South Asian Immigrant Men and Women and Conceptions of Partner Violence

F Ahmad,M Omand,P O'Campo,A Cyriac,J Smylie

doi:10.1007/s10903-015-0301-2

Abstract

Limited knowledge exists about conceptual variations in defining intimate partner violence (IPV) by ethnicity, such as South Asian (SA) immigrant men and women. In a multi-ethnic study, we employed participatory concept mapping with three phases: brainstorming on what constitutes IPV; sorting of the brainstormed items; and interpretation of visual concept maps generated statistically. The parent study generated an overall general multi-ethnic map (GMEM) that included participant interpretations. In the current study, we generated a SA specific initial-map that was interpreted by eleven SA men and women in gender specific groups. Their interpretations are examined for similar and unique aspects across men and women and compared to GMEM. SA men and women shared similar views about sexual abuse and victim retaliation, which also aligned closely with GMEM. Both SA women and men had an expanded view of the concept of controlling behaviors compared to GMEM. SA women, unlike SA men, viewed some aggressive behaviors and acts as cultural with some GMEM congruence. SA women uniquely identified some IPV acts as private–public. We discuss implications for research and service assessments.

Highlights

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a widespread public health issue affecting all social classes and ethnicities, and impacting both women and men
Limited knowledge exists about conceptual variations in defining intimate partner violence (IPV) by ethnicity, such as South Asian (SA) immigrant men and women
The majority of them were first generation immigrants who had been in Canada for ten or more years

Summary

Introduction

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a widespread public health issue affecting all social classes and ethnicities, and impacting both women and men. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines partner violence as ‘‘any behavior within an intimate relationship that causes physical, psychological or sexual harm to those in that relationship’’ [1]. IPV includes acts of physical aggression, psychological abuse, forced sexual contact or other controlling behaviors. Limited understanding exists about conceptual variations in defining IPV by ethnicity for both men and women. Recent cohorts of migrants to Canada include large numbers from Asia and the Middle East. In 2006, Canadians of South Asian descent became the top visible minority group [3, 4], and in 2011 they accounted for 1.5 million residents [5]. South Asia includes countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. The South Asian (SA) community is growing quickly in the US [6]

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Conclusion