Queering Ethics of Care in Sexual and Family Violence Research with LGBTQA + Victim-Survivors

Abstract Purpose Research into sexual, family, and intimate partner violence experienced by sexuality and gender diverse people is ethically and methodologically fraught. Yet, identifying better research practices for engaging this community are critical if we are to understand the contexts and harms experienced by LGBTQA + people (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and asexual). In this paper, we explore the research and engagement strategies deployed across five sexual, family, and intimate partner violence projects undertaken by the authors collaboratively with non-government organizations and government agencies. Methods Using Tronto’s expanded framework, and Owis’ queering and trans-gressing, of an ethics of care, we consider a range of ethical and methodological choices that can inhibit the exacerbation of trauma and empower research participants to tell their stories safely. Results In adopting a queer ethics of care, engagement with community is prioritized and safety in knowledge production—from the outset of research design, through fieldwork, to research outputs and the operationalization of findings—is paramount. This exploration of queer methodologies and ethics identifies some queer research strategies and how they were deployed. Conclusions The queer and ethical use of a range of research strategies, alongside approaches that center care, autonomy, control and empathy, can empower LGBTQA + communities to tell their stories in the way they want and need. It also allows LGBTQA + communities to not tell some of their stories when they feel that doing so would further deepen the harms and consequences of violence. Navigating this fine line requires that a queer ethics of care is embedded in all research practices.