NCJ Number
200048
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2003 Pages: 207-239
Editor(s)
Claire M. Renzetti
Date Published
February 2003
Length
33 pages
Annotation
In order to understand women’s various responses to intimate violence and the effects of gender structure, culture, and immigration-related factors on abused women’s efforts to reach out for help, this study examined help-seeking behavior among abused Vietnamese American women.
Abstract
Although studies of the victimization experiences of minority women and their responses to domestic violence have been conducted, limited knowledge exists on help-seeking behavior among abused immigrant women. This study used a qualitative method to investigate help-seeking behavior among abused Vietnamese American women. A major source of data for the study was in-depth interviews with the core sample of Vietnamese American women who had experiences of intimate violence. The study included both women who had sought and/or received help as well as those who had not. The core sample had diverse demographic characteristics, family life experiences, and immigration histories. Study findings suggest that a theoretical framework that combines gender structure, class, race, and culture can promote the understanding of help-seeking behavior among immigrant women. Vietnamese American women do not always passively accept violent domination, but often use various strategies within different levels of social constraints to bargain for their lives and safety. Vietnamese American women’s help-seeking behavior is complex, diverse, and shaped by their experiences of abuse, as well as various structural, cultural, and organizational forces that can impede and facilitate their efforts to reach out for help. Study limitations are presented and discussed. References