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Characteristics of Help-Seeking Behaviors, Resources and Service Needs of Battered Immigrant Latinas: Legal and Policy Implications

NCJ Number
189072
Journal
Georgetown Journal on Poverty Law and Policy Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer 2000 Pages: 245-305
Author(s)
Mary Ann Dutton; Leslye E. Orloff; Giselle Aguilar Hass
Editor(s)
Mel Fowler-Green
Date Published
2000
Length
61 pages
Annotation
This study examined the availability of resources to battered immigrant Latina women and their strategic responses to intimate partner abuse.
Abstract
This study explored domestic violence and other conditions affecting the lives of undocumented and recently documented Latina women in the Washington, D.C. area. Study findings focused on the intersection between domestic violence, immigration, help-seeking behaviors, and service utilization. The study surveyed the literature and then explored the results of a survey adapted from the Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights and Services (CIRRS) survey. The results of the survey demonstrated that the most common services used by battered women were immigration, medical, and other social services. Battered Latina women tend not to seek help for domestic violence and therefore professionals from other services, where they do seek help, need to be aware of the signs of abuse and sensitive to cultural differences. In order to reach these women, literature and advertisements on abuse should be in Spanish and all information pertinent to battering should be disseminated through community-based women’s programs because battered women typically turn to other women in their communities. In addition, information on legal rights and social services should be provided to all immigrant women enhancing their access to life saving information. The study suggested that law reforms should be implemented to remove legal impediments that undermine battered women’s access to Violence Against Women Act immigration relief and to the full range of public benefits that make up the welfare safety net. Tables

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