This seminar is the first in a series organised by the Rainbow Research Network at Te Herenga Waka. We are an interdisciplinary community of staff and postgraduate students united by our shared commitment to create dedicated space for supporting intersectional research on gender, sex and sexuality, race, class, feminism, and queer and trans studies.

Barriers to Help-Seeking for Intimate Partner Aggression in the Rainbow Community

People in the Rainbow community experience greater rates of intimate partner aggression (IPA) than the general population and have fewer help-seeking pathways available. The current research examines possible barriers for people in the Rainbow community, including perceptions of societal heteronormativity—the belief that being cisgender and heterosexual is the norm—and the extent to which help-seeking barriers differ between formal sources of support (e.g., police, counsellors) and informal sources of support (e.g., friends, family).

In Study 1A (N=363), people who perceived greater levels of societal heteronormativity were more likely to experience self-focused barriers to help-seeking (e.g., feelings of weakness, shame, and embarrassment). Additionally, participants perceived more barriers to help from formal compared to informal sources. Study 1B (N=10) aimed to understand perceptions of barriers to help-seeking held by people in Aotearoa's Rainbow community, including the different perceived barriers to formal compared to informal sources of support. This seminar will address these studies, where the themes illustrated that Rainbow people perceive barriers at all stages of the help-seeking process. 

Presenter:
Chelsea D'Cruz completed their MSc in Forensic Psychology at the start of this year, looking at societal heteronormativity and factors that make help-seeking for intimate partner aggression more difficult for people in the Rainbow community. They are part of the Interpersonal Relationships Lab within the School of Psychology at Te Herenga Waka, and presently, they are working within the School of Psychology and the School of Health. They are passionate about research within the Rainbow community, specifically in regard to gender, relationships, and intimate partner aggression. 

Contact: chelsea.dcruz@vuw.ac.nz 

Chaired by:
Dr. George Parker (they/them), Pūkenga Ratoa Hauora | Lecturer in Health Service Delivery in the School of Health. 

CW: Please note that this research presentation will discuss aspects of gender-based violence, which some audience members may find distressing. If you or anyone you know would like support or need to talk, please reach out. You can find support from the following organisations:

• Healthpoint - Need to Talk? Free call or text anytime to 1737
• Safe to Talk: Safe to Talk is a free service that provides advice, support and confidential information to people who have been affected by sexual harm. Safe to Talk can connect you with further support in your community, and you can use this service anonymously. Call 0800 044 334 or text 4334 for 24/7 access to trained professionals.

On campus support:
Make an appointment with a counsellor at Mauri Ora. You don’t have to be registered with Student Health to use this service. To find out more, call 04 463 5308.

For acute mental health crisis after hours, phone Te Haika on 0800 745 477.