The Transformative Experience of Drama and Performance art with Survivors of Gender-Based Violence

This qualitative research study strives to understand the transformative process of drama and performance art through the lived experiences of survivors of gender-based violence. In-person interviews explore the narratives of three survivors that have accessed drama and performance art in a variety of settings such as community theatres, educational institutions, and online forums such as YouTube. This interpretive phenomenological methodology is grounded in an Anti-Oppressive, intersectional transfeminist theoretical framework. The research explores the following question: What is the unique experience of drama and performance art when accessed by survivors of gender-based violence? This research offers an opportunity to hear from survivors about the potential of drama and performance art to facilitate healing and connection to community, while allowing survivors to understand their trauma. The intended outcome of this research project will be an empathetic understanding into the unique experience of drama and

performance art when conducted with survivors of gender-based violence. The primary purpose of this research is to provide additional knowledge into the potential of drama and performance art in the field of Anti-Oppressive Social Work Practice, specifically when supporting survivors and resisting gender-based violence.