South Asian Immigrant Women's Experiences of Male to Female Partner Violence in New Zealand

Abstract

Male-to-Female Partner Violence (MFPV) is a serious problem that has devastating and far-reaching consequences for women, families and communities. Although MFPV has been documented in many countries and cultures, some researchers suggest that certain groups of women are more vulnerable than others. South Asian immigrant women have been identified as a group of women that may be particularly vulnerable to experiencing MFPV. Research has attributed their vulnerability to an interaction between South Asian cultural mores and the context of migration; which includes status as an ethnic minority group. There is a dearth of research exploring South Asian immigrant women’s experiences of MFPV in New Zealand. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that their experiences cannot be adequately captured using quantitative methods. This qualitative study aims to explore South Asian immigrant women’s experiences of MFPV in New Zealand, and comment on what special needs if any, they may have. Specific aspects of experiencing MFPV that were explored include identity negotiation, coping, navigating formal services and experiences/ perspectives on ethnicity-matching in formal services. Twelve South Asian women living in New Zealand who identified as having experienced MFPV, were recruited for this study. All women participated in individual, semi-structured interviews where they were asked to speak about their experiences of MFPV. They also reported on experiences of help-seeking, and their perspectives/ experiences of ethnicity-matching in formal services. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Overall the results from this study suggest that participants’ experiences of MFPV were significantly shaped by their sociocultural context and the context of migration. Findings also revealed some similarities with research documenting MFPV in mainstream Western populations, such as the significant role that motherhood plays in decision-making. Finally, within-group variation in participants’ experiences of MFPV emphasises the importance of considering acculturation and intersectional theory when seeking to understand and respond to the issue of MFPV in South Asian communities. This study contributes to the existing body of research exploring South Asian and other immigrant women’s experiences of MFPV, and considers limitations, implications for clinical practice and future research directions.