Exploring the Challenges Faced by Latinas Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence

Abstract

This article explores the help-seeking challenges faced by a community sample of 25 Latina intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors. We include the experiences of Latinas who sought help from IPV services and those who did not. Additionally, we utilize an ecological framework to highlight the barriers that are present at multiple levels for Latinas who seek assistance, and we include their recommendations for increasing access. The information provided by these Latina survivors afford social workers the opportunity to address the barriers experienced by them as well as the opportunity to take a proactive stance in further enhancing services available in the community.

Elements of Effective Interventions for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Latina Women: A Systematic Review

“…In this study both the control and intervention group received information about community resources. In a study that explored differences between women who sought formal services and those who did not, the main finding among the Latina women who did seek services was that they were informed about the available bilingual services for survivors of IPV [ 16 ]. Some of these women remarked that if no one had ever told them about such social services they never would have known and perhaps never have left the abusive relationship.…”

“…Only two studies described how they accommodated non-English-speaking participants [ 20 , 22 ]; this included providing written materials in Spanish; however, there was no mention of including specific cultural values/practices in the intervention; for example, familismo (the belief of loyalty and respect for the family, and considering the family when making decisions about one’s life) [ 31 ]. This concept has been shown to influence how survivors of IPV make decisions about their relationship and safety, such as help-seeking behavior and confiding in family or friends [ 16 ]. Including such cultural values may have furthered our understanding about how including these values could yield more positive outcomes.…”

“…Researchers also suggest that Latinas who are less acculturated to the United States may be more likely to internalize negative emotions related to their abuse because of the cultural expectation to not express anger [ 10 ]. As such, Latinas (especially monolingual Spanish speakers) are more likely to negate the severity of abuse, less likely to use formal services to address IPV, and when they do eventually use formal services, it is after extended periods of experiencing abuse [ 11 , 16 ].…”

Nonprofit Organizations Serving Domestic Violence Survivors

“…Since marriage migrants depend on their “sponsor” for their legal status, abusers can “exploit the legal vulnerability of victims by destroying their spouse’s immigration papers, threatening to withdraw their petitions for immigration, or threatening to call immigration authorities and have them deported” (Ingram et al, 2010, p. 859; Merali, 2008). Relatedly, for many immigrant women, access to services may be hindered by linguistic and cultural barriers, the lack of knowledge about service agencies, and the lack of familiarity with the U.S. legal system (Dasgupta, 2000; Postmus, McMahon, Silva-Martinez, & Warrener, 2014).…”

Immigrant Women Suffering From IPV in Spain

“…Another obstacle reported was communication in a language other than the majority language, and different cultural contexts that reinforce mutual ignorance and structural inequalities (Mattsson, 2014;Postmust et al, 2014). The need for translation complicates the professional relationship and can lead to increased vulnerability:…”