Abstract
Refugee women face many obstacles upon resettlement to the United States. In particular refugee women who are survivors of domestic violence may have great difficulty accessing shelter services. This paper surveyed nineteen domestic violence shelters in nine counties in the state of California to assess whether mainstream shelters were accessible for refugee women. This study found that while several shelters made various attempts at cross-cultural competency, many were lacking in outreach and accessibility for refugee women. This study therefore concludes that shelters may be unable to successfully assist refugee women and in turn, many refugee women are left without a viable option for domestic violence services to escape violent relationships. Drawing on domestic violence research and refugee mental health literature, this paper attempts to further existing knowledge in the fields of refugee studies, women’s studies, and theories of oppression and violence.
Recommended Citation
Esposti, Melisa, "A comparative analysis of domestic violence services for refugee women living in California" (2003). Capstone Collection. 135.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/capstones/135