Challenges to the proof of violence, and social stigma for ethnic migrant women in the current Victims of Family Violence (VFV) visa policy in Aotearoa New Zealand
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Other Title
Authors
Ayallo, Irene
Kelly, T.
Kelly, T.
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Grantor
Date
2023-09-23
Supervisors
Type
Journal Article
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Aotearoa
New Zealand
Middle Eastern people in New Zealand
women with an ethnic background
ethnic women and domestic violence
partner violence
domestic violence
Victims of Family Violence (VFV) visas
public policy
immigration policies
Latin Americans in New Zealand
Africans in New Zealand
New Zealand
Middle Eastern people in New Zealand
women with an ethnic background
ethnic women and domestic violence
partner violence
domestic violence
Victims of Family Violence (VFV) visas
public policy
immigration policies
Latin Americans in New Zealand
Africans in New Zealand
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Ayallo, I., & Kelly, T. (2023). Challenges to the proof of violence, and social stigma for ethnic migrant women in the current Victims of Family Violence (VFV) visa policy in Aotearoa New Zealand. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 35 (3), 101-114.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Applications for the victim-survivor family violence visa (VFV) are low from Middle Eastern, African, and Latin American (MELAA) communities compared to other groups. This does not reflect the number of family violence experiences in these communities reported by community-based practitioners (Ayallo, 2019); rather, low application numbers reflect cultural factors that impact the ability of ethnic victim-survivors1 to access this visa policy.
APPROACH:
Data were drawn from a study exploring the cultural contexts within which ethnic migrant women engage with the VFV visa policy. The study used narrative inquiry and semistructured interviews to explore 20 participants’ experiences with the VFV visa policy process. Participants included 10 victim-survivors and 10 supporting non-medical practitioners.
FINDINGS:
Analyses showed that victim-survivors face significant barriers in accessing this visa. P roving violence and an inability to return to their country of origin due to social stigma are complex and challenging factors for ethnic migrant women. The cultural reasons discussed in this article include that psychological abuse is dominant, violence occurs transnationally, and the social stigma experienced extends well beyond the victim-survivors’ individual and immediate circumstances.
IMPLICATIONS:
Given the potential of this visa policy initiative to provide safety for victimsurvivors, recommendations for change are proposed for compassionate approaches.
Publisher
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers
Permanent link
Link to ePress publication
DOI
Copyright holder
Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers
Copyright notice
CC BY Attribution 4.0 International