A new $374,000 grant awarded under the eSafety Commissioner’s Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program – an Australian Government initiative – will support researchers at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS), in partnership with the Zoe Belle Gender Collective, Rainbow Health Australia and La Trobe’s Reducing Gender-based Violence Research Group (ReGEN) to better understand and prevent tech-based abuse against transgender women.
Led by Dr Sophie Hindes at ARCSHS, Tech Respect is a world-first project that will expand the evidence base on transgender women’s experiences of tech-based abuse, with a focus on online dating and related harms. It will also include research with men who are interested in dating transgender women to explore the tools and strategies they need to engage respectfully in online spaces.
The project will produce evidence-informed, community-led primary prevention resources that challenge harmful social norms and promote respectful, affirming online interactions.
“Transgender women and trans feminine people are disproportionately impacted by men’s violence, particularly intimate partner violence,” said Starlady, Director of the Zoe Belle Gender Collective. “Yet too often, they have been excluded from gender-based violence prevention and response efforts. This project will create vital evidence to better advocate for the needs of trans women. We are interested in exploring transgender women’s experiences of online dating and associated experiences of fetishisation, objectification and sexual exploitation.”
Dr Sophie Hindes, Lead Investigator at ARCSHS, added: “Transgender women experience high levels of tech-based abuse, yet there remains a lack of evidence-informed strategies to prevent it. This project is a fantastic opportunity for ARCSHS to continue working with Zoe Belle, centering the voices of transgender women to promote respect and safety in digital spaces.”
ARCSHS Director Professor Adam Bourne said: “The extent of domestic and sexual violence that trans women are routinely subjected to is staggering. It is essential that we build or reshape the knowledge, skills, and social norms needed to foster safer environments for trans people, including in online contexts.”
As Starlady reminds us: “We all deserve to have safe and respectful relationships.”
Project team members include Starlady at ZBGC, Professor Adam Bourne and Dr Sean Mulcahy from ARCSHS, Belinda O’Connor from Rainbow Health Australia and Dr Jess Ison, Deputy Director of ReGEN.
