beneficial in efforts to stop and prevent violent behaviour. Perpetrators’ self-regulation can be promoted by recognising and addressing primary feelings (vulnerability, fear, jealousy, etc.) that may manifest as anger and aggressive behaviour. However, this kind of therapeutic work with perpetrators of violence is also challenging for professionals. For example, when working towards ending violence, it is crucial to differentiate …