This critical ethnography explored the experiences of battered, immigrant, Spanish-speaking Latinas in the Midwest of the United States. It relied on Chicana and Mujerista frameworks for understanding help-seeking. Although there has been progress in documenting intimate partner violence in the United States, there is less knowledge concerning this issue with undocumented Latinas. The methodology implemented two stages: (a) observations and informal interviews and (b) formal interviews. The findings reveal multiple sides of “el silencio.” Maintaining the silence, or breaking it, is surrounded by exchanges with the internal voice parallel to personal experiences with violence at different points in life. It is also affected by cultural expectations in home and host country. © 2015, The Author(s) 2015.

Latinas Help-seeking immigrants Intimate partner violence

human epidemiology statistics and numerical data ethnology Hispanic Americans United States Humans migrant psychology Hispanic male Emigrants and Immigrants female prevention and control help seeking behavior Intimate Partner Violence partner violence Battered Women Help-Seeking Behavior battered woman Midwestern United States