| Title: |
'Don’t You Love Me?' Abusers’ use of shame-to-guilt to coercively control 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals and rural women experiencing intimate partner violence |
| Authors: |
Stefan Kurbatfinski; Nicole Letourneau; Jason Novick; Susanne Marshall; Keira Griggs; Dawn McBride; Kendra Nixon |
| Source: |
Women's Health, Vol 21 (2025) |
| Publisher Information: |
SAGE Publishing, 2025. |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Collection: |
LCC:Medicine |
| Subject Terms: |
Medicine |
| Description: |
Background: Abusers’ use of manipulative behaviors to trigger feelings of shame-to-guilt (a process through which abusers shame their partners to incur feelings of guilt) among their 2SLGBTQQIA+ and rural women intimate partners is a type of emotional abuse used to coercively control their partners. Objective: This study investigated the different tactics that abusers use to shame-to-guilt their partners who identify as 2SLGBTQQIA+ and/or reside in rural areas. Design: A qualitative design was used to conduct this study. Methods: We used data from two larger studies to undertake thematic analysis using semi-structured interviews with Albertan 2SLGBTQQ+ ( n = 18; no participants identified as intersex or asexual) and rural women ( n = 11) who experienced shame-to-guilt behaviors along with service providers who worked with these groups ( n = 24). Results: Seven themes were identified based on participants’ experiences, including shaming identity in relation to gender and sexual orientation (manifesting differentially between 2SLGBTQQ+ and rural women participants), emotional and sexual manipulation, threats of death by suicide (predominating among 2SLGBTQQ+ individuals), apologies and vacuous promises as components of the cycle of abuse, using one’s parenting and children’s well-being to manipulate partners, the use of health conditions and faking illness, and the use of religion or faith to reinforce gender standards. Conclusion: For 2SLGBTQQIA+ and rural women groups, situating shame-to-guilt behaviors within the cycle of abuse is important information that has not been explored extensively in the intimate partner violence literature. For individuals self-identifying as 2SLGBTQQIA+ or women living rurally, the means through which they are shamed-to-guilt intersects with their unique identities and positionality. Therefore, recommendations are presented to help these groups rebuild their identities when shame-to-guilt behaviors were experienced as part of the abusive dynamic. |
| Document Type: |
article |
| File Description: |
electronic resource |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
1745-5065 |
| Relation: |
https://doaj.org/toc/1745-5065 |
| DOI: |
10.1177/17455057251335361 |
| Access URL: |
https://doaj.org/article/dc2e73d228524c0ea0ce7e1ffa7cfd67 |
| Accession Number: |
edsdoj.2e73d228524c0ea0ce7e1ffa7cfd67 |
| Database: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |