He Used My Status Against Me: Immigration-Related Abuse Tactics and Help-Seeking Barriers Among Immigrant Women Experiencing IPV in Canada

Abstract

This paper investigates the role of immigration status as a weapon in intimate partner violence (IPV) and its contribution to creating unique barriers for seeking assistance among immigrant women in Canada. Using a qualitative descriptive and trauma-informed approach, this paper analyzes the results of semi-structured interviews conducted with immigrant women who identified themselves as victims of IPV following their relocation to Canada. This research shows that immigration status is not just a factor contributing to vulnerability but is actively weaponized by perpetrators in their effort to coerce victims into compliance. Specifically, immigration status is employed as a coercive control tactic through threats of deportation, revocation of sponsorship, document seizure, and misinformation regarding legal rights. In addition, the abuse is compounded by several barriers inherent to the Canadian system, such as concerns over child welfare involvement, linguistic limitations, economic dependency, and institutional distrust. Placing the study findings in the context of coercive control theory, this paper shows how immigration-based insecurity can affect the balance of power between parties and help-seeking patterns. Structural disconnects are additionally highlighted among the three sectors violence against women, settlement, and immigration. It is through this research that policies can be improved to provide a cross-sectorial, legal approach that ensures that the link between immigration status and dependency on spouse is broken.

This article is derived from a Ph.D. thesis submitted to the University of South Africa, Department of Social Work, titled "Violence Against Immigrant Women in Canada: Experiences of Clients and Solutions Presented by Social Work" by Baffour Asamoah, supervised by Professor Paul Mbedzi.