Mental Health Supports for Sexual and Gender Minorities Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence and Abuse: A Systematic Review of North American Literature

Sexual and gender minorities (SGM) experience inequitable health outcomes due to oppressive social forces (e.g., homophobia, transphobia). For SGM experiencing intimate partner violence and abuse (IPV), help-seeking is challenged by concomitant navigation of the abusive partner and discriminatory forces toward SGM. Mental health providers are an important source of support who can provide SGM experiencing IPV with the tools and resources they need to manage or leave abusive relationships. This systematic review synthesized existing literature on the help-seeking experiences of SGM in North America who experienced IPV and accessed mental health supports. This secondary review (#CRD42020139639) from a larger study used meta-aggregative methods to identify main findings. The authors searched peer-reviewed literature from MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, Scopus, CINAHL, Genderwatch, and Social Science Abstracts and assessed validity using the Joanna-Briggs Institute Checklists. Four synthesized findings were identified from studies (<i>N</i> = 34) conducted in the United States (<i>n</i> = 29) and Canada (<i>n</i> = 5): (a) components of SGM-affirming spaces, (b) characteristics of mental health provision, (c) healing journey process, and (d) community awareness and familiarity with services. Mental health providers (not including couples' counselors) were identified as positive forms of support for SGM experiencing IPV, providing opportunities for self-development and skills to manage or leave abusive relationships. SGM-affirming spaces (e.g., use of inclusive language) increased SGM comfort in IPV discussions with mental health providers. Training and acknowledgment of SGM-specific IPV, along with client-provider rapport, further underlie effective mental health supports. Increased education and outreach would promote improved access to mental health supports.