Date of Conferral

8-9-2024

Date of Award

August 2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Corinne Bridges

Abstract

Gender minorities experience higher rates of sexual assault (SA) victimization and psychological distress, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than their cisgender counterparts. Nonbinary individuals, in particular, face elevated levels of victimization, post assault distress, and unique barriers to receiving competent care both in general and specific to their assault experiences. Current research highlights the need for culturally competent care for nonbinary and transgender individuals, as well as for SA survivors. Although the experiences of SA survivors have been previously explored, specific information regarding the experiences of nonbinary survivors remains scarce. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study, grounded in Heideggerian philosophy and informed by gender minority stress theory (GMST), is to illuminate the cisheteronormative lived experiences of nonbinary SA survivors and bridge the gap in the current literature. Data were collected from seven nonbinary SA survivors using semistructured interviews and an interpretative phenomenological analysis process was followed, ensuring thematic saturation. The results of this study highlighted 10 experiential themes and subthemes, including but not limited to inclusion versus isolation as a nonbinary person, binary-normativity in a binary world, gender-based negative experiences: identity discrimination and threats of violence, intersectionality of identity and trauma, and experiences with mental health providers. Ultimately, gaining insights into the unique needs of this population may promote positive social change by enhancing the lives of nonbinary SA survivors by increasing cultural competency and reducing the prevalence of cisheteronormative barriers to care.

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