Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers 45 Domestic and intimate partner violence against immigrant women can be provoked or aggravated due to a variety of factors unique to the immigration journey. Understanding D/IPV against immigrant women requires a multifaceted approach with the consideration of many variables. According to the Canadian and Domestic Homicide Prevention Initiative (Rossiter et al., 2018), it is important to consider the following variables when attempting to understand and help an immigrant woman suffering from D/IPV. Each point enumerates examples of how or why such variables could lead to increased risk factors for D/IPV. ACCULTURATION LEVEL / CULTURE SHOCK Navigating a new culture, regardless of how the individual’s pathway brought them to Canada and of their background, can be challenging and disorienting. There is a lot of information and newness to process, and what may seem like simple details to some, may seem shocking to others. The sense of disorientation can provoke frustration, a sense of isolation, insecurity and imbalance among members of the family – some adapting faster than others – and aggravate risk factors for D/IPV. SHIFTS IN CULTURAL NORMS AND EXPECTATIONS, LOSS OF CULTURE Many immigrants may be taken aback by the reality of their immigration experience, expectations may not be met, and they may have more difficulty adapting and settling in their new community than they anticipated. Unmet expectations, changes in cultural norms or loss of cultural pillars such as place of prayer, familiar foods or shared language can lead to disappointment, shame, sense of loss, sense of regret, sense of doubt, etc., all of which can intensify risks for violence. GEOGRAPHIC AND SOCIAL ISOLATION,AND LOSS OF FAMILY STRUCTURES AND COMMUNITY Many newcomers do not have strong community connections prior to arriving and suddenly find themselves far away from family and friends. Travel back to the home country can sometimes be prohibitively expensive, impossible due to security situations, or otherwise difficult. Therefore, such newcomers may feel lonely. Integration and inclusion can seem insurmountable for many newcomers, and some may never find a strong sense of community. Isolation can lead to a sense of sadness or depression, and to heightened risk factors due to the victim’s inability to find a local source of support. LENGTH OF RESIDENCY IN HOST COUNTRY Different residency statuses – ranging from undocumented migrants to citizenship – mean that newcomers have access to different levels of services in a given community. A dependency on the principal applicants, sponsors and/or other authorities who hold power over one’s status of residency in the country can lead to precarious situations, including risks of exploitation or other forms of enduring abuse in order to access protection, permanent residency or legal status. On the other end of the spectrum, for some citizens born outside Canada, it may be assumed that they have fully integrated and are fully aware of services that are provided, while in actuality they may still need additional support and still feel a sense of isolation and continue to feel discriminated against when seeking services. LOSS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS Socio-economic status (or class) is often regarded as highly important in many cultures around the world. A loss of status, due to difficulty entering the labour force, through forced migration, or lack of affordability in the new community, for instance, can lead to a weakened sense of pride, frustration, shame, and in many cases in more patriarchal cultures, a weakened sense of masculinity or dominance. It may translate into increased risks of D/IPV as a means to regaining a sense of power and control. POWER IMBALANCES BETWEEN PARTNERS, TRADITIONAL PATRIARCHAL BELIEFS, AND STRICT OR CHANGING GENDER ROLES Shifting family dynamics is often observed among newcomer families, whereby children learn the language and adapt to the new cultural norms faster than parents, or women become more empowered and liberated among more patriarchal families, or men feel disempowered by a loss of socio-economic status, etc. Such shifts within a family or couple can be difficult for individuals to manage, adapt to, or accept. Among families with stricter norms, it could provoke counter-efforts to regain power and translate into violence and controlling behaviours. CONTRIBUTING FACTORSTO VIOLENCE AGAINST IMMIGRANTWOMEN continued
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