Violence Against Women
Volume 16, Issue 8, 2010, Pages 858-880

Experiences of immigrant women who self-petition under the violence against women act (Article)

Ingram M.* , McClelland D.J. , Martin J. , Caballero M.F. , Mayorga M.T. , Gillespie K.
  • a Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 2495 N. Martin, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States
  • b Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 2495 N. Martin, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States
  • c Southern Arizona Legal Aid, Inc, Tucson, AZ, United States
  • d Southern Arizona Center Against Sexual Assault, Tucson, AZ, United States
  • e Consultant, Tucson, AZ, United States
  • f Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, 2495 N. Martin, Tucson, AZ 85724, United States

Abstract

Undocumented immigrant women who are abused and living in the United States are isolated in a foreign country, in constant fear of deportation, and feel at the mercy of their spouse to gain legal status. To ensure that immigration law does not trap women in abusive relationships, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA, 1994) enabled immigrant women to self-petition for legal status. Qualitative research methods were used in this participatory action research to investigate the experiences of Mexican immigrant women filing VAWA self-petitions. Emotional, financial, and logistic barriers in applying are identified, and recommendations for practice research and policy are provided. © The Author(s) 2010.

Author Keywords

Immigrant Legal aid VAWA Participatory action research Partner violence

Index Keywords

male Emigrants and Immigrants Interviews as Topic female Humans ethnology Mexico psychological aspect Spouse Abuse Article interview United States human partner violence migration legal aspect
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77955243719&doi=10.1177%2f1077801210376889&partnerID=40&md5=0d0967b92307c21d1b9f26c8882f6a4c
DOI: 10.1177/1077801210376889
ISSN: 10778012
Cited by: 23
Original Language: English