Doing Equitable Work in Inequitable Conditions: an Introduction to a Special Issue on Transformative Research Methods in Gender-Based Violence

Advancing Theory, Methods, and Dissemination in Sexual Violence Research to Build a More Equitable Future: An Intersectional, Community-Engaged Approach

“…Considering sexual violence with an intersectional lens requires attendance to the nuance and context of an individual’s existence (Gill, 2018; Nnawulezi et al, 2018). At a minimum, an intersectional perspective acknowledges that such a body of research does not reflect the experiences of a broad swath of women and tries to identify how the experiences and needs of survivors are similar and where they diverge.…”

“…Our recommendation for community-engaged research is in comparison to traditional research approaches that operate in isolation from communities, reinforcing problematic power dynamics and resulting in research that may lack context and nuance (Burk, 2018; Nnawulezi et al, 2018). Community-based participatory research (CBPR) acknowledges the history and harms of traditional research and actively works toward mitigating power differentials between researchers and communities (Ghanbarpour et al, 2018; Wallerstein & Duran, 2006).…”

“…For researchers, community engagement requires significant time and resources, with funding agencies being less likely to fund these intensive projects. This may result in fewer outcomes typically rewarded in academic settings (i.e., grant money, publications; Nnawulezi et al, 2018; Wallerstein & Duran, 2006). Researchers may lack training or exposure to the skills necessary for participating in equitable, community-engaged research, and even those who do this work may find themselves unintentionally replicating the power dynamics they seek to undo (Ghanbarpour et al, 2018).…”

“…Victims who have nonstereotypical assaults (e.g., nonstranger rapes without weapons), survivors of color, survivors of low socioeconomic status, male survivors, and survivors experiencing fear, shame, and stigma are less likely than others to report their assaults to formal systems (Campbell, Wasco, Ahrens, Sefl, & Barnes, 2001; Starzynski, Ullman, Filipas, & Townsend, 2005). Disparate policing policies in communities of color, criminal justice systems that minimize violence perpetrated upon women of color and immigrants, and the lack of culturally congruent services decrease the ability and willingness to access, as well as the utility of, many services for survivors (Brubaker, Keegan, Guadalupe-Diaz, & Beasley, 2017; Gill, 2018; Nnawulezi, Lippy, Serrata, & Rodriguez, 2018).…”

Negotiating Participatory Research Processes With Domestic Violence Program Staff to Obtain Ecologically Valid Data

“…Research engagement within community settings can range from minimally engaging community members in research when collecting data (community-placed, non-participatory) to a full co-investigation where all research decisions are shared (community-based, participatory; Chung & Lounsbury, 2006). Community-based participatory research (CBPR) studies seek to generate data that best align with the lived experiences of people most affected by a social issue (Nnawulezi, Lippy, Serrata, & Rodriguez, 2018; Stringer, 2013). To implement such studies, researchers develop and sustain meaningful relationships with community partners that aim to equalize power dynamics between “the researcher” and “the researched.” Furthermore, the more actively engaged a researcher is within a community and the more data are interpreted by both researchers and community partners, the more credible the data interpretations become, and the probability for sustainable change increases (Collins et al, 2018).…”