RUNNING HEAD: ABUSES AGAINST IMMIGRANT WOMEN.

Abuses Against Immigrant Women: A

literature of Review
Jaime Estrada
University of Texas at El Paso

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Abuses Against Immigrant Women: A literature Review

Nowadays, Immigration has become one of the most explosives subjects in the United States
and in all around the world, even though it has been present since the beginning of the times.
Mostly, the politicians and people in power are the ones that have recently turned immigration in
a trending topic. Not only these people have turned this in a trending topic, but also certain
groups of immigrant men and women that have done reproachable things, creating hatred and
racism to the immigrants of same culture or country of origin that come to the United States
because of different problems that are happening in their origin country (Social strife, economic
hardships, armed conflict, etc..) without any dreadful purpose.
Most of the time the immigrants in the United States, as other minorities, face one or more
difficulties that an US citizen would not face. Now, if this situation presents enough difficulties
to foreign-born men in the United States, now imagine how tough this situation could be for
foreign-born women for the fact that besides of being an immigrant, they also are women in a
society were some people still think that women have less power than men. These women are
more exposed to mistreatments and abuses at work or by their partner only because of their
social and immigrant status. For these presented reasons, this literature review will deeply
analyze and discussed the abuses towards immigrant women in the United States through the
next 4 questions:
1. What are the ties and impediments that immigrant women face when they suffer domestic
violence from their partners?
2. Why do immigrant women who suffer abuses at work or home do not report them? And
how can they stand up against these mistreatments and abuses?
3. What are the main differences in the abuse and mistreatment of women when they are
immigrant and US citizen?
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Abuses Against Immigrant Women

4. How can we help immigrant women to stand up against mistreatments and abuses that
suffer at work or/and home?
What are the ties and impediments that immigrant women face when they suffer
domestic violence?
In order to understand why foreign-born women are highly exposed to abuses and
mistreatment in the United States, we first have to discern the ties and impediments that these
women face in particular when they are being abused at work by their boss or at the house by
their partner, and how do these difficulties differ from the ones that native-born women face in
same circumstances.
The foreign-born women might deal with some additional challenges that native-born
women might not, particularly by their situation. Some of the challenges that abused immigrant
women may deal with are: housing and employment issues, adjusting to a new life in a new
country with other cultures, health issues, fear of losing their kids, economic problems, legal
immigration, cultural issues, religious issues, etc.. Sometimes, for these women it seems to be
too hard to stand up against this domestic violence since they may feel like it is too much to deal
with without knowing where to start.
The language can be a barrier, if an abused woman only speaks Spanish, she could struggle
in order to find someone that could help her. Since English is not the first language of these
abused women, or a language in which they do not feel comfortable talking, it can be
troublesome to find a person that could be able to communicate. Also, the victim with this
language barrier may not be able to get access to other community resources. In most of the

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

courts, there is a limited access to interpreters, and in some of them do not have immediately
available at domestic violence programs in the courthouse.
Fig.1 Distribution of language (English and
Spanish) in the immigrant, foreign born and
U.S. born population by Age and origin

As we can see in figure 1, 60% of

the immigrant men and women
population only speaks Spanish, and in
all the Hispanic population, a
considerable percentage, 38%, only
speaks Spanish. So according to a
studio made by the Pew Research
Center in 2013, there exists a noticeable
percentage of immigrant that speaks a
little or nothing of English.
Battered immigrant women may
fear that courts or police will not help
them because of their experience with
non-responsive or repressive judicial
systems and law enforcement in their
origin countries. Other victims might be

afraid that the police will take their children away or report them to the Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS). A survey made in the Washington, D.C. area among Latin
immigrants found that nearly 83 percent of immigrant women that have suffered of domestic
violence, did not contact law enforcement (Identifying Barriers, 2011).

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

In some of the origin countries of these battered women, the testimony of a man is way more
credible and valuable as a matter of law than a testimony of a woman. Other cause of this poorly
perception of law enforcement of the victims, is that many abusers tell their victims that they do
not have any legal rights, that they will never be believed, or that they will be deported if they try
to tell the police about the abuse.
If an immigrant woman does not know what are her legal rights or immigration status, then
she may not want to turn to authorities in order to seek help, easily becoming in an objective of
abuses and domestic violence. The domestic Violence Child Advocacy Center found that many
immigrant women that are experiencing abuse at home may be poorly related with what their
legal rights are and resources that are available in the community.
The deportation is one of the most used and influential threats that abusers use against with
their victims in order to keep them in the relationship. A survey made in San Francisco showed
that 64 percent of the undocumented abused women did not report the abuses because of the fear
of deportation (Violence against Women, 2011). If their partners or spouse seek any type of help,
the abusers threaten to have them deported, making their victims to remain in silence, and also to
keep them from going to the hospital, calling the police or seeking any type of legal assistance.
A battered woman is also told that even if she is a lawful permanent resident, she can be
deported if she obtained her residency through marriage. This is untrue, but most of the abused
woman think the opposite. There can also be presented other cases, for example, if the victim
does not have any legal document, the INS might carry out the threats of her abuser.
Unfortunately, a lack of medical records, protection orders or police reports may affect the ability
of the victim to obtain immigration relief, which needs proofs of the abuse.

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Another obstacle that foreign-born women face is that they are likely to be dependents of
employment-based visas. Immigrant women often depend on family immigration to enter the
United States because of their absence of access to resources and capital in their country of
origin. 69.7 percent of all immigrant women attain legal status through family-based visas,
compared to 60.6 percent of men (National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum, 2009). In
some countries where immigrant women come, men have more control over the decisions that
are made on the family and also have easier access to higher job training and educational
opportunities, which let them be the primary visa holder.
Why do immigrant women who suffer abuses at work or home do not report them? And
how can they stand up against these mistreatments and abuses?
In most of the cases when immigrant women suffer of mistreatments at work or home, they
do not report them since many of the impediments and ties that were already presented, but
mostly for their immigrant status. The immigration status of women can also be an impediment
when they seek to escape abusive relationships. Compared to the general U.S. population, the
domestic violence rate for a foreign-born woman married to a U.S. citizen is three times higher
(National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum, 2009). Many immigrant women remain in a
relationship where they are abused due to the fear of being deported since the law requires that
an immigrant woman has to be married to a citizen man for at least two years before being able
to apply for permanent status.
According to a study made by the organization of Domestic Worker United, 33 percent of
domestic workers in New York City has experienced some form of physical or verbal abuse,
often because of their race or immigration status.(2013), there has been reported just a small

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

number of all the abuses that had happened against undocumented immigrant women at work
because of the fear and difficulties that they face due to their immigration status.
Victims of domestic violence and mistreatments at home, almost always try to leave the
abusive relationship. Some of them try repeatedly times, but various serious obstacles force them
to return with their abusive partners, and prevents other women from leaving them at the
beginning.
Battered immigrants fear that they could be stalked, harassed or even killed if they leave their
abuser. Although this sounds horrible, they have all the right to be scared of this. As nearly as 30
percent of victims of female homicide are killed by their husband or former boyfriend. The
victims fear may be based on their abusers prior behavior (i.e. violence has increased since the
last time the victim leave), background (i.e. abuser was imprisoned for killing or assaulting his
former wife), and physical or verbal threats (i.e. I will beat you if you make someone
suspected).
In some cases, the victim stays in the abusive relationship out of concern for her children.
The abuser often threaten the victim by saying that he will abduct, harm or even take her
childrens custody if she leaves. This can be alarming if the batterer of the victim have ties with
other foreign countries. Abuser often threat the victim by saying that he will abduct the children.
Domestic violence underlies a large proportion of the nations estimated 354,000 yearly
abductions (Violence against Women, 2011). While some battered immigrant women are
concerned about losing their ability of taking care of the childrens basic needs, or even losing
their children, others might think that it is essential for their children to grow with both parents.
So in other words, it can be said that the children converts into another victim of the abuser.

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Immigrant women who suffer of domestic violence beside of the barriers that they face when
they try to end up with the abuses, they also face complicated procedural requirements, without
mention the small number of lawyers who know how Violence against Women Act (VAWA) can
help to break the silence of abused immigrant women.
The Violence against Women Act (VAWA) ensures protection and conditionally residency
status for foreign-born women who suffer abuses by their partner, but because of the limited
English skills, many abused immigrant women are unaware of the existence of this law and how
could it help them.
There exist many other centers, organizations and laws that have the objective of help and
ensure protection to immigrant women that are being abused, threated or excluded from the
society. The poorly perception of law enforcement and legal system makes think to these women
that they are all by them alone. One on these organizations is the center of Domestic Violence
and Child Advocacy Center which has a project called Latina Project that offers culturallysensitive services in order to facilitate and provide stability and safer options for Latinas victims
(The Latinas represent 42% of the total Hispanic population in the labor force-Bureu of Labor
Statistics) of abuses and domestic violence for them and their children.
What are the main differences in the abuse of women when they are immigrant and US
Citizen?
American-born and immigrant women are equally affected by domestic abuse, but foreignborn women face particular vulnerabilities. Some of them are that their partners keep them from
leaving the abusive relationship or marriage by using the immigration status of the women.

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Immigration women and girls are up to 2 times more likely to experience domestic violence
than the general population (Tahirih Justice Center, 2016).
Immigrant woman who experience domestic violence suffer the same physical and emotional
trauma than any other woman that is on the same situation. However, immigrant women face
some unique and peculiar challenges that can make more difficult the situation that they are
passing through, hindering them from their access to social services. Mostly, the abusers
intimidate their partner by saying that they will deport them in order to maintain control in the
relationship.
Due to the language and cultural differences, immigrant womens technical skills and foreign
degrees are often non-transferable even when these foreign-born women have similar
educational levels as US-born women. So most of the time, these immigrant women are assigned
to laborious jobs with a very low-wage (sometimes without legal authorization to work).
In 2012, 59.2 percent of all the native-born women in the U.S. were in the labor force,
compared to 56.4 percent of foreign-born women. The labor-force participation of immigrant
women increased 5.9 percent from 2000 to 2012, and native-born women only increased 0.6
percent.
Although the foreign-born women represent a big number in the labor-force, they remain
battered and excluded, without mentioning that they win less money at the same job than a
native-born women or men. Immigrant women in the labor force has an annual median income
of $32,015 in 2012, compared to $36,802 for foreign-born men, and $50,283 for native-born
men (American Immigration Council, 2014)

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Another difference between foreign-born and native-born women is that the enforcement on
immigrations law is taking immigrant womens children from them since the deportation of
undocumented immigrants are increasing. While the law in the United States protects the
children of the native-born women, most of the deported and detained fathers and mothers are
struggling trying to figure out how to meet with their children again, or even to know where they
are, who is taking care of them and if they are safe.
The Applied Research Center (ARC) points out that in the next five years, at least 15,000
children will face some threats to reunite with their deported and detained father and mother. The
president of ARC, Rinku Sen, said Immigration enforcement greatly increases the chances that
families will never see each other again. Detaining and deporting parents shatters families and
endangers the children left behind. Its unacceptable, un-American, and a clear sign that we need
to revisit our immigration policies (Rinku Sen, 2013),

Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Immigration enforcement affects both undocumented woman and man, but immigrant
women face particular difficulties when it comes to their immigration status. A report made by an
assistant professor of sociology at the University on Kent State, Joanna Dreby, found out that the
deportation and detentions generally leave single parents or single mothers struggling to get by
the burdens of supporting
their families all by their
alone. As we can see in
fig.2, Close to 30 percent
of single mothers,
regardless of nativity, were
Fig.2 Poverty Rates for Single Parents by Nativity and

in poverty, compared to 21

Gender,
2013immigrant fathers and 16 percent of single native fathers (Migration Policy
percent
of single

Institute, 2015).
How informed is the people about these abuses?
Most of the people are aware that the domestic violence is something that could happen to
everyone and that it is happening right now in todays society. What most of them do not know is
how they would react if they were in the same shoes than an immigrant women that is being
abused at home or work, and how would they overcome the barriers and difficulties that an
immigrant woman has to at suffering of domestic violence. The partner or boss never looks as an
abuser at the beginning, but when they find the weak victim that can be easily threaten, they
become in one.
14 persons from 18 to 35 years old were asked some questions in order to know how
informed were they and how would they react in a situation similar to an abused immigrant
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Abuses Against Immigrant Women

women. The first question that was asked to the respondents was: What percentage do you think
have experienced domestic violence in the United States of the female population? 2 out of 14
respond that less than the 20%, 4 out 14 said that from 20% to 40%, 6 out of 14 said that from
60% to 80% and 2 out of 14 said that more than the 80%. The answer was: the 85% of the
female population have experienced intimate partner violence (Huffpost women, 2014). Thhis
shows that at least 29% of the respondents were right, while the 42$ missed by more than the
half.
They also were asked: What percentage do you think that represent the women that have
been killed by intimate partners? 3 out of 14 said that less than 10%, 4 out of 14 said that from
10% to 20%, 6 out of 14 said that from 20% to 30% and 1 out of 14 said that from 30% to 40%,
while none of them said more than 40%. The answer was: 34 percent of the total female
population were killed by an intimate partner of the opposite sex (Huffpost women, 2014). This
shows that at least the 50% of the interviewed people was closr or knew the answer of how what
percentage of the women population have suffer domestic violence or have died from it.
When the small group was asked: How would you overpass the obstacles of an immigrant
woman if you would be on her position? for these question, they had already been given a
background of the difficulties that a foreign-born women might face. 4 out of 14 said that they
would try to contact the police or look for support even if this could bring them problems, 5 out
of 14 said that they would try to escape with their children to a refugee with their children when
they had the opportunity, 2 out of 14 said that they would try to stay on the relationship because
of their children, 2 out of 14 said that it will look for an organization that could help them or at
least be informed of what they could do due to their immigration status, and the last one said that

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Abuses Against Immigrant Women

he would react differently depending on all the details of the relationship.

How would you overpass the obstacles of an immigrant woman if you would be on her position?

Call the police

Escape

Stay

Look for information

Fig. 3 Shows the answers

of aonsmall
group of people when they were
Depends
the relationship
asked: How would you overpass the obstacles of an immigrant woman if
you would be on her position?

The best option that they could do is to look up for information with an organization first. If
you go to the police, you could be retained due to your immigration status. If you try to escape,

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Abuses Against Immigrant Women

you will not only be putting your life in danger, but also your childrens lives, so it could not be
the best answer, without mention what would happen if your abuser notices it before you escape.
Abstract
Domestic violence does not know barriers, it crosses all economic, cultural, racial and class
lines. Both foreign-born and native-born women suffer the same mental and physical abuse, but
unfortunately, immigrant women might face some other difficulties and challenges due to their
immigration status in the United States. Sometimes, even though the foreign-born women
represent a big percentage of the labor force, they are threaten by their partner or boss, saying
that if they say something, they will get deported. Something that could keep them in the relation
or in silence, could be their children, or even the language barrier between them and the
authorities. In some cases, these abused immigrant women do not even know that there exists
organizations or laws that can protect them from these abuses, ensuring a temporary immigrant
residency or visa while the case is being worked on. These and other challenges are the ones that
scare these abused women from stepping up against or prevent them from escaping from their
abusers.

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Abuses Against Immigrant Women

Reference Page
Domestic Violence Child Advocacy Center. (2015). Latina/ Immigrant women: You are not
alone. Retrieved from https://www.dvcac.org/latinaimmigrant-women
Batalova, J., Ruiz, A., and Zong, J.(2015). Immigrant Women in the United States. Migration
Policy Institute. Retrieved from http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/immigrant-womenunited-states.
Orloff, L., and Little, R.(2011). Overview of Domestic Violence and Battered Immigrant Issues.
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence. Retrieved from
http://www.vawnet.org/domestic-violence/print-document.php?
doc_id=739&find_type=web_desc_GC
American Immigration Council. (2014). Immigrant Women in the United States: A portrait of
Demographic Diversity. Retrieved from http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/justfacts/immigrant-women-united-states-portrait-demographic-diversity
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Garcia, A. and Franchim, S. (2013). 10 Facts you need to know about Immigrant Women. Center
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National Asian Pacific American Womens Forum. (2009). Family Immigration System and
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Dutton, D. (2011). Rethinking Domestic Violence. Vancouver: UBC press.
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Tahirih Justice Center. (2016). A Global Epidemic. Retrieved from http://www.tahirih.org/whowe-serve/forms-of-violence/
Office on womens health. (Septmenber, 04, 2015). Womens Health: Violence Against Women.
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