The promise of an intersectoral network in enhancing the response to transgender survivors of sexual assault

Abstract

Objectives This study explores the promise of an intersectoral network in enhancing the response to transgender (trans) survivors of sexual assault. Methods One hundred and three representatives of healthcare and community organizations across Ontario, Canada were invited to participate in a survey. Respondents were asked to: 1) identify systemic challenges to supporting trans survivors, 2) determine barriers to collaborating across sectors, and 3) indicate how an intersectoral network might address these challenges and barriers. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize quantitative data and qualitative data were collated thematically. Results Sixty-seven representatives responded to the survey, for a response rate of 65%. Several themes capturing the challenges organizations face in supporting trans survivors were identified: Lack of knowledge and training among providers, Inadequate resources across organizations and institutions, and Limited access to and availability of appropriate services. Barriers to collaborating across sectors considered important by the overwhelming majority of respondents were: Lack of trans-positive service professionals (e.g., a paucity of sensitivity training), lack of resources (e.g., staff, staff time and workload, spaces to meet), and Institutional structures (e.g., oppressive policies, funding mandates). Four ways in which a network could address these challenges and barriers emerged from the data: Center the voices of trans communities in advocacy; Support competence of professionals to provide trans-affirming care; Provide the platform, strategies, and tools to aid in organizational change; and Create space for organizations to share ideas, goals, and resources. Conclusion Our findings deepen our understanding of important impediments to enhancing the response to trans survivors of sexual assault and the role networks of healthcare and community organizations can play in comprehensively responding to complex health and social problems.

Accessing sexualized violence services and supports for women in rural Nova Scotia: A qualitative study

“…In Nova Scotia, racialized women have reported feeling unwelcome and unheard in "mainstream" spaces for survivors of violence, including community-based services (Creating Communities of Care, n.d.). Our study also does not speak to the experiences of trans and nonbinary populations, who face both a greater risk of experiencing sexualized violence (Jaffray, 2020) and additional barriers to accessing services (Du Mont et al, 2020;Sualp et al, 2021). Future research should explore the service access experiences of diverse and marginalized populations.…”

Development of a WebPortal to Advance and Mobilize Knowledge Relevant to Trans-Affirming Care for Sexual Assault Survivors in Ontario, Canada

“…This suggestion is helpful, as studies have indicated that repositories of online information can be a vital resource for trans persons, particularly youth. 17 In addition, establishing a membership directory of trans-affirming supports and services may improve referrals within and across regions 11 , 24 and could also facilitate direct access to safe, appropriate, and sensitive care for trans survivors. This could be particularly helpful where resources tend to be more scarce (e.g., in rural or northern communities).…”

“… 9 Based on these insights, a survey was distributed to all representatives to determine their priorities for specific Network activities and deliverables and solidify their status as Network members. 10 , 11 Survey results highlighted that, for a large majority of responding organizations (87.8%), the creation of a knowledge sharing portal to share organizational information, updates, research developments, and other resources was a priority. 10 This was an important finding as, to our knowledge, no other resource hub focused on trans-affirming care for sexual assault survivors has been available to service providers in this and other Canadian provinces.…”

Advancing community-engaged research during the COVID-19 pandemic: Insights from a social network analysis of the trans-LINK Network

“…Responding member organizations (64/93) represented a rich diversity of services including, but not limited to, counselling/mental health (77%), advocacy and outreach (67%), education and training (56%), healthcare (51%), sexual assault care (46%), and care for other forms of violence (42%) and varied in size from 100 or less employees (44%) to more than 1000 employees (16%). The input of diverse organizational representatives, of whom more than half had over a decade of experience in their role (53%) and a substantial minority were trans or gender diverse (26%) [ 23 ], was critical for further guiding the development of the network. For example, the highest prioritized deliverables–provision of standardized sensitivity training on violence against trans persons for professionals and development of an online directory/resource list of trans-affirming service providers and organizations–directly informed our next steps.…”