Cultural and Immigration-Related Variables in Family Violence

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The research is designed to increase understanding of forms of wife abuse among Vietnamese Americans, describe differences in the situations and characteristics of abused women who are and are not in contact with victim services, and contribute to the development of theory explaining how culture- and immigration-related variation affect behavior. Dimensions of wife abuse will be measured and described for 50 Vietnamese-American wives in contact with the Task Force and known to be abused, and 70 Vietnamese-American wives who are not in contact. It is estimated that this last group will include 20 women subject to, and 50 women not subject to, abuse. Independent variables include: values/norms promoting husband's domination, conflict over expectations about gender roles and other aspects of family life, immigration (reasons for immigration, sequencing of husband's and wife's move, each person's legal status), and circumstances related to immigration (discrimination, employment and occupational status, proximity of extended family, wife's support network). Qualitative data on the pattern, nature, and context of the abuse will also be used to provide description of why the abuse occurred, and to support findings from the quantitative analysis and/or better specify the causative model. The study also will test and develop theory to explain wife's desired resolution (e.g., obtaining help, influencing the husband to stop, divorce) and events leading to alternative resolutions (including continued abuse) after one year. Influences hypothesized to be related to desired and actual resolutions include:1. wife's perceptions of immigration law and the outcome of criminal justice involvement;2. wife's perception of the consequences of divorce;3. need for and effects of wife moving from the ethnic community to the mainstream to escape abuse;4. wife's economic power;5. wife's experience in seeking help.