According to statistics, 21 million female immigrants reside in the U.S. In addition, they form 13 percent of the country’s female populace. They come from different countries including Mexico, which leads by 26 percent, Philippines at 6 percent, China at 5 percent and India at 4.6 percent. Similarly, they migrate to the U.S. with different purposes (Netting, Kettner, McMurtry & Thomas, 2012) Apparently, some come to work as professionals; others come as students, others as spouses while some come as parents to visit their children. Immigrant women have caused a positive impact on the economy, the society and local communities of the U.S. through job opportunities although they differ in various ways with women from the U.S. For instance, Immigrant women are less likely than the U.S born women to participate in the workforce. While some of them are excelling in the workforce, others are facing challenges that limit them from accessing quality employment opportunities. Such challenges include lack of proficiency in the English language and lack of access to legal status since most of them are undocumented.
The median and annual earnings for immigrant women are lesser compared to their U.S. counterparts. Nonetheless, Indian women earn the highest compared to immigrant women from other countries because of a difference in their education levels. Indian women have more years of higher education as stipulated in their country, which supports women education. Moreover, immigrant women are less likely to work in managerial and other professional careers compared to U.S. women. This essay reviews the relationship between domestic violence and immigrant women in the U.S.
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Establishing Communities
Immigrant women have the ability to establish new communities and maintain their home country’s culture and values in the places where they have migrated. This is evident from the 17 th century Jamestown to the 20 th century California where immigrant women have established and maintained the U.S. social framework (Netting et al., 2012 ) . Over centuries, the associations of people from diverse cultures and classes contributed to the development of America’s unique culture.
Seeking Prosperity
Women’s labor has been fundamental in building and maintenance of a strong American economy through paid employment and support of family businesses. Throughout the American history, immigrant women have represented their counterparts appropriately in the labor force. Similarly, their American dream has always been achieving economic prosperity.
Making a Living
Immigrant women depart from their communities and homes with low economic prospects for Eastern and mid western urban centers in the United States. Upon settling, they look out for jobs opportunities as domestic servants for the case of the unskilled while the skilled seek for jobs in factories and mills (Netting et al., 2012 ) . Others contribute to the economy through micro businesses like laundries. Furthermore, with mechanization of the U.S. industry that required production of cheap consumer goods like textile and garments, there was need for cheap and low skilled labor which was provided by 2/3 immigrant women.
Domestic Violence and Immigrant Women
Immigrant women face several challenges that are similar to other abused women. However, they also face unique challenges like fear of deportation and loosing custody of their children. Other forms of violence that they face include emotional, physical and sexual violence. Nevertheless, most immigrant women do not report incidences of violence or abuse for several reasons. Apparently, some are culturally aware that family duty comes first and not any other activity. Therefore, they fear that reporting such incidences could cost them in achieving their dream of a better life in their refugee countries. Similarly, others fear that they could be deported and their spouses granted permission to keep their children. Moreover, some immigrant women have information from wrong people that their abuser has permission to hit them or cause them other forms of physical punishment; therefore, they fail to report issues of domestic violence to the concerned authorities. Apparently, immigrant women have strong family ties and other sources of support. Whenever they feel overwhelmed with their situation, they can always talk to the people who care most about them.
Relationship between domestic violence and Immigrant Women in the U.S
Immigrant women are at a high risk of domestic violence because of their immigration status. Because of this reason, they face difficulty in escaping abuse. Netting et al. ( 2012 ) asserts that often, they stick to abusive relationships with their partners because of barriers in language, social isolation, immigration laws and lack of financial resources. Nonetheless, abusers use the immigration status of their partners as a tool of control. Others exert control over the immigration status of their partners with the intention of forcing them to remain in the relationship. Similarly, compared to their U.S. counterparts, immigrant women suffer higher rates of battering because of their cultures that embrace domestic violence. Additionally, some of the women have less access to legal and social services than the U.S. born women. For the battered immigrant women trying to flee, they experience difficulty-accessing food because of the numerous unwelcoming Americans. They lack bilingual shelters as well as financial assistance. Besides, in incidences where they find themselves on the wrong side of the law, police officers report them to the courts where they lack assistance from certified interpreters and the police or 911 operators.
The U.S has introduced the ant migrant sentiment among its populace. The White House directives to Immigration and Customs Enforcement have helped relieve immigrant survivors of sexual violence. Many communities are concerned about the well being and status of their nation. For instance, the U.S has adjusted its outreach and advocacy approaches in building trust in its communities by introducing the Violence against Women Act (VAWA) whose function is to protect immigrants and refugees who are victims of domestic violence, trafficking, sexual assault and other crimes. This act came into existence in the year 1994 to assist victims of domestic violence married to U.S. citizens. Apparently, their abusive spouses exercised control over the lives of the victims by taking advantage of their immigration status.
In the year 2000, the U.S. government created the U visa as a law enforcement tool encouraging victims of domestic violence to come out of their hiding places and report incidences of crimes to police officers and other concerned authorities. Besides, the act protected victims who cooperated with law enforcers in the investigation process as well as in the prosecution of crimes ( Netting et al., 2012 ) . In order to qualify for a U visa, victims had to obtain law enforcement certification highlighting that they have assisted in a prosecution or criminal investigation. The U.S government also introduced the T visa to assist victims of human trafficking and to obtain their help in the investigations and prosecution of traffickers. Similarly, in the year 2005, the International Marriage Broker Regulation Act prevailed and its function was to change the procedure by which Americans petition to sponsor visas for foreign fiancées and spouses to protect them from abuse and any form of exploitation.
The Trump Administration
The Trump administration is creating an unreceptive environment for victims of domestic violence especially women immigrants living in the U.S and seeking justice for their health. For instance, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents recently arrested an immigrant woman and her son at a North Carolina courthouse, who were presenting a case against the woman’s fiancé. The two were reporting him for domestic violence. In the year 2017 immediately after President Trump’s inauguration, immigration authorities made the same kind of arrests arousing the rights groups to come in defense of abused immigrant women. They voiced out their fear that such arrests would prevent immigrant women from reporting incidences of domestic violence and this could even result to death. Additionally, some of them were of the opinion that courthouse immigration enforcement undermines their efforts of protecting communities from various crimes.
There are long standing policies in place for protection of immigrants against cases of domestic violence that have become useless in Trump’s regime. For instance, the U-visa established by congress in the year 2000, which permits victims of domestic violence and other crimes to stay in the U.S while seeking for help for their batterers. However, in reality, the U-Visa no longer guarantees women immigrants support from the legal system as they face deportation back to their countries (Netting et al., 2012 ) . Nonetheless, courthouse arrests and news of undocumented people under detention for deportation at regular checkpoints is a clear message about the stance of the U.S. on victims of domestic violence especially immigrant women and those who attempt to apply for the visa. Because of such incidences, domestic violence victim’s defenders hold the opinion that the White House is breeching basic human rights.
Domestically abused women and children are escaping abuse from their home countries without legal protection systems for victims of their cases. Yet, the U.S government is denying them asylum. Similarly, those facing abuse in the U.S are unable to take legal action for fear of deportation. It is evident that the U.S only protects its citizens lived from abuse and not and not immigrants lives.
In conclusion, the U.S government needs to contend with several changes regarding domestic violence and immigrant women to meet their needs. First, it should realize that domestic violence could cause death, psychological torture and physical harm to the victims who are women. Second, it should change its stance on domestic violence against immigrant women because they are fragile people who need protection. Besides, some of them run away from domestic abuse in their home countries to seek asylum in the U.S. It is only fair on humanitarian grounds that this country accepts such victims and relieves them of their stress. Third, the U.S government should form new policies or stick to the old policies like the U-Visa in protection of women immigrants with cases of domestic violence. This is because the policies will help save lives and prevent further physical harm of the victims. Besides, women will be willing to report cases of domestic violence unlike suffering in silence for fear of deportation. Fourth, the U.S should strive to eliminate cases of domestic violence against immigrant women since they are a vulnerable group. This is achievable through formation of stringent rules against anyone found violating the rights of immigrant women and harassing them through incidences of domestic abuse. The U.S. government should jail and punish such batterers for their mistakes so they serve as an example to the rest. The U.S is a factional community system since it involves smaller units or groups that fight for the rights of people including cases of domestic violence and immigrant women in a larger community, referring to the U.S. national government.
Reference
Netting, F. E., Kettner, P. M., McMurtry, S. L., & Thomas, M. L. (2012). Social work macro practice . Saddle River.
