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Understanding and preventing domestic violence in the lives of gender and sexually diverse persons
Abstract
A climate of structural violence, built on heteronormativity, heterosexism and sexual stigma shapes the lives of gender and sexually diverse (GSD) persons. This reality creates the social conditions within which interpersonal and intimate partner relationships are established, and within which domestic violence can occur. This article argues that a climate of structural violence against GSD persons creates specific risk factors for domestic violence victimization and unique barriers to receiving safe, appropriate and accessible services and supports act as obstacles to healthy intimate relationships. We purport that GSD persons experience additional risk factors such as heteronormativity, heterosexism, sexual stigma; traditional gender and sexuality norms; early stigma and homophobic harassment; social exclusion and isolation; and lack of appropriate domestic violence prevention services and supports which enhance the risk for domestic violence within GSD intimate relationships and limits the potential of prevention efforts. They emphasize that domestic violence will not be eradicated using a solely heteronormative interventionist approach and that the inclusion of a primary prevention approach that takes account of these additional risk factors is necessary to stop the violence before it starts.
... To provide sensitive and appropriate care to 2SLGBTQI+ people who have experienced GBV, specialized, evidenced-based professional education and training programs are essential [54,62]. While many healthcare providers lack the education and/or experience around how sexual orientation and gender intersect with GBV among 2SLGBTQI+ people [63], policymakers and academics alike have called for changes to education and training to improve care [35,64,65]. ...
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a pervasive public health issue that affects all Canadians, including Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis); however, it is well-understood that GBV disproportionately affects certain social groups. An estimated one million Canadians aged 15 and older identify with a sexual orientation other than heterosexual, and approximately 1 in 300 people identify as transgender or non-binary. In Canada, violence rooted in biphobia, homophobia, transphobia, and queerphobia results in disproportionately high levels of GBV experienced by Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), intersex, and other individuals who identify outside of cisgender, heterosexual norms (2SLGBTQI+ people). The health impacts of GBV experienced by people who identify outside of gender and sexuality norms are profound, spanning mental and physical dimensions across the life course. This article employs an anti-oppression queer framework to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge and understandings of GBV in Canada concerning 2SLGBTQI+ people, emphasizing (1) the disproportionate risk of GBV faced by 2SLGBTQI+ communities within the context of Canadian social politics; (2) key links between the experiences of GBV among 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada and associated health disparities; (3) current orientations to GBV policy, practice, and research, with an emphasis on contemporary, inclusive paradigms that shape equity-oriented health and social services; and (4) future directions aimed at eradicating GBV and addressing health inequities among 2SLGBTQI+ people in Canada. While much work remains to be done, the expansion of 2SLGBTQI+ inclusion in GBV prevention within the past five years points to a promising future.
... Common social ecology of GBV and VAC: rationale for early, integrated intervention According to socio-ecological theories (13,14,48), nested inequalities in power and control as well as norms of masculine dominance influence multiple forms of GBV and VAC ( Figure 1). This framework supports an integrated approach to study these forms of violence, noting common and specific multilevel risk factors for victimization and/or perpetration. ...
Background
Gender-based violence (GBV) and violence against children (VAC) are two prevalent and highly interconnected global health challenges, yet data and research capacities to study these forms of violence and to generate evidence-based policies and programs remain limited. To address critical shortages in research capacity in Vietnam and to establish a model for other Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), we are establishing CONVERGE—the Consortium for Violence Prevention Research, Implementation, and Leadership Training for Excellence.
Methods
Based on a needs assessment with partners in Vietnam, CONVERGE will provide a comprehensive research training program supporting 15 long-term, postdoctoral trainees with multi-disciplinary research training in GBV and VAC. We also will offer in-country trainings and short-courses to 40 short-term mid-career academic trainees and 60 short-term practitioner/stakeholder trainees over 5 years to build productive GBV and VAC academic, scientific, and practitioner networks. The CONVERGE training program has four components: (1) 14 h of virtual/in-person annual mentorship training to prepare research mentors and to create a pipeline of future mentors in Vietnam; (2) a one-month intensive research training for long-term postdoctoral fellows at Emory University; (3) a structured 17-month, in-country mentored research project for long-term trainees that results in a peer-reviewed manuscript and a subsequent grant submission; and, (4) week-long in-country intensive translational trainings on implementation science, advanced topics in leadership, and advanced topics in science dissemination. Opportunities for on-going virtual training and professional networking will be provided for CONVERGE trainees and mentors in Vietnam with other trainees and mentors of D43s focused on injury/violence prevention, D43s housed at Emory, and D43s with other institutions in Southeast Asia. To assess the reach, implementation, fidelity, and effectiveness of these four components, we will implement a rigorous, mixed-methods, multi-level evaluation strategy using process and outcome measures. Findings from the evaluation will be used to refine program components for future trainee and mentor cohorts and to assess long-term program impact.
Discussion
Led by Emory University in the US and Hanoi Medical University in Vietnam, CONVERGE represents leading institutions and experts from around the world, with a goal of providing mentorship opportunities for early-career scientists with an interest in violence prevention.
... Common social ecology of GBV and VAC: rationale for early, integrated intervention According to socio-ecological theories (13,14,48), nested inequalities in power and control as well as norms of masculine dominance influence multiple forms of GBV and VAC ( Figure 1). This framework supports an integrated approach to study these forms of violence, noting common and specific multilevel risk factors for victimization and/or perpetration. ...
... According to several authors (Calton et al., 2016;Cannon & Buttell, 2015;Chong et al., 2013;Ollen et al., 2017;Rollè et al., 2021), the heteronormative and homonegative climate that still permeates our societies limits the opportunity of understanding, recognizing, and managing this phenomenon. The lack of services tailored to this population and the ineffectiveness of formal sources of support have been extensively documented (Freeland et al., 2018;Lorenzetti et al., 2017;Rollè et al., 2021;Santoniccolo et al., 2021). This negatively influences the possibilities of sexual minority people who are victims or perpetrators of IPV to find help and recover from this experience. ...
Introduction
Intimate partner violence (IPV) among sexual minority people has been underestimated since few decades ago despite its spreading. The current systematic review aims to review and systematize studies on factors associated with IPV perpetration within this population.
Methods
Data search was conducted on EBSCO and PubMed considering articles published until July 2022, and 78 papers were included.
Results
Although methodological limitations can affect the results found, the data demonstrated an association between IPV perpetration and psychological, relational, family of origin-related and sexual minority-specific factors, substance use, and sexual behaviors.
Conclusion
The findings emerged highlight the importance of a multidimensional approach to tackle IPV perpetration among sexual minority people and limit relapses, while increasing individual and relational wellbeing.
Policy Implications
The empirical evidence emerged can contribute to the development of policies and services tailored for sexual minority people victims of IPV, to date still scarce and often ineffective.
... Researchers and prevention advocates emphasize that in addition to girls and women, violence and rigid gender/sexuality stereotypes and expectations can also have negative consequences for men and boys, as they do for everyone on the gender spectrum (Kaufman, 2001;Lorenzetti et al., 2017). This is well articulated by Minerson et al. (2011), who discuss the cost of patriarchy for men, including "men's violence against other men, economic insecurity, the pressures to provide and protect . . . the negative impacts of crime, war and the emotional and psychological cost of masculinity" (p. ...
The participation of men is critical to preventing domestic violence, however, there is still little understanding of the capacities and supports that men need for well-being and healthy relationships. A men’s survey was designed to explore and identify the capacities and resources required by a diverse population of Canadian men. Data was collected on-line and through trained community-based research assistants. Over 2,000 men from 20 ethno-cultural groups responded, and multiple challenges and enablers were identified. Responses from Indigenous and African Canadian men highlight the need for an intersectional lens in understanding men’s well-being and violence prevention.
... Crises relating to physical abuse/altercation, and intimate partner violence (IPV) were solely observed among gay and lesbian participants, though this finding does not reflect the established consensus that nonmonosexual individuals are both statistically more likely to experience IPV, and uniquely vulnerable to its impacts (Rollè et al., 2018). Because same-sex relationships are not given the same legitimacy as heterosexual relationships, same-sex IPV is often regarded less seriously by service providers (Lorenzetti et al., 2017;Rollè et al., 2018). Same-sex IPV sufferers may therefore be more likely to engage ad-hoc emergency services. ...
Available evidence affirms the effectiveness- of crisis helpline services in providing appropriate short-term intervention for many groups, but the unique needs of sexual minority adult callers may prevent them from deriving similar therapeutic benefit. Two hundred and forty-eight sexual minority adults from across Australia were asked about a previous personal crisis where they had accessed, or had considered accessing, a crisis helpline service. While most responses indicated some familiarity with available services, only 30 % (n=75) of participants had accessed a helpline service during a time of crisis. Despite a low rate of service uptake, many of those who had used a service evaluated it positively. The low rate of overall engagement was attributed to a fear of being discriminated against by helpline workers or arose from a concern that they would have insufficient understanding of LGBT-specific concerns to be able to render meaningful support. For helpline services to increase service uptake among sexual minority adults, it is recommended that outreach efforts be undertaken to dispel the negative perceptions about such services by sexual minority persons.
... Service providers such as crisis center staff, domestic violence shelter staff, and police officers often perceive SSIPV as less serious than its heterosexual counterpart and less likely to worsen over time (Brown and Groscup, 2009;Fröberg and Strand, 2018). They may be less likely to perceive IPV victims in same-sex couples as victims (Basow and Thompson, 2012); they may not be aware of abusive tactics specific to same-sex couples, such as threats of forced outing or ostracism from local LGBT communities (Johnson and Ferraro, 2000); they may not know how to deal with the common background of discrimination, stigma, and social exclusion; and they may not have developed the vocabulary for this specific population or learned how to deal with internalized homophobia, while possibly believing harmful myths about homosexuality (Ard and Makadon, 2011;Lorenzetti et al., 2017). This condition can be explained as an excessive reliance on a gendered paradigm when dealing with IPV, which often breaks down in same-sex cases (Ristock, 2003;Blasko et al., 2007). ...
Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in same-sex couples is poorly explored as a
phenomenon compared to its heterosexual counterpart. In 2015, only about 3% out of all IPV studies focused on same-sex couples. As a consequence, it is often hard to find services and interventions focused on Same-Sex Intimate Partner Violence (SSIPV), especially ones that keep in mind specific factors related to sexual minority status; despite some overlapping areas with heterosexual IPV, service providers dealing with SSIPV should be aware of the existence of specific needs.
Objective: The objective of the present work is to provide a narrative review of literature on the state of SSIPV interventions and services on an international level, with a specific focus on the help-seeking process and help-providers’ experiences.
Method: A bibliographic search was conducted on EBSCO (Family Studies Abstracts, Gender Studies Database, Mental Measurements Yearbook, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Social Sciences Abstracts, Sociology Source Ultimate, Violence & Abuse Abstracts).
Results: The literature review highlights a lack of attention on the development and dissemination of intervention and coping strategies oriented towards LGB people, who turn to informal ways of obtaining support (e. g. acquaintances, friends, family members, community members) or give up in their search for support entirely.
Existing services targeting IPV and their respective providers, despite possessing useful features for dealing with the phenomenon in the general population (empathetic listening, concentration on couple dynamics, protection services) rarely have the necessary tools for dealing with the more sensitive and specific situations of SSIPV cases, such as the consequences of minority stress, relationships with original families, violence dynamics typical of same-sex couples or barriers for access to services.
In their scarcity, existing SSIPV services also tend to only focus on aspects related to identity development and on the impact of minority stress.
Due to a heteronormative view of violence, SSIPV victims tend to struggle when trying to access services, partly because of fears that involve: services not being able to address their needs, services being exclusively for heterosexual couples, the possibility of being doubly stigmatized due to homonegative attitudes. Conclusions: Coherently with the dominant heteronormative view of intimate partner violence, both knowledge about SSIPV and its related interventions are limited as of today. Users and providers alike require more focused services, better training and education on these themes. Therefore, additional services geared towards homosexual victims of IPV appear necessary.
Background
Two-Spirit Peoples face unique challenges in accessing and receiving health care in Canada due to health services, including community pharmacy services, being built on hetero- and cis-normative models that impede appropriate care for this group. Currently, there is limited published information on Two-Spirit Peoples’ experiences accessing and receiving care in community pharmacy settings.
Methods
To address the lack of published information, 21 Two-Spirit individuals shared their experiences in a focus group setting. Four different focus groups were held across Canada, including 1 in Saskatoon, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto. Informed by Indigenous methodologies, data were recorded via audio recording and notetaking, and the audio was transcribed and then analyzed for themes using the Voice-Centred Relational Method.
Results
Three major structural systems that affect the experiences of Two-Spirit Peoples in community pharmacies were identified: 1) white supremacy, 2) capitalism, and 3) heteronormativity. These 3 systemic issues presented themselves via racism, homophobia, transphobia, pharmacists’ lack of knowledge about Two-Spirit individuals and their health and lack of time spent educating or building relationships with Two-Spirit Peoples. Participants provided suggestions for how community pharmacists can better serve the Two-Spirit community, such as using inclusive language, adding pronouns and preferred names to patient files, increasing knowledge about Two-Spirit health and advocating for Two-Spirit Peoples.
Discussion
The results suggest that dismantling current structures and ideologies in community pharmacy and society are required to overcome the identified issues.
Conclusion
Two-Spirit Peoples face barriers when it comes to accessing and receiving care in community pharmacies, resulting in many Two-Spirit individuals avoiding health care to save themselves from unsafe and uncomfortable interactions. Pre- and postlicensure pharmacy education about Two-Spirit Peoples is required to improve Two-Spirit Peoples’ experiences accessing and receiving care in community pharmacies.
Theory suggests that intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a tendency to perceive uncertain events as threatening, may serve as a potential risk factor for increased intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration; however, few studies have investigated this association, and none have taken a longitudinal approach. We investigated the issue in two longitudinal online investigations (initial N = 282 and 1,118), with time periods ranging from just before the COVID-19 pandemic to the fourth pandemic wave, approximately 1.5 years later. IU was a significant predictor of IPV cross-sectionally, and in the short term longitudinally (i.e., over periods of weeks); however, it did not predict IPV over the longer term (i.e., over periods of months or years). In addition, our longitudinal design allowed assessment of IPV trends across pandemic waves. Physical IPV rates remained low and steady across time. Psychological IPV rates showed an increase in the early days of the pandemic, but then dropped and stabilized, albeit at a somewhat higher rate than pre-pandemic. Study 2 had ample representation of LGBTQ+ respondents and showed that the patterns and processes worked similarly for LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ individuals.
Background
Immigrant and refugee women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/risk experience risk of gender-based violence (GBV), including interpersonal, community, and structural violence. The paucity of studies focusing on the experience of immigrant and refugee women living with human immunodeficiency virus (IRWLHIV)/risk impacted by GBV limits understanding the impact of systemic racism and sexism. Therefore, it is important to examine the implications of and for research, policy, and practice that can challenge structural violence, hegemonic masculinity, promote equity, social inclusion, and psychosocial wellbeing.
Objectives
The objectives of this study were to explore:
• Immigrant and refugee women’s dual experiences of HIV/risk and GBV; and
• Policies, programs, or services that support and or create barriers for
immigrants and refugee women living with HIV/risk and GBV.
Methodology
We conducted a mixed-methods systematic review of the peer-reviewed journal literature and policy documents. Our systematic review was informed by guidance from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (Akers, 2009) and guidelines for combining the findings from diverse primary studies within a single review (Gough, 2015; Pope et al., 2006). We also adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines for the reporting of systematic reviews (Page et al., 2021).
Results
An underlying thematic plot emerged from the literature that centers on the intersecting oppressions of racism, sexism, and migration status, coupled with the invisibilization of HIV/risk and GBV. Many of the studies included in this review centered on the experiences of racialized women who migrate to Canada from countries that are considered the Global South or World majority. Therefore, throughout the report, IRWLHIV/risk and GBV are understood to be racialized women unless otherwise noted. We further noted the absence of population-specific identifiers, findings, policies, and recommendations in much of this research. Four key themes emerged from our review:
• Hegemonic Masculinity
• Structural Violence
• Disparities in Health, Social Service and Support
• Deepened Social Isolation and Exclusion
Based on consultations with the community and 18 months of research led by a multi-disciplinary team from McGill University and community organizations, the Québec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative (Q-HPPC) released a policy paper with recommendations that focus on two areas: the right of victims of IPV and their families to live in safety, free from violence, and the right to adequate housing.
Drawing on best practices elsewhere in the country and abroad, this Q-HPPC policy paper proposes a “made-in-Quebec” legal framework to protect both the right to housing and the right to be free from violence. The report identifies five areas for reform and contains twelve recommendations for additions or amendments to Quebec legislation to better protect the rights of women who are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), to ensure that they can access adequate housing and to prevent residential instability and homelessness.
Though Pam’s story is based upon the two interviews conducted, she is a talented writer, and took the lead in revisions. Pam was 72 at the time of her interviews and reported that she had defined as a lesbian from the age of 26. She grew up in a family with domestic violence, in which she acted as her mother’s caretaker and protector from Pam’s highly abusive father. Pam fell deeply in love with Meera, a highly regarded professional, as was Pam herself. Meera told Pam that her parents, traditional and conservative Sikhs, would be suspicious of Pam’s intentions, and to reassure them, Pam signed her cash and investments over to Meera. This trend continued throughout their relationship as Meera took increasing control, both financially and socially. Ultimately, Pam allowed herself to be separated from her family and friends and lost her autonomy and financial resources. Realizing that she was left with no home, no privacy, and no savings, Pam managed to escape the relationship, with the help of friends. Over the years, Meera had taken most of Pam’s life savings and persuaded her to sign over half of her pension.KeywordsLesbianIntimate partner violenceFinancial abuseEmotional abuseElder abuseLGBT
In August 2021, Forte was commissioned by the Government to survey
research on men’s violence against women, violence in close relationships
and honour-related violence and oppression13. The Government’s intention is
for the mission to strengthen the conditions for spreading scientifically based
knowledge about which efforts, methods and ways of working provide the
best crime prevention results and effects. The Government mission includes
compiling a survey of reviews of research on violence in close relationships
and honour-related violence and oppression, as well as other areas that
are covered by the Government’s national strategy to prevent and combat
men’s violence against women. The focus is on near-client and near-practice
research. As part of the mission, stalking has also been studied separately,
as some perpetrators of violence continue subjecting a former partner to
controlling behaviour and violence even after a separation.
Our objective through the Latino Men’s Support Group was to develop local knowledge
on how to create a men’s well-being group which is culturally relevant, appropriate
and impactful for Latino men and families in Canada. We brought forward these ideas
of inclusivity and cultural relevance into the Support Group as a way to transgress
emotionally repressive gender norms and build emotional comfort to share experiences
within the group.
Cultural narratives of our society surrounding gender identity and sexuality can provide a rigid narrative of these constructs leading to homophobia and transphobia toward individuals who identify outside of these constructs. This book chapter will explore how cultural narratives create homophobia and transphobia as well as how these phobias affect individuals within the LGBTQ+ community. Mental health practitioners need to be aware of the pervasive discrimination, prejudice, and violence toward LGBTQ+ persons as these acts can create clinical issues that present common problems for child, adolescent, and adult clients, their families, and their partners. Mental health practitioners may hold internalized biases and benefit from recognizing these biases and bracketing values so that they can more effectively work with, and be an ally for, LGBTQ+ clients. Furthermore, educators in the field of mental health can work to create affirming classroom settings and effectively prepare students to work with the LGBTQ+ community. This chapter will address these issues within the mental health community as well as strategies for clinicians to help clients heal from homophobia and transphobia.
Introduction: Media representation of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) can influence public opinion and understanding of the phenomena, and guide health policies. The current review has the aim to explore and discuss international, scientific literature focused on the portrayal of IPV in written forms of news media.
Method: Searching through EBSCO and PubMed, 2435 studies were found and 41 were included in the current review.
Results: Bias in the portrayal of IPV was found within the studies included. While IPV-related news were mainly focused on male-perpetrated violence within heterosexual couples, little attention was paid to Same Sex Intimate Partner Violence (SSIPV). Newsworthy stories dominate IPV reporting within news media and a sensationalistic style was often employed. Furthermore, contextual information was often limited and the adoption of a thematic frame was rare, while news media were found to commonly employ an episodic frame. Official sources and family, friends and neighbours were the most quoted sources in news articles, while IPV experts were rarely drawn on for information. Regarding media representation of perpetrators, mainly regarding male abusers, news articles reported several reasons behind the violence with the consequence to justify and exonerate them from their responsibilities. Female perpetrators were found to be depicted, in some cases, as “mad” or “bad” people. Finally, victim blaming content emerged within many of the articles included.
Conclusion: Bias in the media representation of IPV emerged in the current review, which needs to be addressed to positively influence public opinion and to promote an adequate understanding of the phenomena.
A 2017 compendium of laws relating to sexual orientation all around the world, with maps and charts. The 2017 edition (digital) contains thousands of hyperlinks to black letter laws and numerous primary and secondary sources around issues to do with criminalisation (various sorts), protection (issues such as hate crime, etc) and recognition (family structures, etc).
White privilege constructs whiteness as normative and central to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) identities and is reproduced through social norms, media representations, and daily interactions. We aimed to enhance understanding of the processes by which white privilege was experienced among lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women of color in Toronto, Canada. We conducted two focus groups with LBQ women of color, one with participants who self-identified as masculine of center (n = 8) and the second with participants who identified as feminine of center (n = 8). Findings indicate that LBQ women of color experience intersectional stigma (e.g., homophobia, racism, sexism) on a daily basis. Participant narratives revealed that white privilege shaped the representations of women of color in a particular way that promoted their exclusion from white LBQ spaces and broader society. By representing queerness as white, LBQ women of color were rendered invisible in both queer and racialized communities. LBQ women of color were further marginalized by constructions of "real" women as passive, feminine and white, and conversely perceptions of women of color as aggressive, emotional, and hypersexualized. These representations inform spatialized practices and social interactions through constructing racialized communities as discriminatory and "backwards" while maintaining the invisibility of white privilege and racism in LBQ spaces.
This article brings together two case studies that examine how nontransgender people, “gender normals,” interact with transgender people to highlight the connections between doing gender and heteronormativity. By contrasting public and private interactions that range from nonsexual to sexualized to sexual, the authors show how gender and sexuality are inextricably tied together. The authors demonstrate that the criteria for membership in a gender category are significantly different in social versus (hetero)sexual circumstances. While gender is presumed to reflect biological sex in all social interactions, the importance of doing gender in a way that represents the shape of one's genitals is heightened in sexual and sexualized situations. Responses to perceived failures to fulfill gender criteria in sexual and sexualized relationships are themselves gendered; men and women select different targets for and utilize gendered tactics to accomplish the policing of supposedly natural gender boundaries and to repair breaches to heteronormativity.
The evidence is encouraging that men and boys can be engaged in health interventions with a gender perspective and that they change attitudes and behaviour as a result, but most of the programmes
are small in scale and short in duration.
Michael Kaufman discusses the need to both address and involve men in ending violence against women (VAW), a few of the pitfalls and guiding principles, and shares his thoughts on what is the most developed example of this work, that is, the White Ribbon Campaign.Development (2001) 44, 914. doi:10.1057/palgrave.development.1110254
Lesbian, bisexual and queer women are invisible and ignored in HIV discourse, as epidemiological classifications result in their institutionalised exclusion from risk categories. Simultaneously, these women live with HIV, often in situations of societal exclusion and under threat of violence. In this paper, we consider the connections between discourse and violence to examine how both are reproduced through, applied to and dependent upon people. The ways lesbian, bisexual and queer women do (or do not) appear in HIV discourse tells us much about how people and categories operate in the global pandemic. The fault-lines of lesbian, bisexual and queer women's constrained visibility in HIV discourse can be seen in situations where they are exposed to HIV transmission through homophobic sexual assault. In dominant HIV discursive practices, such homophobic assault leaves Judith Butler's 'mark that is no mark', recording neither its violence nor its 'non-heterosexuality'. Structural violence theory offers a means to understand direct and indirect violence as it pertains to HIV and lesbian, bisexual and queer women. We call for forms of modified structural violence theory that better attend to the ways in which discourse connects with material realities. Our theoretical and epidemiological lens must be broadened to examine how anti-lesbian, bisexual and queer-women bias affects transnational understandings of human worth.
This article builds on Lugg's (2006) discussion of surveillance in public schools and how queer youth are resisting schools' current efforts to regulate sexual orientation and gender expression in the U.S. and internationally. Legal complaints initiated by queer youth against their schools for harassment and access to extra-curricular activities are discussed. The number of cases in the past five years has increased significantly and the courts are siding with the youth and their allies, demonstrating that queer youth are significantly impacting the dismantling of heteronormative regulatory regimes and improving the school experiences for themselves and queer adults.
In this article, drawing on interviews with women and men in same sex relationships who have experienced domestic violence, we explore the ways in which recognition of domestic violence can be hampered by public stories about the phenomenon and practices of love. Public stories construct domestic violence as a gendered, heterosexual phenomenon that is predominantly physical in nature. Victims of domestic violence are also constructed as ‘other’, weak and passive. In addition, we argue that practices of love obfuscate practices of violence; and can also result in victim/survivors constructing themselves as stronger than the perpetrator who needs their care.
Background
Lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender (LBQT) women living with HIV have been described as invisible and understudied. Yet, social and structural contexts of violence and discrimination exacerbate the risk of HIV infection among LBQT women. The study objective was to explore challenges in daily life and experiences of accessing HIV services among HIV-positive LBQT women in Toronto, Canada.
Methods
We used a community-based qualitative approach guided by an intersectional theoretical framework. We conducted two focus groups; one focus group was conducted with HIV-positive lesbian, bisexual and queer women (n=7) and the second with HIV-positive transgender women (n=16). Participants were recruited using purposive sampling. Focus groups were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was used for analyzing data to enhance understanding of factors that influence the wellbeing of HIV-positive LBQT women.
Results
Participant narratives revealed a trajectory of marginalization. Structural factors such as social exclusion and violence elevated the risk for HIV infection; this risk was exacerbated by inadequate HIV prevention information. Participants described multiple barriers to HIV care and support, including pervasive HIV-related stigma, heteronormative assumptions in HIV-positive women's services and discriminatory and incompetent treatment by health professionals. Underrepresentation of LBQT women in HIV research further contributed to marginalization and exclusion. Participants expressed a willingness to participate in HIV research that would be translated into action.
Conclusions
Structural factors elevate HIV risk among LBQT women, limit access to HIV prevention and present barriers to HIV care and support. This study's conceptualization of a trajectory of marginalization enriches the discussion of structural factors implicated in the wellbeing of LBQT women and highlights the necessity of addressing LBQT women's needs in HIV prevention, care and research. Interventions that address intersecting forms of marginalization (e.g. sexual stigma, transphobia, HIV-related stigma) in community and social norms, HIV programming and research are required to promote health equity among LBQT women.
In comparison with other helping professions, social work claims to embrace a very distinctive mission: to oppose the roots
and effects of social oppression. This article examines social work research from an anti-oppressive social work perspective.
It argues that in order to match the liberating mission of the profession, social work research should defy the dominant traditions
of social science research. The paper first outlines a definition of anti-oppressive research in social work and then suggests
a relevant set of criteria for assessing it. A case study is described and analysed according to these criteria, followed
by a discussion of some ethical and methodological issues involved in the development of a more inclusive inquiry in social
work.
The World Health Organization's (WHO's) social determinants of health discussion underscores the need for health equity and social justice. Yet sexual orientation was not addressed within the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health final report Closing the Gap in a Generation.
This omission of sexual orientation as a social determinant of health stands in stark contrast with a body of evidence that demonstrates that sexual minorities are disproportionately affected by health problems associated with stigma and discrimination, such as mental health disorders.
I propose strategies to integrate sexual orientation into the WHO’s social determinants of health dialogue. Recognizing sexual orientation as a social determinant of health is an important first step toward health equity for sexual minorities.
The importance of demarcating gender and sexually diverse populations in structural social work theory is discussed from a differently centred cultural group perspective highlighting distinct qualities that fall outside normative gender identities and heterosexuality. Historical oppression experienced by these populations has likened their inclusion in structural social work theory yet the continued marginalization of these populations and associated implications are not to be lost sight of. A means of bringing currency to structural social work theory with regard to these populations is to embrace liberationist goals taking intersectionality into consideration. Such goals are in alliance with the social work values of acceptance, self-determination and respect working towards social justice and emancipation, and go far beyond the rights-claims equality agenda that sustains a slightly varied hegemony, giving the social location of gender and sexually diverse groups relevancy and viability on the structural landscape of social work.
• Intimate partner violence (IPV) was first widely recognized as a major societal problem in the 1970s. The research that is explored in detail in this chapter documents the prevalence and implications of abuse in a variety of intimate relationships and considers female and male perpetration and victimization in both homosexual and heterosexual relationships to be equally valid considerations. Our definition of IPV reflects the field’s move away from terms such as domestic violence or spousal abuse, which implied that IPV occurred solely or primarily in married couples when, in fact, as will be demonstrated, there is a preponderance of IPV in cohabitating relationships, separated couples, and dating relationships. As this chapter demonstrates, what gets included in a definition of violence, abuse, or crime shifts and changes depending on the characteristics of the perpetrator and the victim and the nature of the relationship between the parties, as well as with time and context. For present purposes, we will adopt a more inclusive definition that captures the full range of noxious behaviors that are found in abusive relationships, including financial, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse and intimidation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
• Intimate partner violence (IPV) was first widely recognized as a major societal problem in the 1970s. The research that is explored in detail in this chapter documents the prevalence and implications of abuse in a variety of intimate relationships and considers female and male perpetration and victimization in both homosexual and heterosexual relationships to be equally valid considerations. Our definition of IPV reflects the field’s move away from terms such as domestic violence or spousal abuse, which implied that IPV occurred solely or primarily in married couples when, in fact, as will be demonstrated, there is a preponderance of IPV in cohabitating relationships, separated couples, and dating relationships. As this chapter demonstrates, what gets included in a definition of violence, abuse, or crime shifts and changes depending on the characteristics of the perpetrator and the victim and the nature of the relationship between the parties, as well as with time and context. For present purposes, we will adopt a more inclusive definition that captures the full range of noxious behaviors that are found in abusive relationships, including financial, emotional, psychological, and verbal abuse and intimidation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)
It is sobering to publish Sell's call for every federal survey to include questions about sexual orientation and gender identity precisely when the Trump Administration excludes such questions from the proposed 2017 National Survey of Older Americans Act Participants (NSOAAP) conducted by the Administration for Community Living (ACL) in the Department of Health and Human Services. In particular, NSOAAP question DE1a, introduced in 2014, asked "Which of the following best represents how you think of yourself? Lesbian or Gay; Straight, that is, not lesbian or gay; Bisexual; Something else; Refused; Don't know." The ACL has invoked the Paperwork Reduction Act to justify excluding this question. (Am J Public Health. Published online ahead of print April 20, 2017: e1. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2017.303851).
No area of public policy and law has seen more change than lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, and trans-gender rights, and none so greatly needs careful comparative analysis. Queer Inclusions, Continental Divisions explores the politics of sexual diversity in Canada and the United States by analyzing three contentious areas - relationship recognition, parenting, and schooling. It enters into long-standing debates over Canadian-American contrasts while paying close attention to regional differences. David Rayside's examination of change over time in the public recognition of sexual minorities is based on his long experience with the analysis of trends, as well as on a wide-ranging search of media, legal, and social science accounts of developments across Canada and the United States. Rayside points to a 'take off' pattern in Canadian policy change on relationship recognition and parenting, but not in schooling. At the same time, he explores the reasons for a 'pioneering' pattern in early gains by American LGBT activists, a surprising number of court wins by American lesbian and gay parents, and changes in American schooling that, while still modest, are more substantial than those instituted by the Canadian system. Queer Inclusions, Continental Divisions is a timely examination of controversial policy areas in North America and a reasoned judgment on the progress of lesbian and gay issues in our time.
A woman raping another woman is unthinkable. This is not how women behave, society tells us. Our legal system is not equipped to handle woman-to-woman sexual assault, our women's services do not have the resources or even the words to reach out to its victims, and our lesbian and gay communities face hurdles in acknowledging its existence. Already dealing with complex issues related to their sexual identities, and frequently overwhelmed by shame, lesbian and bisexual survivors of such violence are among the most isolated of crime victims. In a work that is sure to stir controversy, Lori B. Girshick exposes the shocking, hidden reality of woman-to-woman sexual violence and gives voice to the abused. Drawing on a nationwide survey and in-depth interviews, Girshick explores the experiences and reflections of seventy women, documenting what happened to them, how they responded, and whether they received any help to cope with the emotional impact of their assault. The author discusses how the lesbian community has silenced survivors of sexual violence due to myths of lesbian utopia, and considers what role societal homophobia, biphobia, and heterosexism has played in this silencing. Ranging from date and acquaintance rape, to domestic sexual abuse by partners, to sexual harassment in the workplace, these explicit and harrowing stories provide a fuller understanding of woman-to-woman sexual violence than exists anywhere else. This provocative book offers much-needed insights on a subject rarely discussed in the literature on domestic violence, and it does so with compassion. Above all, it recommends how agencies can best provide services, outreach, and treatment to survivors of woman-to-woman rape and lesbian battering, using suggestions by the survivors themselves.
Few violence prevention programs of any kind foreground discussions of masculinity. In his work with college athletes, Jackson Katz positions the sociocultural construction of manhood as central to the problem of men's violence against women, as well as the basis of potential sources of prevention. Through the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) Project at Northeastern University in Boston, Katz and his colleagues seek to reduce men's violence against women by inspiring athletes and other models of traditional masculine success to challenge and reconstruct predominant male norms that equate strength in men with dominance over women. The Project specifically encourages participants to use their stature among their peers on campus to promote healthier attitudes and behaviors towards women.
One of the most prominent debates over minority participation in the military has been whether or not inclusive policies would undermine operational effectiveness. While the adoption of inclusive policy has tended to indicate that minority participation does not compromise effectiveness, the question has not yet been tested in the context of transgender military service. In this paper, we conduct the first-ever assessment of whether policies that allow transgender troops to serve openly have undermined effectiveness, and we ask this question in the context of the Canadian Forces (CF), which lifted its transgender ban in 1992 and then adopted more explicitly inclusive policy in 2010 and 2012. Although transgender military service in Canada poses a particularly hard test for the proposition that minority inclusion does not undermine organizational performance, our finding is that despite ongoing prejudice and incomplete policy formulation and implementation, allowing transgender personnel to serve openly has not harmed the CF’s effectiveness.
Pretty in Punk takes readers into the lives of girls living on the margins of contemporary culture. Drawing on interviews with 40 girls and women between the ages of 14-37, Leblanc examines the lives of her subjects, illuminating their forms of rebellion and survival. Pretty in Punk lets readers hear the voices of these women as they describe the ways their constructions of femininity-from black lipstick to slamdancing-allow them to reject damaging cultural messages and build strong identities. The price they pay for resisting femininity can be steep-girls tell of parental rejection, school expulsion, institutionalization, and harassment. Leblanc illuminates punk girls' resistance to adversity, their triumphs over tough challenges, and their work to create individual identities in a masculine world.
Legal recourse is a vital avenue for many domestic violence victims. For lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, these laws have historically been heterosexist. Considering the many states that are now inclusive of same-gender relationships, an existing data set was utilized to examine the influence of sociodemographic predictors on the perceptions of domestic violence law among LGB. Our findings illustrate that nonwhite LGB and those who have negative perceptions of law enforcement have the most negative perceptions of domestic violence legal protections as they apply to same-gender relationships. These findings have implications for service providers, advocacy and outreach organizations, and future research exploring the impact perceptions of legal avenues have on LGB victims.
Although scholars have been studying domestic violence for four decades now, it is only recently that domestic violence occurring in non-heterosexual relationships has received attention. The purpose of this study is to explore the interconnections between the experiences of survivors of lesbian intimate partner violence (IPV), the lesbian communities' beliefs regarding IPV, and available shelter services. The ultimate goal of this project is to describe how the experiences and practices of all three ultimately affect survivors of lesbian IPV. To accomplish this, members of the lesbian community were asked to complete an on-line survey, and qualitative interviews were conducted with both shelter employees and lesbian IPV survivors. While more than 50% of lesbians completing the online survey reported experiencing IPV in a lesbian relationship, most agreed that lesbian IPV was ignored in lesbian communities. Lesbians also agreed that survivors would not seek help from local DV shelters or police, but did believe there were appropriate services available in their area. DV shelters reported allowing lesbian survivors to access their heterosexually focused services, but offered no services specifically addressing the unique needs of lesbian survivors. Lesbian survivors reported feeling isolated, trapped and helpless due to the lack of acknowledgement and support in their communities and scarcity of available services. The findings of this study suggest that IPV is common in lesbian relationships. Despite this finding, denial in the lesbian community and the lack of appropriate shelter services continue the isolation and marginalization of lesbian survivors.
The purpose of this article is to advance a new understanding of gender as a routine accomplishment embedded in everyday interaction. To do so entails a critical assessment of existing perspectives on sex and gender and the introduction of important distinctions among sex, sex category, and gender. We argue that recognition of the analytical independence of these concepts is essential for understanding the interactional work involved in being a gendered person in society. The thrust of our remarks is toward theoretical reconceptualization, but we consider fruitful directions for empirical research that are indicated by our formulation.
Domestic violence is often perceived to occur only in heterosexual relationships. However, domestic violence is also prevalent in same-sex relationships. The majority of the research indicates that counselors perceive same-sex domestic violence differently than heterosexual domestic violence. This literature review synthesizes the research investigating attitudes toward same-sex domestic violence.
La violencia doméstica se suele percibir como un evento que ocurre solamente en las relaciones heterosexuales. Sin embargo, la violencia doméstica también es prevalente en relaciones del mismo sexo. La mayor parte de las investigaciones indican que los consejeros perciben la violencia doméstica entre personas del mismo sexo de forma diferente a como perciben la violencia doméstica heterosexual. Esta reseña de la literatura sintetiza las investigaciones que tratan sobre las actitudes hacia la violencia doméstica entre personas del mismo sexo.
This article examines the prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among a national sample of Internet-recruited U.S. men who have sex with men (MSM) (n = 1,575), and associations between reporting of IPV, minority stress, and sexual risk-taking. Five outcomes are examined: experiences of physical and sexual violence, perpetration of physical and sexual violence, and unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) at last sexual encounter. MSM who reported experiencing more homophobic discrimination and internalized homophobia were more likely to report experiences of IPV. The results point to the need for prevention messages to address the external and internal stressors that influence both violence and sexual risk among MSM.
Over the last 15 years, societal awareness of spouse abuse has resulted in an extensive network of services, legislative reform, and research initiatives focused on increasing the public response to this serious social problem. More recently, battering in intimate lesbian relationships has gained the attention of women's and gay/lesbian organizations that deal with domestic violence issues. Lesbians in violent relationships differ significantly from heterosexual couples where battering occurs due to the powerful effect of societal homophobia that silences them from seeking help. This article will address the unique challenges faced by lesbians of color in violent relationships due to the interface not only between violence and homophobia, but racism as well. Analysis of community response by lesbians of color, and clinical issues presented in therapy by lesbians of color who are battered will also be discussed.
Information about the relationship of experiencing abuse or witnessing domestic violence in childhood to the risk of intimate partner violence (IPV) in adulthood is scant. The relationship of childhood physical or sexual abuse or growing up with a battered mother to the risk of being a victim of IPV for women or a perpetrator for men was studied among 8,629 participants in the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study conducted in a large HMO. Each of the three violent childhood experiences increased the risk of victimization or perpetration of IPV approximately two-fold. A statistically significant graded relationship was found between the number of violent experiences and the risk of IPV. Among persons who had all three forms of violent childhood experiences, the risk of victimization and perpetration was increased 3.5-fold for women and 3.8-fold for men. These data suggest that as part of risk assessment for IPV in adults, screening for a history of childhood abuse or exposure to domestic violence is needed.
The links between social constructions of sexuality and gender are theoretically and politically problematic. A contemporary social movement understanding of violence against gay men and lesbians as ‘homophobic’ suggests a solid basis for coalitionist action. But important aspects of the imposition of gender conformity are a common thread in the experience of female, male and transsexual victims and the motives of perpetrators. Detail of violent and hostile incidents is drawn from two Australian studies: Victorian research on the experiences of 75 lesbians and a New South Wales study of 74 homicides with anti-homosexual motives. Violent acts commonly reflect the hatred and stigma felt towards women and men whose sexuality falls outside of acceptable gendered boundaries. Additionally, this research signals the importance of violence and harassment for the attainment and protection of a masculine identity among perpetrators, and the significance of gender in ways that call for a new understanding of ‘homophobia’ as a socially widespread phenomenon.
The intersecting issues of violence and masculinity are central to Australian rugby league. Positively sanctioned violence is explicitly linked to the all-male preserve of rugby league, with physical violence and domination being an historically naturalised way of performing masculinity in this context. These characteristics see this sport perform as a 'flag-carrier' of masculinity in Australian society. This paper utilises Connell's concept of the 'gender order' to bring the issues of masculine identities, and the role that violence plays in the formation and construction of these identities, into the critical spotlight. While gender relations in rugby league appear 'natural', 'static' and 'normal', and remain mostly unquestioned, it is hoped to unravel many of the social and historical processes that have constructed and maintained masculine hegemony in and through the game. Issues to be addressed include codes of player behaviour, the body, injury and violence, the subordination of women and women's sport, and homosexuality in rugby league's homosocial subculture.
This article describes the development and psychometric evaluation of a twenty-four-item scale to measure attitudes toward gender norms among young men: the Gender-Equitable Men (GEM) Scale. Scale items on gender norms related to sexual and reproductive health, sexual relations, violence, domestic work, and homophobia are designed. Items are based on previous qualitative work in the community and a literature review and administered to a household sample of 742 men, including 223 young men ages fifteen to twenty-four, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The current analysis focuses on the young men, as they were the main audience for a planned intervention to promote gender equitable and HIV risk reduction behaviors. Factor analyses support two subscales, and the scale is internally consistent (alpha = .81). As hypothesized, more support for equitable norms (i.e., higher GEM Scale scores) is significantly associated with less self-reported partner violence, more contraceptive use, and a higher education level.
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"This book provides step-by-step instructions on how to analyze text generated from in-depth interviews and focus groups - i.e., transcripts. The book is primarily designed for research studies with an applied focus, but is also useful for theoretically oriented qualitative research. The book covers all aspects of the qualitative data analysis process including planning, data preparation, identification of themes, codebook development and code application, reliability and inter-coder agreement, data reduction techniques, comparative techniques, integration with quantitative data, and software considerations. The book describes what the authors call "applied thematic analysis", because it is the approach predominantly used in applied qualitative studies (and increasingly in academic contexts). The method employs a phenomenological approach to data analysis which has a primary aim of describing the experiences and perceptions of research participants. The approach presented is similar to Grounded Theory - in that it is inductive, content-driven, and searches for themes within textual data - and is complementary to Grounded Theory on many levels. However, within an applied context a phenomenological approach is primarily concerned with characterizing and summarizing perceptions and lived experiences and applying the results to a particular research problem, rather than building and assessing theoretical models"--
This essay explores what it takes to work toward a future of equitable pedagogy and schooling through the presentation of a short ethnographic play entitled The Card (2004). The play is 1 of 5 critically performed ethnographies written to engage pre-service teacher education students in thinking about social justice in education. The essay begins with a discussion of how critical performed ethnography works as an example of "engaged pedagogy" and the ways in which its form and content can promote anti-oppression teacher education. This discussion is followed by the presentation of the play. The Card tells the story of Roberto Rodriguez, a high school teacher, who comes out as a gay man when he tries to help a student being bullied. Embedded in the ethnographic play are the kinds of social practices and beliefs needed to achieve an educational future that recognises social difference and strives for equity. Following the play, a short commentary discusses these practices and beliefs in a more explicit way. The essay concludes with a brief discussion of the questions and issues a recent performance of The Card raised for other teacher educators. This discussion allows for the examination of how the play encourages readers, performers, and spectators to both recognise and respond to social difference in ways that will move schools toward a more equitable future.
Service barriers of lesbian domestic violence survivors were identified from the perspectives of six service providers using qualitative interviews. Constant comparative methods identified service barriers including: Systemic barriers (laws and policies of criminal/justice system, social and cultural attitudes, and theories regarding domestic violence dynamics), institutional barriers (ambiguous and inconsistent policy, assigning lesbian clients to specific staff members, lack of commitment to serving lesbians, and using heterosexist language), and individual barriers (attitudes/actions of lesbian survivors, heterosexual female clients, staff members, and police/court officers). Participants expressed motivation to serve lesbian survivors and indicated the potential to influence institutional policies and practices.
The mental health of lesbian women is shaped by the unique intersection of violence across the lifespan with the trauma of living in a heterosexist society. I argue that living within the heterosexist culture of the United States constitutes a form of trauma which is rarely considered when examining the mental health of lesbian women. Heterosexism may be defined as heterosexuals' prejudices against lesbian women and gay men as well as the behaviors predicated on these prejudices (Herek, 1996). Heterosexism is manifested at both individual and cultural levels. This article discusses how the traumatic context created by heterosexism fosters the development of internalized homophobia and shapes the mental health of lesbian women (DiPlacido, 1998; Greene, 2000). Lesbians are not a homogenous group; there are significant within-group differences based on such factors as ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age. These differences result in interlocking oppressions that influence mental health.Lesbians experience violence across their lifespan. This article examines their experiences, reported retrospectively, of childhood physical and sexual abuse perpetrated by family members and others (e.g., Corliss, Cochran, & Mays, 2002). The experiences of lesbian and heterosexual women are compared and the impact on mental health is considered. I discuss the mental health implications of the victimization of lesbian adolescents within their homes, schools, and communities (e.g., D'Augelli, 1998).Social work researchers need to design and implement studies based on our profession's commitment to the person-in-environment model which acknowledges the interrelationship of a lesbian woman's mental health and the heterosexist society in which she lives. Recommendations are offered regarding how we can bring our unique perspective to this field of study.
This article examines the relationship between lesbian battering, homophobia (both external and internalized), and the stress of living as a member of an oppressed minority. While domestic violence in lesbian relationships parallels domestic violence in heterosexual relationships in many ways, the context of homophobia in society, in addition to sexism, creates some unique dynamics, issues, and barriers to change. Drawing upon a review of the theoretical and empirical literature, as well as the author's clinical experience as a lesbian psychotherapist, the impact of the homophobic context on lesbian battering is examined from the perspective of victims, perpetrators, and helping systems. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Any thorough understanding of the modern epidemics of AIDS and tuberculosis in Haiti or elsewhere in the postcolonial world requires a thorough knowledge of history and political economy. This essay, based on over a decade of research in rural Haiti, draws on the work of Sidney Mintz and others who have linked the interpretive project of modern anthropology to a historical understanding of the large-scale social and economic structures in which affliction is embedded. The emergence and persistence of these epidemics in Haiti, where they are the leading causes of young-adult death, is rooted in the enduring effects of European expansion in the New World and in the slavery and racism with which it was associated. A syncretic and properly biosocial anthropology of these and other plagues moves us beyond noting, for example, their strong association with poverty and social inequalities to an understanding of how such inequalities are embodied as differential risk for infection and, among those already infected, for adverse outcomes including death. Since these two diseases have different modes of transmission, different pathophysiologies, and different treatments, part of the interpretive task is to link such an anthropology to epidemiology and to an understanding of differential access to new diagnostic and therapeutic tools now available to the fortunate few. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
This article examines the capacity of human rights commissions to foster public policy change by focusing on the Canadian Human Rights Commission (CHRC) and its role in advancing sexual orientation equality rights in Canada. The case study is informed by commission annual reports, speeches by past chief commissioners, presentations by the commission to parliamentary committees, and an examination of 442 sexual orientation complaints closed by the commission by 2005. The study shows that, from its inception, the commission had a simple and consistent message: sexual orientation should not be the basis for denying individuals employment, services or benefits. Using a variety of strategies, the CHRC facilitated the incorporation of this message into the Canadian Human Rights Act by promoting the designation of sexual orientation as a prohibited ground of discrimination. Subsequently, the commission became actively involved in securing equal access to employment-related benefits in the federal sphere for same-sex couples and also added its voice in support of legal recognition of same-sex marriage. The authors conclude by discussing how the unique position of human rights commissions gives them the potential to play an important role in public policy development, even when there may be a lack of political will or public support.
Many barriers prevent therapists from including young children in family therapy, despite the theoretical belief that every family member should be present. Although there is a wealth of literature describing how to include children, the information has not been compiled in a way that is easily accessible to therapists. In this article, we report the findings of an exhaustive and systematic literature review of 64 publications, published between 1972 and 1999, related to including children in family therapy. The purpose of this article is to offer therapists a succinct compilation of theoretical, structural, and practical aspects as well as a comprehensive listing of specific techniques for including children in family therapy.