SECTION 4: METHODOLOGY
This study uses Van Manen’s (1990) phenomenological approach to inquiry, which focuses on obtaining the description and the meaning of the participants’ experiences by engaging with the data interpretively. According to Van Manen (2014), phenomenology re-evokes an experience of a particular moment and the meaning people give to their experience as they share it. This approach was considered appropriate for this study as it combines phenomenology’s descriptive and interpretive aspects. As participants recalled their childhood experiences of FV, they simultaneously reflected on and made meaning of those experiences.
The Research Ethics Boards (REB) of Toronto Metropolitan University and Sheridan College reviewed and approved the study. As per the REB protocol, the participants were recruited through the social media postings of each researcher. The recruitment flyer was also sent to community agencies that serve women and children experiencing FV, Sheridan College, and Toronto Metropolitan University’s Faculty of Community Services’ listserv of students. Efforts were made to recruit racialized youth of diverse gender, education, culture, country of origin, and immigration status (Kall & Zeiler, 2014). Participants were purposively selected according to the following eligibility criteria: a) have directly or indirectly experienced FV in childhood; b) self-identify as a racialized immigrant; c) were between 21 and 29 years of age at the time of their interview; d) not have serious mental health challenges that prevent them from articulating their experiences, and e) FV-related formal/institutional intervention in their life should have ended three years before participation in this research. Based on these criteria, 13 participants contacted the researcher, Purnima George, and expressed interest in participating.
Upon receipt of their email, the participants were sent the consent form to review, and all questions were clarified. The consent form outlined the purpose of the study and the data collection procedure, including a discussion of risks, benefits, confidentiality, voluntary participation, and access to research findings. A signed consent form and a pseudonym were required before finalizing the date for an interview.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the interviews were conducted virtually on Zoom. We used in-depth, semi-structured interviews as our method of data collection. Interviews lasted between 90 and 180 minutes. In keeping with the phenomenological approach, the interviews captured participants’ experiences and interpretations of FV, the response of societal institutions to their situation, and the impact of these experiences on their lives. Additional questions emerged during the course of the interviews. The participants shared their rich, insightful experiences and interpretations. One of the participants also shared the artwork they had created while experiencing severe stress from violence. All participants were provided with an honorarium for their participation. At the end of the interview, participants were reminded about counselling services they could access if they felt re-traumatized in recounting their stories. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed with the software Otter AI.
The data analysis strategy was based on the method provided by Moustakas (1994). As per this method, data analysis began with a close reading of transcripts to identify all statements that reflected participants’ perceptions of FV and its impact. Statements reflecting similar perceptions and ideas were clustered together and repeated reading of the clusters led to the development of themes. The themes developed present a composite description and context of the phenomenon and its impact. The study’s preliminary findings were shared with the participants for feedback on the accuracy and representation of the information they shared (Padgett, 2017). At this stage, one participant withdrew from the study and all their data was deleted from the research.
Limitations of the Study
The participants were youth recalling childhood experiences of abuse and were in the process of understanding it. As a result, their experiences were based on their perception of what occurred when they were younger. Their perceptions are important but may not accurately reflect the function of support and interactions with service providers, policing, and the criminal justice system.
As with any research study, the sampling of the youth does not represent all their experiences, but the themes that emerged from our data analysis provide a snapshot of the experiences of racialized immigrant youth as they navigate their experiences of violence in their homes, interacting with service providers, policing, and the criminal justice system.
In the next section, we present the profiles of the 12 racialized youth aged 21–29 and describe the types of violence and experiences these diverse youth underwent.
