Immigrant South Asian Women at Greater Risk for Injury From Intimate Partner Violence

Anita Raj, PhD and Jay G. Silverman, PhD

March 2003, Vol 93, No. 3 | American Journal of Public Health 435-437

"Intimate partner violence and intimate partner violence–related homicide disproportionately affect immigrant women.1–6 South Asian women residing in the United States appear to be at particularly high risk for intimate partner violence, with 40% reporting intimate partner violence in their current relationship in a recent study.3 Other research indicates that immigration-related social isolation, often resulting from the absence of both family in the United States and community support for intimate partner violence victims, and lack of awareness of intimate partner violence services prevent battered South Asian women from seeking help.3,7–13 These findings suggest that factors related to immigration may place South Asian immigrant women at increased risk for intimate partner violence. The purpose of the current study was to assess the relations between immigration-related factors and intimate partner violence among a sample of South Asian women residing in the United States."

"Participants (N = 160) were aged 18 to 62 years (mean age = 31.6 years; SD = 9.5 years). The majority (83.1%) were Indian; the remaining 16.9% were Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, or Nepalese. Half (49.4%) had postgraduate training, and 71.9% reported a family income of $2100 or more per month. The majority (74.3%) were married; 83.6% had a South Asian partner."

"Table 1 shows high prevalence of intimate partner violence (40.8%) and low awareness of intimate partner violence services (50.6%); 28.1% of this largely immigrant sample reported no family in the United States, and 10.0% indicated that they would have no social support if abused."