Culture of Self-Protection through Empowerment for Women with Spinal Cord Injury
Project Description:
To build on the minimal body of empirical research of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) among women with SCI, Drs. Ballan and Mercier aim to identify Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) -specific self-protection strategies. Within an existing online SCI support group and listserv reaching over 1000 individuals, hosted by our proposal consultant and the Not Me, Inc. founder Erik Kondo, we will survey 100 women regarding their use of self-protection strategies and their attitudes towards self-protection. We will then complete in-depth follow-up interviews with 10 participants regarding situations where women have needed to implement self-protection strategies, successes and challenges with self-protection, and their perspectives on necessary components to support independent living. Women with SCI have not previously been surveyed to this scale and findings will be disseminated in various media outlets to contribute to the knowledge of women with SCI and care providers. The findings will inform the second proposed activity focused on training rehabilitation students in IPV screening, assessment, and trauma-informed practice skills specific to women with SCI. We will host virtual training events for rehabilitation professionals and students applying a "train the trainer" approach in concert with the development of an interactive web-based training curriculum for peer leaders, occupational therapists, physical therapists, and social workers. This approach will create an exponentially growing group of trained professionals with the knowledge and skills to equip their clients with opportunely timed individualized self-protection techniques.
Core Function(s):
Training Trainees, Performing Research or Evaluation, Developing & Disseminating Information, Continuing Education/Community Training, Demonstration Services
Area of Emphasis
Health-Related Activities, Quality of Life, Other
Target Audience:
Students/Trainees (long or intermediate trainees), Community Trainees / Short term trainees, Professionals and Para-Professionals, Family Members/Caregivers, Adults with Disabilities, Legislators/Policy Makers, General Public
Unserved or Under-served Populations:
Racial or Ethnic Minorities, Disadvantaged Circumstances, Geographic Areas, Other
Primary Target Audience Geographic Descriptor:
National, International
COVID-19 Related Data:
N/A
