Service Providers' Perceptions of IPV in the South Asian community (WITHDRAWN)

Background and Purpose: South Asians are one of the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States with a current population of 3.4 million (US Census, 2010). Studies have indicated that South Asian women experience intimate partner violence (IPV) at rates ranging from 40 percent (Mahapatra, 2012; Raj and Silvernman, 2002) to 60 percent (Adams, 2000). Despite South Asians' growing presence in the US and the prevalence of IPV among this population, limited research exists on the barriers they face in accessing social services, particularly mental health services.

South Asian Women's Organizations (SAWOs) emerged in the 1980s in response to the growing awareness of violence against women in the South Asian community and the need for culturally relevant services. To date, there are over 25 SAWOs in the US that provide services including counseling and community outreach. This paper examines the perceptions of SAWO service providers on IPV and help-seeking among the South Asian community.

Methods: 12 in-depth interviews were conducted with SAWO providers in New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut (ages 22 to 53). All service providers were of South Asian origin. Time working at their respective agencies ranged from 2 months to 25 years. Participants were recruited through non-probability, purposive sampling (internet- e-mail, blog posts). Interviews elicited information on providers' perception of micro-level factors that perpetuate and sustain violence in the community and structural factors that influence service provisions and delivery for this community. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded thematically using Dedoose qualitative software. Analyses were guided by principles of grounded theory and an inductive approach.

Findings: All 12 service providers discussed patriarchal cultural values as salient in the perpetuation and sustenance of IPV in the South Asian community. In particular, service providers discussed the pressure placed upon South Asian women to be “good wives and good mothers,” even at the expense of their own health and wellbeing. Service providers discussed common forms of abuse that their clients have experienced, specifically highlighting economic deprivation, social isolation, threats of deportation, and threats of harm to the children. Providers shed light on the particular vulnerability of recent immigrant women who experience cultural/linguistic barriers, limited geographic mobility, and lack of social networks. Barriers that providers noted in providing effective services to South Asian survivors included scarce funding, lack of coordination with other systems of care (i.e. legal), and stigma around discussing IPV within the South Asian community.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings highlight the importance of social workers and mental health practitioners offering culturally and linguistically appropriate and relevant services. Additionally, this study provides insight into where further outreach and awareness efforts are needed (e.g., immigrant women, community-level).