Intimate partner violence: the second pandemic? A feminist exploration of sexual-minority intimate partner violence amidst COVID-19 in Scotland.

Abstract

Heteronormative narratives of intimate partner violence (IPV) compound the invisibility of sexual-minority survivors, who are marginalised in public discourse, academia and service provision. Sexual-minority invisibility extends to the COVID-19 pandemic. During this period of world-wide turmoil, little attention has been allocated to their lived experiences, particularly within the Scottish context. Whilst the COVID-19 pandemic undeniably shaped the experiences of survivors from this community, the more prominent issue was the presence of sexual-minority status and how this amplifies complexities in navigating difficult circumstances when compared with heterosexual peers. This study employs a feminist methodological approach, with the inclusion of a participatory element, in which sexual-minority participants shaped the research instruments used for qualitative interviews, allowing them to be co-constructors of knowledge relevant to their community. Sexual-minority experiences of intimate partner violence predominantly mirrored those of their heterosexual counterparts, struggling to cope when faced with isolation and increased proximity, surveillance and control. Additional challenges emerged where different narratives and tactics infiltrated their experiences of abuse. In their help-seeking endeavours, heteronormativity, homophobia, and stereotypes around masculinity and femininity limited their ability to receive adequate support, especially where the system was at a lockdown-related stand-still. However, survivors were able to reap some benefits from informal and privatised avenues of help-seeking, which can be used to make changes to the IPV landscape. Although the pandemic undoubtedly shaped the way power and control was imposed on sexual-minority survivors, the lack of understanding and societal resources tailored to their needs presented as a more significant issue. Therefore, fundamental changes must be made to increase the visibility of sexual-minority communities and to help overcome the challenges they face amidst times of crisis.

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https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

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Identifiers

DOI

https://doi.org/10.48526/rgu-wt-2571197

Repository URI

https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2571197