Previous research on intimate partner and familial abuse has focused on easily identifiable social institutions, such as \"homosexual couple\" or \"mother/daughter.\" However, transgender individuals do not always fit into the binary social definitions ascribed to family relationships. Little research has provided insight into cycles of familial and intimate partner verbal or physical abuse in the lives of transgender individuals. The efforts that have been made have shocking results and demonstrate a need for further and more in-depth research. The primary purpose of this research is to gain a rich understanding of the social dynamics affecting the lives of transgender individuals in central Kentucky; specifically, their family and relationship structures. Using an almost ethnographic approach, the researcher fully immersed herself in the subculture of the trans community, attending support group meetings and going out with the group members to places such as wig shops or used clothing stores in order to gain trust and acceptance. The findings were placed in the context of current theoretical literature about intimate partner and familial abuse.
","abstract_html":"<p>Previous research on intimate partner and familial abuse has focused on easily identifiable social institutions, such as "homosexual couple" or "mother/daughter." However, transgender individuals do not always fit into the binary social definitions ascribed to family relationships. Little research has provided insight into cycles of familial and intimate partner verbal or physical abuse in the lives of transgender individuals. The efforts that have been made have shocking results and demonstrate a need for further and more in-depth research. The primary purpose of this research is to gain a rich understanding of the social dynamics affecting the lives of transgender individuals in central Kentucky; specifically, their family and relationship structures. Using an almost ethnographic approach, the researcher fully immersed herself in the subculture of the trans community, attending support group meetings and going out with the group members to places such as wig shops or used clothing stores in order to gain trust and acceptance. The findings were placed in the context of current theoretical literature about intimate partner and familial abuse. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Willingham, Allison Brooke"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Justice Studies","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2012-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:19Z","subjects":["abuse","domestic violence","LGBT","transgender","Criminology","Criminology and Criminal Justice","Gender and Sexuality"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2012 Allison Brooke Willingham"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/119","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Willingham, Allison Brooke"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Justice Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["abuse","domestic violence","LGBT","transgender","Criminology","Criminology and Criminal Justice","Gender and Sexuality"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2012 Allison Brooke Willingham"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/119"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Previous research on intimate partner and familial abuse has focused on easily identifiable social institutions, such as \"homosexual couple\" or \"mother/daughter.\" However, transgender individuals do not always fit into the binary social definitions ascribed to family relationships. Little research has provided insight into cycles of familial and intimate partner verbal or physical abuse in the lives of transgender individuals. The efforts that have been made have shocking results and demonstrate a need for further and more in-depth research. The primary purpose of this research is to gain a rich understanding of the social dynamics affecting the lives of transgender individuals in central Kentucky; specifically, their family and relationship structures. Using an almost ethnographic approach, the researcher fully immersed herself in the subculture of the trans community, attending support group meetings and going out with the group members to places such as wig shops or used clothing stores in order to gain trust and acceptance. The findings were placed in the context of current theoretical literature about intimate partner and familial abuse.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Forgotten Victims: A Qualitative Study of Familial and Intimate Partner Abuse of Male-to-Female Transgender Individuals in Central Kentucky"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Willingham, Allison Brooke"],"dc:description.abstract":["Previous research on intimate partner and familial abuse has focused on easily identifiable social institutions, such as \"homosexual couple\" or \"mother/daughter.\" However, transgender individuals do not always fit into the binary social definitions ascribed to family relationships. Little research has provided insight into cycles of familial and intimate partner verbal or physical abuse in the lives of transgender individuals. The efforts that have been made have shocking results and demonstrate a need for further and more in-depth research. The primary purpose of this research is to gain a rich understanding of the social dynamics affecting the lives of transgender individuals in central Kentucky; specifically, their family and relationship structures. Using an almost ethnographic approach, the researcher fully immersed herself in the subculture of the trans community, attending support group meetings and going out with the group members to places such as wig shops or used clothing stores in order to gain trust and acceptance. The findings were placed in the context of current theoretical literature about intimate partner and familial abuse.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/119"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2012 Allison Brooke Willingham"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["abuse","domestic violence","LGBT","transgender","Criminology","Criminology and Criminal Justice","Gender and Sexuality"],"dc:title":["Forgotten Victims: A Qualitative Study of Familial and Intimate Partner Abuse of Male-to-Female Transgender Individuals in Central Kentucky"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Justice Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:19Z"}