The Journal of Adult Protection

Penhale, Bridget

2022 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/jap-12-2022-079

Al-Rantisi, Ahmed Mohammed; Faraj, Ola Usama

2022 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/jap-07-2022-0014

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, including Palestine, implemented lockdown rules. These measures slowed the outbreak of the coronavirus, and because of the poor management of the Palestinian government in dealing with women’s rights in light of the Corona pandemic, they contributed to increasing gender-based violence (GBV).Design/methodology/approachThe study used the qualitative method. An inductive thematic latent content analysis was applied using the MAXQDA 2020 program throughout the data collection stage. The content analysis in this study focused on interviews made with the survivors. The interview schedule consisted of four questions covering different aspects of knowledge around GBV during COVID-19 in the Gaza Strip. In-depth interviews were conducted in Arabic with 25 survivors who experienced GBV between January 17 and March 13, 2022.FindingsThe results show that the kind of violence the survivors were most subjected to is psychological violence, followed by economic violence, and the least kind of violence that the survivors were subjected to was sexual violence. The study revealed the good practices for preventing and combating violence against Palestinian women and girls due to government measures to reduce COVID-19 from the perspective of survivors.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of this study was the small number of cases coming to the Aisha Association for support. Because of the temporary suspension of psychological and social support projects from the foundation due to a problem related to funding, some survivors also fear that their husbands will discover that they have participated in the study, so they hesitate to agree to an interview. Survivors’ lack of understanding of the study question related to implications of closing social justice institutions due to COVID-19 on GBV? This led to conflicting answers.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first study in Palestine that dealt Consequences of Government Measures in Palestine to Mitigate COVID-19 on GBV, and its results will be important for the protection of survivors and the adoption of government policies in Palestine.

Parveen, Sajida; Ahmad, Bilal; Iram, Tahira; Rasool, Yasir

2022 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/jap-05-2022-0009

The purpose of this study is to explore the dynamics behind the violence against the share of women in their inherited land. This study explores the subject matter from the perspective of actual victims and law experts in the domain.Design/methodology/approachInformed by the interpretivist paradigm, the authors studied the subject matter through qualitative inquiry. Through semistructured interviews, data were collected from 16 women who have been deprived of their share in inherited land and 11 law experts who have been dealing with property-related court cases.FindingsThematic analyses through NVivo-11 evinced five themes related to the possible causes of women depriving of their property rights. From the victims’ perspective, the major causes of violence against women’s share in their inherited property rights are fear of income disaggregation, male dominance, forceful gifting, relational bond and fear of physical violence. Law experts’ views on the subject matter were somehow in convergence with the views of the actual victims. They reported a lack of social support, court delays and lack of knowledge about the law as the major causes of violence against women’s inherited property rights.Originality/valueA reasonable volume of research is available on the subject of women’s empowerment. However, little attention is paid to investigating the causes of violence against women sharing in their inherited property rights – and suggesting some suitable ways to resolve the problem. Against this backdrop, this study is intended to explore the dynamics behind the violence against the share of women in their inherited land from the perspective of actual victims and law experts in the domain.

Zibin, Tamara; Mitib Altakhaineh, Abdel Rahman; Zibin, Aseel

2022 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/jap-04-2022-0007

Despite the fact that the gender-based violence (GBV) term has different interpretations, leading to the assumption that all types of harmful acts against all gender identities and either sex will be addressed under the GBV umbrella, in reality, GBV remains to be synonymous with violence against women (VAW). Thus, this paper aims to assess the accountability and transparency of GBV policies and interventions in addressing the suffering of GBV victims other than women.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents two main arguments; firstly, the authors explore the understanding and the capacities of humanitarians and protection International Non-Governmental Organizations staff in GBV response and prevention, and the reliability of the data that is mobilized to build policies and frameworks for addressing GBV. Secondly, they argue that in addition to gender being a main factor in violence, age, disabilities and other factors of vulnerability can also cause being subjected to different types of violence.FindingsThe adaptation of such holistic approach when addressing the causes behind violence will result in protecting the most vulnerable from all ages, genders and people with disabilities by applying an inclusive, cross-cutting response to GBV survivors in general.Originality/valueThis paper paves the way to research studies that shed light on violence against men and boys at war zones and conflict areas especially in the Middle East where this type of violence is strongly stigmatized, and the survivors have limited access to needed services.

Yan, Elsie; Ng, Haze K.L.; Sun, Rongwei; Lai, Daniel W.L.; Cheng, Sheung-Tak; Lou, Vivian W.Q.; Fong, Daniel Y.T.; Kwok, Timothy

2022 The Journal of Adult Protection

doi: 10.1108/jap-06-2022-0012

This study aims to explore the risk and protective factors of abuse on older adults by family caregivers, with a special focus on the protective role of caregiver resilience in elder abuse.Design/methodology/approachThis cross-sectional survey was conducted on a purposive sample of 600 family caregivers of community-dwelling older adults in Hong Kong (mean age = 71.04 and female = 67.2%). Caregivers reported in a guided interview about elder abuse behaviours, caregiver burden, care recipients’ agitated behaviours, caregiver resilience, self-efficacy, social support and basic demographic characteristics. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted to examine the predictors of different forms of elder abuse.FindingsCaregiver resilience was predictive of lower levels of verbal abuse, physical abuse, injury and financial exploitation but not potentially harmful behaviour (PHB). Social support was independent with all forms of elder abuse, while self-efficacy predicted greater physical abuse after the adjustment of confounding variables. Caregiver burden and agitated behaviours by care recipients remained as significant risk factors in the final models when protective factors were considered.Research limitations/implicationsThis study extends current knowledge on the protecting role of resilience in elder abuse in family caregiving. Mixed findings revealed on social support and self-efficacy also highlight the complexity of the prediction of caregiver abuse. Further research should address this area.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study warrant the inclusion of caregiver resilience as a key component in developing interventions to prevent elder abuse. Addressing caregiver burden and agitated behaviours have the potential in preventing elder abuse.Social implicationsThe findings raise awareness of the importance of supporting caregivers in the community to prevent elder abuse.Originality/valueResearch concerning the protective factors of elder abuse is in a preliminary stage. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first which successfully demonstrates the protective role of resilience in caregiver abuse on older adults. The findings shed invaluable light on the design of effective interventions.