scholarly journals New lives, new challenges: access to intimate partner violence services for portuguese-speaking immigrant women

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepali Guruge ◽  
Margareth S. Zanchetta ◽  
Brenda Roche ◽  
Stephanie Pedrotti Lucchese
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Pathways To Care ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Global Health Issue ◽  
Seeking Help

Intimate partner violence is a global health issue and the most common form of violence experienced by women. This study explored barriers to accessing help to Intimate partner violence related health services among Portuguese-speaking immigrant women in Toronto, Canada. Exploratory study conducted by a survey and focus group discussions with 12 Portuguese-speaking immigrant women. Results clarify the struggles faced by Portuguese-speaking immigrant women and their pathways to care and help-seeking. Participants reported that the fear of being deported, obtaining evidence of abuse, and lack of language-specific services were the key barriers to seeking help. When available, language-specific community-based services, along with faith and religion, were noted as key factors that supported women’s resilience. Nurses who provide care and services to women who are dealing with Intimate partner violence should rethink the scope of their advocacy actions toward addressing these structural barriers by building alliances with organizations to better serve and protect women in such vulnerable situations.

scholarly journals Social support needs and help seeking behaviours among Spanish-speaking Canadian immigrant women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Cerdena D’Unian
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Spanish Speaking ◽  
Greater Toronto Area ◽  
Sources Of Support

There is considerable research about women who have experienced Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the Canadian literature. However, most of these studies have focused on IPV among Canadian-born women. Immigrant women who make the decision to seek help for IPV have received less attention in the research-based literature in Canada. This qualitative study examined the IPV experiences of 10 Spanish-speaking immigrant women in Canada, all from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The main focus was to examine the intersectionality between social support and help seeking behaviours for IPV. Results indicated that Spanish-speaking immigrants in Canada utilized both formal and informal sources of support for IPV. The importance of continuous support as a factor preventing women from returning to an abusive relationship was consistently reported by participants. Implications of the study findings and directions for future research are further discussed in this manuscript.

scholarly journals Experience of Intimate Partner Violence and Help-Seeking Behaviour among Women in Uganda

Psych ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 182-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bishwajit Ghose ◽  
Sanni Yaya
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Health Survey ◽  
Alcohol Drinking ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Demographic And Health Survey ◽  
Healthcare Use ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Seeking Help

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognised as a fundamental violation of women’s human rights and a widespread phenomenon in Africa. Women’s low socioeconomic empowerment, cultural acceptability, and lack of social support exacerbate the health and psychosocial outcomes of IPV among African women. To date, there is no systematic research on IPV and its association with healthcare use among adult women in Uganda. Therefore, we conducted the present study on IPV among Ugandan women of childbearing age (15–49 years). Cross-sectional data on 7536 women were collected from the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS—Uganda Demographic and Health Survey 2016). The objectives were to assess the predictors of IPV as well as help-seeking behaviour for victims of IPV. IPV was assessed by women’s experience of physical, emotional and sexual violence and healthcare use was assessed by self-reported medical visits during the last 12 months. Logistic regression methods were used to analyse the data. According to descriptive findings, which showed that more than half of the women reported experiencing any IPV (55.3%, 95%CI = 53.6, 57.0), emotional IPV (41.2%, 95%CI = 39.6, 42.8) was the most prevalent of all three categories, followed by physical (39.3%, 95%CI = 37.7, 40.9) and sexual IPV (22.0%, 95%CI = 20.7, 23.3). In the multivariate analysis, higher age, rural residence, religious background (non-Christian), ethnicity (Banyankore and Itseo), secondary/higher education and husband’s alcohol drinking habit were positively associated with women’s experience of IPV. Husband’s alcohol drinking was found to be a significant barrier to seeking help among those who experienced IPV. In conclusion, our findings suggest a noticeably high prevalence of IPV among Ugandan women. There are important sociodemographic and cultural patterns in the occurrence of IPV that need to be taken into account when designing intervention policies. Special attention should be given to women living with husbands/partners who drink alcohol, as this might increase their odds of experiencing IPV, as well as reduce the likelihood of seeking help.

Help-Seeking Behaviors of Male Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Kenya

2021 ◽  
pp. 0192513X2110428
Author(s):  
Eric Y. Tenkorang ◽  
Mariama Zaami ◽  
Sitawa Kimuna ◽  
Adobea Y. Owusu ◽  
Emmanuel Rohn
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Physical Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Support Networks ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviors ◽  
Male Survivors ◽  
Seeking Help

Very few studies examine the help-seeking behaviors of male survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) in Kenya or sub-Saharan Africa more generally. Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from 1,458 male survivors and multinomial logit models, we examined what influences men’s decision to seek help after experiencing IPV. Results show the majority of male survivors did not seek help. Those who did so turned to informal rather than formal sources. The severity of physical violence was the most robust and consistent predictor of help-seeking. Male survivors of severe physical abuse had higher odds of seeking help from informal support networks than not seeking help. Compared to the uneducated, highly educated men were significantly more likely to seek help from formal support networks than to not seek help at all. Sensitization programs are required to educate male survivors of IPV on available sources of support. In particular, barriers to help-seeking must be removed to encourage male survivors to find support.

Intimate Partner Violence Among Older Portuguese Immigrant Women in Canada

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 961-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafaella Queiroga Souto ◽  
Sepali Guruge ◽  
Miriam Aparecida Barbosa Merighi ◽  
Maria Cristina Pinto de Jesus
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Older Women ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Immigrant Status ◽  
Cultural Issues ◽  
Greater Toronto Area ◽  
Global Health Issue ◽  
Diverse Groups

One third of the immigrant population around the world is made up of women. Of these women, many belong to the Portuguese community. Immigrants account for more than one in five Canadians. The Portuguese older immigrant women living in Canada are vulnerable to be victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), which is a prevalent and important global health issue that affects differently diverse groups. There are few available researches regarding IPV on this population. The objective of this study is to understand how Portuguese older immigrant women living in Canada experience IPV. This is a qualitative study with a social phenomenological focus. Alfred Schutz’s motivation theory was used to analyze the impulses that led older women to face IPV. The data were collected from July to October 2013 in the Greater Toronto Area. Ten women 60 years or older were included in the study. The participants perceived themselves as being victimized by their current or ex partners. They are unhappy and suffer from a variety of health problems, which they related to their experience of IPV. These factors, along with participants’ personal beliefs, and their legal situations as immigrants in Canada, made them act, either in a way that would try to maintain their relationships, or tried to escape the violent situation. IPV is a complex phenomenon, with different perceptions surrounding it. The experiences of the older immigrant women showed that ending the marriage is not always a possibility to them because of cultural issues and their immigrant status in Canada. Some women wish help and support to improve their relationships.

Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in South Korea: Experiences in Seeking Help Based on Support Selection

2020 ◽  
pp. 107780122090563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sihyun Park ◽  
Yejung Ko
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Sociocultural Factors ◽  
Female Victims ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Seeking Help

For victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), seeking help is an important step in escaping their violent situations; nonetheless, their experiences in help-seeking are diverse and often influenced by sociocultural factors. The purpose of this study was to understand South Korean female IPV victims’ experiences in seeking help. Qualitative data were collected from interviews with 14 female victims and analyzed using content analysis. We presented the victims’ experiences according to their choice of support (e.g., friends, family, community, or police) and noted four factors that appear to influence their support selection.

scholarly journals Systemic Factors Explain Differences in Low and High Frequency Shelter Use for Victims of Interpersonal Violence

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-201
Author(s):  
Nicole Williams ◽  
Katrina J. Milaney ◽  
Daniel Dutton ◽  
Wilfreda E. Thurston
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Systemic Factors

Intimate partner violence is detrimental to women and children’s health and social outcomes. In order to identify the complex factors that shape help-seeking behaviour and what places women at highest risk of recurrence of violence and shelter use, it is critical to examine how individual and systemic factors influence shelter use. The Healing Journey Project was a longitudinal study conducted across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to identify the experiences of women who were victims of intimate partner violence. A total of 665 women who had previously experienced IPV were interviewed biannually over a four-year period. Descriptive statistics informed probit regressions that then identified several factors that differentiate single frequency shelter users from high frequency users. The results emphasize the importance of using intersectionality theory to recognize the interplay of multiple factors to showcase the complexity of IPV and how it affects shelter use. The results also emphasize how colonialism’s lasting effects are pervasive, alongside the impacts of poverty, intergenerational abuse and structural barriers to housing and childcare. Implications require changes to policy and government funding to enhance access to gender and culturally safe housing with trauma-informed supports to both intervene and potentially prevent multiple experiences of violence.

scholarly journals “If I’d Had Something Like SAFE at the Time, Maybe I Would’ve Left Him Sooner.”—Essential Features of eHealth Interventions for Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110361
Author(s):  
Nicole van Gelder ◽  
Suzanne Ligthart ◽  
Julia ten Elzen ◽  
Judith Prins ◽  
Karin van Rosmalen-Nooijens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Ehealth Intervention ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach

Approximately one in three women worldwide experiences intimate partner violence and abuse (IPVA) in her lifetime. Despite its frequent occurrence and severe consequences, women often refrain from seeking help. eHealth has the potential to remove some of the barriers women face in help seeking and disclosing. To guarantee the client-centeredness of an (online) intervention it is important to involve the target group and people with expertise in the development process. Therefore, we conducted an interview study with survivors and professionals, in order to assess needs, obstacles, and wishes with regard to an eHealth intervention for women experiencing IPVA. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 women (8 survivors and 8 professionals) between 22 and 52 years old, with varied experiences of IPVA and help. Qualitative data was analyzed using a grounded theory approach and open thematic coding. During analysis we identified a third stakeholder group within the study population: survivor-professionals, with both personal experiences of and professional knowledge on IPVA. All stakeholder groups largely agree on the priorities for an eHealth intervention: safety, acknowledgment, contact with fellow survivors, and help. Nevertheless, the groups offer different perspectives, with the survivor-professionals functioning as a bridge group between the survivors and professionals. The groups prioritize different topics. For example, survivors and survivor-professionals highlighted the essential need for safety, while professionals underlined the importance of acknowledgment. Survivor-professionals were the only ones to emphasize the importance of addressing various life domains. The experiences of professionals and survivors highlight a broad range of needs and potential obstacles for eHealth interventions. Consideration of these findings could improve the client-centeredness of existing and future (online) interventions for women experiencing IPVA.

scholarly journals Korean Immigrant Women and Intimate Partner Violence: A Review of the Literature

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 153
Author(s):  
Suyeon Park
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Korean Immigrant ◽  
Korean Immigrant Women ◽  
Seeking Behavior

<p><em>This articles reviews and synthesizes the existing empirical studies on intimate partner violence among Korean immigrant women. A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted for the period of 1997 to 2017. From 9 eligible studies that met the inclusion criteria, prevalence rates and risk factors of intimate partner violence and help seeking behavior among Korean immigrant women are discussed. Based on the findings of this review, suggestions for future research are presented.</em> <em></em></p>

Systemic Factors Explain Differences in Low and High Frequency Shelter Use for Victims of Interpersonal Violence

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 180
Author(s):  
Nicole Williams ◽  
Katrina Milaney ◽  
Daniel Dutton ◽  
Wilfreda E. Thurston
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Interpersonal Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Single Frequency ◽  
Structural Barriers ◽  
Help Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Systemic Factors

Intimate partner violence is detrimental to women and children’s health and social outcomes. In order to identify the complex factors that shape help-seeking behaviour and what places women at highest risk of recurrence of violence and shelter use, it is critical to examine how individual and systemic factors influence shelter use. The Healing Journey Project was a longitudinal study conducted across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba to identify the experiences of women who were victims of intimate partner violence. A total of 665 women who had previously experienced IPV were interviewed biannually over a four-year period. Descriptive statistics informed probit regressions that then identified several factors that differentiate single frequency shelter users from high frequency users. The results emphasize the importance of using intersectionality theory to recognize the interplay of multiple factors to showcase the complexity of IPV and how it affects shelter use. The results also emphasize how colonialism’s lasting effects are pervasive, alongside the impacts of poverty, intergenerational abuse and structural barriers to housing and childcare. Implications require changes to policy and government funding to enhance access to gender and culturally safe housing with trauma-informed supports to both intervene and potentially prevent multiple experiences of violence.

Calls to Police and Police Response: A Case Study of Latina Immigrant Women in the USA

2005 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 230-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nawal H. Ammar ◽  
Leslye E. Orloff ◽  
Mary Ann Dutton ◽  
Giselle Aguilar-Hass
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Battered Women ◽  
Cultural Sensitivity ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Diversity Training ◽  
Immigrant Women ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Latina Women ◽  
Police Response

This paper addresses the experiences of battered immigrant Latina women when contacting police for assistance in attempting to reduce, end or flee violence. The research consists of interviews with 230 battered immigrant Latina women experiencing violence. The analysis examined the factors contributing to the extent, frequency and readiness of the women to call the police. The police response to and the effect of seeking help by battered immigrant Latina women on arrest of the perpetrator were also explored. The results show that the number of times and the frequency of contacting the police among battered immigrant Latina women was far less than would be expected based on their experiences with intimate partner violence. The factors which led women to call the police were mostly related to the stability of their immigration status, their children's exposure to violence, the women's region of origin and the frequency of domestic violence. The police response to this group of women demonstrates a lack of cultural sensitivity, and produces concerns regarding language accessibility and low rates of arrest. The paper concludes with recommendations about the need to better incorporate immigration as an additional factor in understanding intimate partner violence and help-seeking from police. We propose more thorough diversity training of police focusing particularly on immigrant battered women; the availability of interpreters for such calls within the immigrant communities; educating of the police about appropriate culturally based services available in their communities and better understanding of immigration options for battered immigrant women, including the protections afforded by the Violence Against Women Act.

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