Article

Every cloud has a silver lining but… “pathways to seeking formal-help and South-Asian immigrant women survivors of intimate partner violence”

July 2019
Health Care For Women International 40(3):1-27

DOI:10.1080/07399332.2019.1641502

Authors:

University of Wyoming

It takes an inordinate amount of resiliency for South Asian (SA) immigrant women survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV)/domestic violence (DV) to seek outside help. The purpose of authors of this study is to understand the process/pathways used by abused SA women to seek formal sources of help. A convenience sample of adult SA women (N = 9), who were survivors of IPV was recruited from a SA women's organization located in a large Southwestern metropolitan area in the United States. In-depth interviews were conducted and analyzed resulting in five themes. Despite seeking help, participants experienced barriers in accessing formal help and leaving an abusive relationship.

Exploring Intervention with South Asian Women in the United States Experiencing Domestic Violence

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2024

Shreya Bhandari

A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis of Barriers and Facilitators of Help- Seeking Behaviors in South Asian Women Living in High-Income Countries who Have Experienced Domestic Violence: Perception of Domestic Violence Survivors and Service Providers

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2022
TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS

There has been little research on domestic violence (DV) within ethnic minority communities in high-income countries. This study reports on the findings of a meta-ethnography that examined the barriers and facilitators of help-seeking behaviors in South Asian women living in high-income countries who have experienced DV to inform practice, understand the limits of the evidence, and identify research gaps. Qualitative studies were identified which were available in English by electronic databases. After an initial search, 2,465 articles were reviewed by title and abstract and 135 articles were reviewed for full text. Thirty-five papers were included for this review and were synthesized using meta-ethnography. Key findings included barriers and facilitators of help-seeking behaviors: (1) Socio-cultural norms to prohibit help-seeking behaviors, (2) Fear of negative consequences, (3) Negative aspects of immigration status, (4) Insufficient support from statutory, and voluntary agencies, (5) Safety strategies and facilitators for surviving. Although this review investigated the perceptions of two different populations (survivors and service providers) both groups had similar views about the barriers and facilitators of help-seeking behaviors. It is crucial for the government and non-government organizations to understand the barriers for women who are DV survivors to seek help from their organizations and also from South Asian ethnicities. The awareness and understanding of these barriers and facilitators may help support the development of interventions to encourage effective help-seeking amongst South Asian women affected by DV. Suggestions for research, practice, and policies are discussed.

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2022
TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS

Barriers for Help-Seeking in Female Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Systematic Review

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2022
RV/JV

Purpose: Immigrant women suffering from Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) are especially vulnerable and have difficulties seeking help from specialized services. This study aims to identify the barriers contributing to the hardship faced by female immigrants who suffer IPV when seeking help. Method: A systematic review of primary articles that identified barriers in this population was carried out. An analysis was made of the 16 studies obtained from the PsycINFO and MEDLINE databases that met the inclusion criteria. Results: Several themes emerged from the analysis, indicating that there are a significant number of barriers that can be classified as 1) socio-demographic variables and violence characteristics; 2) social isolation and lack of family support; 3) cultural and religious barriers; 4) language and financial barriers; 5) little awareness of available resources; 6) limited use and perceived inefficiency of services; 7) fear of being deported and separated from their children, and 8) psychological barriers. Conclusions: Based on these data, the importance of taking these barriers into account when offering specialized attention to this most vulnerable population is discussed. Therefore, recommendations are offered to increase the accessibility of services for immigrant survivors of IPV.

Battered South‐Asian diasporic women: Culture, secrets and work

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2021
GENDER WORK ORGAN

Research indicates that women's experiences of domestic violence (DV), perpetrated by intimate male partners, impacts their work and workplaces (e.g., Showalter, 2016). South‐Asian diasporic (SAD) battered women tend to keep their DV experiences secret (e.g., Tonsing, 2014). Workplaces may be one of the few places where women experiencing DV disclose secrets (e.g., Murray & Powell, 2007). Utilizing a transnational feminist perspective, we carried out an integrative review process on scholarship from 2000 to 2020 pertaining to workplace implications of DV for SAD women. We make three contributions: we synthesize the cultural norms surrounding SAD women and DV to illuminate why these women keep their experiences secret; next, we braid these threads into a Cultural sensitivity, Organizational preparedness, Recognition and Engagement framework to highlight how workplaces can mitigate the experiences of SAD battered women employees; and finally we highlight how workplaces may support other ethnic minority migrant and refugee women experiencing DV.

Domestic Violence Victimization among South Asian Immigrant Men and Women in the United States

Article

Full-text available

May 2021

Domestic violence is a pernicious social problem in the United States and a cause of national concern. The South Asian culture disempowers individuals experiencing domestic violence from recognizing and reporting victimization. Structural inequities may also discourage reporting victimization. These issues have led to inconsistent findings of domestic violence prevalence rates. Additionally, domestic violence studies with South Asians in the United States have predominantly focused on women, omitting men from this purview of research. The purpose of this study was to examine domestic violence victimization rates as well as their correlates among South Asian immigrant men and women. The sample for this cross-sectional study included 468 South Asians across the 50 U.S. states. Descriptive statistics were used to establish rates of domestic violence victimization. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine the correlates of domestic violence victimization. All of the sociodemographic information was added in step 1, and acculturation and gender-role attitudes were added as covariates in step 2. The most prevalent type of domestic violence victimization was physical violence (48%), followed by emotional (38%), economic (35%), verbal (27%), immigration-related (26%), in-laws related (19%), and ultimately sexual abuse (11%). Prevalence rates were higher for women than for men in each type of violence. According to the logistic regression results, education, generational position, family type, and employment were significant correlates of domestic violence victimization. Prior to development of prevention programs by community agencies, it is essential to understand the nature and prevalence of domestic violence experiences among South Asians. The victimization of men in addition to women adds to the novelty of this research study and paves the way for practitioners and scholars to engage in conversations about providing both male and female victims of domestic violence with the needed resources and support. The article will discuss implications for research, practice, and policy.

Indirect experiences with domestic violence and help‐seeking preferences among south asian immigrants in the United States

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2020
J COMMUNITY PSYCHOL

Abha Rai

The South Asian culture disempowers individuals experiencing domestic violence (DV) from reporting victimization. Past research has found that confiding in and seeking help from friends/family is preferred. Therefore, it is important to gauge the knowledge of community members who may be contacted for support by victims. The goal of the study was to examine indirect experience with DV (knowing someone who experienced DV) and help‐seeking resource preference among community members. This cross‐sectional study included a sample of 468 South Asian men and women. Descriptive statistics were used to establish rates of indirect experience with DV. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to examine the correlates of recommending help‐seeking. The overall findings suggested that community members knew more women than men who were victims. Of nine help‐seeking resources, medical professionals were preferred. Regression findings identified gender, religiosity, generational position, family type, and gender‐role attitudes as the correlates of recommending help‐seeking. The study findings are beneficial in developing bystander interventions for use by community members to support their friends and family members who may be victims of DV. To reduce overall victimization, it is imperative for agencies to engage with community members along with victims.

Gender-Sensitive and Culturally Responsive Services for Indian Immigrant Women Experiencing Domestic Violence: Centering Practitioners’ Perspectives in the United States

Chapter

Nov 2024

Mental Health Practices for South Asian Cisgender Women Survivors of Domestic Violence in the United States

Article

Full-text available

Oct 2024

At present, little is known about best practices in mental health for cisgender South Asian women in the United States who experience domestic violence. The authors will review the diversity of South Asian communities, describe the prevalence of domestic violence and its impact on mental health, and explicate the myriad systems that serve as facilitators and barriers in help seeking within neocolonial contexts in which South Asians are minoritized and othered. We have collated the scant literature and provided concrete recommendations for best practices focused on connections, collectives, and communities to meet the diverse needs of South Asians in the United States while navigating the systems of care provided by South Asian domestic violence agencies and mental health services.

Hidden numbers, hidden people: Family violence among South Asian Australians

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2024
J Popul Res

International research suggests that migrants face additional challenges that may heighten their risk of experiencing family violence (FV). South Asians are one of Australia’s fastest growing immigrant populations—yet relatively little is known about their experiences of FV. This study sought to address this research gap by ascertaining what could be gleaned about FV experiences of Australian South Asians the Australian Bureau of Statistic’s 2016 Personal Safety Survey (PSS). While prior versions of the PSS have been deemed non-representative of minority cultural groups, it remains the largest FV victimisation dataset in Australia, and undoubtedly would include information about South Asian Australians. Specifically this study examined the lifetime prevalence and 10-year incidence of most recent FV among South Asian-born (SAB) immigrants and compared these figures to Australian-born (AB) individuals. SAB Australians included in the PSS reported lower lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and a lower 10-year incidence of at least one type of FV (IPV and/or non-partner FV) than AB Australians. The sampling approach of the PSS was shown to have substantial methodological limitations that reduced the utility of these findings. Specifically, the sampling of South Asian immigrants in Australia was not demographically representative nor was the sample size sufficient for meaningful analysis. The implications of these limitations and recommendations to address them in future population-level FV surveys are explored.

Can This Provider Be Trusted? A Review of the Role of Trustworthiness in the Provision of Community-Based Services for Intimate Partner Violence Survivors

Article

Full-text available

May 2023
TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS

While there is a growing literature on intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors and service providers, it is limited by its largely atheoretical and descriptive nature, and its emphasis on individual-level survivors' help-seeking. We seek to broaden our understanding by shifting the focus onto organizations and service systems and introducing the concept of these providers' trustworthiness toward survivors. Provider trustworthiness in delivering services includes benevolence (locally available and caring), fairness (accessible to all and non-discriminatory), and competence (acceptable and effective in meeting survivors' needs). Guided by this conceptualization, we conducted an integrative review drawing on four databases: PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Westlaw. We identified studies for inclusion that were published between January 2005 and March 2022, and we examined the trustworthiness of community-based providers serving adult IPV survivors in the United States, including domestic violence services, health and mental health care, the legal system, and economic support services (N = 114). Major findings include (1) many survivors live in communities with no shelter beds, mental health care, or affordable housing; (2) many services are inaccessible because they lack, for example, bilingual staff, sliding fees, or telehealth options; (3) too many providers are harmful or discriminatory toward survivors, especially those who are, for example, sexual or gender minorities, immigrants or non-English-speaking, poor, or Native, Black, or Latinx; (4) many providers appear to be incompetent, lack evidence-based training, and are ineffective in meeting survivors' needs. We call on researchers, advocates, and providers to examine provider trustworthiness, and we offer an introduction to measuring it.

Supporting Newcomer Women Who Experience Intimate Partner Violence and Their Children: Insights From Service Providers

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2023

This qualitative study adds to research on the experiences of professionals who support newcomer women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV). Findings from seven focus groups with 32 service providers from newcomer-serving and domestic violence agencies in Saskatchewan, Canada, include newcomer survivors’ experiences of isolation, the impact of IPV on newcomer children, and challenges and opportunities for supporting newcomer women who have experienced IPV. Service providers described gaps in existing services and the need for additional services; they also described ways of working effectively with newcomer women survivors of IPV and their children. Professionals indicated the importance of a trauma-and-violence-informed, survivor-centered approach and highlighted the need for compassion, empathy, and patience when working with newcomer women who have experienced IPV. This article includes recommendations for service providers, including IPV shelters and services and newcomer-serving agencies, to improve service to newcomer survivors.

South Asian Women’s Organizations: An Exploratory Study of Workers’ Perceptions on Intimate Partner Violence-Related Help-Seeking

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2022
J FAM VIOLENCE

South Asian Women’s Organizations (SAWOs) emerged in the United States in the 1980s in response to the growing awareness of intimate partner violence/domestic violence (IPV/DV) in the South Asian community and the need for culturally relevant services. Despite the support SAWOs have provided to their South Asian clients, few studies have explored the work of SAWOs and the views of SAWO workers regarding IPV/DV in the South Asian community, which can be crucial to enhancing service provisions for this population. We sought to address this gap in extant literature through this current study. We conducted one-on-one semi-structured interviews with a convenience sample of 12 SAWO workers to explore their perceptions of IPV/DV and help-seeking behaviors in the South Asian community. Data were analyzed through a directed qualitative content analysis. Four themes emerged from the interviews and analyses: (1) barriers for seeking help; (2) experiences receiving help from informal networks; (3) SAWO workers’ experiences giving support to survivors; and (4) the role of the South Asian community in preventing IPV/DV. Findings of this study underscore the the need for increased collaboration between researchers and practitioners to better attend to the needs of the South Asian immigrant community.

Survivors’ Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Shelter Utilization During COVID-19

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2022
J FAM VIOLENCE

This paper examines the effects of COVID-19 on service-engaged female survivors of IPV and makes recommendations for service providers based on these survivors’ voices. The researchers adopted an exploratory, descriptive, and qualitative approach to inquiry due to the novelty of the research questions during the early days of the COVID-19 in March 2020. Semi-structured interviews with service-engaged survivors were analyzed using inductive and deductive coding processes. Two categories arose from our qualitative questions. The first category, related to experiences with service providers, included the themes of varying levels of support and isolation. Within the theme of isolation, survivors discussed both positive and negative aspects of isolation. The second category refers to the impact of COVID-19 on survivors’ daily lives and focused on the theme of escalation. The theme of escalation had two subthemes 1) escalation of life-generated risks and 2) escalation of partner-generated risks. Given that the pandemic will continue until vaccines are fully distributed and that future public health emergencies may mirror many of the challenges identified in the current context, survivors residing at home will continue to need services, and agencies will continue to need additional resources to provide them. Therefore, we discuss recommendations that can have a bearing on services offered in the future.

“Stuck Due to COVID”: Applying the Power and Control Model to Migrant and Refugee Women’s Experiences of Family Domestic Violence in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2025
Int J Environ Res Publ Health

The COVID-19 pandemic had acute and lasting gendered impacts around the world, with UN Women declaring a shadow pandemic of violence against women. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on migrant and refugee women’s experiences of family domestic violence (FDV) in Western Australia (WA) using a community-based participatory research approach. Thirty-eight interviews and two qualitative surveys conducted with 27 women were included in the analysis. Interview and survey data underwent reflexive thematic analysis informed by the Power and Control Wheel, generating three themes and ten subthemes: (1) the facets of violence women experienced (isolation; economic violence; emotional violence; visa vulnerabilities; fear and uncertainty), (2) the systemic enablers of FDV and barriers to seeking help (FDV service provision; the immigration system), and (3) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and government measures on women and family (enabling FDV; reducing the impact of FDV; COVID-19 paled into insignificance). While for some migrant and refugee women, government measures facilitated access to support for FDV, our findings show that for others, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated and became part of the violence they had already experienced. Recommendations for tailored FDV and other support during the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed, including the expansion of family violence provisions for all visa types.

Bhutanese women’s experience of turning points to seek help from Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): a qualitative study

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2025

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a rising issue in Bhutan and has pervaded Bhutanese women’s lives silently. The information about Bhutanese women’s help seeking behaviours is scarce. This study aimed to explore the sensitising concepts about how and when Bhutanese women recognised IPV and responded to it. Fifteen women who had experienced IPV and seeking support services at RENEW (Respect, Educate, Nurture, Empower Women) were interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to establish the patterns of responses and finalise themes to better understand the phenomenon under enquiry. Six distinct turning points were identified which motivated women’s help-seeking behaviours. These include: 1) Increased threats to self-esteem and dignity, 2) Failure to change his behaviours, 3) Increased severity of violence, 4) Concerns for parents, 5) Gaining positive support, and 6) Reflecting and rewinding the experience of IPV. These novel findings highlight the importance of knowledge, positive response, and individual values in relation to women’s help-seeking behaviours. This article makes recommendations for relevant practice and policy makers in Bhutan to positively influence women’s help-seeking behaviours.

Mothering in the Context of Domestic Violence Among South Asian Families

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2024
J FAM VIOLENCE

Purpose To gain knowledge and understanding about the lived experiences involving children exposed to domestic violence (DV) from the perspective of abused South Asian women in the United States (U.S). The authors postulate that by learning more about these experiences we can contribute to the literature and help service providers create more inclusive and culturally responsive services for abused South Asian women and children. Methods In-depth telephonic interviews were conducted with 14 abused South Asian women in the U.S. to understand their experiences involving their children. Thematic analysis was conducted by the authors to understand the perceptions of South Asian mothers about their responses when children were involved. Results The following themes emerged: (1) manipulation and control; (a) contentious custody battles with limited resources (b) son preference (c) deeming the mother unfit (2) the impact of abuse on children. Conclusion It is important for clinicians to understand the ways in which power and control are utilized by South Asian perpetrators to control women and use children as pawns in the context of intersecting identities of gender, immigration status and racial-ethnic background.

Barriers and Facilitators for Help-Seeking Behaviors in British South Asian Women Who Have Experienced Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2024

The aim of this study is to identify the barriers and facilitators for help-seeking behaviors among British South Asian (BSA) women. A cross-sectional qualitative method was applied, among 15 BSA women who have experienced domestic violence (DV). Five overarching themes emerged: survivors’ lack of recognition and realization of abuse, fear of the negative effects of abuse, informal help-seeking support and barriers, formal help-seeking support and barriers, and advice from survivors for developing help-seeking opportunities. These barriers and facilitators were linked to intersectional socialization, which have influenced the help-seeking behaviors of BSA women. This study can be helpful for researchers, policymakers, and service providers in understanding the complications in terms of help-seeking behaviors and facilitators for BSA women who experience DV and to develop culturally appropriate interventions to inspire effective help-seeking strategies for South Asian women who experience DV.

Online voluntary organizations: Training women to resist various types of violence through online training

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2024
Educ Inform Tech

This research aims to establish the effectiveness of the online training course on the ability of women to resist psychological, physical, sexual, and other forms of violence against women. It enrolled 108 women aged 18 to 48 years old, who applied for help from a voluntary online relief organization in Sudan and attended online training for a year. The tools were the Rogers Empowerment Scale (ESR) and the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). There was an increase in all three ESR subscales: in Group A (psychological violence), Group B (physical violence), and Group C (sexual violence), the increase was 1.84 to 3.99, 1.74 to 3.08, and 0.48 to 2.31, respectively. In Group A and Group B, the differences were significant for all subscales; in Group C, all but Power-Powerlessness and Optimism and Control over the Future were significant. The PTGI subscales also showed an increase in Relating to Others, New Possibilities, Personal Strength, Spiritual Change, and Appreciation of Life. The findings substantiate the efficacy of an online training course within the context of psychological and physical violence, and to some extent, sexual violence. The study underscores the universality and adaptability of online education programs in addressing the intricate and multifaceted nature of violence against women, by eliminating geographical barriers and ensuring resource accessibility for women in remote areas. Significant improvements in self-esteem, personal empowerment, and overall enhancement of rights and opportunities among participants emphasize the transformative potential of educational initiatives, which aid in halting violence and restoring women’s autonomy. The practical implications are profound, as the findings can be utilized for the implementation and expansion of online education programs adaptable to diverse contexts, emphasizing the imperative of investing in digital solutions.

Factors affecting of violence, Harassment and Trafficking against the Women/0000-0002-6220-643X

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2023

Any person who suffered sexual or gender-based violence is often referred to as a survivor of violence. Although it has a similar meaning to "victim," some prefer it because it suggests resiliency. Pakistan is both an origin and a destination country for women trafficking. Poverty, gender discrimination, a lack of education, and a lack of awareness of legal rights are a few of the main causes. Gender disparity is a major contributor to sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment can be making more severe for a person by inequalities in power based on by other forms of injustice. Gender inequality is a major contributor to sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment can be made more severe for a person by power disparities driven on by other types of discrimination and injustice. The unequal distribution of power, resources, opportunities, and value that both genders enjoy in a society as a result of the institutions and gendered norms that are in place. Sexual harassment at work is when a person receives unwelcome or unwanted sexual attention while they are at work and it interferes with their ability to do their job, feels humiliated, guilty, or upset. It covers any such sexually explicit acts and attitudes accomplished by a single person or by a single person under the direction of multiple workers. Violence against women has become the "norm" in Pakistan as a result of the astounding acceptance of a historically reactionary and feudal mindset. Despite the fact that legislation has been passed to address this important issue, the current state of affairs is disappointing and distressing. There would be numerous activities required at these three levels for the protection of violence, harassment, and trafficking as well as for the protection of victims and the punishment of traffickers. As a result of the profoundly embedded patriarchal system at play in both public and private life, our analyses' findings show that women are subjected to structural, cultural, and direct forms of violence. Male members of society must overcome this challenge and bring about reform on all levels. Women's lives are constantly at danger in patriarchal societies like Pakistan.

Twenty-First Century Slavery: A Psychosocial Exploration of Human Trafficking, Migrant Smuggling, and Enslavement in Africa

Chapter

Full-text available

Oct 2023

Oluwatoyin Olatundun Ilesanmi

This paper seeks to investigate human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and enslavement as global phenomena, public health concerns, gross violations of human rights, and crimes against humanity and the state. The twenty-first century slavery revolves around illegal control, including forced labor, debt bondage, forced marriage, slavery and slavery-like practices, and human trafficking. Thus, SDG Targets 5.2 and 8.7 stipulated that immediate and effective measures should be taken by all concerns to eradicate forced labor- end modern slavery, human trafficking, sexual and other types of exploitation, as well as to secure the prohibition and elimination of the worst forms of child labor among others. The desktop approach was used to identify the varied forms of these menaces and their perpetrators. A wide range of secondary sources of data in peer-reviewed and edited conference proceedings, workshop proceedings, and published articles in local and international journals were consulted to obtain an in-depth appreciation of the problem being investigated. The paper further highlighted the psychosocial effects of human trafficking, migrant smuggling, and enslavement. The article concludes with recommendations for ending all forms of slavery in the global community in line with the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.

Religious Interpretations of Mental Illness and Help-Seeking Experiences Among Muslim Americans: Implications for Clinical Practice

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2023

Anisah Bagasra

The present study examines the role of religious interpretation in conceptualizations of mental illness and experiences with mental health providers in a sample of Muslim Americans. As part of a larger study, participants completed an anonymous online or article-based survey. A portion of the larger sample responded to four open-ended questions delving deeper into interpretations of mental illness and personal experiences with mental health concerns and mental health professionals. Of the 255 participants, 190 provided an open-ended response with their definition of mental illness, 66 described their beliefs regarding the causes of mental illness, 50 described personal experiences with mental health issues, and 34 described experiences interacting with mental health professionals. This study analyzes the responses that focus on an Islamic spiritual or religious interpretation or view the encounter with a mental health professional through the lens of religious identity. The implications of both religious worldview and Islamic identity on effective spiritually competent practice in the clinical setting are outlined.

Factors Influencing Help-seeking Choices Among Non-Service-Connected Survivors of IPV

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2023
J FAM VIOLENCE

Background Substantial evidence highlights the role of formal intimate partner violence (IPV) services in reducing the negative impacts of IPV for survivors and their families. The decision to seek help and the process survivors navigate in the help-seeking journey is influenced by individual, interpersonal, and sociocultural factors. Understanding why survivors choose not to seek formal services is necessary to better understand their experiences and to improve survivor-centered outreach and support. Purpose The goal of this study was to understand the perspectives and choices of survivors who are not engaged with IPV services. The primary research question was what factors influence help-seeking choices among non-service-connected IPV survivors. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 survivors in community settings or over the phone. The researchers used a process of inductive and deductive coding to identify themes and subthemes. Results The researchers identified three themes1) intrapersonal barriers, 2) interpersonal barriers, and 3) macro/systems barriers. Conclusion Implications include identifying factors that facilitate help-seeking to expand services to a wider group of survivors while providing support and information for informal support people, as well as the need for future research to engage and understand the perspectives of survivors who have not sought help from any formal services.

Violence Against Women in India: An Analysis of Correlates of Domestic Violence and Barriers and Facilitators of Access to Resources for Support

Article

Aug 2022

Purpose Domestic violence (DV) is a significant public health problem in India, with women disproportionately impacted. This study a) identified risk and protective correlates of DV and, b) barriers and facilitators for seeking and receiving help for DV among women in India. Methods A systematic search of 5 databases was performed to identify correlates of DV in the quantitative literature. The search resulted in inclusion of 68 studies for synthesis. For qualitative exploration, data were collected from 27 women in India. Results While factors such as social norms and attitudes supportive of DV were both risk correlates and barriers to addressing DV, women's empowerment, financial independence and informal sources of support were both protective correlates of DV as well as facilitators in addressing DV. Conclusions Strong efforts in India are needed to reduce DV-related risk factors and strengthen protective factors and enhance access to care for women in abusive relationships.

Violence Against Women and Girls in Humanitarian Crisis- Learning from the 2015 Nepal Earthquake

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2022

Violence against women and girls (VAWG) often increases after disasters and humanitarian crises. This article presents evidence from Nepal, a country where notable progress has been made on gender equality, but where VAWG continues to be an endemic. The 2015 April earthquake in Nepal led to an increase in reporting of VAWG, and women and girls in camps and temporary shelters reported fear and insecurity instilled by risk of violence and lack of privacy. Grassroots responses to the earthquake showed how humanitarian aid, emergency health care, and local disaster responses can challenge VAWG while offering safe spaces for women and girls. Research since the earthquakes with activists and non-government organisations (NGOs) indicates how disaster response efforts face continuous challenges posed by VAWG. This article draws on interviews with grassroots activists and NGO staff in Nepal, and shares experiences and lessons learnt that can help in addressing, challenging, and minimising VAWG in emergency situations and humanitarian crisis. This article is informed by thematic analysis of qualitative data from three separate studies, collected by employing semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and social media interaction with women and girls affected by the earthquake, women activists, and NGO staff. Our research highlights a number of barriers to addressing VAWG, such as preexisting vulnerabilities in low-income contexts, the breakdown of social/family networks, and lack of pre-crisis protection mechanisms. Further, our findings indicate that the cultural and socio-economic context influences women and girls’ experiences of violence during humanitarian crises. Our findings emphasise the importance of taking an intersectional and inclusive approach to ensure that all women, including the most vulnerable women and girls (those with disabilities, Dalits, older women, and single women) are included in prevention mechanisms, with a special focus on gender-based violence (GBV) risk assessment and protection interventions. Based on our research in Nepal, we make recommendations to practitioners and policy makers for interventions which address VAWG in humanitarian crises

Newcomer Women’s Experiences of Help-Seeking after Intimate Partner Violence

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2025
J FAM VIOLENCE

Purpose This article describes newcomer women’s experiences navigating help-seeking and accessing formal services and supports after experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in two cities in Saskatchewan, Canada. Method Fifteen newcomer women who migrated to Canada from twelve different countries participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Results Findings relating to newcomer women’s experiences of help-seeking after experiencing IPV include a lack of awareness of domestic violence services; shelter waitlists and length of stay; interactions with police; challenges with legal assistance; negotiating parenting time with abusive partners; navigating childcare; child protection services; poverty and social assistance; and language, interpretation, and challenges working with multiple service providers. Conclusions Implications for policy and practice to help service providers enhance support to newcomer women who have experienced IPV are discussed.

Mistreatment of Vulnerable Adults: A Conceptual Analysis of the Help-Seeking Process

Article

Mar 2025
TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS

This conceptual analysis aims to clarify the notion of help-seeking in the context of abuse among vulnerable adults. In Quebec, Law 6.3 was introduced in 2017 to protect older adults and vulnerable adults who experience mistreatment. While this legislation marks a significant step forward, the detection of mistreatment remains challenging, and it continues to represent a major public health concern. Using Walker and Avant’s method, this analysis establishes an operational definition of help-seeking in the context of mistreatment. An initial search across multiple databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Social Science Abstracts, and Érudit) identified 6,483 references, after the exclusion of duplicates. The titles and abstracts of the selected references were then evaluated based on the previously established inclusion criteria, resulting in 262 references selected for full-text review. At the end of the process, 79 studies were retained. The results of these studies reveal that help-seeking in the context of abuse is a multidimensional process influenced by cultural, relational, and personal factors. The process of seeking help is complex and involves overcoming numerous internal and external barriers. The study concludes that a nuanced understanding of help-seeking is crucial to effectively evaluate an individual’s capacity to seek and obtain assistance, as required by Quebec’s Law 6.3. It further recommends the development of specialized tools and continuous professional training to improve intervention practices and support the effective implementation of the law.

Sexual Assault, Female Immigrant Victims, and Judicial Focal Concerns in U.S. and Canadian Courts

Article

Feb 2025
Am J Crim Justice

This study draws on the focal concerns perspective to explore the persistence of rape myths in U.S. and Canadian court cases involving immigrant women survivors. Results from qualitative content analysis of judicial rhetoric in both countries from 1996 to 2021 reveal a nuanced picture. Notably, judges reinforced some rape myths by, for example, being less likely to uphold convictions in cases that did not involve weapons or that occurred in private settings. However, judges challenged rape myths, with some judges explicitly considering the vulnerability of immigrant women, further contributing to the complexities of their decision-making process.

Experiences of African women who migrate to a developed country and encounter intimate partner violence: a systematic review of qualitative evidence

Article

Jan 2025

Objective The objective of this review was to synthesize the available evidence on the experiences of African women who migrated to a developed country and encountered intimate partner violence (IPV). Introduction IPV is a significant public health issue, and migrant women living in developed countries are particularly vulnerable to IPV, experiencing disproportionately higher rates of IPV. Understanding the experiences of these women can inform health policy and decision-making in clinical practice to minimize IPV. Inclusion criteria This review considered studies that included women of African descent, aged 16 years or older, who migrated from any of the 54 countries in the African continent to a developed country and who experienced IPV. Qualitative studies including, but not limited to, grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, case studies, and action research designs, were considered for inclusion. Methods A comprehensive database search of CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Embase, MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO (OvidSP), and Scopus was conducted in February 2022 and updated in November 2022 and February 2023. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses were searched for gray literature. Studies in the English language were considered, with no date limitation. Eligible studies were assessed by 2 independent reviewers for methodological quality. The findings were extracted and pooled, categorized by similarity of meaning, and synthesized using the JBI meta-aggregation method. The synthesized findings were graded using the ConQual approach. Results Eleven qualitative studies were included in the review. The narratives of 234 women generated a total of 95 findings and 10 categories based on similarity of meaning, from which 4 synthesized findings were generated: i) The influence of cultural and gender norms, religion, and women’s perceptions of IPV; ii) Control and the cone of silence; iii) Psychological and emotional impact of IPV and ways of coping; and iv) Support for women who are victims of IPV. Conclusion IPV is an ongoing issue for African migrant women in developed countries. The women reported that their partners continued their controlling behavior that was accepted in their country of birth, particularly regarding emotions and finances. The experience of IPV was exacerbated for women who did not have access to extended family members, and they often faced practical barriers in accessing available formal support. The synthesized findings from this review can be used to support the urgent need to address IPV in this migrant population.

Trends in Contacts Made by Immigrants to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Article

Sep 2024
PUBLIC HEALTH REP

Objectives Immigrants in the United States are more likely than nonimmigrants to experience risk factors for intimate partner violence (IPV) and problems in getting support. The COVID-19 pandemic and recent incidents of xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiment may have exacerbated exposure to IPV risk factors. We examined immigrant experiences of IPV before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study identified changes in characteristics of abuse, services used, referrals, and barriers to services among those who contacted the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) and identified as immigrants, reported immigration status as a concern, needed immigration support, and/or identified immigration status as a barrier to accessing services (N = 49 817). We used joinpoint regressions to examine whether the rate of change differed significantly from 2016-2019 (before the pandemic) to 2019-2021 (during the pandemic). Results The number of immigrant contacts to NDVH peaked in 2017 (n = 9333) and declined 25% to 6946 in 2021. During 2016-2019, the percentage of contacts reporting the following increased significantly: technology-facilitated violence (+12.7 percentage points), economic/financial abuse (+10.8 percentage points), and involvement of firearms (+4.8 percentage points); during 2019-2021, these trends reversed. The percentage of contacts reporting separation or divorce was relatively flat until 2019 and then increased from 14.6% in 2019 to 19.9% in 2021 (+5.2 percentage points). Housing instability increased during 2017-2020 (+9.3 percentage points), but requests for shelters decreased (−4.5 percentage points). Immigration status and personal finances were commonly reported barriers to services; both decreased during 2016-2019 but then increased during 2019-2021. Conclusions This study can inform prevention and response strategies relevant for immigrants experiencing or reporting IPV.

Perspectives of South Asian Youth in the United States about Gender Norms and Healthcare Decision Making

Article

Jul 2024

The aim of this study was to explore the voices of South Asian youth in the United States about gender norms and healthcare decision making. Ten focus group discussions were held with 36 students of South Asian origin at a university on the West Coast of the United States. Thematic analysis was performed on the focus group data. Three main themes emerged from the data: (1) intersectionality of gender with other factors that affect healthcare decision making, (2) impact of gender on health, and (3) coping strategies. Participants reported preferential treatment for boys versus girls, vesting decision-making control among males, worse health among females, and coping strategies. A few responses indicated that power differentials in some families were shifting to a more egalitarian balance between males and females. Aspects such as age, employment, and language barriers intersected with gender to create a complex web of influence on healthcare decision making. The study has implications for social workers to offer culturally responsive support to South Asian youth in the United States, paying attention to the intersectionalities when working with them. Further research is needed to explore the influence of gender on healthcare decision-making processes of South Asian youth in the United States.

South Asians and the Role of Bystanders in Domestic Violence Prevention: Results from a Pilot Study

Article

May 2024

Protective Factors Affecting Trauma Recovery Among Female South Asian Immigrant Intimate Partner Violence Survivors: A Scoping Review

Article

Feb 2024
TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pressing public health issue affecting women worldwide. Thirty percent of women experience some form of violence throughout their lifetime globally, and South Asian countries have a higher prevalence of IPV (33%–51%). Notably, IPV has detrimental psychological impacts not only on women but also on their children. Despite this, limited empirical attention has explored protective factors for IPV trauma recovery. This review examines protective factors aiding South Asian immigrant IPV survivors’ trauma recovery using Joanna Briggs Institute JBI methodology. The study draws on PubMed, Scopus, and PsychINFO data, resulting in 20 articles retrieved using Rayyan software. Protective factor’s themes and subthemes revealed in the literature operated at multiple levels, including personal, interpersonal, community, and professional factors. Personal factors were selfhood, collective self, and adaptation, as well as those that enabled the utilization of interpersonal, community, and professional factors; interpersonal factors were family and friends, children as motivators, and religion; and community and professional factors were resources and technology usage. Immigrant status and culture significantly impacted the protective factors, acting as barriers among some IPV survivors. Therefore, future research should focus on exploring the experiences and cultural values of South Asian immigrant women with other influencing factors that may hinder the development and impact of protective factors on IPV trauma recovery. These findings can help design culturally sensitive support services that incorporate the unique needs of female South Asian immigrant IPV survivors.

Gender-Sensitive and Culturally Responsive Services for Indian Immigrant Women Experiencing Domestic Violence: Centering Practitioners’ Perspectives in the United States

Chapter

Dec 2023

In the United States, South Asian immigrant women experience high rates of domestic violence (DV). The authors employed participatory research methods to bring together researchers, practitioners, and service users across three community-based domestic violence agencies in the United States to identify best practices, needs, and challenges in delivering gender-sensitive and culturally responsive care. This chapter will report on perspectives shared by practitioners at a domestic violence agency serving primarily South Asian immigrant women in an urban city in the United States. Focus group discussions with practitioners highlight several best practices in delivering gender-sensitive and culturally responsive care. While practitioners currently use several best practices, innovative strategies, and resources to address the gender and culture-specific needs of Indian immigrant women experiencing DV, there remain significant barriers to systemizing and increasing access to them. In addition, there is a critical need for further collaborative research with community partners to understand better the “on-the-ground” realities, needs, and challenges practitioners face while delivering care.

Police-reported family violence: are there differences amongst South Asian Australians and Australian-born Australians?

Article

Jan 2024
PSYCHIAT PSYCHOL LAW

Numerous qualitative studies report South Asian migrants use police as a last resort for family violence (FV), however no quantitative evidence exists in Australia. This study examines police-reported FV recorded by Victorian police between September 2019and February 2020 (N¼32,450) and compares reports made by South Asian-born(SAB) Australians to Australian-born (AB) Australians. Demographics, incidence and revictimisation rates, severity, frequency of risk and vulnerability factors (e.g. isolation &visa dependency) reported by the two groups were examined. More females were affected family members (AFMs) for both groups; however, SAB males were more likely to report non-partner FV. SAB AFMs reported a lower incidence rate and occurrence of revictimisation than AB AFMs. There were no significant differences in the level of severity (based on charges at time of incident); however, significantly higher number of risk factors were present for SABs reporting intimate partner violence. Mixed results emerged in the frequency of factors.

Violencia de pareja intima contra la mujer: revisión sistemática de tipologías, metodologías y tópicos actuales en su investigación

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2023

Introducción: la violencia de pareja íntima contra la mujer es un problema de salud pública. Actualmente, existe un número importante de investigaciones sobre esta problemática. Objetivo: describir aspectos metodológicos, tipologías y variables estudiadas en investigaciones empíricas sobre violencia de pareja íntima contra la mujer. Método: se realizó una revisión sistemática, con búsquedaen WOS, Scopus y SciELo de publicaciones entre 2015 y 2019. De 762 artículos identificados, 178 cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión.Resultados: el diseño más utilizado fue el transversal, con análisis cuantitativo correlacional (73%); con muestras entre 100 y 500 participantes (31%) y principalmente desarrollados en Norteamérica (43%). Respecto a las variables, se estudian características individuales de la mujer, consecuencias físicas y mentales de la VPI, características de la relación de pareja y variables sociales que pueden incidir en VPI. la VPI fue caracterizada como Psicológica, física y sexual, con una nueva tipología denominada control coercitivo. Conclusiones: el uso de diseños transversales es comprensible por las implicancias éticos requeridos para esta población; las variables incluidas, incluyen un amplio espectro, tanto de posibles factores de riesgo como consecuencias de la violencia. El control coercitivo constituye un nuevo aspecto comprensivo hacia VPI.

The psycho-social factors that escalate intimate partner violence (IPV) among South Asian women in North America: An intersectional approach and analysis

Article

Dec 2023

Barriers to and Facilitators of Help-Seeking Among Men Who are Victims of Domestic Violence: A Mixed-Studies Systematic Review

Article

Nov 2023

Domestic violence against men poses a significant threat to men’s health and well-being and is increasingly being recognized as a public health issue. Unfortunately, men who are victims often struggle to disclose and report their abusive experiences. This review aims to examine and consolidate the evidence regarding the barriers to and facilitators of help-seeking behaviors of men who suffered from women-perpetrated domestic violence. A mixed-studies review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach. Nine electronic databases were searched from each database’s inception until January 2023. The 23 included studies were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, and their findings were synthesized using the Joanna Briggs Institute convergent qualitative synthesis method. An overarching theme, “Stuck in a loop and finding ways to move on,” which encapsulated the predicament of victimized men in abusive relationships, was identified along with three main themes. Overall, a gender-biased perspective of domestic violence, personal fears, and familial factors hindered victimized men from reporting violence and seeking help. A multi-faceted approach—consisting of public education campaigns, sensitizing, and training help professionals, engendering “safe” environments, developing men-specific assessments, and reforming social and legal-justice processes—is needed to effectively address the gender-specific challenges faced by men who are victims of domestic violence and break the cycle of abuse, and improve formal and informal help-seeking in men who are victims of domestic abuse.

‘I felt I had no-one to depend on but myself’: Examining how women with insecure migration status respond to domestic and family violence in Australia

Article

Nov 2023
WOMEN STUD INT FORUM

Stefani Vasil

Understanding the Nature of Family Violence Against Women With Insecure Migration Status in Australia

Article

Sep 2023

Stefani Vasil

Feminist researchers have diversified understandings of family violence by examining how women's experiences are influenced by gender and its intersections with other social inequalities. This article seeks to contribute to intersectional and transnational feminist scholarship on violence that examines the influence of structural factors such as insecure migration status on the nature of women's lived experiences in Western industrialized countries. It reports on findings from a study with migrant women who experienced family violence in Victoria, Australia when their migration status was “insecure,” and examines similarities and differences in the forms and patterns of violence and abuse women described.

Covid-19 lockdowns and the precarity of South Asian key workers’ families in the United Kingdom

Article

Dec 2022

Rizwana Yousaf

With growing concern in the lives of individuals and communities during COVID-19, there is growing consensus across the globe that the pandemic had a disproportionate impact on different segments of society. It is of pertinent significance to understand the differential impact of pandemic on diverse groups. The concept of ‘intersectional vulnerability’ has been used in this paper to understand the unequal impact of the pandemic. Using an intersectional lens of ethnicity, this paper aims to understand the lived experiences of South Asian key workers’ family members (women) during the COVID-19 lockdowns through narratives of precarity and vulnerability, this study brings out the challenges faced by families of key workers. Vulnerable family members’ fear, stress, economic pressures, persistent inequalities in society, and gendered experiences shape the narratives of these families. The pandemic exacerbated existing precarious positions of families by creating a situation where ethnic inequality and inequitable gendered impacts were further reinforced.

Development of B.R.A.K.E. the Cycle: A Culturally Responsive Bystander Intervention for South Asian Immigrants in the United States

Article

Nov 2022

South Asian (SA) immigrants are one of the fastest-growing immigrant groups in the United States. Due to the stigma associated with domestic violence among SAs, disclosing victimization experiences may be challenging. In circumstances where experiences are disclosed, informal help-seeking through family/friends is utilized more often than formal help-seeking. Therefore, it is essential for friends/family to be empowered to effectively intervene. B.R.A.K.E. the Cycle has been developed as an innovative online intervention for SA community members (informal resources) to provide support to those experiencing abuse. The goal of this intervention is to enhance responsibility and knowledge among bystanders. Utilizing a culturally responsive intervention is an integral step in enriching services provided by practitioners serving immigrants, which we highlight in this practice note.

SoK: The Dual Nature of Technology in Sexual Abuse

Conference Paper

May 2022

Fearful to Fearless: Design of ICT Based Learning Tools to Combat Extremism, Terrorism and Violence

Chapter

Jan 2022

Rani Parvathy Venkitakrishnan

Violence comes in many forms. Governments across the globe spend a lot, on protecting their citizens from violence and studying violence. Modern forms of violence extensively borrow from culture, religion, history and mythology: which is violence towards women, children, and the vulnerable. The population most affected by violence are also the poor, who are without resources or organized knowledge to resist violence. They also lack resources to practice skills of non-violence. Though education is hailed as a unanimous choice to combat extremism, terrorism and violence, current education-job system is not sufficient to combat or reduce violence. Currently, there is no clear practical adaptable methods in the public domain, for non-violence education. Short audio-video tutorials have been successfully used to improve health and nutrition of newborns in India. This article will explore the extension of this method to adapt to the creation of skills needed to practice non-violence in adverse conditions by self-learning. Considering the large scale of violence across the globe, coming up with an adaptable mobile technology based resource is of importance. Online mobile learning can reach the remote and dangerous places of the planet, where one-to-one interaction is not possible. KeywordsLarge scale adoption of mobile learningLife-long and informal learning using mobile devices

Help-Seeking Among Battered Immigrant Filipina, Indian, and Pakistani Women in the United States: Perceived Barriers and Helpful Responses

Article

Dec 2021
Violence Vict

This study examines the nature of helpful responses received and barriers to seeking help following the experience of intimate partner violence among women of Filipina, Indian, and Pakistani descent (N = 143) in the United States. Instead of aggregating women from diverse backgrounds, we investigated these groups of women separately. A content analysis found that while emotional support was the most helpful response, there were important variations by ethnicity and immigration position in the perceived helpfulness of various assistance resources as well as barriers to help-seeking. This study of disaggregated Asian immigrant groups enhances our understanding of both common and unique challenges faced by each immigrant group, which can inform development of socioculturally relevant intervention programs.

Coping Strategies Adopted by Migrant Female Head-load Carriers Who Experienced IPV

Article

May 2021

The physical, sexual and reproductive, and mental health complications posed by Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) raise problems that must be addressed by victims. This study presents qualitative data on the coping strategies employed by 20 head-load carriers (females who carry loads in a saucepan on the head for a fee) who were survivors of IPV. The findings indicate that the head-load carriers adopted strategies such as apologizing or fighting back (interpersonal coping); remaining silent (intrapersonal coping); seeking support from family, friends, or institutions (socio-personal coping); engaging in prayer and hope; and leaving the relationship. Future research and policy implications are also discussed.

Indian Families: The Diaspora in the United States and Canada

Chapter

Mar 2021

Uma A. Segal

The world’s largest democracy, India, has a complex, diverse, and sprawling Diaspora. This chapter presents a general profile of Indians in the United States and Canada, identifying resources they bring and challenges they face. The integration of migrants is a slow and gradual process, occurring over decades, and requiring a concerted effort on the part of both immigrant and the receiving nation. The chapter proposes that mental health intervention should focus on the nexus of immigrant and host environment to determine ideal routes to integration, assessing the human and social capital of the former and the opportunities provided by the latter.

Help-seeking behavior of South Asian women in domestic violence: A scoping review

Article

Dec 2020

Poonam Sripada

Domestic violence (DV) has serious implications for the welfare of South Asian (SA) women in the United States. Previous studies have identified significantly lower rates of help-seeking among SA women compared to the dominant culture and other cultural groups. However, there are no scoping reviews that summarize the literature to identify strategies for intervention and future research in order to promote faster and larger systemic wide change that is urgently necessary to meet the needs of this vulnerable population. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review and synthesize empirical studies that explore the socio-cultural factors related to the help-seeking behavior of SA women primarily in the United States. Forty-five English language peer reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. The socio-cultural factors identified in the reviewed studies using a descriptive analytical method with a narrative review are patriarchy, acculturation, socioeconomic status, cultural competency, and immigration status. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Intimate Partner Violence: An Overview of the Existing Teories, Conceptual Frameworks, and Defnitions

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2018

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), also known as domestic violence, spousal abuse, and relationship violence, among other names, is becoming a widely recognized social and public health problem. Teory and practice suggest it is vital that the issue be addressed comprehensively in both the healthcare and socio-legal contexts. Te theoretical perspectives underlying inquiries into the nature and etiology of the IPV phenomenon are of fundamental importance in promoting our understanding of how to prevent, reduce, or eliminate the problem. In order to integrate various aspects of knowledge about the phenomenon, it is important to consider and evaluate the approaches to IPV currently prevalent in the feld. Objectives: Te present article aims to provide a critical overview of the existing theories, methodological frameworks, typologies, and defnitions of Intimate Partner Violence. Design: Te present paper reviews the international literature on the conceptual frameworks and defnitions of IPV. First, it draws on the conceptual frameworks of violence; it then reviews relevant theories and defnitions of IPV considered from sociocultural, individual, and integrative perspectives. Te disparities, limitations, and explanatory powers of these theories, as well as their clinical and research applications, are discussed in an attempt to bring more clarity into the current state of understanding in the feld. Results and Conclusions: Our review suggests that there is no universally accepted defnition of IPV, nor a conceptual framework that would encompass the complexity of the phenomenon. Some of the theoretical frameworks for studying IPV appear to provide potential advantages over others, but their empirical viability has yet to be determined. We argue that, due to the complex multifaceted nature of IPV, a narrow theoretical stance might exclude a variety of exploratory factors and limit understanding of the phenomenon.

A Study on Visible Minority Immigrant Women’s Experiences with Domestic Violence

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2016

The purpose of this exploratory and qualitative research was to better understand the personal experiences of visible minority immigrant women seeking help with domestic violence (DV) in Southern Ontario, Canada. In-depth interviews were carried out with two survivors of DV and three DV professionals: their personal and professional experiences with DV as it affects visible minority immigrant women were explored. A gender-based analysis of the participants’ narratives revealed that a number of diversity-related axis such as, gender, visible minority, immigrant status and economic status influenced women’s experiences with abuse. The results indicate the various barriers visible minority immigrant women who are experiencing DV, may face when they try to seek help and support. Specifically, challenges include recognition of foreign credentials and employment, language, culture, isolation, and shelters. Police responses, court proceedings, spousal sponsorship policies, legal status and fear of deportation/breakdown of sponsorship contribute to structural barriers. Study implications for policy and practice are discussed and recommendations provided.

Lived Experiences of South Asian Women Facing Domestic Violence in the United States

Article

Full-text available

May 2016

This article describes the lived experiences of domestic violence among a convenience sample of 20 South Asian women. The experiences of abuse are drawn from in-depth telephonic interviews conducted all across the United States. The analysis describes four major categories of abuse: (a) types of abuse; (b) abuse involving children; (c) family involvement in abuse; and (d) formal and informal support. Implications for social workers working with South Asian women are shared.

Navigating gender, immigration, and domestic violence : Advocacy with work visa holders

Chapter

Full-text available

Jan 2007

Rupaleem Bhuyan

The topic of domestic violence advocacy with South Asian immigrants on temporary visas raises more questions than answers. In general, women who seek support from domestic violence agencies have a complex set of needs when responding to the abuse in their lives. Many immigrant women further contend with limited access to services due to language barriers, institutional racism within domestic violence and other social services, and pressure not to seek help outside their cultural community (Acevedo 2000; Bui and Morash 1999; Raj and Silverman 2002a). In addition, immigration history and residency status powerfully shape an immigrant woman's responses to abuse, as these determine her eligibility for public benefits, options to maintain a legal presence in the United States, and the right to seek legal employment. Although federal legislation through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides substantial immigration relief to some battered immigrants, the safety net it erects remains permeable and leaves out many groups of immigrant women who have few, if any, options to find relief from abuse.

South Asian Immigrant Men and Women and Conceptions of Partner Violence

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2017

Limited knowledge exists about conceptual variations in defining intimate partner violence (IPV) by ethnicity, such as South Asian (SA) immigrant men and women. In a multi-ethnic study, we employed participatory concept mapping with three phases: brainstorming on what constitutes IPV; sorting of the brainstormed items; and interpretation of visual concept maps generated statistically. The parent study generated an overall general multi-ethnic map (GMEM) that included participant interpretations. In the current study, we generated a SA specific initial-map that was interpreted by eleven SA men and women in gender specific groups. Their interpretations are examined for similar and unique aspects across men and women and compared to GMEM. SA men and women shared similar views about sexual abuse and victim retaliation, which also aligned closely with GMEM. Both SA women and men had an expanded view of the concept of controlling behaviors compared to GMEM. SA women, unlike SA men, viewed some aggressive behaviors and acts as cultural with some GMEM congruence. SA women uniquely identified some IPV acts as private-public. We discuss implications for research and service assessments.

Patriarchal Beliefs and Perceptions of Abuse among South Asian Immigrant Women

Article

Full-text available

Mar 2004
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM

This study investigates the relationship between South Asian immigrantwomen’s patriarchal beliefs and their perceptions of spousal abuse. Twenty-minute telephone surveys were conducted with 47 women. The survey collected information about demographic characteristics, patriarchal beliefs, ethnic identity, and abuse status. Participants were read a vignette that depicted an abusive situation and were asked whether they felt that the woman in the vignette was a victim of spousal abuse. As hypothesized, higher agreement with patriarchal social norms predicted a decreased likelihood of identifying the woman in the vignette as a victim of spousal abuse. This finding is discussed in terms of its application to violence against women educational programs in the South Asian immigrant community.

Sexual Abuse in South Asian Immigrant Marriages

Article

Full-text available

Jun 1999
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM

Margaret Abraham

This article focuses on a discussion of some of the norms around sexuality and their implications for sexual abuse of South Asian immigrant women. Based on the narratives of abused South Asian immigrant women, it explains how women define and understand their own experiences of sexual abuse. The article examines three forms of sexual abuse: (a) marital rape and sexual assault, (b) sexual control through manipulation of reproductive rights, and (c) sexual control through the construction of the “sexual other.” Sexual abuse by significant others besides the husband in the immigrant context is also briefly discussed.

Ethnicity, Gender, and Marital Violence: South Asian Women's Organizations in the United States

Article

Full-text available

Aug 1995

Margaret Abraham

Based on a two-stage questionnaire with six South Asian organizations that focus on South Asian women, this article examines the factors that determined the creation of such organizations. Through an analysis of their organizational ideology, structure, goals, and strategies, the article demonstrates their relevance and the instrumental role they play in shifting marital violence among South Asians in the United States from a “private problem” to a “social issue.” Central to the analysis is how ethnicity and gender intersect in addressing social change. These organizations are a growing social movement.

Domestic Violence in the South Asian Muslim Immigrant Population in the United States

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2000

Ruksana Ayyub

This paper describes the phenomenon of domestic violence in the South Asian Muslim population living in the United States. Religion, culture, and family play significant and positive roles in the lives of South Asian women. This paper highlights some of the problematic areas in which these institutions are not responding to the needs of women. These findings are based upon the author's work in a committee for the prevention of domestic violence in the Muslim community and upon personal experience of the South Asian culture.

Cultural Variables in Asian Indian Families

Article

Full-text available

Apr 1991

Uma A. Segal

Explores the cultural values and mores of Asian Indian families in the US to identify and analyze problems of acculturation by parents and their adolescent children. Changing characteristics between the traditional joint family structure and the more contemporary nuclear family structure are discussed. Data from 2 pilot focus-group seminars attended by 122 parents and 87 teenagers clarify the nature of parent–child conflicts and show how many conflicts were couched in the cultural and value differences of immigrant Indian families. Several issues consistently emerged as causing emotional difficulty: control, communication, marriage, prejudice, and expectation of excellence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

A Situational Model of Sexual Assault Prevention through Bystander Intervention

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2009

Shawn Burn

Bystander intervention is a potentially potent tool in the primary prevention of sexual assault but more information is needed to guide prevention programs (Banyard 2008). Undergraduates (378 women and 210 men, primarily White) at a central coast California university completed an anonymous questionnaire measuring five barriers identified by the situational model of bystander intervention (Latane and Darley 1970) and bystander intervention behavior. As expected, the barriers were negatively correlated with intervention, were greater for men than for women, and intervention likelihood was affected by perceptions of victim worthiness, especially for men. Hypotheses predicting a positive relationship between having a relationship with the potential victim or perpetrator and intervention were supported. Implications for sexual assault bystander intervention programming are provided.

Sita's Trousseau: Restorative Justice, Domestic Violence, and South Asian Culture

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2005

Rashmi Goel

This article focuses on the particular cultural factors that affect South Asian women who are abused and immigrant South Asian women who are abused, in particular, in the restorative justice process. By exploring cultural practices and the icon of Sita, the mythological heroine of the Ramayana, this article demonstrates how the South Asian ideals of womanhood and wifehood help to create a mind-set whereby South Asian women are reluctant to advocate for themselves and are reluctant to leave. Such a condition is contrary to the conditions and abilities assumed by the restorative justice movement for dispute resolution, inside or outside of domestic violence. It is concluded that restorative justice options are ill-suited to application among immigrant South Asian communities for domestic violence cases.

Domestic Violence in the Chinese and South Asian Immigrant Communities

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2006

Although the Chinese and South Asian immigrant populations are largely silent on this issue, domestic violence is a fact of life in many families. In this article, we discuss cultural factors that may cause and prolong abuse in Asian immigrant homes, and review similarities and differences between the two Asian cultures in this regard. This article also addresses the psychological trauma experienced by abused Asian immigrant women and the coping strategies that they are likely to employ. Culturally sensitive intervention strategies are presented that may be appropriately used in working with Chinese and South Asian immigrant women for whom abuse is a terrifying and demeaning fact of life.

Violence against Women in South Asia

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2003

Unaiza Niaz

In South Asian countries the amalgamation of Buddhist, Confucian, Hindu, Islamic and Christian traditions have shaped the personalities of women and determined their social status. Rigid cultures and patriarchal attitudes which devalue the role of women, result in the wide spread occurrence of violence against women. The family structure, in which the man is the undisputed ruler of the household, and activities within the family are seen as private, allows violence to occur at home. As well as traditional forms of violence such as wife-battering and sexual assault, women in these countries are also exposed to dowry crimes such as bride burning, kidnapping for the purposes of prostitution, and "honour killings". Laws permit discrimination against women and discourage reporting of violent acts. Efforts to remedy this situation must include changes in local laws as well as assistance from the United Nations and the international community.

“I Must Be Silent Because of Residency”: Barriers to Escaping Domestic Violence in the Context of Insecure Immigration Status in England and Sweden

Article

Feb 2018

Halliki Voolma

This article draws on qualitative research examining domestic violence against women with insecure immigration status in England and Sweden. Empirical data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews with 31 survivors from 14 non–European Union (EU) countries, and 57 professional stakeholders including 19 support service providers. This article reveals a multilayered process of actualizing women’s right to live free from violence, with survivors required to be formally eligible for services according to their immigration status, having to prove their eligibility, overcome informal barriers including the fear of deportation, and gain access to accurate information about their rights and services.

Socio-cultural risk factors impacting domestic violence among South Asian immigrant women: A scoping review

Article

Dec 2017
AGGRESS VIOLENT BEH

Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence among South Asian Immigrants in the United States

Book

Jan 2000

Margaret Abraham

The Abuse of Technology in Domestic Violence and Stalking

Article

May 2016

Delanie Woodlock

We focus on an emerging trend in the context of domestic violence—the use of technology to facilitate stalking and other forms of abuse. Surveys with 152 domestic violence advocates and 46 victims show that technology—including phones, tablets, computers, and social networking websites—is commonly used in intimate partner stalking. Technology was used to create a sense of the perpetrator’s omnipresence, and to isolate, punish, and humiliate domestic violence victims. Perpetrators also threatened to share sexualized content online to humiliate victims. Technology-facilitated stalking needs to be treated as a serious offense, and effective practice, policy, and legal responses must be developed.

Social Work Research Methods. From conceptualization to dissemination

Book

Jan 2008

Help-Seeking Behaviors of South Asian Women Experiencing Domestic Violence in the United States

Article

Jul 2013

This study used survey methodology and logistic regression analysis to examine sociocultural factors (isolation, social support, acculturation, and patriarchy) associated with informal and formal help seeking among a community sample of 57 female domestic violence victims of South Asian origin residing in the United States. Of them, 35 (61%) reported seeking some type of help in the past year. Most of the 35 (60%) sought informal help. Participants who were more isolated from their spouse/partner and were not living with children were more likely to seek help. Most women said they sought help from others as a last option. Participants rated the effectiveness of many informal and formal sources of help as "moderately" to "very" helpful. The findings can be used to develop culturally specific intervention programs/services for South Asian women victims of domestic violence.

Enculturation and Attitudes Toward Intimate Partner Violence and Gender Roles in an Asian Indian Population: Implications for Community-Based Prevention

Article

Feb 2014
AM J COMMUN PSYCHOL

This study examined the relationships among enculturation, attitudes supporting intimate partner violence (IPV-supporting attitudes), and gender role attitudes among one of the largest Asian Indian population groups in the US. Data were collected via computer-assisted telephone interviews with a random sample of Gujarati men and women aged 18-64 in Metropolitan Detroit. Using structural equation modeling, we modeled the effects of three components of enculturation (behavior, values, and community participation) on gender role attitudes and IPV-supporting attitudes among married respondents (N = 373). Analyses also accounted for the effects of respondent age, education, religious service attendance, perceived financial difficulty, and lengths of residence in the US. The second-order, overall construct of enculturation was the strongest predictor of IPV-supporting attitudes (standardized B = 0.61), but not gender role attitudes. Patriarchal gender role attitudes were positively associated with IPV-supporting attitudes (B = 0.49). In addition to the overall effect of the enculturation construct, two of the components of enculturation had specific effects. "Enculturation-values" had a specific positive indirect association with IPV-supporting attitudes, through its relationship with patriarchal gender role attitudes. However, "enculturation-community participation" was negatively associated with IPV-supporting attitudes, suggesting the importance of community-based prevention of IPV among this immigrant population group.

Abused South Asian Women in Westernized Countries and Their Experiences Seeking Help

Article

Dec 2013
Issues Ment Health Nurs

The aims of this qualitative systematic review were to better understand domestic abuse among South Asian (SA) women in westernized locales and to make evidence-based inferences related to helping services. Thirty English-language research reports met the inclusion criteria. Findings were extracted, assessed for quality, and analyzed using an iterative approach. Based on the results, domestic abuse appears to be grounded in the context of SA mores and the experience of immigration. Situational circumstances and language barriers make it difficult for SA women to reach and utilize helping services. Nurses are urged to consider these barriers as they assist SA immigrant women to enhance their well-being.

South Asian Women in the U.S. and their Experience of Domestic Violence

Article

Jul 2012

Neely Mahapatra

This study examined the extent of domestic violence and sociocultural factors (isolation, social support, acculturation, and patriarchy) associated with domestic violence among a community sample of 215 women of South Asian origin in the U.S. The sample is the largest to date in a study of domestic violence among South Asian women. Both paper and Web surveys were used. Of the sample, 38 % experienced some form of abuse in the past year. Isolation from spouse/partner and perceived social support predicted abuse. This information is vital in developing effective and culturally appropriate intervention methods for South Asian women victims of domestic violence.

A High-Tech Twist on Abuse: Technology, Intimate Partner Stalking, and Advocacy

Article

The Social Construction of Wife Abuse: Experiences of Asian Indian Women in the United States

Article

Jun 1999
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM

Meeta Mehrotra

The terms wife abuse and battered woman were coined in the 1970s. Although such naming is meaningful, these social constructions are restrictive so that only a narrow range of behaviors and people fit these labels. With the help of interviews with Hindu Asian Indian immigrants, this article highlights the importance of including the experiences of diverse groups of women in any analysis of domestic violence. Thirty people, 5 abused Asian Indian women who had sought help from support groups, 11 members of South Asian support groups, and 14 married, nonabused women living in a city on the east coast of the United States were interviewed for this study. The study challenges the popular perception of abused women, specifically South Asian battered women, as passive victims.

Seeking Informal Support: Marital Violence Against Women in Greece

Article

Sep 2001
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM

This exploratory study conducted from 1997 to 1998 is the first study to empirically investigate Greek battered women's help-seeking behavior from informal sources of help. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 abused women in the only refuge for battered women in Athens. Results of this study indicate that Greek women tend to suffer years of violence before they ask for help because of various personal and sociocultural factors. These factors center around feelings of shame and guilt, hope that things will get better, and the concepts of marriage and the family that are of central importance to women's lives in Greece. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of using systems of informal support and recommending the need for more research on the issue of violence in Greece.

Skilled migration and cumulative disadvantage: The case of highly qualified Asian Indian immigrant women in the US

Article

Mar 2005
GEOFORUM

Bandana Purkayastha

The research on skilled international migration focuses primarily on the experiences of male migrants. Little work has been done on female migrants, especially those who migrated as dependents of highly skilled males. This paper presents some data on Asian Indian women in the US, and argues that these women suffer from cumulative disadvantage. The paper emphasizes that it is necessary to adopt a complex model involving the interaction of gendered/racialised immigration laws, workplace and household experiences in order to understand the experiences of these women.

Domestic Violence Among Asian Indian Immigrant Women: Risk Factors, Acculturation, and Intervention

Article

Jan 2006

Michael S. Liao

Asian Indian women who immigrate to the United States through arranged marriages are at high risk of experiencing domestic abuse. Professionals working in this arena have identified unique cultural and contextual factors related to abuse experienced by this population. This article provides a taxonomy of the factors related to domestic violence experienced by Asian Indian immigrant women in the United States and their implications for service providers. Acculturation and its implications for battered Asian Indian women's ability to recognize violent acts as abuse is also discussed. This article is aimed at human service providers working with Asian Indian women. In cases of domestic abuse, the various factors discussed must be taken into consideration in providing culturally competent interventions

Domestic Violence Help-Seeking Behaviors of South Asian Battered Women Residing in the United States

Article

Jan 2007

This study was designed to assess domestic violence help-seeking behaviors among battered South Asian women residing in Greater Boston, USA. Prevalence of these behaviors was assessed among South Asian women reporting violence in their current relationship via an anonymous survey (N=44). Forms and qualities of help-seeking behaviors and needs were assessed via in-depth interviews with a separate sample of self-identified battered South Asian women (N=23). Of the surveyed battered women (N=44), 23 (52%) reported no acquisition of support or services assessed; no women reported use of criminal justice services; and only two had contacted a domestic violence program (5%). Qualitative data (N=23) indicate that when help-seeking does occur, it is elicited by increasing severity in violence and/or thoughts of separation from the batterer; it begins with help-seeking within the community, and the community response includes helping link victims with more formal domestic violence services. However, among women attempting to separate from their batterer, resource constraints at the programmatic level and restrictive immigration laws were cited as major hurdles they were facing towards independence. Findings from this study attest to the need for a multi-level approach to support battered South Asian women in the US that goes beyond the current criminal justice model of intervention.

Intimate Partner Violence Against Immigrant Women: The Roles of Immigrant Culture, Context, and Legal Status

Article

Mar 2002
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM

Intimate partner violence against immigrant women is at epidemic proportions, but research has only recently begun to address the concern. A review of the legal, medical, and social science research literature reveals little data, but that which exist demonstrate that immigrant women's cultures, contexts, and legal status (a) increase vulnerability for abuse, (b) are used by batterers to control and abuse immigrant women, and (c) create barriers to women seeking and receiving help. Data also reveal that immigrant culture and context offer resiliency factors through which programs and policy can be used to better serve these populations.

The Coding Manual for Qualitative Research

Book

Jan 2009

Johnny Saldaña

Domestic violence among immigrants from India: What we need to know — and what we should do

Article

Sep 2002

Mangai Natarajan

Little research has been reported on domestic violence among Indian immigrant families in the United States. While one national survey suggests that this is not a major problem, several smaller scale studies that focus specifically on South Asian immigrants suggest there is a substantial hidden problem warranting attention. In order to assist future research, this paper presents an integrated theoretical model to explain domestic violence in Indian immigrant communities. The model draws on feminist theory, family violence research, acculturation theory and victimological and crime opportunity theories. The model also provides a framework for thinking about possible intervention strategies. Those likely to provide more immediate benefits are discussed.

Sexual Inequality, Cultural Norms, and Wife-Beating

Article

Jan 1976
Victimology

Murray Straus

Wife-beating is a largely unrecognized crime of violence just beginning to receive attention in the US. The extent of wife-beating is impossible to determine since, although it occurs in every strata of society and within every age group, it is usually unreported for a variety of reasons. Law enforcement agencies seem not to know how to cope with it. The motives of wife-beating are complex. It is contended that the high frequency with which physical violence is used by married couples, and especially the disproportionate frequency with which wives are the victims, reflects the structure of contemporary Euro-American societies in the form of cultural norms which implicitly make the marriage license a hitting license in the sexist organization of both society and the family system. Cultural norms legitimizing marital violence are found in the legal system, in literary works and everyday discourse, and in sociological and psychological experiments and surveys. A number of ways in which sexism contributes to the frequency of wife-beating are discussed. It is concluded that both women's liberation and male liberation are necessary to effect a substantial reduction in wife beating. (45 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

The New Age of Stalking: Technological Implications for Stalking

Article

Nov 2010
JUVENILE FAM COURT J

Technology has led to tremendous advancements in our society but has also brought more danger to victims of stalking and given more tools for stalkers to use. New technology has made it more difficult for prosecutors and judges to hold stalkers accountable for their crimes, and without an understanding of how technology is misused by stalkers to track and monitor their victims, many victims don't get the justice they deserve. This article addresses the tremendous impact of technology on stalking, especially within the context of intimate partner stalking.

Voicing the Silent Fear: South Asian Women's Experiences of Domestic Violence

Article

Nov 2004

Aisha Gill

This article examines the subjective experiences of South Asian women in the United Kingdom who have suffered domestic violence, and identifies some of the risk factors for domestic violence within this community. The study, based on in-depth interviews with 18 Asian women, describes and analyses several aspects of domestic violence in relation to South Asian women. The guiding research questions are: how do Asian women interpret their experiences of domestic violence, and to whom do they report it? This article presents data that suggest that abusive acts against Asian women arise out of a multiplicity of cultural circumstances influenced by power relations. Abusive acts are not therefore limited to a single characteristic, such as physical abuse, or to a particular relationship. Recurrent themes emerge from the women's accounts, revealing their definitions of domestic violence and showing how some continue to play down the levels of violence they experience. The article voices the concerns of and hardships experienced by victims and survivors of domestic violence, in their own words. Finally, the article offers an analysis of the ways in which notions of honour and shame are used both as tools to constrain women's self-determination and independence, and as catalysts for domestic violence when these notions of family and community are challenged by women.

Charting the Course: An Overview of Domestic Violence in the South Asian Community in the United States

Article

Jan 2000

Shamita Das Dasgupta

In the South Asian community in the United States, domestic violence is a prevalent problem of significant magnitude. Although the community stridently denies the existence of this horror, women have been systematically organizing antiviolence-against-women work for the last 15 years. At this time, it is a vibrant movement struggling with several complex issues that are perhaps less common in the dominant white community. As in the lives of immigrant women of color, much of the intricacies of domestic violence in the South Asian context emerge from the intersections of race, class, and residency status problems. Consequently, a slew of personal, institutional, and cultural barriers commingle to form roadblocks for battered South Asian women, who attempt to escape family violence. As the needs of battered South Asian first and second generation women enlarge and become more perceptible, the community-based organizations have to ready themselves for more complicated activities in the future.

Attitudes Towards Violence Against Women In Men of South Asian Ancestry: Are Acculturation and Gender Role Attitudes Important Factors?

Article

Jan 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine attitudes toward violence against women in men of South Asian ancestry. Studies conducted on other cultural groups have examined separately the influence of gender role attitudes and acculturation on violence against women. In the current study, we proposed that acculturation and attitudes towards violence against women were related through the mediation of gender role attitudes. One hundred male South Asian university students were administered questionnaires that measured their acculturation, gender role attitudes and attitudes towards wife beating. Results indicated that gender role attitudes fully mediated the relationship between acculturation and attitudes towards violence against women. This means that lower acculturation is only related to higher acceptance of wife assault because lower levels of acculturation are related to more restrictive and conservative beliefs about the roles of men and women.

Social Support and Disclosure of Abuse: Comparing South Asian, African American, and Hispanic Battered Women

Article

Jun 2003

Sixty-two battered women who had accessed domestic violence services were asked to whom they disclosed the partner abuse, the responses they received, and how supported they felt by kin and nonkin network members. The findings showed that older women and those who had resided in the United States longer were more likely to make disclosures to kin members. Older women, those who had higher levels of perceived social support, and those who reported lower frequency of physical violence were more likely to disclose to nonkin members. The findings suggest that those women experiencing more severe abuse may be the least likely to disclose to others. As a group, the South Asian women were older and more educated, and greater proportions were or had been married to the abuser. In contrast to the other groups, a greater proportion reported having been burned or scalded and fewer reported being sexually coerced. In greater proportions, they disclosed the abuse to brothers and fathers and were advised to stay in their marriages. Service providers working with minority battered women must be knowledgeable of cross-cultural differences in the experience of abuse and disclosure patterns. Culturally appropriate and aggressive outreach within specific ethnic communities may be required to reach battered women in the community. Service providers must consider working with members of women's informal support network to provide both emotional and instrumental support.

Legislating Gender Inequalities: The Nature and Patterns of Domestic Violence Experienced by South Asian Women With Insecure Immigration Status in the United Kingdom

Article

Nov 2011
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOM

Sundari Anitha

Research on domestic violence documents the particular vulnerability of immigrant women due to reasons including social isolation, language barriers, lack of awareness about services, and racism on the part of services. Based on qualitative interviews with 30 South Asian women with insecure immigration status residing in Yorkshire and Northwest England, this article explores how inequalities created by culture, gender, class, and race intersect with state immigration and welfare policies in the United Kingdom, thereby exacerbating structures of patriarchy within minority communities. It is within these contexts that South Asian women with insecure immigration status experience intensified forms and specific patterns of abuse.

“Why doesn't she seek help for partner abuse?” An exploratory study with South Asian immigrant women

Article

Sep 2009
SOC SCI MED

This study explores why South Asian immigrant women with experiences of partner abuse delay seeking help from professionals. Three focus groups were conducted in Hindi language with South Asian immigrant women in Toronto. Twenty-two women participated with a mean age of 46 years (range 29-68 years). Thematic analysis was conducted on the transcribed data using constant comparison techniques within and across the groups. We found that three major themes emerged from the discussions: reasons for delayed help-seeking, turning points and talking to professionals. Women expressed delaying help-seeking to the point when "Pani sar se guzar jata he" (water crosses over your head). Their dominant reasons for delayed help-seeking were social stigma, rigid gender roles, marriage obligations, expected silence, loss of social support after migration and limited knowledge about available resources and myths about partner abuse. Women usually turned for help only after experiencing pronounced mental and physical health problems. The findings are interpreted in light of participants' immigration context and the socio-cultural norms of patriarchy, collectivism and familism. Prevention approaches to address partner abuse and delayed help-seeking among South Asian immigrant women should include tailored community education, social services to reduce vulnerability, and cultural competency of professionals. Further research and program evaluation is needed to advance the field.

Adolescent females between tradition and modernity: Gender role socialization in South Asian immigrant culture

Article

Nov 2000

The study examines the social and cultural experiences of adolescent female belonging to various south Asian immigrant groups in Canada. Applying qualitative research method, the authors interviewed 22 adolescent girls of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin in Montreal. Like other immigrant communities, south Asian families undergo acculturation stress. South Asians tend to integrate secular European cultural elements with their culture; however, family and community structure remain male dominated. The study showed that gender roles were maintained through gender segregation, control over social activities of girls and arranged marriage. Interviewees felt that their parents and communities have more stringent rules for female socialization than any other community in Canada. The study also found that adolescent girls perceived high social cost attached to protest and dissent, therefore, they accept prevalent conditions and expect to change social situation gradually. Some adolescents undergo stress resulting in behavioral problems.

In the Footsteps of "Arundhati": Asian Indian Women's Experience of Domestic Violence in the United States

Article

Oct 1996

PIP This study examined the ideologies and conditions that are creating women's vulnerability to spousal abuse in the Asian Indian community in the US. The study focused on the multiple factors involved in Asian Indian women's experiences of domestic violence in the US: their minority status, life as an immigrant, and pressures to preserve a flawless public image of their community. The data were collected from interviews with 12 highly educated women from India who had sought outside help due to spousal abuse. 10 of these women were foreign born, and 2 were brought up in the US. The study revealed that the most important factor in these women's lives seemed to be childhood indoctrination into the ideals of ¿good¿ wife and mother that include sacrifice of personal freedom and autonomy. Although majority of the women worked as professionals, economic independence did not seem to provide them with a sense of empowerment. Furthermore, they felt responsible for the reputation of their families in India, were eager not to compromise their families' honor with a divorce, and operated under the added pressures of preserving traditions and presenting an ¿unblemished¿ image of the community to the US mainstream.

Victims of Intimate Partner Violence More Likely to Report Abuse From In-Laws

Article

Nov 2006

The current study of South Asians in the United States was designed to assess quantitatively the association between intimate partner violence (IPV) and emotional abuse by in-laws (n=169) and to qualitatively identify via in-depth interviews with battered women (n=23) forms of abuse perpetrated by in-laws. Quantitative findings demonstrate a significant relationship between IPV and abuse from in-laws (odds ratio=5.7, 95% confidence interval=1.5-21.5). Qualitative data demonstrate that abuse by in-laws includes emotional abuse (e.g., isolation, social and economic control, and domestic servitude), awareness or support of IPV, and direct physical abuse. Domestic violence interventions with South Asian women must consider abuse from in-laws and IPV experiences.

Dowry abuse should be recognized as domestic violence under Australian law, advocates say

H Gleeson

College students’ perceptions of intimate partner cyber harassment

L A Melander

Domestic violence and abuse: Recognizing the signs of an abusive relationship and getting help

M Smith
J Segal

Promoting the safe and strategic use of technology for victims of intimate partner violence: Evaluation of the technology safety project

J Finn
T Atkinson

Technology and its danger to domestic violence victims: How did he find me?

B Baddam

Advocates aim to pull plug on digital stalkers

C Kreuger

Lifting the veil of secrecy: Domestic violence among South Asian women in the US

S P Krishnan
B A Malahat
L Gilbert
N El Bassell
A Waters

Every cloud has a silver lining but… “pathways to seeking formal-help and South-Asian immigrant women survivors of intimate partner violence”

Abstract

No full-text available

Recommended publications

Learning from Narratives: Understanding the Impact of Childhood Abuse on Interpersonal Functioning L...

Developing and Validating an Experience Sampling Measure of Aggression: The Aggression-ES Scale

Pleasure-Centered Educational Program: A Comprehensive Approach to Pleasure-Oriented Sexuality Educa...

The Lethality Screen