A team of Canadian researchers, guided by an Indigenous Elder, is creating trauma-informed and integrated care pathways specifically for survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
The project aims to address long-standing gaps in services, particularly for Indigenous women, whose varied needs are often unmet in traditional Western healthcare settings.
For every concussion seen in professional hockey, an estimated 7,000 traumatic brain injuries are caused by intimate partner violence – yet few survivors receive the care they need.
TBI is believed to occur in 75 per cent of(IPV) cases, but survivors often face fragmented and poorly coordinated support.
Social services, law enforcement, healthcare and justice systems typically operate in silos, forcing survivors to navigate multiple appointments and complex care plans without adequate help – while managing the effects of trauma.
University of Manitoba research lead, professor Dr Kendra Nixon, said: “Survivors’ varied experiences and needs underscore the need for multi-sector collaboration and broader access pathways, beyond traditional Western healthcare settings.
In Manitoba, 15 per cent of women experience IPV, with even higher rates among Indigenous and racialised women.
Experts link this to the legacy of colonisation, which disrupted Indigenous cultural and social structures.
The initiative will focus on exchanging knowledge to build a care network across Manitoba, designing holistic and trauma-informed clinical pathways, and developing implementation plans that support long-term recovery.
Nixon said: “IPV is complicated because it is often intertwined with poverty, mental health, substance use and housing instability.
“We know that IPV survivors, especially when faced with a traumatic brain injury, find it difficult to attend multiple appointments or follow complex medical instructions.”
Without proper treatment, women with TBIs may lose the ability to work, care for their children or advocate for themselves in court.
A more coordinated approach aims to help survivors access timely, individualised care and focus on healing.
Supported by a SSHRC Partnership Development Grant, the project brings together researchers and practitioners from across health, social care and justice, including Circling Buffalo Inc., General CFS Authority, Klinic Community Health, Manitoba Association of Women’s Shelters Inc., Manitoba Justice – Victim Services Branch, Women and Gender Equity Manitoba, and The Saskatchewan Brain Injury Association.
Ashley Stewart of Klinic Community Health said: “From the front line of health care, we know that we need better supports for survivors.
“This work will bring real change and allow us to bring service providers together so we can deliver more timely access to the care that survivors need.”
