Improving mental health service access for women survivors of child sexual abuse in BC, Canada. A system thinking perspective.
Date
2025
Authors
Hoff-Bell, Mackenzie
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Abstract
This study explores the systemic barriers that women child sexual abuse survivors (WCSAS) face when accessing mental health services in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Using an interpretive, qualitative, and system thinking approach, this study integrates the perspectives of survivors and service providers to uncover economic, social, cultural, and structural barriers to care. Semi-structured interviews with WCSAS and a mental health service provider (MHSP) informed a thematic analysis and the creation of actor and causal system maps.
The study identifies key intervention points to enhance accessibility and recommends trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and publicly funded psychotherapy services. It fills a critical gap in Canadian literature by centring survivor voices and offers actionable pathways for policy, programming, and system reform. This research advocates for equitable, long-term support for WCSAS across BC’s fragmented mental health system.
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Keywords
Child sexual abuse, Women survivors, System thinking, Mental health access, British Columbia, Psychotherapy barriers, Intersectionality, Access