Peaceful Families

Survivor-Centered Transformative Justice: An Approach to Designing Alongside Domestic Violence Stakeholders in US Muslim Communities

“…Additionally, Islamophobia, racism, and the over-policing of people of color and minorities are all obstacles for Muslim Americans seeking help. Roots of hostility against Muslim Americans goes long before 9/11, starting in the early 20th century [57,84] and has been on the rise since the September 11 attacks, amplified by hate speech promoted by political figures and discriminatory proclamations [2,44,77,84]. Muslim men are portrayed as violent and targeted as a threat to the country, while Muslim women are viewed as victims of their religion and Muslim men [6,53,57].…”

“…Roots of hostility against Muslim Americans goes long before 9/11, starting in the early 20th century [57,84] and has been on the rise since the September 11 attacks, amplified by hate speech promoted by political figures and discriminatory proclamations [2,44,77,84]. Muslim men are portrayed as violent and targeted as a threat to the country, while Muslim women are viewed as victims of their religion and Muslim men [6,53,57]. This tense atmosphere affected Muslims nationally, in addition to a general religious misunderstanding and unfamiliarity with religious needs by non-Muslims (e.g., Halal food, praying space, multiple meanings of modesty), leads to the discomfort and isolation of Muslim women and delaying intervention until they are desperate [51,90].…”

“…This tense atmosphere affected Muslims nationally, in addition to a general religious misunderstanding and unfamiliarity with religious needs by non-Muslims (e.g., Halal food, praying space, multiple meanings of modesty), leads to the discomfort and isolation of Muslim women and delaying intervention until they are desperate [51,90]. To overcome service-seeking obstacles for Muslim women, Islamic organizations dedicated specialized efforts to countering domestic abuse in the US to tackle the gaps in service provision and address the root causes of domestic abuse [57]. The work of specialized organizations includes direct service agencies providing educational, occupational, and housing services for Muslim women and children (e.g., Muslimat An-Nisa 1 , the Domestic Harmony Foundation (DHF) 2 , SNS 3 ), building empathy and competency nationwide through training social workers and community and religious leaders (e.g., the Peaceful Family Project 4 ), and legal organizations aiming to debunk myths and empower women to gain their rights in the United States (e.g., Karama 5 ).…”

“…In our case, racism and Islamophobia are rampant systematically, resulting in economic and social disadvantages among other consequences. Faith leaders who are front-line responders to DV cases within their communities can use their religious status to support patriarchal practices and justify abusive behaviors [57,66]. Thus, to transform the Muslim-American woman's experience, collective trauma needs to be healed and religious institutions must develop proper training and prioritize resources to effectively deal with domestic violence within their community.…”

“…Assuming that we know what's best and that this person doesn't have agency and cannot make decisions for themselves" P08, F, Advocate While the "auntie syndrome" may come from a place of good intentions, ultimately, it is an unhelpful behavior as it does not center the victim-survivor's wants and needs nor builds up their capacity to act for themselves. Advocates and service providers oftentimes come from backgrounds of survivorship themselves [57], are exposed to traumatic cases, and experience high workloads, leading to secondary traumatic stress and burnout, which may compromise their ability to serve clients effectively [73]. Working within DV services is a strenuous process, requiring patience, expertise, and self-reflection.…”