It has been identified that immigrant and refugee women are particularly at risk in cases of domestic violence. This article reveals the qualitative research findings from a study into the significance of traumatic history, social and economic context, cultural differences and changed gender identities on the perceptions and experiences of domestic violence in refugee families. The study was undertaken with a sample of refugee men and women from Iraq, Ethiopia, Sudan, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia. Compounding contextual factors concerning structurally based inequalities, culturally emerged challenges, social dissonance, psychological stress and patriarchal foundations are revealed. Informed by an intersectional framework that recognizes gender oppression as modified by intersections with other forms of inequality, the article argues the case for community-managed projects involving multi-level empowerment-based interventions to prevent domestic violence. © 2007 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

culture Intersectionality domestic violence Settlement Refugee families gender relations trauma

gender relations Eurasia refugee Sub-Saharan Africa Australia Croatia Europe Australasia settlement pattern Asia Middle East violence Iraq Bosnia and Herzegovina cultural relations East Africa gender identity womens status Africa Ethiopia Southern Europe Serbia empowerment Sudan