SAFE HOUSES, SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITIES
It can be overwhelming to take that first step to getting help and trusted information if you don’t know where to begin. In 2022, the Inter-Cultural Association and the Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership conducted a small study of help-seeking by immigrant women survivors of domestic violence living in Greater Victoria. It builds on prior research that found most newcomers in the region are not sure where to turn when they need legal help and other community supports (Inter-Cultural Association, 2021; Verhage, 2021).
This study identifies barriers and strategies specific to immigrant women seeking support as survivors of domestic violence.
Most common barriers:
- Not knowing where to go (73%).
- Language barriers (73%).
- Fear, distrust, or lack of clarity about the role of police (63%).
- Isolation from community, family, and friends (54%).
Most common sources of support:
- Participants’ own cultural and religious communities (91%).
- Police (63%).
- Legal support (54%).
Recommendations:
- Better access to information (100%).
- Access to peer support (81%).
- Processes or tools that increase independence (54%) and self-awareness (45%).
- Access to professionals in one’s own language (45%).
- Increase trust in transition houses and other support systems (36%).
Work is underway in the region to ensure better integration and collaboration among support services for survivors of gender-based violence. The study’s findings strongly support making different cultural and peer communities central to these networks.
Source(s): Inter-Cultural Association and Greater Victoria Local Immigration Partnership