Exploring Gender-Based Violence at the Intersections of Disability, Gender, and Non-Dominant Cultural Backgrounds: A Scoping Review

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a major global health issue with severe physical and psychological consequences. Women, gender diverse people, and individuals from non-dominant cultural backgrounds face heightened risks, and women with disabilities are two to three times more likely to experience violence than those without disabilities. This scoping review consolidates existing evidence and identifies knowledge gaps regarding GBV among people living at the intersection of disability, cultural diversity, and gender. We searched six databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, Global Health, Scopus, ProQuest Central) and grey literature for studies and included empirical and non-empirical papers. We screened 1,943 titles and abstracts, reviewed 190 full texts, and identified 48 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Although all included studies addressed relevant populations, most lacked intersectional analyses across disability, gender, and cultural diversity in relation to violence. Only 15 papers provided insights into the experiences of culturally diverse women with disabilities. Among these, four quantitative studies reported an increased risk in the experience of violence for women at this intersection. There was a significant lack of research examining the lived experiences of culturally diverse women with disabilities, while focus on gender diversity was almost non-existent. Thematic analysis of 11 papers provided preliminary insights into barriers to accessing support, such as lack of knowledge, shortage of qualified providers and intersectoral collaboration, fear, stigma, shame, and isolation, and language barriers. The review demonstrates a critical need for research focused on lived experiences of people with disabilities from non-dominant backgrounds to inform services and supports addressing GBV.