The Position of the Child in the Life Experiences of Immigrant Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence: A Study of Service Providers’ Perspectives in Spain

Abstract

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health concern that has serious effects on the well-being of women and their children. Being a mother and an immigrant are critical factors that prevent women from seeking to end an abusive relationship. Evidence suggests that immigrant women see their children’s well-being and future as paramount while managing an abusive relationship. However, less is known about how women negotiate their children’s needs and interests when deciding whether to stay with or leave an abusive partner. Drawing on interviews with IPV service providers in Spain, this study aims to explore providers’ understandings of the position of the child in mothers’ reflections regarding whether to end an abusive relationship and of the implications of such positioning for mothers’ decision-making. The findings indicate that children hold two main positions in this process. In one, children are positioned as a trigger for mothers to stay with abusers. This occurs when women are economically dependent on their partner, when they think that their children need a father figure, or when the abuser plays a role in women’s migratory status within Spain. Second, children are positioned as a trigger for mothers to leave abusers when mothers see children as victims of violence or children in need of a mother figure. Framed by positioning theory, we discuss how we can understand the consequences of such positioning for immigrant women who are survivors of IPV and for service provision in this context. The implications of the findings for research, policy making, and professional decision-making are discussed.

Keeping silent or running away. The voices of Vietnamese women survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

“…Framed by the theoretical concept of patriarchal bargain [ 14 ], we discuss that the women strategized within a complex set of structural constraints- poverty, traditional gender roles, social stigma, cultures of honor- aiming to optimize their survival within the Vietnamese system of male dominance. Consistent with previous studies [ 24–26 ], the results show that motherhood plays a decisive role in the decisions women make regarding whether to bargain with patriarchy or leave the abuser. Their children’s wellbeing, understood as a state of physical and emotional health but also social inclusion and belonging, was paramount for the participants and was at the core of their experiences.…”

Spanish Intimate Partner Violence Survivors Help-Seeking Strategies Across the Life Span

“…The effect of having children at home in terms of help-seeking behavior has been previously studied, with heterogeneous results. There are studies that argue that the presence of children can worsen existing IPV situations, as women may remain in those situations in an effort to keep the family together or because they fear for the safety of their children were they to separate from their partners; on some occasions, however, it is the protection of minors that promotes the search for support (Herrero-Arias et al, 2019; Kelly, 2009; Meye, 2010; Rhodes et al, 2010). Working with minors who have witnessed IPV is a key component in the prevention of children becoming future IPV victims or aggressors.…”

Breaking the Silence: The Untold Journeys of Racialized Immigrant Youth through Family Violence

“…Although FV is experienced in every culture and society due to patriarchy (Razack, 2003), racialized immigrant children living with FV are underrepresented in academic literature (Herrero-Arias et al, 2021;Overlien, 2010). While there is abundant literature on the impact of FV on children, there is scant literature on the impact of FV on racialized immigrant children in Canada or elsewhere.…”