Grant: Operating Grant - PA: Gender, Sex and Health Research

The proposal seeks to build a comparative and multisited research program which brings together researchers across disciplines and sectors to conduct gender and migrant sensitive research and knowledge exchange on sexual and gender-based violence in vulnerable migrations. The project aims to identify and understand health outcomes of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), sexual exploitation and abuse in vulnerable im/migrant women in Quebec and Ontario including: (a) migrant farm workers; (b) live-in caregivers; and (c) irregular status women. More specifically, this initiative wishes to answer the following questions: (1) What are the structural factors (e.g. migration and work-related) determining migrant women's vulnerability to SGBV, sexual exploitation and abuse? (2) What are the perceived effects of exposure to SGBV, sexual exploitation and abuse on migrant women's health? (3) What are the individual or collective help seeking behaviours and coping strategies when migrant women are exposed to SGBV, sexual exploitation and abuse? (4) Which models and methods of health care delivery, partnerships and consorted efforts are available to reduce migrant women's vulnerability to SGBV, sexual exploitation and abuse? The research relies on mixed methods combining ethnographic and qualitative methods with standardized health questionnaires, accessing a sample of women in each of the targeted migrant populations, personnel overseeing their work and migration, healthcare providers, as well as community groups and other organizations involved with serving migrant populations. The project will provide recommendations for evidence-based political advocacy activities and recommendations for healthcare providers, outreach workers and counselors for gender and migrant sensitive health promotion intervention.