scholarly journals Reimagining the Convoluted Plights of Refugee, Immigrant and Undocumented Immigrant Women: Implications for the Reauthorizations of the Violence Against Women's Act of 1994 in the United States

2020 ◽  
pp. 75-102
Author(s):  
Buster C. Ogbuagu
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
The United States ◽  
Undocumented Immigrant ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Host Countries ◽  
Refugee Women ◽  
New Immigrant

Background: Violence against women exists, is entrenched and shares commonalities among all cultures and societies, regardless of their level of civilization or the lack thereof. This act, which in some societies has now been recognized, therefore currently perceived, defined and interrogated as socially problematic is committed mostly by men, especially intimate partners and significant others, regardless of demography. Violence Against Women as an aberrant type of relationship interaction exists as a phenomenon that has largely been socially constructed, perpetrated, sustained and reproduced mostly by men. Although, and as a gender discourse, all women are recipients or potential recipients of violence perpetrated predominantly by men, however, new immigrant and refugee women remain at the apex as recipients of all sorts of violence, especially Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). Method: This study applied phenomenological interviews to explore how violence, particularly IPV against refugee women, including how the risk and propensities are further heightened and complicated by subjectivity labels. These labels include gender, race, socioeconomic, including undocumented immigrant status and language in host countries and continents, such as the United States, Canada and Europe. Results: The study found that IPV has serious ramifications for the physical and mental health of all affected women and their children, but presents a specially complicated problem for refugee and undocumented immigrant women as they strive to adapt to their host countries and environments. The study further evaluated new and existing policies, including the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 and its various reauthorizations, as well as evidence-based modalities that attempt to interrogate and attenuate this aberrant interactional process. Conclusion/Recommendations: It also explored policy recommendations that can be engaged in the sustainable protection of women, already victims of violence and those at high risk, but especially new immigrant, refugee and undocumented immigrant women, who have been socially, economically, culturally and linguistically deracinated by migration and refugee creating events.

A Trauma-Informed Analysis of the Violence Against Women Act’s Provisions for Undocumented Immigrant Women

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (13) ◽  
pp. 1540-1556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Shaanta Murshid ◽  
Elizabeth A. Bowen
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Undocumented Immigrant ◽  
Analysis Framework ◽  
Trauma Informed

Immigrant women in the United States are among the groups disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). Undocumented immigrants generally have fewer resources for coping with violence and may experience a range of personal, cultural, and immigration status–related barriers to reporting violence and accessing help. Thus, undocumented immigrant victims of IPV could benefit significantly from policies that promote access to trauma-informed services and legal options. This article applies a trauma-informed policy analysis framework to the Violence Against Women Act’s immigration protections to demonstrate how the Act’s U-Visa provisions and implementation practices could be improved by incorporating trauma-informed principles of trustworthiness and transparency, empowerment, choice, safety, collaboration, and intersectionality.

Intimate Partner Violence among Korean Immigrant Women in the United States: Intersectionality of Gender Norms, Immigration, and Socioeconomic Status

2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110179
Author(s):  
Sei-Young Lee ◽  
Ga-Young Choi
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
United States ◽  
Socioeconomic Status ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Gender Norms ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Korean Immigrant ◽  
Korean Immigrant Women

With the theory of feminist intersectionality, this study examined intimate partner violence (IPV) among Korean immigrant women focusing on gender norms, immigration, and socioeconomic status in the contexts of Korean culture. A total of 83 Korean immigrant women who were receiving a social service from non-profit agencies in ethnically diverse urban areas were recruited with a purposive sampling method. Hierarchical regressions were conducted to examine changes in variance explained by models. Having non-traditional gender norms, a college degree or higher education, immigrant life stresses, and living longer in the United States were positively associated with IPV while having higher income and being more fluent in English were negatively associated with IPV. Findings were discussed to understand Korean immigrant women’s internal conflict affected by their higher education and more egalitarian gender norms under the patriarchal cultural norms while experiencing immigrant life stresses and living in the United States. Implication for practice was also discussed.

Reimagining VAWA: Why Criminalization Is a Failed Policy and What a Non-Carceral VAWA Could Look Like

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-101
Author(s):  
Leigh Goodmark
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Women Of Color ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Primary Response ◽  
Violence Against Women Act

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is the signature federal legislative accomplishment of the anti-violence movement and has ensured that criminalization is the primary response to intimate partner violence in the United States. But at the time of its passage, some anti-violence activists, particularly women of color, warned that criminalization would be problematic for a number of reasons, a caution that has borne fruit in the 25 years since VAWA’s passage. This article critiques the effectiveness of criminalization as anti-domestic violence policy and imagines what a non-carceral VAWA could look like.

Mexican Immigrant Women’s Reconstruction of Punishment and Victimhood in Intimate Partner Violence

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 987-1007
Author(s):  
Blanca Ramirez ◽  
Devon Thacker Thomas
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Reference Points ◽  
Mexican Immigrant ◽  
Mexican Immigrant Women

Utilizing 20 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Mexican immigrant women in Southern California, we argue that participants employ a bifocal lens to develop perceptions of intimate partner violence (IPV). By drawing on existing knowledge from Mexico as reference points, the findings show that participants construct law enforcement as the appropriate intervention in the United States. As a result, they construct new norms for victims on how to address IPV. Ultimately, this research suggests that perceptions of laws and law enforcement as change agents in ending IPV within the United States may create, in fact, a false sense of security in Mexican immigrant women.

Restorative Justice and Violence Against Women in the United States

2017 ◽  
pp. 63-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenn Walker ◽  
Cheri Tarutani
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Restorative Justice ◽  
Violence Against Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Black People ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner

Opposition to using restorative justice to address violence against women mainly concerns the fear that women will be re-victimized if they engage with men who endangered them. While law enforcement and criminal justice approaches are necessary to address violence against women, women's choices about when and how to use law enforcement and prosecution to address violence against them, should be respected. Exclusive criminalization of violence against women has not protected many and has further harmed marginalized and Black people. To address intimate partner violence, victims' needs for healing must be met including when the victim-offender overlap applies and an offender is also a victim. Ignoring healing perpetuates violence. Applying restorative justice and its foundational questions, during direct meetings between victims and offenders, or when they meet separately, can address the victim-offender overlap, reduce reliance on punishment, and increase healing.

Impact of Sources of Strengths on Coping and Safety of Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

Affilia ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 088610992097856
Author(s):  
Bushra Sabri ◽  
Karissa Avignon ◽  
Sarah Murray ◽  
Veronica P. S. Njie-Carr ◽  
Anna Marie Young ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Social Service ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Community Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Snowball Sampling ◽  
Physical And Mental Health

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a national and international public health and human rights concern. Immigrant women are disproportionately affected by IPV that includes homicides. This study explored the perspectives of survivors of IPV, who are immigrants to the United States, regarding their sources of strength that enhance their safety and promote coping in abusive relationships. Data for this qualitative study were collected from ethnically diverse immigrant women residing in Massachusetts, Arizona, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New York, Minnesota, and California, using purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Eighty-three in-depth interviews were conducted with adult immigrant survivors of IPV who self-identified as Asian ( n = 30), Latina ( n = 30), and African ( n = 23). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Women identified both external (e.g., community support, support from social service agencies) and internal (e.g., optimism, faith, beliefs) sources of strength. The study highlights how these sources can adequately address needs of survivors and offers areas for improvement in services for survivors. The findings are informative for practitioners serving immigrant survivors of IPV in legal, social service, and physical and mental health settings.

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