Victimization among female and male sexual minority status groups: evidence from the British Crime Survey 2007-2010

Knowledge, behaviours, and training related to 2SLGBTQIA+ health education amongst entry-level physiotherapy students in Canada: results of a nationwide, cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ report worse health outcomes than heterosexual/cisgender counterparts, in part due to poor experiences with healthcare professionals. This may stem from inadequate 2SLGBTQIA+ health and inclusiveness training in health professional student education. The purpose of the study was to evaluate knowledge, behaviours, and training related to 2SLGBTQIA+ health education and inclusiveness for entry-level physiotherapy students in Canada.

METHODS

We conducted a nationwide, cross-sectional survey with physiotherapy students from accredited Canadian physiotherapy programs. We administered the survey through Qualtrics and recruited students through targeted recruitment emails and social media posts on Twitter and Instagram between August and December 2021. Survey responses are reported as frequencies (percentage). We also completed multivariable logistic regressions to evaluate associations among question responses related to working with 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals (i.e., communication, feeling prepared and assessment competency). Covariates included training hours (< 10/10 + hours) and 2SLGBTQIA+ identity (yes/no).

RESULTS

A total of 150 students responded to the survey, with 35 (23%) identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+ . Many students felt confident in communicating effectively with clients who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (69%). However, only half (47%) felt comfortable assessing clients who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ . Routine practice of inclusive behaviours such as using pronouns, considering identities are fluid and a patient's gender identity and/or sexual orientation may shift from one visit to the next, and considering trauma-informed care practices were reported from less than half of the students (< 45%). Around 29% of students reported no 2SLGBTQIA+ training in their physiotherapy program, while 47% reported 0-10 hours, and 24% reported 10 + hours of training. Students with 10 + hours of training had 92% higher odds of feeling competent in assessing 2SLGBTQIA+ clients, compared to those with < 10 hours of training.

CONCLUSIONS

Entry-level physiotherapy students in Canada show a lack of understanding and awareness for 2SLGBTQIA+ health and inclusive behaviours which can meaningfully impact patient experience. Students report feeling incompetent when working with 2SLGBTQIA+ patients, which may be associated with lack of 2SLGBTQIA+ training in their programs. Greater efforts and attention towards increasing 2SLGBTQIA+ health education and inclusivity in Canadian entry-level physiotherapy programs is critically needed.

The Double Standard Toward Female and Male Victims of Non-consensual Dissemination of Intimate Images

Non-consensual dissemination of intimate images (NCII) is a growing problem of sexual violence with grave consequences for victims. However, despite recent criminalization and civil and legal sanctions, there is reason to suspect that the majority of NCII cases remain unreported. The reasons for that may be similar to the ones accounting for under-reporting in cases of physical sexual violence and are tied to society's attitude toward victims. Being a relatively new form of violence, psychological research on perceptions of NCII victims and offenders is scarce. The purpose of the present study was to extend the current knowledge by comparing perceptions toward female and male victims of NCII, while manipulating the victim's role in producing the intimate material. Drawing on rape research, it was hypothesized that gender stereotypes interact with victims' sex and behavior to influence the way victims are perceived. Five-hundred and thirty-nine male and female students were presented with a scenario depicting an NCII offense in which the intimate material was either self-generated by the victim (selfies) or stealth-taken by the victim's ex-intimate partner. Victim and offender sex were also manipulated. The findings indicate a differential treatment toward female and male victims of NCII, depending on their role in the taking of the intimate images. More blaming was attributed toward a female victim whose intimate images were self-taken, in comparison to all other research conditions, and negative feelings toward her were the highest as well. These blame attributions, as well as negative feelings toward female victims, were particularly high on the side of male participants. The findings are interpreted as reflecting perceptions of traditional gender roles and a double standard toward female and male sexual behavior.

Understanding (and Acting On) 20 Years of Research on Violence and LGBTQ + Communities

Questions related to violence, vulnerability, and sexual and gender minorities continuing to occupy a focal place in U.S. public discourse. We reviewed findings from 20 years of research on that topic to make recommendations for policy, practice, and future research. This article synthesizes findings from 102 peer-reviewed articles as well as a small number of unpublished studies and grey literature. We found no data to support the idea (widespread in popular discourse) that those in the sexual or gender majority require protection from sexual or gender minority individuals. Instead, this wide body of research indicates that sexual and gender minorities are themselves at elevated risk for physical and sexual assault, harassment, bullying, and hate crime victimization throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Contradicting the image of hate crimes as perpetrated by strangers or acquaintances, we find that bias-related verbal abuse, physical, and sexual assault by close family members contribute heavily to observed victimization rates. Further, despite the perception that society is becoming more welcoming, victimization disparities appear to be stable or widening since the 1990s. More studies with probabilistic sampling approaches, standardized measures, and larger samples of gender minorities are needed. However, widespread victimization of sexual and gender minorities is clearly an urgent issue, demanding attention from clinicians, program developers, and policy makers.