Tag Archive for: gender-based violence

Behind the Science: Women’s Health and Forced Migration

Interviewee: Dr. Shahin Kassam, RN, PhD, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of British Columbia School of Nursing, Capacity Research Unit

Authors/Editors: Romina Garcia de leon, Shayda Swann (Blog Co-coordinators)

Published: February 9th, 2024

This week we talk to Shahin Kassam who tells us about her work on forced migration, specifically how displacement (for reasons such as climate instability, political conflict, coercion and human trafficking) impacts local and international intersections where gender, race, class and migrant status converge to shape women’s health and access to health and social services.

Can you tell us a bit more about your research?

My doctoral research looked at how public health nurses located here in British Columbia support women living with refugee status while also transitioning into parenthood. This intersectionality-framed research identified fragmented pathways women have to self-navigate to access health and social systems while also living with the impacts of gender-based violence, discrimination, and fear stemming from migration policies.

This doctoral work opened up more questions for me to further understand women’s experiences of accessing systems of health and social well-being and how they are shaped by these conjoint experiences of racial discrimination, gender-based violence, and their migrant status. To specify “forced migration” in this work is important because when we talk about migration it is often in binaries, either voluntary or involuntary. Experiences of being forced can be about being categorized by policy as a refugee, or as seeking asylum. But it can also be categorizations where women are rendered dependent and socially disconnected thereby increasing their risk for gender-based violence exposure and consequential chronic and acute health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, hypertension, diabetes, and asthma. Rather than systems deciding whether a woman migrates forcibly or not, why are we not letting women’s experiences shape the narrative?

Essentially the research I’m doing just really intentionally ensures that we place women and their experiences at the forefront of understanding forced migration.

 

What drew you to this work? 

I come from a clinical public health nursing background. My research took off from the stories and experiences that I had with varying women with different backgrounds who experienced marginalization or disadvantages such as poverty or lack of support, literacy skills, and limited education. I constantly saw the inequities that these women faced and couldn’t let go of how that deserved more attention. So I think that just really propelled me into doing more.

Can you share any findings from this work?

As a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, I’m working with my supervisor Dr. Vicky Bungay who is the Scientific Director of the Capacity Research Unit and professor at the UBC School of Nursing, to build my program of research involving the development of non-profit community partnerships with sectors that are really integral to the safe settlement of women. So the research being done is informed by community-based participatory research principles where the community drives the research process. The overarching goal is to inform the enhancement of access to health and social services with the experiences of women impacted by gender-based violence, racism, and forced migration.

Through a SSHRC Partnership Engagement Grant, our community co-lead, Diana Ospina from DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society (DCRS) and I convened a group of leaders from three additional non-profit organizations focused on settlement service delivery. Together we met often and shaped the research process. We recruited nine women who had been in Canada from 0-5 years across varying races, migrant statuses, and languages such as Spanish, Ukrainian, Dhari, and Tigrinya.

Some of the key findings that we found through these women’s stories were that women need support in their pursuit of meaningful employment and integration into the labor market sector. Loss of financial independence and dealing with poverty is very challenging. Language barriers continue and language classes are often inaccessible because of the lack of affordable childcare. Another finding is housing that is safe from forms of violence or exploitation. The need for social growth and connections is another finding. When women arrive in Canada, often their only connection is their partner or their partner’s family/friends, creating dependency.

To further understand the experiences of women impacted by forced migration, we are hoping to grow through further funding opportunities to delve deeper into this work.

 

Given the lack of attention to forced migration, and women’s health, what keeps you moving forward? 

A big part of doing this work is grit and tenacity and simply not giving up. I think that if you are passionate about something, and you’re surrounded by support, that I think those are two big key ingredients to doing the work. For me, it’s the applied experiences as a nurse that continue to just really propel me in this direction. And then I think it’s the pragmatic and inclusive pillars and the values that align my work with the Capacity Research Unit and the School of Nursing that have promoted building and weaving together this program of research.

How can people learn more about your work?

Website: Shahin Kassam’s website

Research Unit: Capacity Research Unit, Women’s Stories of Forced Migration

More information:

Funder: SSHRC Partnership Engagement Grant

Principle Investigator: Dr. Vicky Bungay, UBC School of Nursing, Capacity Research Unit

Community Co-Applicant: Ms. Diana Ospina, DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society

Academic Co-Applicant: Dr. Shahin Kassam, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Community Collaborators:

 

 

 

 

The Pandemic is Taking Women’s Breath Away: Intimate Partner Violence and Strangulation on the Rise During COVID-19

Author: Karen Mason, Co-founder of SOAR (Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research) | Editors: Alex Lukey and Arrthy Thayaparan (Blog Coordinators) 

Published: November 25th, 2020

Since Covid-19 and its lockdowns first threw a giant wrench in our collective lives more than eight months ago, news headlines around the world have echoed a similar theme. 

“Calls to Canadian domestic violence helplines jump during pandemic”

“Minister says COVID-19 is empowering domestic violence abusers as rates rise in parts of Canada”

“A New Covid-19 Crisis: Domestic Abuse Rises Worldwide”

Whether it’s CBC, the Canadian Press, or the New York Times, the message is clear and unequivocal: The pandemic has created ideal conditions for intimate partner violence and abuse to thrive. Vulnerable victims are trapped at home with their abusers, making it harder than ever to access help and safety.

Intimate partner violence and abuse already affect one in three women around the globe. In Canada, a woman is killed by her intimate partner every six days, and Canadians spend more than $7.4 billion in tax dollars every year on the consequences of intimate partner violence.

While the pandemic can’t be blamed for  intimate partner violence, it has absolutely played a major contributing role in worsening this existing public health emergency. Indeed, UN Women, the United Nations entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women, has called violence against women the “shadow pandemic” of the Covid-19 crisis.

This past summer, the Ending Violence Association of Canada and Anova surveyed 376 staff and volunteers in the gender-based violence sector. The resulting report “Pandemic Meets Pandemic: Understanding the Impacts of Covid-19 on Gender-Based Violence Service Provision” found that 82% of workers described “an increase in prevalence and severity of violence.”[1] Comments from the survey also referenced a dramatic increase in reports of strangulation. 

Strangulation is an extremely common, and dangerous, form of intimate partner violence. It is widely known as the most lethal form of intimate partner violence, which happens in roughly half of all cases, and can cause brain injury or death within minutes.[3] In fact, women who are strangled are 750 times more likely to be killed in a subsequent assault.[4] It’s a shocking and highly troubling fact of which most survivors, and indeed, many of those who work on the frontlines to support them, are not even aware.

The increase in violence, and strangulation in particular,  is even more alarming given the findings from a small, but steadily growing, body of research. Recent studies have shown as many as 92% of women who experience intimate partner violence may also experience a brain injury. [2] 

 

 

Given the shame and stigma still associated with intimate partner violence, many victims are reluctant to report it. That fact, combined with an ongoing lack of education on the intersection of intimate partner violence with brain injury, means many of these injuries go undiagnosed and untreated.

What can we do? 

In a bluntly worded commentary in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, several authors said when it comes to health care providers the answer to that question is “more”.[5]

The piece stated those who work with women in health care settings “frequently” encounter victims of partner violence. Yet only 14% of patients, who clearly had intimate partner violence-related injuries, were questioned specifically about the issue or their need for support.

The article went on to add “health care providers, although facing the need to learn many new skills related to COVID-19, must also maintain awareness of IPV, seek opportunities for self-education, develop strategies for discussing IPV and become familiar with currently available local resources for patient referral.”[5]

Recognizing the true scope of intimate partner violence, and of strangulation as a highly lethal aspect of it, must be part of that effort. For those who work in health care, that means learning how to look for key signs and symptoms. 

Women who’ve been strangled may have:

  • Raspy voice
  • Trouble swallowing/breathing
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Red spots in eyes or on skin
  • Scratches/bruising on neck
  • Loss of memory
  • No visible signs or symptoms! It’s important to note strangulation can often cause unseen internal injury that can lead to death, even months after an incident.

Women who’ve experienced brain injury as a result of intimate partner violence may report:

  • Trouble sleeping
  • Fatigue
  • Dizziness
  • Headaches
  • Worries and fears
  • Depression
  • Sensitivity to noise and light
  • Memory issues
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Trouble managing emotional responses

But what about those among us who aren’t medical professionals? What can we do when faced with the possibility a friend, co-worker, or family member may be experiencing intimate partner violence?

Educate Yourself

Learning about the Cycle of Abuse, which outlines the pattern of how violence escalates and explodes, is a good way to educate yourself. 

 

 

While the cycle can occur over the course of hours, days, weeks, or months, it’s typically the same.Becoming familiar with the signs of abuse you might notice is another great way to get educated.

Victims may:

  • Have bruises, scratches or other unexplained injuries.
  • Seem anxious, uncomfortable or afraid around their partner.
  • Withdraw and make excuses not to spend time with family and friends.
  • Seem to have little access to money or other resources.
  • Wear clothing such as pants and long-sleeved shirts, even in summertime.
  • Get frequent calls or texts from their partner and display a need to check in often.
  • Make excuses for their partner’s bad behaviour

Listen and support

One of the key things any of us can do when it comes to interacting with survivors of intimate partner violence is to listen and provide support. Be a non-judgmental, confidential ear, and consider saying things such as:

  •  “You didn’t deserve this. It’s not your fault.”
  • “I’m sorry this happened to you.”
  • “I’m concerned about you.”
  • “How can I help?”
  • “It sounds like you’re doing the best you can.”
  • “I’m here to listen.”

Women who receive positive responses tend to recover more quickly. They are even more likely to work with the authorities, access safety supports, and report future instances of violence.

Refer

If you know someone who is experiencing abuse, and they’re ready to leave the relationship or otherwise seek help, there are countless free, confidential resources to which you can point them, including Sheltersafe. This clickable, online map resource from Women’s Shelters Canada connects women to the nearest shelter, where they can find safe refuge, and the counselling and other supports they need to transition into a life free of abuse.

With the second wave of the pandemic upon us, and new lockdowns already underway or looming, it’s clear the risk to victims of intimate partner violence is far from over. And while this November 25th marks an important opportunity to highlight the issue through the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the start of  16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, we must remain vigilant in the months and year still to come if we are to have any hope of beating the shadow pandemic.

 

Karen Mason is an advocate for women survivors of intimate partner violence, and is co-founder and director of community practice for SOAR (Supporting Survivors of Abuse and Brain Injury through Research). All figures have been provided for by SOAR.

 

References

1. Trudell, A.L. & Whitmore, E. (2020). Pandemic meets Pandemic: Understanding the Impacts of COVID- 19 on Gender-Based Violence Services and Survivors in Canada. Ottawa & London, ON: Ending Violence Association of Canada & Anova. https://endingviolencecanada.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/FINAL.pdf

2. St Ivany, A., & Schminkey, D. (2016). Intimate Partner Violence and Traumatic Brain Injury: State of the Science and Next Steps. Family & community health, 39(2), 129–137. https://doi.org/10.1097/FCH.0000000000000094

3. Strack, G. B., & Gwinn, C. (2011). On the Edge of Homicide: Strangulation as a Prelude. Criminal Justice, 26(3), fall. Retrieved from https://www.familyjusticecenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/On-the-Edge-of-Homicide-Strangulation-as-a-Prelude-Strack-and-Gwinn-2011.pdf.

4. Glass, N., Laughon, K., Campbell, J., Block, C. R., Hanson, G., Sharps, P. W., & Taliaferro, E. (2008). Non-fatal strangulation is an important risk factor for homicide of women. The Journal of emergency medicine, 35(3), 329–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.02.065

5. Bradley, N. L., Dipasquale, A. M., Dillabough, K., & Schneider, P. S. (2020). Health care practitioners’ responsibility to address intimate partner violence related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 192(22). doi:10.1503/cmaj.200634

Feature image courtesy of Nicolas Moscarda on Unsplash​.

Violence Against Women Escalates as We Flatten the Curve for the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Nisha Malhotra (PhD, School of Economics, UBC) & Karen Mason (Co-Founder, SOAR)

Every day, headlines of violence broadcast news from around the globe. The stories occur in different locations and different cultures, with different perpetrators, but many have one thing in common: women are the victims. Since much of the world went on lockdown in an effort to slow the spread and devastation of COVID-19, global reports indicate that women are increasingly being abused and killed and thus are bearing the brunt of this pandemic as they self-isolate in an effort to flatten the curve for us all.

Violence against women is not new. It’s already rampant in Canada—three in ten women have been sexually assaulted at least once since the age of 15, and a woman or girl is killed violently every two-and-a-half-days, most often by a male partner or a family member. The pandemic has shone a light on this global health crisis and brought the discussion of women’s rights to a safe environment to the forefront. Canada identified its first case of COVID-19 on January 25, 2020. By the end of March, all provinces had declared a state of emergency. Businesses, schools, offices, stores, and daycare facilities shut down, and measures to physically isolate people within their homes quickly became the norm. These measures forced individuals to stay in physically-bound spaces with their family members during these highly stressful conditions. Homes are unsafe for most victims of partner violence, and social distancing does not distance victims from their abusers, particularly when they already live together. In 2018, 50% of intimate partner violence reported to police occurred in homes occupied by both the victims and the abusers. A lockdown requiring victims to spend longer hours in proximity to their abuser is likely to increase the frequency and intensity of violent episodes. And since 80% of victims of intimate partner violence in Canada are women, they face a disproportionately higher impact of measures taken during a pandemic. 

Physical and social distancing disconnect  victims from their support networks such as friends and grassroots organizations, many of which are operating at reduced capacity. There is also a loss of community support that might have helped a potential perpetrator from committing a violent crime. A rise in incidents of intimate partner violence is not a surprise when these factors are coupled with stressors of financial insecurity and job loss caused by the pandemic. In fact, numerous studies have shown that natural disasters and pandemics lead to an increase of these risk factors.

“Pandemics and health emergencies, including SARS, Swine Flu, and influenza, have been associated with problematic coping behaviours, anxiety, suicide attempts and mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress and depressive disorders, with quarantines, social isolation and limitations on freedom as possible contributing factors.” (Peterman et al., 2020, p 9)

While the COVID-19 pandemic is no excuse for such crimes, it is certainly providing the context in which existing violence can fester, worsen, and explode. 

 

 

Shutdowns and Economic Downturns

With non-essential services shut down during the pandemic many families have to take on the additional work of caring for children and other family members while concurrently working from home and fulfilling other regular household responsibilities. Others found themselves unemployed and dealing with the financial and emotional impacts of being laid off, while also trying to navigate the unknowns of this unprecedented situation. An economic and financial downturn is inevitable during a pandemic, as manufacturing and services shut down, supply-chains breakdown, international trade falls, and the economy contracts. The recession not only leads to salary cuts and unemployment, but also increases the likelihood that job losses will continue into the future. Uncertainty about the future, coupled with increased food insecurity and poverty, exacerbate stressors known to contribute to domestic violence. 

Essential Intoxication

The above stressors can also increase reliance on drugs and alcohol. This reality is particularly worrying given that a large body of research (as well as a wide array of anecdotal evidence) suggests that increased alcohol consumption leads to a higher likelihood of violence and abuse. The sale of alcohol was declared an essential service in much of Canada during the lockdown and a recent poll showed that 25% of Canadians between the ages of 35-54 and 21% of 18-34-year-olds reported drinking more alcohol at home. Similar results were reported from a crowd-sourced survey conducted in Ontario during the lockdown. This poll discovered that 70% of those that changed their drinking behaviour indicated they had increased drinking since the start of COVID-19.

In 1994, The Supreme Court of Canada acquitted a man who sexually assaulted a disabled woman. Drunkenness was used to excuse his actions. The Charter of Rights was invoked to justify intoxication as a defence for the abuser in a majority ruling (6-3). Sadly, the Henri Daviault case was not an exception. In light of other such cases, the government passed a law disallowing extreme intoxication as a defence for violent crimes. Yet on June 3, 2020 Ontario’s Court of Appeal allowed an individual accused of sexual assault to use extreme intoxication in their defence, declaring it a constitutional right. When courts refuse to convict people who violently attack people after willingly and knowingly intoxicating themselves, violence is even more likely to rise—especially when alcohol is deemed a necessity during a stressful pandemic. Sadly, the majority of people accused of domestic violence are male and the majority of victims are female. Furthermore, according to the 2018 Canadian Health survey, males are more likely to report heavy drinking (23.5%) compared to females (14.8%). If intoxication is allowed as a defence for violent crimes, it undermines a woman’s rights to safety and justice.  

Collateral Damage

Violence against women doesn’t just affect its direct victims. According to the federal Department of Justice, Canadians collectively spend $7.4 billion every year dealing with the repercussions of intimate partner violence. Costs include everything from health care, loss of income, therapy and funerals. Then there’s the intergenerational cost. In a typical year, as many as 362,000 children in Canada are exposed to family violence (Unicef, 2006). Research indicates that children who witness at least 10 violent episodes between their parents before they’re 16-years-old are twice as likely to attempt suicide, and children who witness intimate partner violence have twice the rate of psychiatric disorders as children from non-violent homes (Fuller-Thomson, Baird, Dhrodia, & Brennenstuhl, 2016; .

Shelter and Relief

The frequency of calls to crisis lines and stays at shelters have either increased substantially or, surprisingly, decreased across Canada. Professionals indicate that decreases could be the result of increased monitoring by the abuser at home, thus diminishing a woman’s opportunity to seek support or leave. Many experts predict that shelters, which are already under-resourced and under-funded, will see a surge in people requiring beds as the easing of restrictions continues around the world. Researchers investigating the intersection of intimate partner violence and brain injury also fear that the number of women suffering brain injuries due to violence will increase as well. 

 

 

 

 
What now?

On March 18, 2020 the federal government announced $50 million to support the sector working to end violence against women. Of this, up to $26 million was dedicated as emergency funding to support eligible shelters and transition houses. These are important, and necessary, steps. However, more is needed to address the existing epidemic of violence against women and prepare for the challenges still to come. Women’s groups and advocates, such as NUPGE, have been calling for a national action plan on violence against women and gender-based violence since 2015—yet it still does not exist. And our legal system makes it harder for survivors of sexual assault and violent crimes to get justice by allowing extreme intoxication to be considered a legitimate defense against such violent crimes. 

In its report “COVID-19 and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls” the United Nations urges countries across the world to form national responses. They encourage nations to include plans for increasing and adapting funding programs and support for essential services such as shelters, hotlines and online counselling services. This may include the provision of psychosocial support for women and girls directly affected by intimate partner violence and for frontline staff who often suffer vicarious trauma. Furthermore, they highlight the need for governments to prioritize training for front line workers about intimate partner violence and to ensure strong, timely action is taken by law enforcement on cases of violence against women and girls. 

And there’s still more that can be done. Canada needs to ensure that there are pandemic-safe housing options in place as alternatives to already-overburdened shelters. A financial aid program needs to be formalized to reduce victims’ dependence on their abuser. And more resources relating to family courts during and after a health crisis need to be provided. The experts agree a second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic IS coming. While on that it seems there is no question, one question remains: when it comes to keeping women and girls safe, will we be ready?

*If you feel unsafe in your home or relationship and need support, visit www.sheltersafe.ca for resources across Canada. If you are in immediate danger, call 911*

References

Abramsky, T., Watts, C.H., Garcia-Moreno, C. et al. (2011). What factors are associated with recent intimate partner violence? findings from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence. BMC Public Health 11, 109.

Canadian Department of Justice. (2009). An estimation of the economic impact of spousal violence in Canada. Available: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/rp-pr/cj-jp/fv-vf/rr12_7/p0.html – sum

Devries, K. M., Mak, J. Y., Garcia-Moreno, C. Petzold, M., Child, J.C., Falder, G. et al. (2013). The global prevalence of intimate partner violence against women. Science 340(6140): 1527–8.

Eckhardt, Christopher I., et al. (2015). Mechanisms of alcohol-facilitated intimate partner violence. Violence Against Women 21(8).

Fuller-Thomson, E., Baird, S. L., Dhrodia, R. & Brennenstuhl, S. (2016). The association between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and suicide attempts in a population-based study. Child: Care, Health and Development. DOI: 10.1111/cch.12351

ISPCAN. (2020). Behind closed doors measuring family violence in the context of COVID 19 in Canada. Retrived from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YVLFl8l0mM&feature=youtu.be 

Peterman A, Potts A, O’Donnell M, Thompson K, Shah N, Oertelt-Prigione S, van Gelder N. Pandemics and violence against women and children. Center for Global Development working paper. 2020, April 1:528.

Statistics Canada. (2018). Family violence in Canada: A statistical profile, 2018. Retrieved from: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/85-002-x/2019001/article/00018-eng.htm

Unicef. (2006). Behind closed doors: The impact of domestic violence on children. Available: http://www.unicef.org/protection/files/BehindClosedDoors.pdf