Researchers want to hear about working class women’s experiences of sexual violence

Researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University are looking for women who are over 18 from working-class backgrounds in Scotland to talk to them about their experiences of sexual violence.

In the first study of its kind, Principal Investigator Dr Karen Lorimer wants to know if the women told anyone, or sought help and support, and what that experience was like, good or bad, in a bid to give women a voice.

Dr Lorimer, from School for Health and Life Sciences (SHLS), is working with Professor Lesley McMillan, from the Glasgow School for Business and Society, on the research project, funded by a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant.

Dr Lorimer, Reader in Social Science and Health in the SHLS Research Centre for Health (ReaCH) Sexual Health and Blood Borne Viruses Research Group, comes from a working-class family in the east end of Glasgow and said she understands the challenges and inequalities women experience.

She said: “I grew up in Shettleston and it’s important to me that the voices of working-class women in areas of high deprivation are heard. This is the first study of its kind looking specifically at class in relation to sexual violence in Scotland.

“We need a small group of women, say around 20, to come forward and speak to us about whether they have told anyone about their experience. If so, who did they tell and what was the nature of that response to support their mental and physical health?

“That would be an important story to tell and how it helped their recovery from their trauma. Equally, we want to know if they faced any challenges. Often women in working-class communities don’t have the money to seek private health care so there are a lot of inequalities involved. So, we are interested in how able they feel to turn to various resources for support.

“Unfortunately, it can be easy for people to dismiss one person’s experience. We hear that time and time again, but, in this study, we hope to have multiple experiences that we can collate and piece together to tell that story.

“We have good connections with such as the NHS, Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, GP practices, women’s organisations and groups. So, we want to reassure the women that, through our existing contacts and new ones we will make, that we will feedback what we find.

“Unfortunately, we can’t change anything that has happened to women who speak to us, but in telling their experiences and shining a light on anything that might not otherwise be heard, we hope that it will help others in the future.

“It’s a lot to ask survivors to tell us about their experiences so we absolutely want to make sure their story is heard and changes do happen. Everything people tell us is confidential.

“As a team, we will create recommendations from this research and we will push to have them listened to. We will have a workshop at the end of the study when we will invite survivors along if they feel they are able, bringing in these difference organisations to tell them about the findings and engage them in conversations in a meaningful discussion.”

If you identify as a woman, have experienced sexual violence, identify as working class and live in Scotland you can take part in the study and get £30 for your time.

It will involve a 60-minute Zoom or face-to-face discussion with a female interviewer.

All interviews are confidential and researchers have ethical approval for the study.

Find out more via the website www.disclosingstories.com or contact Dr Lorimer directly on 0141 331 8860/email info@disclosingstories.com