We’re really happy to share a new open-access publication from the CARES Lab, published in Trauma, Violence, & Abuse: Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among Disabled Women: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis.
Gender-based violence (GBV) is a widespread issue, and we know that disabled women experience it at disproportionately high rates. But their experiences are often missing from research, policy, and practice conversations or treated as an afterthought. This study aimed to bring those experiences together in a more comprehensive and visible way.
This paper is a qualitative meta-synthesis, meaning we brought together findings from 49 qualitative studies that centre disabled women’s own words and lived experiences of GBV. Rather than looking at a single dataset, this approach allows us to see patterns across many studies, contexts, and countries.
Across the studies, disabled women described significant barriers when trying to seek safety and support, including systemic gaps and responses that sometimes led to further harm. Ableism shaped many of these experiences, influencing how women were treated, believed, and supported. At the same time, the findings also highlight resistance and agency, as women navigated and challenged systems that often failed them.
This paper highlights the urgent need for change. Improving responses to GBV requires more than small adjustments. It calls for disability-inclusive policies, better access to services, and approaches that are informed by survivors themselves.
This work was a collaborative effort with an incredible team: Stephanie L. Baird (King’s University College, Western University), Sarah E. Norris (Dalhousie University), Tori Lewis (Windsor University), and Kristen Romme (Memorial University). The article is open access, so it’s freely available to read and share.
Read the paper:
Goulden, A., Baird, S., Norris, S., Lewis, V., & Romme, K. (2026). Experiences of gender-based violence among disabled women: A qualitative meta-synthesis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2026.2620747