‘Healthy Relationships’ campaign: Preventing and addressing family and gender-based violence

Author(s):  
Carley Robb-Jackson ◽  
Sandra Campbell

LAY SUMMARY Canadian military families face distinct challenges due to the military lifestyle, primarily due to relocation, absences and deployments, and risk of injury and death. Tied to these challenges is the intimate partner relationship and the ability of the family unit to thrive. To support families, Military Family Services (MFS) undertook a collaborative process to create a modernized campaign focused on healthy relationships for Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members, Veterans, and their families. The “Healthy Relationships” campaign is a unique social media campaign centred on positive behaviour change, inspiration, and sharing of real military families’ stories. The campaign sought to shift the narrative from previous anti-family-violence messaging to promoting positive, healthy, and equitable relationships. The campaign was successful in its rollout across bases and wings in Canada, Europe, and the United States.

Author(s):  
Callaghan Walter

LAY SUMMARY Taking as a starting point that sex and gender are not the same thing, a principal understanding of Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+), this article reviews research published in 2020 on the health and well-being of Veterans and currently serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces. The purpose of this review was to see how sex and gender were referred to in this published literature. The published research tended not to differentiate between sex and gender, often using the two terms as though they referred to the same thing. Possible reasons for why this has happened are explored, as is the importance of treating sex and gender as fundamentally different things.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia Mikolas ◽  
Ashley Pike ◽  
Chelsea Jones ◽  
Lorraine Smith-MacDonald ◽  
Melina Lee ◽  
...  

IntroductionThe resilience of Canadian military families (CMFs) – the main support of the Canadian Armed Forces service members (SMs) – is imperative. The Canadian Armed Forces aims to ensure that SMs and their families are resilient and SMs ready to respond when called upon for combat, peacekeeping or pandemic/disaster-response. Family concerns, however, can realistically distract SMs from the mission, potentially compromising themselves, their unit and the mission. Resilience-training programs such as Bounce Back and Thrive! (BBT) can help families manage the realities of military life.ObjectiveThis pilot study aimed to evaluate suitability of BBT implementation by Military Family Resource Centers (MFRCs), including whether BBT: (1) fosters resilience-building among parents, (2) facilitates CMF resilience-building, (3) can be contextualized for CMFs, and (4) supports MFRCs in cultivating a culture of resilience.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative design was used. BBT was offered to parents face-to-face. Participants completed focus groups after the first 6 sessions, final 4 sessions, and one-year post-intervention. Data was thematically analyzed.ResultsNine military parents participated. Four major themes resulted: (1) military parent resilience-building, (2) CMF resilience-building, (3) BBT program feedback and contextualization, and (4) MFRCs as community resilience hubs.DiscussionBBT enabled parents to gain a new perspective on resilience, engage in dialogue and intentionally role model resilience skills. Military-specific BBT contextualization and online-delivery formats would increase suitability and access for CMFs. Access to resilience programs delivered through MFRCs would support CMFs. Further research is warranted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 227-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea L. Wirtz ◽  
Tonia C. Poteat ◽  
Mannat Malik ◽  
Nancy Glass

Gender-based violence (GBV) is an umbrella term for any harm that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that results from power inequalities based on gender roles. Most global estimates of GBV implicitly refer only to the experiences of cisgender, heterosexually identified women, which often comes at the exclusion of transgender and gender nonconforming (trans) populations. Those who perpetrate violence against trans populations often target gender nonconformity, gender expression or identity, and perceived sexual orientation and thus these forms of violence should be considered within broader discussions of GBV. Nascent epidemiologic research suggests a high burden of GBV among trans populations, with an estimated prevalence that ranges from 7% to 89% among trans populations and subpopulations. Further, 165 trans persons have been reported murdered in the United States between 2008 and 2016. GBV is associated with multiple poor health outcomes and has been broadly posited as a component of syndemics, a term used to describe an interaction of diseases with underlying social forces, concomitant with limited prevention and response programs. The interaction of social stigma, inadequate laws, and punitive policies as well as a lack of effective GBV programs limits access to and use of GBV prevention and response programs among trans populations. This commentary summarizes the current body of research on GBV among trans populations and highlights areas for future research, intervention, and policy.


Author(s):  
Katherine Martinez ◽  
Courtney McDonald

Gender-based violence refers to the violence that gendered individuals, typically women and girls, experience due to patriarchal systems of inequality which position woman and girls as objects of discipline and control. One patriarchal system, the nuclear family, is particularly prone to gender inequality and thus violence. This article engages in a theory-building exercise to explain the gendering of violence as it occurs within inter-sibling relationships. More specifically, it posits that inter-sibling violence serves as a mechanism of heteromasculine hegemony. The authors analysed the retrospective accounts of 31 non-binary and LGBTQ+ individuals’ experiences with inter-sibling violence, focusing on gender within the family in the United States. Data suggest that women and non-binary assigned female at birth (AFAB) individuals are at greater risk for inter-sibling violence than men, although those assigned male at birth (AMAB) may also be at risk if they exhibit subordinate masculinities in childhood. The study highlights how gender-based violence permeates throughout family relationships, including those between siblings.<br /><br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>Gender-based violence extends into sibling relationships.</li><br /><li>Experiences with inter-sibling violence differ in important ways for transgender and gender non-binary individuals.</li><br /><li>Inter-sibling violence is a gender-based violence and serves as a mechanism of hegemony.</li></ul>


2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-298
Author(s):  
Maria N. Scaptura ◽  
Kaitlin M. Boyle

The current study aims to shed light on how masculinity threat and challenges from women translate into fantasies of mass and gender-based violence. These attitudes are evident among some self-proclaimed “incels,” who blame social liberalism, feminism, and sexually active men for their rejection from women. We developed a measure of “incel” traits, which was administered in an online self-report survey of 18- to 30-year-old heterosexual men in the United States. As hypothesized, stress in one’s inability to live up to norms of masculinity and endorsement of “incel” traits are associated with violent fantasies about rape and using powerful weapons against enemies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 654-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alla Skomorovsky ◽  
Amanda Bullock

Children in military families experience various stressors associated with the demands of military life, such as parental absences due to deployments. However, there is a limited understanding of children’s well-being to parental deployment from Canadian military families. This study was conducted to examine the impact of deployment on the well-being of school age children from Canadian Armed Forces families and to consider the resilience factors in their well-being. Focus groups with children ( N = 85) showed that deployment negatively impacted children’s well-being, routines, and family dynamics. Active distraction and social support seeking served as the most effective protective factors against deployment stress. Recommendations for mitigating the impact of deployment are offered.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 380-389
Author(s):  
Erin Thomas ◽  
Charlene Tukiuha ◽  
Yvonne Underhill-Sem ◽  
Jama'l Talagi

Introduction: Gender-based violence (GBV) is a product and manifestation of gender relations that inflicts harm disproportionately on those who identify as women and girls. In the Pacific island country of Niue, there is a lack of research and attention on the issue. The aim of this research is to examine how to work with the family space in Niue to achieve the goal of eliminating violence in social relations in Niue and promoting healthy relationships. Methods: The research involved 14 family-tree mapping interviews using blended narrative-talanoa methods. Guided by a genealogical approach, this family-tree mapping approach was piloted as a tool for in-depth exploration of how the family space functions around GBV. Findings: This framework presents a new way of engaging with the issue of GBV in terms of research and intervention through family-tree mapping in a way that illuminates the dynamics around disclosure, accountability, education, and talanoa/ gossip, but also protects the privacy of participants. Conclusion: By making space within families through family-tree mapping to discuss GBV, local advocates can better understand the complexity and intimacy of family dynamics, uphold the imperatives for privacy, and guide communities towards prevention and accountability.


2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-71
Author(s):  
Leigh Spanner

Since 2008, the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has called the military family “the strength behind the uniform.” The contributions and sacrifices of military families, and in particular spouses, are now formally recognized as essential to operational effectiveness, such as the ability to deploy troops quickly and easily. This represents a departure from previous eras, which took for granted the “naturalness” of a gendered division of labour in military households in support of organizational goals. Making visible and valuing this work parallels recent efforts by the CAF to improve the wellbeing of its people and advance gender equality in the organization and on operations. This article considers the gendered labour and power implications of formally recognizing the contributions of military families and spouses to the CAF. What does recognizing the military family as “the strength behind the uniform” mean for women and the gendered labour relations in military families? By drawing on analyses of policies, programs, and institutional rhetoric, alongside interviews by military family members, the article argues that in formally recognizing the family’s contribution to operational effectiveness, the CAF is co-opting the labour and loyalty of women spouses in military families. The institutional emphasis on “taking care of its people” obscures the ways in which the service required of military families is gendered and relies on women being constrained by traditional gender norms. These findings have implications for the genuine wellbeing of military families and for assessing feminist progress, or lack thereof, within the CAF institution.


2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 478-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Cramm ◽  
Garth Smith ◽  
Dawa Samdup ◽  
Ashley Williams ◽  
Lucia Rühland

Abstract Background Most military families experience mandatory relocation, or posting, several times during the military career. For Canadian military families who must access provincial or territorial health care systems, maintaining reasonable continuity of care is a persistent issue. Such challenges may be amplified when a child in a military family has special needs within the health and educational systems. Objective The purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a better understanding of Canadian Armed Forces families’ experiences in navigating health care systems on behalf of a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the context of mandatory relocation. Methods Parents of children with ASD, where at least one parent serves in the Canadian Armed Forces and had faced military-related relocation, were recruited. Semi-structured interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed thematically. Results Twelve participants represented 12 families and 15 children with ASD. Participants discussed two primary themes. (1) High mobility inherent in the military lifestyle can create disruptions and discontinuities to service, including delays in diagnosis or intervention, losses and gains in available services determined by the direction of posting, and the need to start health care access processes over again when relocating. (2) Navigating health systems for children with ASD creates personal stress and frustration related to relocating, and has career implications for both parents. Conclusions Military-related relocation can create significant disruption in access to health and educational services for Canadian military families who have a child with ASD, and take a personal toll on these families.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 449-467
Author(s):  
Marta Valiñas

Abstract The Colombian Special Jurisdiction for Peace (Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz, SJP) is the judicial component of the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition created by the Peace Agreement signed between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — People’s Army in November 2016. The SJP started functioning in March 2018 and has already selected a few priority cases, some of which include sexual and gender-based crimes. It is to be expected that more cases involving these crimes will be initiated in the future. This article aims to offer some considerations for the SJP as it begins its investigation and adjudication of cases involving sexual and gender-based crimes. These considerations relate to ensuring that the full scope of sexual and gender-based violence is captured, including the experiences of male victims and the gender components of non-sexual crimes; and that the contextualization of sexual violence is prioritized over unnecessary considerations about the personal motives of the perpetrators.


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