Testimonio as a methodology in the study of sexual and intimate partner violence

Abstract

Sexual and intimate partner violence (SIV) continues to be a public health crisis, particularly among girls and women. Traditional and critical qualitative methodologies are often used to study SIV. This paper offers another methodology not traditionally used in family science, testimonio, as a critical, qualitative option. Testimonio is a methodology rooted in Indigenous, Latinx, and Chicano/a feminista studies, deployed in various fields, that centers the stories of marginalized members of society as they are rooted in systemic inequalities, including racism, (cis)sexism, and heteronormativity. A scoping review of the use of testimonio in family science and violence research was conducted and yielded minimal research. Given the dearth of research found through the review, recommendations for using testimonio in family science SIV research are offered along with examples from the authors' research.