Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious and prevalent issue that affects individuals, families, and communities. However, for Black communities in Alberta, Canada, this issue is often compounded by unique social, cultural, and systemic factors. IPV can range from emotional and psychological abuse to physical and sexual violence, and it does not discriminate by race, gender, or socioeconomic status. Yet, within Black communities, IPV is frequently underreported and misunderstood.
Addressing IPV in Black communities requires a culturally sensitive approach that acknowledges these challenges and prioritizes awareness, education, and accessible resources. Without a focused effort to bring awareness to IPV, the cycle of violence and its impacts may continue, leaving survivors without the support and validation they need to heal and rebuild.
What The Research Tells Us About IPV
A research study by Dr. Philomina Okeke-Iherjirika and Dr. Sophie Yohani analyzed relevant research data on IPV to better understand the circumstances surrounding IPV within African, Caribbean, and Black communities and make informed decisions on the most practical preventive measures to undertake.
The research, which formed the foundation of the IPV project, revealed that many existing services and policies treat immigrant women’s experiences as homogenous, fail to meet immigrant women’s needs in dealing with their experiences of abuse, occasionally perpetuate or even trigger domestic violence (DV) such as those that tie women’s immigration status and sponsorship to their male partners.
The study focused on four factors believed to be the main contributing circumstances to the extent of IPV experienced within the relevant communities—Shifts in Settlement, Seeking Support, Interventions, and Gender Relations.
Shifts In Settlement
This study area revealed the difficulties faced by women when undergoing a migration process to an unfamiliar country. Studies suggest that within the relevant communities, men typically have more power to determine the circumstances of migration. After migration, women are left with less access to social and economic opportunities than men, as is prevalent within immigrant communities.
However, the misconception that society overly favors women can sometimes be seen as a challenge to traditional male authority in immigrant communities. This perception may lead some men to feel alienated or devalued within Canadian society, potentially heightening tensions and increasing the risk of conflict and violence within the home.
Many Black immigrants in Canada face systemic barriers, including unrecognized foreign credentials and discrimination based on race, origin, and language, leading to underemployment and financial hardship. They often encounter anti-Black racism, sometimes for the first time, alongside reduced social support. For immigrant women, underemployment can limit financial independence, making it harder to leave abusive relationships, while cultural and community influences further restrict their choices.
Seeking Support
Population-level data measuring immigrant women’s DV experiences found that immigrant women may be reluctant to disclose their experiences of DV in population surveys due to the sensitive nature of the topic, past negative experiences accessing formal supports due to language barriers, confidentiality concerns, and discriminatory and racist practices in service delivery.
Other research conducted also showed that most victims of DV will first turn to informal support like community members, family, and religious/spiritual advisors before accessing formal support. Less than 22% will report to the police, and even fewer will access shelters and related supports. Immigrant women are often dependent on their spouses for financial support or their immigration status, meaning they are often resistant to taking action against their abusive partner.
Interventions
During the research conducted, it was revealed that there were often omissions, misunderstandings, or misrepresentations in reviews conducted by other organizations on the topic of IPV within immigrant communities. A review of IPV interventions for immigrant populations in G7 nations, including Canada, conducted in 2021 noted that key demographic information to describe study participants was missing. Most intervention strategies focused on women despite the role that men play in migration and a lack of information on queer and gender-diverse immigrant experiences and interventions.
Understanding the context and conditions in which immigrants live is essential for creating and introducing responsive measures that can effectively tackle the problem of IPV within these communities. Considering individual factors such as post-migration stress, social isolation, changes in socioeconomic status, and loss of culture is paramount to building interventions that work.
Gender Relations
A Participatory Action Research (PAR) study on Gender Relations in African immigrant families in Alberta conducted from 2017 to 2021 revealed additional pointers toward how IPV could occur in an immigrant household. The study revealed that communication with extended family is frequent among most African immigrants, and many send money to their extended family, which can contribute to tension in the home. It also revealed that African immigrant women are less likely to seek support when concerned for their safety.
Addressing and Preventing IPV
Armed with the knowledge of extensive research on IPV, the Africa Centre, in collaboration with the University of Alberta, PACE, and PRAN, has begun the Initiatives To Address IPV Project to address these issues within Black communities in Alberta. Combining group consultations with the findings from the research, the four key areas we aim to tackle in order to prevent IPV within Black communities are Gender Relations, Financial Management, Parenting, and Training, Education and Employment.
To achieve this, we continue to develop interactive sessions, podcasts, videos, pamphlets, presentations, and other items that address these four areas and create awareness of IPV. We have also developed strategies to reduce intimate partner violence within Alberta’s Black communities and are actively working on their implementation. Our approach includes challenging stereotypical narratives about IPV and addressing anti-Black racism in Alberta, both of which hinder underserved populations from accessing essential services and support.
