Coercive Control in 2SLGBTQQIA+ Relationships: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Existing research on intimate partner coercive control predominantly focuses on cisgender heterosexual dynamics.
• There is a significant gap in understanding coercive control experiences among diverse gender and sexual minority populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing research on intimate partner coercive control involving Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) individuals.
• To identify patterns of perpetration and victimization within these relationships and assess the intersectional focus of current studies.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across eight academic databases (2014-2022), supplemented by gray literature and reference list searches.
• Duplicate screening and data extraction of 277 unique documents from an initial pool of 1,774.
• Analysis guided by an intersectionality theoretical framework.

Main Results:

• Coercive control is more common among individuals from minority gender and sexual identity groups and is associated with mental health challenges.
• Few studies specifically address gender- or sexual-identity specific forms of coercive control.
• An intersectional approach was infrequently utilized in the reviewed literature.

Conclusions:

• The prevalence of coercive control among 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals highlights the need for tailored interventions and support.
• A lack of standardized definitions and measurement tools hinders consistent research and clinical practice.
• Future research should prioritize individuals identifying as gender diverse, gender fluid, intersex, asexual, pansexual, or sexually diverse, employing intersectional methodologies.