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AIMS Medical Science

2024, Volume 11, Issue 3: 265-291. doi: 10.3934/medsci.2024020
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“That was terrifying!”: When 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals and rural women experiencing intimate partner violence are stalked

  • 1.
    Owerko Centre, Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, 2500 University Drive NW, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
  • 2.
    Department of Community Health Sciences, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
  • 3.
    University of Manitoba, 108 Isbister, 183 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
  • 4.
    University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Drive, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
  • 5.
    Faculty of Nursing and Cumming School of Medicine (Departments of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Community Health Sciences), University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
  • Received: 24 April 2024 Revised: 07 August 2024 Accepted: 26 August 2024 Published: 31 August 2024

  • Background 

    Stalking reflects a lesser-studied form of intimate partner violence (IPV; e.g., physical abuse) that may occur pre- and postseparation between two or more partners, incurring lifelong pervasive health impacts on those involved. Intersectionality theory elucidates how Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) individuals' and rural women's identities are oppressed by society, thus subjecting them to unique IPV experiences. Therefore, this study aims to explore how stalking manifests among 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals and women living rurally with lived experiences, both of which are underrepresented groups in current stalking literature.

    Methods 

    We used secondary data from two IPV studies conducted among 2SLGBTQQ+ (no intersex or asexual participants) individuals and rural women (n = 29). We interviewed 2SLGBTQQ+ (n = 18) and rural women (n = 11) who resided in Alberta, Canada and experienced IPV via semi-structured, qualitative approaches. A thematic analysis was guided by intersectionality theory to analyze the data, applying inductive and semantic approaches.

    Findings 

    Of the 29 participants, 15 were stalked by their abusive partners and 9 reported on the negative impacts of being stalked. Rural women and 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals were mainly stalked via physical forms of stalking and cyberstalking, respectively. We describe other forms of stalking and the ineffectiveness of legal systems in those seeking support for stalking. The impacts of stalking (e.g., hypervigilance) were so profound that the feeling of being stalked persisted, which we termed phantom stalking.

    Significance 

    2SLGBTQQ+ individuals predominantly experienced stalking through technology and rural women experienced stalking in more public or physical forms, which stemmed from intersections with community and geographical factors, respectively. We posit the notion of “phantom stalking” and discuss and differentiate it from other psychiatric diagnoses. Additionally, we provide important recommendations related to legislation, education, safety, and research.

    Citation: Stefan Kurbatfinski, Kendra Nixon, Susanne Marshall, Jason Novick, Dawn McBride, Nicole Letourneau. “That was terrifying!”: When 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals and rural women experiencing intimate partner violence are stalked[J]. AIMS Medical Science, 2024, 11(3): 265-291. doi: 10.3934/medsci.2024020

    Related Papers:

  • Background 

    Stalking reflects a lesser-studied form of intimate partner violence (IPV; e.g., physical abuse) that may occur pre- and postseparation between two or more partners, incurring lifelong pervasive health impacts on those involved. Intersectionality theory elucidates how Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQQIA+) individuals' and rural women's identities are oppressed by society, thus subjecting them to unique IPV experiences. Therefore, this study aims to explore how stalking manifests among 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals and women living rurally with lived experiences, both of which are underrepresented groups in current stalking literature.

    Methods 

    We used secondary data from two IPV studies conducted among 2SLGBTQQ+ (no intersex or asexual participants) individuals and rural women (n = 29). We interviewed 2SLGBTQQ+ (n = 18) and rural women (n = 11) who resided in Alberta, Canada and experienced IPV via semi-structured, qualitative approaches. A thematic analysis was guided by intersectionality theory to analyze the data, applying inductive and semantic approaches.

    Findings 

    Of the 29 participants, 15 were stalked by their abusive partners and 9 reported on the negative impacts of being stalked. Rural women and 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals were mainly stalked via physical forms of stalking and cyberstalking, respectively. We describe other forms of stalking and the ineffectiveness of legal systems in those seeking support for stalking. The impacts of stalking (e.g., hypervigilance) were so profound that the feeling of being stalked persisted, which we termed phantom stalking.

    Significance 

    2SLGBTQQ+ individuals predominantly experienced stalking through technology and rural women experienced stalking in more public or physical forms, which stemmed from intersections with community and geographical factors, respectively. We posit the notion of “phantom stalking” and discuss and differentiate it from other psychiatric diagnoses. Additionally, we provide important recommendations related to legislation, education, safety, and research.



    加载中

    Acknowledgments


    We thank: participants for sharing their stories and experiences to further research; RESOLVE staff for their support in making this work a reality; our Albertan community agency partners for assisting in recruitment, including FearIsNotLove and Wheatland Crisis Society; Olivia Giacobbo (OG) for her assistance in conducting interviews; Keira Griggs for her support in finalizing the manuscript; Drs. Scott Patten and Jennifer Woo for their medical expertise to help describe the hypervigilance and anxiety phenomenon of phantom stalking; and the Prairieaction Foundation for funding of this research.

    Ethics approval of research and informed consent


    Prior to participating in the interviews and studies, participants provided written informed consent via signatures. Ethical approval for both studies was obtained from the University of Calgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB20-1461_REN3, REB20-1241_REN6).

    Conflict of interest


    The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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