Episode #39 Autistic Women’s Experiences of Domestic and Sexual Violence with Jessica Fox

⚠️ Content Warning: This podcast episode discusses domestic and sexual violence against autistic people. It includes references to abuse, trauma, and systemic harm. Please prioritise your wellbeing — feel free to pause, skip sections, or step away at any time.

In this deeply insightful episode of Divergent Dialogues, we sit down with Jessica Fox, an Autistic doctoral researcher, to explore the intersecting experiences of Autistic women, domestic violence, sexual violence and trauma. Together with Caitlin and Teena, Jessica unpacks the prevalence of interpersonal violence, the impact of systemic failures, and the barriers Autistic individuals face when navigating social expectations and accessing support. Drawing from both lived experience and academic research, the conversation moves through themes of social isolation, gender oppression, neuroaffirming practice, and the triple empathy problem. We also discuss the power of community, the importance of autistic representation in research, and the need to centre consent and mutual understanding in therapeutic and relational contexts.

Whether you're a professional, lived experience advocate, or community member, this episode is an essential listen for anyone working toward justice, safety, and equity for Neurodivergent women.

Topics Covered:

• High rates of domestic and sexual violence among Autistic women
• Social masking, boundary challenges, and consent complexities
• Systemic and structural risk factors
• The value of neuroaffirming and feminist approaches

Jess is an autistic doctoral researcher at the Queensland University of Technology and a strong advocate for the human rights and wellbeing of autistic people. Jess is particularly passionate about autistic-led research and community building. Jess is an interdisciplinary researcher who is currently studying autistic women’s experiences of interpersonal violence and trauma. Before undertaking her PhD, Jess worked with autistic young people in school settings. Jess is also passionate about her work in supporting autistic adults through peer mentoring and mutual aid networks.

Links to Jess’s research touching on the topics discussed:

• Neuro-queering feminism: Creating space within feminism to address autistic experiences of gender oppression: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09593535241306532
• The Impact of Intersectional Disadvantage on Autistic Women's Experiences of Interpersonal Violence: A Narrative Review: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/aut.2023.0100 – feel free to get in touch with Jess at jessicafox.hdr@qut.edu.au if you need access to this.

For more information about our podcast hosts check out the links below:

Caitlin Hughes

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Cathartic Collaborations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠The Ripple Framework of Neurodivergent Flourishing: Supervision Program ⁠⁠⁠
• Social media: @cathartic.collaborations

Teena Mogler

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Balance Centre for Mental Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠⁠Livian Consulting⁠⁠⁠
• Social media: @balancecentreformentalhealth