Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Kelly, Kimberly

Committee Member

Crabtree, Arialle

Committee Member

Leap, Braden

Committee Member

Sutton, Tara

Date of Degree

5-16-2025

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Sociology

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Sociology

Abstract

Transgender individuals face disproportionately high rates of intimate partner violence (also known as IPV) when compared to other sociodemographic groups. Despite this prevalence, IPV service organizations in the Deep South (e.g., Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina), a region of the U.S. encompassing several rural communities and characterized by traditional gender norms and conservative Christian religious values, may have difficulties meeting the unique needs of transgender IPV survivors. This dissertation explores two key areas: (1) the perceptions of IPV service organization staff members in the Deep South concerning how their agencies assist members of the transgender community, and (2) how these agencies frame IPV during their community outreach efforts, particularly focusing on how they inform community members about transgender IPV. Using qualitative methods, this research study draws on interviews with 22 staff members from IPV service agencies across the Deep South, a review of social media postings made by IPV organizations in the region during 2023, and observations/informational handouts from 2023’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month programming to evaluate service provision and community engagement. During the interviews, almost all IPV service organization staff members reported their belief that their agencies would be willing to work with transgender IPV survivors and that a person’s gender identity is not a barrier to accessing their services. However, findings indicate there are discrepancies between identified best practices for working with IPV survivors and staff perceptions regarding how their organizations assist transgender individuals. As for IPV service organization outreach efforts, existing community outreach often fails to acknowledge transgender IPV survivors altogether, with many agencies relying on traditionally cisnormative and heteronormative frameworks of reference that reinforce systemic barriers to care. Lastly, conservative Christian values, deeply embedded within the Deep South’s cultural identity, present a complex dynamic that many IPV service organizations must contend with when assisting IPV survivors. This study underscores the need for systemic reforms to ensure that IPV services in the Deep South are accessible for transgender IPV survivors and that IPV service agencies in this region adhere to the best practices to assist and educate members of the community about transgender IPV.

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