Sharon G. Smith

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | CDC · Division of Violence Prevention

Homicide is a prevalent cause of death among sex workers, given their increased risk of violence due to proximity to criminal activities such as drug trade and human trafficking. This study analyzes homicide data from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) covering 49 US states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico from 2012 to 20...

The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey 2016/2017 Report on Victimization by Sexual Identity

Childhood violence victimization is a serious adverse childhood experience with lasting health impacts. This study examined the prevalence and characteristics of five forms of childhood violence victimization and their association with revictimization and negative health conditions among adults. Data are from the 2010–2012 National Intimate Partner...

Authors examine prevalence of sexual violence and stalking victimization by the same perpetrator, reporting perpetrator types, intimate partner context and impacts for this combination of victimization. Data are from the 2010–2012 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, a nationally representative adult telephone survey. Analyses exam...

Sexual violence is a significant public health problem with long-term health implications. Previous investigations of male victimization have often relied on nongeneralizable samples to examine the health consequences of rape. Furthermore, made to penetrate (MTP) victimization has received very little attention as a specific form of sexual violence...

Problem/condition: Homicide is a leading cause of death for American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). Intimate partner violence (IPV) contributes to many homicides, particularly among AI/AN females. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) on AI/AN homicides. Results include victim and suspect sex, age...

The authors examine the prevalence and characteristics of sexual violence victimization - rape and being made to penetrate [MTP] (men only) - involving substances (alcohol or other drugs). Although it has been well-documented that perpetrators commit sexual violence against individuals who are using alcohol or drugs, more research is needed to desc...

Introduction Intimate partner violence is associated with adverse health consequences among people with diagnosed HIV, which could have implications for disease progression and transmission. However, nationally representative estimates of intimate partner violence among people with diagnosed HIV are lacking. Investigators used nationally representa...

Despite advances in the sexual violence (SV) prevention field, practitioners still face challenges with identifying indicators to measure the impact of their prevention strategies. Public data, such as existing administrative and surveillance system data, may be a good option for organizations to examine trends in indicators for the purpose of prog...

Sexual violence (SV) is an urgent public health issue that is common and has lifelong effects on health. Previous scholarship has documented the association of SV victimization with numerous health conditions and impacts, but much of this past work has focused on negative health outcomes associated with child sexual abuse using non-nationally repre...

Reproductive coercion (RC) is a specific type of intimate partner violence (IPV). Although clinical studies have highlighted women’s experiences of RC, we know little about its national prevalence and differences in prevalence by sex category and race/ethnicity. Data are from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), years 2...

Introduction: Rape-related pregnancy is a public health problem where sexual violence and reproductive health intersect; yet, there is a dearth of research to inform public health practice. The authors examined the prevalence and characteristics of rape-related pregnancy in U.S. women and its association with intimate partner reproductive coercion...

Introduction: Youth sexual violence victimization is an urgent public health concern that can lead to a variety of health problems and increased risk for victimization during adulthood. Examining the characteristics of early victimization and their association with subsequent victimization during adulthood may help strengthen primary prevention ef...

Introduction: Previous research has consistently found that low SES is associated with higher levels of both intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) victimization. Though associated with poverty, two indicators of economic insecurity, food and housing insecurity, have been identified as conceptually distinct social determinants of...

Objectives: To examine the relative prevalence of recent (past 12 months) penetrative and nonpenetrative sexual violence comparing men and women with and without a disability. Methods: Data are from the 2010 National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, a national telephone survey of US adults, and includes an expansive measure of sexual...

Limited information exists on the relationship between sexual violence victimization and health among African American women. Using data from a community sample of African American women, we examine the association between current health and lifetime experiences of sexual violence. Inperson interviews were completed in 2010. Among interviewees, 53....

The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) is an ongoing, national survey that assesses experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV), sexual violence (SV), and stalking among adult women and men in the United States. In addition to the general population sample, the Department of Defense (DoD) and Centers for Disease Control...

This study sought to add to the limited information currently available on circumstances of sexual violence victimization and associated negative health experiences among Hispanic women. Data come from a community sample of mostly Mexican women in an urban southwestern city. Household interviews were completed with a sample of 142 women during 3 mo...

Problem/condition: Sexual violence, stalking, and intimate partner violence are public health problems known to have a negative impact on millions of persons in the United States each year, not only by way of immediate harm but also through negative long-term health impacts. Before implementation of the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violenc...

Objectives: We estimated the frequency and examined the characteristics of intimate partner homicide and related deaths in 16 US states participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), a state-based surveillance system. Methods: We used a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze NVDRS data from 2003 to...

Sexual violence is a serious public health problem with devastating health-related consequences. In this article, the authors review the prevalence, characteristics, vulnerability factors for, and impacts of sexual violence victimization for women. Some key factors are reviewed that have been shown to increase vulnerability for victimization, inclu...

Few studies have examined the association between non-consensual sex and health indicators for both women and men. The current study examined this relationship as part of a large public health survey that collected information on a range of health behaviours and health risks. The Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an annual rand...

Sexual violence is linked to homicide in a variety of ways. In this study the authors analyzed narratives that described the homicide circumstances of 285 homicide victims from 17 states who participated in the National Violent Death Reporting System during 2003-2007. The authors discuss a narrative analysis conducted using qualitative methods that...

During 1991--2007, homicide was ranked as one of the top four leading causes of death each year for persons aged 1--40 years living in the United States. Furthermore, vast disparities in homicide rates have been reported between males and females and among different age and racial/ethnic groups. For example, previous studies have indicated that rat...

Without frank discussion of what sex is, women may not learn what sex is not and what experiences constitute sexual assault. This qualitative study explores the relation between parental discussion and messages about sex and women's decisions of whether to disclose sexual assault to parents. Participants were 18 women from diverse ethnic background...

As the number of incarcerated women increases, in-depth knowledge about women's life experiences is needed to direct treatment, pre-release planning, and supervision. This study describes the nature, scope, and socioeconomic correlates of traumatic life events in a random sample of 403 women entering a state correctional facility. Ninety-nine perce...

This study examines positivity bias in reports of growth following exposure to traumatic events. Participants (N = 276) from an urban university and a superior court jury pool were randomly assigned to one of two methodological groups. In one, participants responded to the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) in relation to a specific stressful ev...

There is an urgent need for the development and implementation of effective and feasible behavioral HIV and STD interventions. The purpose of the present randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of a single-session, skill-based sexual risk reduction intervention for women. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 1 month a...

There is an urgent need for the development and implementation of effective and feasible behavioral HIV and STD interventions. The purpose of the present randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of a single-session, skill-based sexual risk reduction intervention for women. Participants were assessed at baseline and at 1 month a...

Disclosure of sexual assault is a complicated process which depends upon a host of factors, such as assault characteristics, the victim's interpretation, and the level of distress she experiences. Comprehensive theories of adult sexual assault disclosure have not been proposed. Most studies concentrate on a particular aspect of disclosure, such as...