NCJ Number
197827
Journal
Gender & Society Volume: 16 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2002 Pages: 898-920
Editor(s)
Christine E. Bose
Date Published
December 2002
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article assesses the scholarship on domestic violence among immigrant women across different groups in varying contexts and responses in the host countries to set the stage for framing theoretical questions and informing policy.
Abstract
A significant amount of literature and research exists on domestic violence; however, research concerning domestic violence in immigrant communities is limited. In order to begin developing a framework to explain those factors involved in domestic violence and immigrant women, this article begins with a review of relevant studies to identify specific immigrant factors present in cases of domestic violence in different contexts across varying groups. It proceeds to identify common experiences among immigrant women in the major receiving countries. Common elements identified as present in the domestic violence experience of immigrant women and unique to their situation include: language barriers, isolation, immigration-induced economic changes, legal status, and a cross-national comparative frame of reference. In addition, there have been different responses at both the government and local level in receiving communities. Governments have enacted and amended immigration laws making it easier for immigrant women to find protection. At the local level, immigrants can access services directed to native-born women, but barriers, such as language, cultural misunderstandings, and different perceptions in reporting prevent immigrant women from using the services efficiently. The need exists for courts and other community agencies to recognize that the needs of immigrant women differ from those of the mainstream population. In addition, laws and channels of information need to be adjusted to recognize the increasing presence of immigrant women. References