What Guidance Do Violence Journals Provide for Reporting on Sexual and Gender Diversity? A Document Analysis

Gender-based violence is a worldwide health and social problem with negative short- and long-term health impacts. Sexual and gender minority people experience more gender-based violence and significant barriers to support. These populations are often not included in, or are actively excluded from, gender-based violence research, and sexual orientation and gender are generally poorly measured and reported. One recommendation put forth to improve the evidence base with regard to sexual and gender diversity is higher standards of research and reporting by academic journals. Given the leading role of nurse researchers in this area of women's health, this is a topic of particular importance for nursing research and education.

We examined the sexual and gender diversity-related guidance provided by academic violence journals to authors, editors and peer-reviewers.

We conducted a descriptive document analysis. Two researchers independently searched for, and coded, guidance related to sexual and gender diversity from 16 websites of academic journals focused on violence research.

While most journals included some mention of diversity or inclusion, only about half provided in-depth guidance for authors, editors and/or peer-reviewers. Guidance related to gender was more common than guidance for sexual diversity. The journals gave varied prominence to diversity-related guidance, and it was often difficult to locate.

To reflect the spectrum of lived experiences of gender and sexuality, publishers must actively direct authors, editors and reviewers to include, measure and report these experiences. This has not yet been fully achieved in the important area of gender-based violence research, and is of direct concern to nurse researchers who contribute significantly to this body of knowledge.