“If I Press Charges, She’s Not Going to Get Mental Health Help”: Queer Victim-Survivors’ Experiences of Suicide Threats

Abstract

In the context of intimate partner violence [IPV], suicide threats can form part of a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour, capable of impacting how a victim-survivor acts or seeks help. This can be inherently complex for victim-survivors to navigate, as they attempt to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their partner or ex-partner, and balancing this against their own safety and any possible dependents. For queer victim-survivors of IPV, relationships with formal support services such as the police can be strained, resulting in compounded barriers to seeking help. This article explores the experiences of queer victim-survivors navigating suicide threats as part of coercive and controlling patterns exhibited by their partner or ex-partner. The findings were drawn from a mixed-methods study that engaged with queer victim-survivors of IPV across Australia, consisting of 164 online survey responses and 19 semi-structured interviews. Victim-survivor accounts indicated that help-seeking opportunities were limited and complex for queer victim-survivors who experienced perpetrator suicide threats due to a range of factors including the risks of seeking help and navigating receiving support. These experiences were also compounded by a perceived lack of recognition or care from support services, including police, and the risk of perpetrators acting upon their threats of suicide.