December 2023 – Present
Study Title: A Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experiences of Gender-Based Violence Among Disabled Women and Gender-Diverse People in Newfoundland and Labrador
Funding: Memorial University Vice-President Research Start-up Support; Mitacs Globalink Research Award
About the Study:
Disabled women experience disproportionately high rates of gender-based violence (GBV), yet their experiences are often overlooked in research, policy, and service responses. In Newfoundland and Labrador, where rates of gender-based violence are particularly high, there is a need to better understand how disability shapes experiences of violence, safety, and access to support.
This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of disabled women and gender-diverse people who had experienced gender-based violence in Newfoundland and Labrador. We were particularly interested in understanding how participants made sense of their experiences, how disability and ableism shaped those experiences, and the barriers they encountered when seeking safety and support.
Research Assistants:
- Tori Lewis, BA, BSW, MSW Student (University of Windsor), RSW
- Israt Lipa, BSS, MSS, PhD Candidate (Folklore, Memorial University)
- Jullye Ponsoni, Psychology, Federal University of Paraná
Collaborators:
- Dr. Stephanie Baird (Co-Investigator), Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, King’s University College at Western University
Progress: Data collection and the primary analysis are complete. Our first article was published in Qualitative Social Work in June 2026. The research team continues to examine additional aspects of participants’ experiences, including police responses to gender-based violence and the experiences of survivors with ADHD.
Results: Goulden, A., Ponsoni, J. G. O., Lewis, V., Lipa, I. J., & Baird, S. L. (2026). “I survived him. He did everything he could to destroy me.”: A phenomenological study of gender-based violence experienced by disabled women in Newfoundland and Labrador. Qualitative Social Work, 25(3–4), 346–367.
Publications Related to Disability and Gender-Based Violence
Baird, S., Goulden, A., Lewis, V., Norris, S., & Romme, K. (2026). Responding to gender-based violence among disabled women: A global qualitative meta-synthesis. Journal of Social Work.
Chowdhury, R., Goel, M., Goulden, A., Wong, F., Appiah, J., & King, B. (2026). Victims or perpetrators? Young mothers who survived intimate partner violence and their involvement with the child welfare system in Ontario. Qualitative Social Work, 25(3-4), 644-663.
Government of Canada Knowledge Synthesis Evidence-Brief [Available!]
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.
Goulden, A., Baird, S., Romme, K., Pacheco, L., Norris, S., Norris, D., Faye, L., MacNeil, S., & Pittman, J. (2023). Experiences of gender-based violence among disabled women: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis protocol. International Journal of Qualitative Methods.
Presentations Related to This Project
Goulden, A., Baird, S., & Ajike, T. (2023, June 29). Experiences of gender-based violence among disabled women: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis [Forum session]. KSG Knowledge Mobilization Forum Gender-Based Violence, Government of Canada.