‘We need to centre the margins’ with racially Minoritised women survivors of domestic abuse: exploring their experiences in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK

This research explores the patterns and experiences of domestic abuse, help-seeking, mental health, and wellbeing among racially Minoritised women during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. It examines what needs to be done to address the challenges related to these issues. Using an intersectional Black feminist thought-informed Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, this thesis collaborates with racially Minoritised women to investigate these critical questions.
The research comprises four interconnected studies conducted through the action research cycle of inquiry, exploration, action, and reflection. Study 1 (inquiry phase) uses a survey to identify patterns and predictors of domestic abuse, mental health, wellbeing, and help-seeking during lockdown. Study 2 (exploration phase) employs interviews to delve into survivors’ lived experiences, revealing the compounded effects of systemic racism and the pandemic. Study 3 (exploration phase) gathers insights from formal and informal support providers through online focus groups, highlighting systemic inadequacies and gaps in service provision. Study 4 (action phase) utilises creative arts-based workshops to co-develop action plans and recommendations addressing survivors’ challenges.
The findings underscore how the pandemic intensified the intersection of domestic abuse and systemic racism, reflecting the overlapping oppressions faced by racially Minoritised women within broader socio-political and historical contexts. The study also demonstrates the transformative potential of a PAR approach in disrupting research power imbalances, amplifying survivors’ counter-narratives, and fostering healing. By centring the knowledge and expertise of the women, this research aims to promote meaningful social change and develop survivor-informed strategies for addressing domestic abuse and systemic inequities and foster social change.