The Shadow Pandemic Effect: Service Providers' Response to Intimate Partner Violence Among Immigrant Women of Color during COVID-19

Background:

Immigrant Women of Color (IWOC) experiencing Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) face unique barriers in reporting and accessing resources. COVID-19, further increased violence against IWOC, and intensified barriers in accessing services. Service providers are at the forefront of IPV service provision, yet little research examines their experiences responding to IWOC who experience IPV during COVID-19. This study aims to understand the challenges, adjustments, and adaptations in service delivery that service providers confronted to meet the needs of IWOC during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods:

The current study is part of a larger transformative sequential mixed methods project aimed at understanding the experiences of IWOC survivors of IPV from service provider perspectives in a mid-western city. This study reports findings from Phase II of the larger project. Phase II involved in-depth interviews with formal and informal service providers (n=18), who have experience working with IWOC. The interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. The data analysis process employed the Rapid and Rigorous Qualitative Data Analysis (RADaR) technique, integrating individual and team-based approaches to efficiently streamline coding and analysis. Utilizing Excel, we developed data reduction tables. Thematic coding was applied to categorize codes and derive themes based on code relationships, frequencies, and meanings. Any discrepancies in coding and analysis were resolved through an interactive team-based approach, involving a four-person research team.

Results: The in-depth interviews revealed four emerging themes:(1) IPV cases and intensity increased as a result of the pandemic. Service providers described the limited capacity for shelters to handle these increases because there were not enough beds. (2) The pandemic unveiled additional service access and utilization barriers due to COVID-19 impact on IWOC survivors of IPV. For example, transitions and adjustments changed court proceedings making it much more complicated for IWOC survivors. There was also confusion on what assistance was still available for IWOC in the courts during the shutdown. (3) COVID-19 exacerbated systemic challenges among IWOC. Eviction due to pandemic stay-at-home orders and inability to work furthered IWOC dependence on their abuser for survival. (4) In response to addressing and adapting to the ever-changing needs of IWOC who experience IPV, service providers emphasized on the need for additional strategies to increase service access such as strengthening virtual platforms.

Conclusions and Implications: Immigrant Women of Color already experience numerous barriers when accessing and utilizing IPV related services. These barriers were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from this study provide important information on some of the factors that service providers should consider in ensuring equitable resource distribution to mitigate impact and risk for IPV during the pandemic environment.