Bullying, Intimate Partner Violence, COVID, the K-12 Connection: A Collaborative 21st Century Call for Action!!!

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University

First Presenter’s Email Address

irma.gibson@famu.edu

First Presenter's Brief Biography

1. Dr. Irma J. Gibson-Hall is an Associate Professor of Social Work at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and an International Professor in Trinidad and Tobago. She is a speaker, writer, author and an advocate in the area of Child and Family Welfare and youth who are at risk. She entered into academia after 21 years of clinical and administrative practice with the federal government, nationally and internationally, serving various populations including children and families impacted by poverty and intimate partner violence, the homeless, those suffering from addiction and mental health challenges including post-traumatic stress disorder, active duty military and veterans of the armed services and their families.

Location

Session Two Breakouts (Percival)

Strand #1

Hands: Safety & Violence Prevention

Strand #2

Health: Mental & Physical Health

Relevance

My presentation will address Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), child and family welfare and the increase of incidents since the onset of COVID. These factors are exhibiting a profound effect on children and youth who are subjected to negative consequences within these traumatic environments including mental and emotional effects and bullying, the number one discipline problem reported within school systems. Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that can result in physical injury, psychological trauma and even death. An estimated 10 million U.S. children are exposed to IPV each year, and research shows that children who witness such violence are at an increased risk for mental, physical, behavioral, social, and developmental impairment including bullying. COVID has exacerbated the problem. Research indicates a number of factors that increase or decrease risk for perpetration and victimization. However successful programs not only teach skills for safe and healthy relationships but also offer multiple opportunities to practice and reinforce these social-emotional skills.

I will facilitate a discussion including an update of relevant COVID data, an examination of theoretical frameworks, the precursors and dynamics of IPV specific to at-risk and aggressive childhood behaviors and evidence-based micro, mezzo and macro interventions that can be implemented within the K-12 educational environment (by the frontline players) faculty, staff, administrators, families, guardians/caretakers, child advocates and other community stakeholders. The pandemic has thrown many of the most vulnerable people in our society into especially challenging circumstances, thus policymakers and researchers must work to further understand the impacts of the pandemic and provide additional resources for domestic abuse prevention and victim services, particularly to those who are most isolated and at risk. My overall presentation will connect the dots and provide clarity about the traumatic ripple effect that exposure to IPV has on children and youth including interventions for prevention and mitigation.

Brief Program Description

This presentation will address IPV, bullying, youth, families and the impact of COVID. Discussion will include an update of relevant COVID data, an examination of theoretical frameworks, the precursors and dynamics of IPV specific to at-risk and aggressive childhood behaviors and evidence-based micro, mezzo and macro interventions that can be implemented within the K-12 educational environment by faculty, staff, administrators, child advocates and other stakeholders.

Summary

A systematic review of findings from multiple U.S. and international studies indicate that the number of domestic violence incidents before and after jurisdictions, began with mandated stay-at-home restrictions. The precise dynamics driving the trend are unclear, however the authors of the study believe that lockdowns and pandemic-related economic impacts likely exacerbated factors typically associated with domestic violence, such as increased unemployment, stress associated with childcare and homeschooling, and increased financial insecurity, and that the increased use of alcohol/other substances as a coping strategy also may have elevated the threat.

Equally important, the authors note that by isolating parents and children in their homes, the pandemic separated potential victims from the network of friends, neighbors, teachers, and others capable of reporting signs of abuse and helping those at risk escape a dangerous environment. IPV is a weapon of mass destruction that has far reaching implications on our most precious commodities, our children and youth.

According to the National Statistics Domestic Violence Fact Sheet, “1 in 15 children are exposed to IPV each year, and 90 percent of these children are eyewitnesses to this violence." Behaviors such as bullying and IPV perpetration often share many common causes and those behaviors manifest in two of the most crucial environments in the lives of youth and adolescents, the home and the school. The climate of a school (the social and working relationships of faculty, staff and administrators) affects its culture, the belief system and the manner in which tasks are accomplished. School climate is important when assessing bullying and has a direct link to the rate of victimization within a school. Thus, as the problem of bullying is addressed, there are many pieces to the school’s climate that should be considered also: the culture within the school, staff/student relationships, student/peer relationships, parental involvement and student perceptions. Assessing a school’s culture will present with differences for many reasons and their interventions should be tailored to and reflect these differences. Additionally, intervening on those specified determinants before children and youth display bullying or IPV behaviors might be useful for addressing both behaviors via prevention activities.

Evidence

A report recently released by the National Commission on COVID-19 and Criminal Justice shows that domestic violence/intimate partner violence incidents in the U.S. increased by 8.1% following the imposition of lockdown orders during the 2020 pandemic.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem that can result in physical injury, psychological trauma and even death. An estimated 10 million U.S. children are exposed to IPV each year, and research shows that children who witness such violence are at an increased risk for mental, physical, behavioral, social, and developmental impairment including bullying. While the magnitude and types of bullying can vary across communities and demographic groups, bullying is and negatively impacts all youth involved.

IPV and bullying are associated with several risk and protective factors. Research indicates a number of factors increase risk for perpetration and victimization of both issues which have a long lasting impact on children and youth and a number of factors provide protective measures.

Fostering expectations for healthy relationships and teaching healthy relationship skills are critical to a primary prevention approach to the problem of IPV. The evidence suggests that acceptance of partner violence, poor emotional regulation and conflict management, and poor communication skills put individuals at risk for both perpetration and victimization of IPV. Previous research also shows that strengthening social-emotional, conflict management, and communication skills can also reduce substance abuse, sexual risk behaviors, sexual violence, delinquency, bullying and other forms of peer violence. Successful programs not only teach skills for safe and healthy relationships but also offer multiple opportunities to practice and reinforce these skills. Although typically implemented with adolescent populations in school-based settings, some approaches and skills may also be useful with young adults

Findings from several longitudinal studies indicate that many of the factors associated with perpetrating violence against intimate partners are evident well before adolescence. These factors include poor behavioral control; social problem solving deficits; early onset of drug and alcohol use; an arrest prior to the age of 13; and involvement with antisocial peers, crime and violence. Findings from these studies also point to academic problems, exposure to chronic stress and adverse experiences such as child abuse and neglect, witnessing violence in the home and community, and parental substance abuse, depression, criminality, and incarceration. Negative parenting behaviors (e.g., poor communication between family members, harsh and inconsistent discipline, poor parental monitoring and supervision, poor parent child boundaries) and family environments that are unstable, stressful, and that lack structure are also risk factors for perpetration of TDV in adolescence and continued perpetration into adulthood. Approaches that can disrupt these developmental risks and pathways have the potential to reduce IPV.

Learning Objective 1

identify and recognize the factors and dynamics associated with IPV, bullying and the K-12 connection and reference the impact of COVID on IPV and children and families

Learning Objective 2

identify and implement evidence-based interventions to address these public health issues on the micro, mezzo and macro levels.

Learning Objective 3

comprehend the essence of theoretical frameworks that provide a blueprint and a roadmap in reference to comprehensive and collaborative prevention strategies and apply these interventions accordingly and within the K-12 environmental setting.

Keyword Descriptors

Child and Family welfare, bullying, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, social learning theory, COVID, youth at risk

Presentation Year

2023

Start Date

3-6-2023 1:00 PM

End Date

3-6-2023 2:15 PM

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS
 
Mar 6th, 1:00 PM Mar 6th, 2:15 PM

Bullying, Intimate Partner Violence, COVID, the K-12 Connection: A Collaborative 21st Century Call for Action!!!

Session Two Breakouts (Percival)

This presentation will address IPV, bullying, youth, families and the impact of COVID. Discussion will include an update of relevant COVID data, an examination of theoretical frameworks, the precursors and dynamics of IPV specific to at-risk and aggressive childhood behaviors and evidence-based micro, mezzo and macro interventions that can be implemented within the K-12 educational environment by faculty, staff, administrators, child advocates and other stakeholders.