Rethinking sexual violence labels: exploring the impact of 'victim' and 'survivor' discourse.

Background: Universities' responses to sexual violence have faced scrutiny for their lack of proactiveness and their failure to address campus socio-cultural norms that contribute to rape myth acceptance. The labels victim and survivor play a crucial role in shaping attitudes toward sexual violence, but there is limited research on how university students perceive these labels.Objective: This paper explores sexual violence labels and their role in perpetuating rape culture. Undergraduate university students' beliefs on using the label survivor instead of victim to describe someone who has experienced sexual violence were examined to consider how these labels create societal discourse on sexual violence.Method: The study draws on qualitative data collected from undergraduate students in Canada and the United States through open-response questions in an interactive textbook. Data were analysed and interpreted using a multi-method approach that combined principles of Critical Discourse Analysis and Feminist Poststructuralism. Direct quotes and word clouds from participants' responses are used as evidence and to visually display discourse.Results: Findings revealed that participants recognised the negative societal discourses associated with the label victim and supported using survivor to challenge perceptions of sexual violence. Despite this, participants expressed hesitancy to adopt the label survivor because of the potential negative implications, such as the label promoting the allocation of individual blame, increasing barriers to justice, and reducing the perceived severity of sexual violence.Conclusions: This study underscores the complexities of sexual violence labels, the influence of language in shaping societal perceptions, and the need for a more comprehensive and equitable approach to responding to sexual violence.

Dichotomy of Labels and Nuanced Perceptions: Sexual violence labels shape identity perceptions. Participants dichotomised the labels victim and survivor, associating one with negative attributes and the other with positive attributes. However, nuanced views of how people perceive and identify with these labels challenge distinct categories. Victims being negatively perceived, while survivors are admired for their resiliency highlights complexities in societal expectations that may not fully address the underlying determinants of sexual violence.Role of Language in Reproduction of Rape Culture: Poststructuralist theories emphasise the role of language in the production and maintenance of discourse. The study shows that victim discourse is steeped in rape myths. The historical discourse surrounding the label may contribute to the perpetuation of negative attitudes and behaviours toward victims of sexual violence. The emergence of the label survivor reflects a societal shift, but findings suggest this may lead to societal complacency towards sexual violence.Spectrum of Severity and Societal Empathy: Participants' understanding of sexual violence as a spectrum of severity may lead to unequal levels of empathy and support. This discourse creates positions of dominance and oppression, potentially marginalising certain groups who are disproportionately affected by sexual violence. The study highlights how severity discourse can influence institutional agendas and may result in political and institutional neglect of sexual violence.

Wired Sex Assemblages Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Sexualized Drug Use, Hookup Apps, and HIV Service Provision.

Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise referred to as "radical sex practices") and is reportedly common among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). With the growth of online technologies, the use of hookup apps has also increased. We refer to men's use of drugs, apps, and sex form as "wired sex" that forms what post-structuralist theorists Deleuze and Guattari described as an assemblage. Perspectives of the health and social service providers who work directly with GBMSM has not been explored. This research project involved a critical discourse analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with service providers in Canada to understand their perspectives and interactions with wired sex assemblages. We identified several themes reflecting the social and political effects of wired sex assemblages and discuss the implications of these effects on services provision with GBMSM.

Indigenous men's pathways to 'living the right kind of life and walking the right path' post incarceration in Canada: understanding the impacts of systemic oppression, and guidance for healing and (w)holistic sexual health.

Indigenous men around the world hold expertise over their own lives. Informed by this perspective, this study centres this experience to better understand what is needed to improve sexual health outcomes among a group of men with a history of incarceration. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 Indigenous men with such a history. Through thematic analysis the study identified two major themes: 1) the impacts of systemic oppression; 2) the value of guidance in walking the right path. Men identified colonial trauma and the associated mental, physical, emotional and spiritual wounds stemming from systemic oppression as continuing to impact their wellbeing. Men also described the systems of support necessary to help guide them on their journeys through incarceration, rehabilitation and building strong and nurturing relationships. Findings from the study provide important guidance from Indigenous men for future more holistic sexual health intervention programming.

Dancing in a culture of disordered eating: A feminist poststructural analysis of body and body image among young girls in the world of dance.

Eating disorders among adolescent girls are a public health concern. Adolescent girls that participate in aesthetic sport, such as dance, are of particular concern as they experience the highest rates of clinical eating disorders. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of young girls in the world of competitive dance and examine how these experiences shape their relationship with the body; feminist poststructural discourse analysis was employed to critically explore this relationship. Interviews were conducted across Canada with twelve young girls in competitive dance (14-18 years of age) to better understand how the dominant discourses in the world of competitive dance constitute the beliefs, values and practices about body and body image. Environment, parents, coaches, and peers emerged as the largest influencers in shaping the young dancers' relationship with their body. These influencers were found to generate and perpetuate body image discourses that reinforce the ideal dancer's body and negative body image.

Assemblages of excess and pleasures: The sociosexual uses of online and chemical technologies among men who have sex with men.

Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with new online and mobile technologies used to seek pleasures and connections. Poststructuralist (including queer) explorations of these new intensities show how bodies exist in the form of (political) surfaces able to connect with other bodies and with other objects where they may find/create a function (e.g., reproduce or disrupt hegemonies). This federally funded netnographic study explored how a variety of chemicals such as recreational drugs, pharmaceuticals and steroids are contributing to the construction of gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men (GBMSM) communities and their interactions with idealized masculinities in the age of increasing technology. Five major thematic categories emerged from our analysis: (1) assembling bodies and technologies, (2) becoming orgiastic, (3) experiencing stigma, (4) becoming machinic and (5) negotiating practices. Our analysis explores how and why GBMSM pursue excesses of pleasure and connection through the assemblages they make with sexualized drug use, online platforms and other men.

Women's experiences of safety apps for sexualized violence: a narrative scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Sexualized violence against women is a significant human rights problem worldwide. Safety apps have the capacity to provide women with resources to prevent or respond to experiences of sexualized violence. METHODS: The aim of the following study was to review the scope of the literature on women's experiences of safety apps related to sexualized violence. The databases Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus were systematically searched, and seven studies were included in this review. RESULTS: Thematic analysis identified the following themes in the literature: (1) security; (2) accessibility; and (3) knowledge. CONCLUSION: The gaps in the literature are identified and implications and recommendations for future research is discussed.

Compassionate Bodies, Compassionate Practice: Navigating Body Image Tensions among Gay Men.

Our purpose in writing this Perspective in Practice is to create awareness about the role of compassion within dietetic practice, particularly the role of compassion for body image tensions. Nine self-identifying gay men were recruited to a photovoice research study that explored their beliefs, values, and practices relating to food and their bodies. Compassion was found as one way to navigate body images tensions. It is not the intent of this article to review all aspects of this research study but to use it as an example to illustrate compassion in dietetics. We suggest that our findings reveal the strength of using compassionate practice within the dietetic profession. In doing so, we call upon dietitians to incorporate compassion into their clinical and client care practices to foster health and healing for all communities, especially among those who struggle with body image tensions.

Attitudes and Practices of a Sample of Nova Scotian Physicians for the Implementation of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis.

INTRODUCTION: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention tool that requires the ongoing support of physicians to be accessible. Recently, Nova Scotia experienced a 100% increase in HIV diagnoses. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between physicians' support of PrEP, knowledge of PrEP, and PrEP prescribing history using the information-motivation-behavioral (IMB) skills model. METHODS: An online survey was distributed to physicians in Nova Scotia, Canada, and eighty physicians participated. Two exploratory factor analyses were conducted with items from the Support of PrEP scale and Knowledge of PrEP scale. A mediation analysis was conducted to assess if knowledge of PrEP mediated the relationship between support of PrEP and whether physicians have prescribed PrEP in the past. RESULTS: On average, physicians reported strong support for PrEP, and as support for PrEP increased so did knowledge of PrEP. Further, physicians who had prescribed PrEP demonstrated strong knowledge of PrEP and physicians who had not prescribed PrEP reported feeling neutral. The 95% bootstrap confidence interval indirect effect of Support for PrEP on prescription history did not include zero (B = 1.59, 95% BsCI [0.83, 3.57]) demonstrating that the effect of support for PrEP is mediated by knowledge of PrEP. The most commonly identified barrier to prescribing PrEP was the lack of drug coverage among patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the mediation analysis support the IMB skills model regarding support for PrEP, Knowledge of PrEP, and having prescribed PrEP in the past. Our findings suggest that to improve PrEP uptake in Nova Scotia, educational interventions for physicians and universal coverage of the drug would be necessary.

Picture perfect? Gazing into girls' health, physical activity, and nutrition through photovoice.

Background: Women face contradictions regarding their health: Pressure to be feminine, but also athletic; Criticism for being too sporty or muscular, but equally so for being perceived as lazy or overweight. These complexities are perpetuated through media and discourse. Purpose: Using a feminist post-structural approach and photovoice, this study explored health, physical activity, and nutrition in adolescent girls and young women. Methods: Photovoice enables reflection, promotes dialogue, and sparks change. The process involved conducting a workshop, collecting photos, and participatory analysis sessions, which engaged the participants (n = 7, ages 13-26) in photo selection, contextualization, and codifying. Results: This resulted in three themes: First, (Breaking) Stereotypes, in which participants identified gender norms, conflicts, and contradictions; Second, Emotional Safety, or the contexts in which girls and young women feel confident and comfortable; Finally, Being Outside in Nature emerged as significant. Each theme is supported by quotations and photographs. This work suggests being outside in nature provides important context for girls and young women to feel emotionally safe, such that they may engage in the complex navigation of competing discourses surrounding health.

A rapid review of Indigenous boys' and men's sexual health in Canada.

Indigenous boys and men in Canada face adverse social and structural circumstances that affect their ability to achieve and maintain sexual health. Research about Indigenous sexual health, however, is largely limited to matters relating to women and statistics on sexually transmitted infections. A rapid review of research was conducted to determine what is currently known about Indigenous boys' and men's sexual health in Canada. Given the prevalence of research documenting quantitative disparities, the current review included qualitative research only. Thirteen included studies explored a wide range of topics relating to sexual health and an overarching intersection between social conditions and individual health outcomes was observed. The results of this review reveal significant gaps in the literature relating to the holistic sexual health of Indigenous boys and men and highlight important domains of sexual health to consider in future research. Findings suggest that sexual health programmes that promote traditional Indigenous knowledge and intergenerational relationships may be effective for promoting sexual health among Indigenous boys and men.

Queering Educational Practices in Dietetics Training: A Critical Review of LGBTQ Inclusion Strategies.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people (LGBTQ) have unique concerns regarding their nutritional health while experiencing disparities within the Canadian healthcare system. Dietetic training programs often do not provide adequate knowledge or skills to students to be competent in meeting the needs of this population. Drawing from literature from other health programs, this paper outlines key strategies to the integration of LGBTQ curriculum into dietetic training programs. LGBTQ training can help students gain cultural competencies, knowledge and understanding of the LGBTQ communities, and the nutritional concerns within them.

The development and validation of sexual health indicators of Canadians aged 16-24 years.

OBJECTIVES: We developed and validated a set of self-administered, multi-dimensional indicators of sexual health among Canadians aged 16-24 years. METHODS: This study used a mixed-method qualitative and quantitative approach to develop and validate indicators of sexual health. We used the four-stage Dillman method to identify, focus-test, pilot-test, and validate key metrics to measure sexual health. We collected quantitative data to validate the measures through a computer-assisted self-interviewing program among a purposive sample of 1,158 people aged 16-24 years recruited from four Canadian provinces. RESULTS: The survey contained 75 items measuring five dimensions of sexual health: (1) physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being in relation to sexuality; (2) approach to sexuality; (3) sexual relationships; (4) sexual experiences; and (5) discrimination, coercion, and violence. Principal components analysis for composite measures found seven components with eigenvalues ≥1. The factor structure was stable across gender, age, size of area of residence, and language in which the survey was completed. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.79 to 0.90. Indicators of condom use at last vaginal sex, protection self-efficacy, sexually transmitted infection/HIV testing self-efficacy, and sexual orientation also showed good construct validity. CONCLUSIONS: The indicators constituted a conceptually grounded survey that is easy for young adults to complete and contains valid, reliable, and psychometrically robust measures. The survey instrument provides a tool for future research to collect population-level data to measure and monitor trends in the sexual health of young people in Canada.

Interprofessional education for faculty and staff--a review of the Changing Worlds: Diversity and Health Care Project.

The medical community is giving increasing attention to issues of social class, gender, race, ethnicity, culture and other areas of difference in interprofessional education and patient care. The Changing Worlds: Diversity and Health Care Project, an interprofessional diversity education initiative, was designed with the aim of exploring social issues in the medical professions. This project brought together the Faculties of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Professions at Dalhousie University in an effort to address issues of difference related to multiplicities of races, ethnicities, cultures, languages, sexualities and religions. The findings of this paper include methods for the project implementation and future direction for education initiatives aimed at issues of social justice and equity in health care.