Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2022, Counselor Education (Education)

The dissertation investigated the experiences of six counselors located in the Midwestern region of the USA and how their experiences influence intervention strategies when providing support for GBV (Gender-Based Violence) survivors. The purpose of the study was to explore the counselors' experiences and to see how these affect the strategies that they use. The hermeneutical phenomenological approach was used as a methodology, with six participant counselors who were from agencies and shelters that house gender-based violence survivors. The researcher recruited the participants using convenience sampling and snowballing strategies, and analyzed data from semi-structured interviews, fieldnotes, and document analysis, using the Bronfenbrenner Model as the conceptual framework. The data analysis yielded seven main themes: experience of counselors, interventions for GBV, negative impacts of therapy on counselors, counselors' needs in GBV work, coping strategies for counselors, types of abuse in clients, and the effects of covid on GBV work. Implications for these findings on counselor educators, clinical supervisors and future research within the mental health field are discussed.

Committee: Dr. Bilal Urkmez (Advisor) Subjects: Counseling Education

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2023, Communication Studies (Communication)

As an African woman who was born in Cameroon which is in Western Africa then grew up in Kenya, an East African country, I have heard stories of different cultural practices that African women in any of the African countries that I have lived in and/or visited, face. One such practice is female genital cutting (FGC), which refers to the surgical altering or complete removal of the female genitalia. This dissertation study seeks to understand the perspectives that FGC survivors in Kenya have towards FGC and their attitudes toward the practice. 15 to 20 women who have survived FGC were interviewed over a 6-week period. The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) estimates that about 4 million girls and women in Kenya have undergone one form or the other of Female Genital Cutting (FGC). This makes up 21% of the country's female population (UNICEF, 2020). Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the official medical term given by Western scholarship and organizations, to the intentional deformation or complete removal of the female prepuce without any medical justification. However, there has been resistance to the use of the word mutilation when referring to FGC, as that falls under the patronizing nature of the West over traditional practices from the Global South and is perceived as offensive by people who come from FGC-practicing communities. Past studies also argue that most women who have undergone FGC do not consider themselves to be mutilated. In agreement with these arguments and as an act of decolonizing the FGC discourse as well as respecting all those who are affected by FGC, I choose to use the term FGC in this study instead of FGM. I also choose to refer to girls and women who have undergone FGC as survivors instead of victims. As Njambi (2004) argues, so long as we view FGC through the eyes of the West as a barbaric and savage practice where those who undergo it are being oppressed, then we take away their agency. By referring to (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Saumya Pant Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Brian Plow MFA (Committee Member); Lynn Harter Ph.D. (Committee Member); Caroline Kingori Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African History; African Literature; African Studies; Behavioral Sciences; Behaviorial Sciences; Black Studies; Communication; Cultural Anthropology; Demographics; Demography; Ethnic Studies; Families and Family Life; Gender; Gender Studies; Geography; Individual and Family Studies; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Multimedia Communications; Public Health; Public Health Education; Regional Studies; Social Research; Social Structure; Social Work; Womens Studies

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2021, Mass Communication (Communication)

This study examines Southern African masculinities in the digital age of #MenAreTrash and #AmINext? This study is a multi-sited digital ethnography which focuses on Twitter and YouTube as field sites. A cyber-womanist framework is used to explore social activism on digital media platforms. The hashtags #MenAreTrash and #AmINext? are concurrent social media campaigns created by women in South Africa to create awareness about gender-based violence. Thus, this study investigates the conceptualization of GBV as articulated by various womxn and men on Twitter and YouTube. The discourse on YouTube includes the documentary film The People vs. Patriarchy and select episodes of The Big Debate. The methodology includes a Thematic Analysis of the audiovisual data and the hashtags related to gender disparities, violence, and femicide. Women are collectively creating a space on social networking sites to critique societal norms and cis-heteronormative cultures. Twitter gives agency to women across Southern Africa as they participate in discussions that center on politics, socio-economic disparities, and violence. This project argues that #MenAreTrash and #AmINext? campaigns as discussed on Twitter and YouTube are resistant measures set as counter-narratives to the normative patriarchal system set in place in South Africa.

Committee: Saumya Pant (Committee Chair); J.W. Smith (Committee Member); Steve Howard (Committee Member); Edna Wangui (Committee Member) Subjects: Mass Communications; Mass Media; Multimedia Communications; Womens Studies

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2015, Public Health

Background: Gender-based violence exposure is associated with smoking. Both gender-based violence and smoking are independent risk factors in the development of cervical cancer. Women living in Ohio Appalachia experience cervical cancer at disproportionately high rates and smoke at higher rates than women living in other regions of Ohio. However, little is known about 1) women's exposure to gender-based violence, throughout the life course, in Ohio Appalachia, or 2) the association between gender-based violence exposures, contextual factors, and smoking behaviors among women in the region. Objective: This dissertation examined the relationship between sexual and intimate partner gender-based violence exposures and smoking, among women in Ohio Appalachia, within a socio-contextual health disparities framework. The goal of this investigation was: 1) to understand if disparate smoking rates of women in Ohio Appalachia, compared to other parts of Ohio, are associated with gender-based violence in the region, and 2) to examine the context of smoking behavior among women exposed to intimate partner and/or sexual gender-based violence in Ohio Appalachia. In addition, a set of gender-based violence constructs for use in effective abuse assessment among this underserved population were identified. Method: A two-phase address-based sampling approach was used to recruit a random sample of women, 18 years of age or older, from 1 of 3 selected Ohio Appalachian counties, to participate in an observational, interview administered, cross-sectional survey from August 2012 through October 2013. The analytic sample for this analysis comprised 398 participants, of the 408 women completing interviews, who provided complete gender-based violence exposure histories. All analyses were conducted in SAS or LISREL, including correlation, regression, and confirmatory factor analysis. Results: Intimate partner and sexual gender-based violence is a notable public health c (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Mary Ellen Wewers PhD, MPH (Committee Chair); Amy Bonomi PhD, MPH (Committee Member); Richard Lomax PhD (Committee Member); Bo Lu PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Public Health; Womens Studies

PHD, Kent State University, 2024, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Political Science

The policies and practices of a patriarchal state are instruments of violence against women, both independently and at their intersections. This study provides an intersectional approach to examining the ramifications of patriarchy for women and girls in El Salvador. By analyzing women's lives through the different spheres they navigate — socio-economic, political, security, justice — while simultaneously examining how patriarchy defines those same spheres, this study finds that the patriarchal structures contribute to the perpetuation of violence against women across all spheres of life, and that violent practices are reinforced or multiplicative in their intersection. Furthermore, this study finds that violence against women in El Salvador is rooted in patriarchal systems which are pervasive throughout socio-economic and political structures. The data analyzed here indicates that in addition to the formal oppression of patriarchal institutions and practices, patriarchy facilitates informal systems of oppression and violence that perpetuate violence against women. This study also proposes a new concept – Gendered Interpersonal Dependence – with the goal of quantifying the compounding effects of inequity and disparity in the autonomy of women. I also propose a new metric – Gender Dependency Index (GDI) – to measure the extent of gendered interpersonal dependence. Finally, this study argues that women who have experienced violence throughout their lives choose to flee their country in search for safety only to encounter another patriarchal system that also marginalizes and excludes them.

Committee: Julie Mazzei (Committee Chair); Patrick Gallagher (Committee Member); Casey Boyd-Swan (Committee Member); Joshua Stacher (Committee Member) Subjects: Political Science

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2024, Sociology

This study examines the relationship between natural disasters and extreme weather events (ND/EWEs) and the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Texas from 2018 to 2020. Utilizing a series of mixed-effects negative binomial regression models and data from the National Incident-Based Reporting System and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the research investigates the impact of various ND/EWEs on general violence, and specifically SGBV incidents. Key findings reveal that extreme heat events are significantly associated with an increase in general violence, violence against women (VAW), and intimate partner violence (IPV), indicating that heat acts as a stressor contributing to the escalation of SGBV. Conversely, winter storms are associated with a decrease in IPV, suggesting a potential reduction in violence during these weather conditions. The study underscores the importance of incorporating environmental factors into the analysis of SGBV and suggests the need for targeted interventions and policies to mitigate the risks of violence in the aftermath of ND/EWEs. This research contributes to the understanding of the complex dynamics between environmental disasters and societal violence, with implications for public health and disaster response strategies.

Committee: Hollie Nzitatira (Committee Co-Chair); Chris Browning (Committee Member); Laura Dugan (Committee Co-Chair) Subjects: Criminology; Sociology

Ph.D., Antioch University, 2023, Antioch Seattle: Counselor Education & Supervision

This study solicited experts in relational violence across the United States using the Delphi methodology and grounded theory. This research was conducted in two phases and designed to answer two primary questions: (1) What cultural beliefs are involved in relational violence in the United States? And (2) How are the beliefs about relational violence maintained? The findings showed agreement from the experts on the societal beliefs that hold relational violence, the specific beliefs held by the abuser, and the impacts of these beliefs on the survivor. The experts offered ideas for intervention and prevention, which are important contributions to professional counseling and the field of relational violence, including specific educational considerations. This study enhances current research by providing a systemic lens to how relational violence is perpetrated. Cultural spillover theory was applied to identify the overlapping relationship between structural forces and violence, while polyvagal theory informed the biological underpinnings of relational violence and how it is perpetuated.

Committee: Stephanie Thorson-Oleson (Committee Chair); Shawn Patrick (Committee Member); Colin Ward (Committee Member) Subjects: Behavioral Psychology; Counseling Education; Counseling Psychology; Gender Studies; Mental Health; Multicultural Education; Public Health; Social Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Media and Communication

Generations of women in the Evangelical Church have embodied narratives passed from mother to daughter, from church leadership, and through their religious communities. These narratives, including those of women's subservience and deserving of suffering endured from spouses, church leaders, and others, have origins in the earliest days of church history. In this thesis I examine how such narratives are embedded in books on pubertal guidance targeted to mothers and daughters in Evangelical Christian communities. Building on Fish's work on interpretive communities, Gramsci's conceptualization of hegemony, Foucault theorizing on power, and an interdisciplinary literature on the interaction between religion, culture, and politics, I interrogate themes of puberty, sexual function, gender roles, consent, and gender-based violence addressed in books on pubertal guidance, and how these books contribute to or reinforce evangelical Christian doctrinal narratives on gender and sexuality. Through a methodological approach using grounded theory, narrative inquiry, autoethnography, and textual analysis, findings indicate Evangelical Christian culture creates an interpretive community which drives only acceptable interpretation of religious texts (primarily the Bible), gender norms, and patriarchal power dynamics. Themes emerging from the texts analyzed, including Complementarianism, submission, purity, modesty, inadequacy, and silencing, have deep consequences not only for women and girls in Evangelical Christian communities, but for society at large as the legislative push for adherence to Evangelical Christian doctrinal ideologies work to remove access to basic human rights for people who do not adhere them. Misinformation, incomplete information, and hegemonic narratives serve to perpetuate gender inequality and have broad effects on women's and girls' mental, emotional, and physical health. In light of the most recent intrusions by Christian Nationalists into the legislative (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lara Martin Lengel Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Clayton` Rosati Ph.D. (Committee Member); Lisa Hanasono Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: American History; American Studies; Behavioral Psychology; Bible; Biblical Studies; Biographies; Communication; Divinity; Education; Ethics; Families and Family Life; Gender; Gender Studies; Health; Health Care; Health Education; History; Individual and Family Studies; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Pastoral Counseling; Personal Relationships; Philosophy; Public Health; Public Health Education; Public Policy; Religion; Religious Congregations; Religious Education; Religious History; Rhetoric; Social Research; Social Structure; Sociology; Spirituality; Theology; Womens Studies

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Media and Communication

The conceptualization of feminism and rise of feminist individuals and groups in Ghana have evolved within the Fourth Republic era (from 1992 to the present), leading to growing misunderstanding about the nature, role, and scope of the feminist activism in Ghana. This thesis examines how individuals who uphold feminist thought and practice, and gender equity nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Ghana use social media to advocate for women's and children's health and well-being, women's participation in politics and media, and elimination of crises, including rape culture and gender-based violence (GBV). The thesis analyzes how Ghanaian feminists and gender equity NGOs contribute to principles of UN Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG5): Gender Equality and ascertains how social media is used for gender equity advocacy efforts. In-depth interviews with self-identified Ghanaian feminists and leaders of gender equity NGOs were conducted. Interview data was analyzed using grounded theory. The result of Research Question (RQ1), on how Ghanaian feminist activism has evolved, indicates growing acceptance of feminism during the latter half of the current Republic era. Findings for RQ2, on how feminist and gender equity NGOs use digital platforms to advocate for Ghanaian women and children, indicate digital platforms are used for training women on leadership and entrepreneurship, defending themselves and their children against GBV, and amplifying women's and children's interests. Findings for RQ3, on how Ghanaian feminists and NGOs contribute to UN SDG 5, reveal productive efforts to educate on gender equity, collaborate with women celebrities to take leadership roles on gender equality to broader publics, and advocate for women's representation in Ghanaian institutions. Finally, RQ4, on roles Ghanaian social media play in amplifying Ghanaian feminists, digital platforms are vital to enable collaboration, support change in public policies negatively affecting women, an (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lara Lengel Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Ellen Gorsevski Ph.D. (Committee Member); Radhika Gajjala Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: African Studies; Black Studies; Communication; Gender; Gender Studies; Law; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Technology; Web Studies; Womens Studies

BA, Oberlin College, 2022, Comparative American Studies

This thesis constructs a history of the changing role of survivors' narratives in anti-sexual violence zines from the 1990s to the early 2020s. I argue that zines are a window to the changing politics of the American anti-sexual violence movement. Through this lens, I find that the role of survivors' narratives in zines has complexly changed and ultimately diminished over time. I examine how and posit why this change occurred in zines and the anti-sexual violence movement. Among other reasons, I find that both have followed the traditional arc of social movements, which chronologically involves emergence, coalescence, institutionalization, and decline. There are complicated consequences of zines' transition from helping survivors heal to providing impersonal education and the paralleled progression of the anti-sexual violence movement. Ultimately, I advise that there must always be space for survivors' narratives in anti-sexual violence efforts because of their benefits to survivors' healing and the movement's progress.

Committee: KJ Cerankowski (Committee Member); Wendy Kozol (Other); Danielle C. Skeehan (Committee Member); Shelley Sang-Hee Lee (Advisor) Subjects: American Studies; Cultural Anthropology; Gender Studies; History; Womens Studies

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2020, Communication and Development Studies (International Studies)

This research aims to expand knowledge on the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, trans, queer(LBTQ) women and gender non-conforming (GNC) people with intimate partner violence (IPV) in the understudied Global South, with a focus on individuals in Jamaica. The study examines the perceptions which LBTQ people hold toward IPV, unique factors which contribute to IPV within their relationships, and barriers to help-seeking which LBTQ people face when seeking support services in Jamaica. A qualitative methodological approach was used, and data collected through 13 semi-structured interviews were thematically analysed. Findings indicate that three factors impact LBTQ women and GNC people's perceptions of, and experiences with IPV. These factors are 1) negative public perceptions of LBTQ and GNC people, 2) the adoption of heteronormativity by LBTQ and GNC people, and 3) LBTQ and GNC people's experiences with Jamaican mental health services. These findings were used to make recommendations for the development of evidence-based, IPV prevention and intervention programmes for LBTQ and GNC communities in Jamaica, and the wider Caribbean.

Committee: Risa Whitson (Advisor); Loran Marsan (Committee Member); Lawrence Wood (Committee Member) Subjects: Caribbean Studies; Communication; Gender; Gender Studies; Public Health; Womens Studies

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2014, African Studies (International Studies)

This thesis will examine the East African nation of Kenya and how its policy regarding the northern refugee camps of Dadaab and Kakuma relates to the policies of international organizations such as the United Nations and African Union. In doing so, this thesis will focus specifically on the effects that international norms such as repatriation have on refugees in these camps who face gender-based violence. In this analysis, questions of the role and limitations of civil society within Kenya in addressing the issue of gender based violence are addressed. From this research it can be concluded that refugees facing gender-based violence in Dadaab and Kakuma will benefit from a shift in Kenyan policy away from its current application of international norms, the implementation of the more human rights conscious policies of the African Union, and Kenya's reconsideration of its responsibility as a host country.

Committee: Andrew Ross Dr. (Committee Chair); Steve Howard Dr. (Advisor); Edna Wangui Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: African Studies; International Law; International Relations; Political Science

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2012, International Development Studies (International Studies)

This thesis examines the role of a bilaterally-funded development intervention in empowering women and men in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Since the initial conflict began in 1996, an estimated 5.4 million people have died as a result of the ongoing DRC conflict (Prunier, 2008). Although various peace accords have been signed since 2002, conflict continues to plague the eastern region. A major consequence of this brutal war has been widespread and systematic sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) against women. Starting in 2010, The Ushindi Project has implemented a holistic approach for combating SGBV, which addresses the root causes of violence against women. Central to this approach is the claim of “empowering” survivors and communities throughout the nine intervention sites. The empowerment approach, as discussed by feminist and development scholars, involves complex meanings of power and agency. Utilizing critical discourse analysis and empowerment theory to examine local stakeholder narratives, this research explores the discursive relationship between official USAID discourse, administrator dialogues, and ground level personnel's conceptualizations of empowerment.

Committee: Elizabeth Wangui (Committee Chair); Haley Duschinski (Committee Member); Risa Whitson (Committee Member) Subjects: International Relations