The Centre for Community Based Research (CCBR) led this 30-month community-based research project in partnership with the Muslim Advisory Council of Canada (MACC). The project's overarching aim was to address gender based violence (GBV) and foster positive social change within the Muslim community, particularly in response to a recent tragic incident of domestic violence, wherein a woman in Milton lost her life due to intimate partner violence.

This project, funded by the Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE), was built on the acknowledgment of the interlocking barriers that Muslim women with different backgrounds face in navigating access to GBV related services. Muslims represent 10% of the Halton Region's total population and the Muslim community is one of the fastest-growing groups of minorities in Canada, with a total population of 4.9%, yet understanding the prevalence and characteristics of GBV within this largely heterogeneous group remains underexplored. Various structural and intersectional barriers, such as cultural stigma, religious and community expectations, lack of trust in formal services, language and communication barriers, financial dependence, intersectional discrimination, and immigration status concerns may prevent Muslim women from disclosing their experiences of GBV to both formal services and informal networks.

The overarching objective of this project was to create a streamlined approach for the Muslim community to address GBV. The outcome aimed to ensure that Muslim experience(s) are taken into account when developing and implementing the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence by the Government of Canada. Also, the findings aimed to offer meaningful recommendations and tools for the newly appointed Canadian Special Representative on Combating Islamophobia. Moreover, the findings contributed to yielding specific guidelines and practices for Halton-based service providers in the GBV sector to better cater to the needs of Muslim women seeking support and services. Additionally, it meant to guide the development of cultural competency workshops/training for front-line workers in these sectors. It ultimately aimed to create a streamlined approach for the Muslim community to address GBV. 

Research questions:  

1. What are the intersectional barriers that Muslim women in Halton and across Canada face in disclosing GBV and accessing services, resources, and help?  
2. What are some best practices and culturally sensitive help-seeking solutions that can improve the experiences of Muslim women experiencing GBV?   
3. What are some culturally informed practices/interventions that we can model and learn from that can be adapted to the Muslim community?  
4. How can we build and evaluate effective practices/interventions for the Muslim community that enriches the National Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence all while combatting islamophobia?

Research Approach and Method:

Following a community-based research approach, this project was community-driven, participatory, and action-oriented (Janzen et. al., 2016). It engaged the community through the creation of a steering committee, which advised the project in designing, implementing and guiding the proposed project.

The project was implemented in three main phases:

• Phase one (months 0-12): Assessment of community needs through a literature review that looked into best practices internationally and nationally in research, policy, and practice. The literature review was reinforced by focus groups, survey, and community forums to fill any gaps and engage with relevant stakeholders.  

• Phase two (months 12-24): Evaluation of existing promising interventions that were identified in the previous phase by confirming and evaluating 3-4 cases of appropriate and culturally informed interventions that could address the barriers within the Muslim community. 

• Phase three (Months 18-30): Knowledge sharing and community capacity building through developing and disseminating knowledge products and training tools. This also included needs assessment summaries and case evaluation summaries to be shared with the Muslim community and other stakeholders such as service providers and policymakers.

Methodologically this project followed a participatory and mixed method approach. It ensured that the community members and all stakeholders were engaged throughout the multiple phases of the research process. Using participatory and community based methods, and centering voices from the Muslim communities, service providers, and people with lived experiences, this project identified existing promising and culturally informed solutions to propose strategies for building effective GBV interventions, tailoring the needs of Muslim women.