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Implications of an Arrest in Domestic Violence Cases: Learning From Korean Social Workers' Experiences in the U.S.

NCJ Number
212887
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 20 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2005 Pages: 313-328
Author(s)
Woochan S. Shim; Myung Jin Hwang
Date Published
October 2005
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the cultural barriers experienced by domestic violence victims who are Korean immigrant in the United States and explored the impacts of arrest.
Abstract
The findings of the study revealed that Korean immigrant victims of domestic violence faced significant barriers preventing them from seeking help from the police. The study findings also highlight the negative outcomes associated with inconsistent police practices, especially in immigrant communities where information about law and order often comes from diffused sources within the community. Key barriers included victim’s lack of information about laws and available services, victim’s economic dependence on husbands, and the tendency of the Korean community to blame victims of domestic violence for their own victimization. Victim’s immigrant status was perceived as a unique barrier placing victims in a vulnerable position. When police involvement resulted in an arrest, both negative and positive outcomes were observed but, for the most part, participants perceived arrest as a necessary tool for deterring domestic violence in Korean immigrant communities. Participants were six Korean social workers who worked in a New York agency designed to help Korean American domestic violence victims. Semi-structured interviews probed the social workers’ perceptions of their clients’ experiences of domestic violence and of arrests resulting from domestic violence. References