Healing the Spirit: Exploring Sexualized Trauma and Recovery among Indigenous Men in Toronto

Abstract

Colonial policies in Canada have led to social disruption and intergenerational trauma across Indigenous nations, contributing to high rates of sexualized violence within many communities. While mental health and social science discourse has identified the harmful impacts of violence against Indigenous women in Canada, there continues to be a lack of focus on the unique mental health needs of Indigenous men in this regard. This article reviews the results of a nationally funded research study which looked at the mental health and healing needs of Indigenous men in Toronto who have experienced sexualized trauma. This study followed Indigenous protocols for research and was conducted in partnership with Anishnawbe Health Toronto, a culture-based community health center. The methodology utilized a narrative inquiry and interviewed six community men about their recovery journeys and ten community healers and counselors about recovery through a gendered lens. The results explore the discourses that contribute to the social construction of masculinity(ies) and the impacts of these social norms on help-seeking behaviors. These results inform culturally appropriate and gender-relevant mental health service provision for Indigenous male clients recovering from sexualized trauma.

Risk of Secondary Distress for Graduate Students Conducting Qualitative Research on Sensitive Subjects: A Scoping Review of Canadian Dissertations and Theses

“…An additional 13% ( n = 29) of dissertations included in the sample reported the implementation of strategies to enhance the trustworthiness or rigour of the findings, such as peer-debriefing or reflexive journaling, that may also mitigate secondary distress or emotional impact. For example, Reeves (2013) wrote about peer debriefing, Credibility was also maintained by engaging in peer review and peer debriefing. This was an external check where a reviewer, in this case the research supervisor, as well as another PhD student in the research group, reviewed the data analysis to ensure that the methods of analysis were sound (p. 89).…”

Pathways for sexual health promotion among Indigenous boys and men: stakeholder perspectives

“…Less is known about the implications of colonial trauma across the lifespan for Indigenous boys and men. Although there is a growing body of literature in Canada that is focused on the intergenerational effects of colonial trauma, few studies focus on the mental health outcomes for Indigenous boys and men specifically (Reeves & Stewart, 2017).…”

Conceptualizations of help-seeking for mental health concerns in First Nations communities in Canada: A comparison of fit with the Andersen Behavioral Model

“…In the United States, stigma, lack of culturally appropriate treatment options and mistrust of formal services to name a few, were identified as barriers for American Indian adults (Hartmann & Gone, 2012& 2013Manson, 2000;Roh et al, 2017). Similarly, in Canada, distrust in mainstream helping professions was a barrier to seeking MH care amongst Indigenous men (Reeves & Stewart, 2017).…”

“…In the United States, stigma, lack of culturally appropriate treatment options and mistrust of formal services to name a few, were identified as barriers for American Indian adults (Hartmann & Gone, 2012 & 2013; Manson, 2000; Roh et al., 2017). Similarly, in Canada, distrust in mainstream helping professions was a barrier to seeking MH care amongst Indigenous men (Reeves & Stewart, 2017). Considering Indigenous youth, literature from the United States, Australia, and Canada established avoidance of help-seeking for serious mental illness as a significant problem, due for example, to perceived inability for others to help, embarrassment and self-reliance (Dauphinais, LaFromboise & Rowe, 1980; First Nations Information Governance Committee, 2005; Freedenthal & Stiffman, 2007; Rickwood, Deane & Wilson, 2007; Vicary & Andrews, 2001).…”