Culturological Assessment of Domestic Violence Against Hispanic Women Essay

Culturological Assessment of Domestic Violence Against Hispanic Women - Essay Example (Powell 1) The purpose of this paper is to evaluate three aspects of domestic violence as it relates to Latinas. A review of the broad societal issues inherent within this ethnic community, an idea of some of the specific reasons why Hispanic women will stay in an abusive relationship, and a look at a few of the cultural values that make this segment of the population particularly vulnerable will yield insight into the problem and its intricate components. To gain a more complete understanding of the domestic violence plague faced by women in the Hispanic community, it is important to understand the broad contributory issues specific to the Latin community at large. Without over-simplifying the factors that contribute to domestic violence perpetrated against Hispanic women, there are three general segments of social integration which are understood to pre-condition these women to a higher risk of incidence of abuse; acculturation, citizenship status, and economic condition. Acculturation is the process of acquiring the different traits and social patterns reflected in the new society. It is the natural human adaptation to a different environment. We know that the "process of acculturation to American values and norms is an important factor influencing help-seeking behavior." (Yoshioka 172) Other studies suggest that this progression of acclimating to a foreign atmosphere "has been found to affect the risk of partner violence." (Frias 554) The course of adjusting to a new society is particularly fraught with hazard for Hispanic women. Whether it is the challenge of learning a new language or developing a sense of belonging, the degree to which an individual has been assimilated into her surroundings impacts her ability to respond to a crisis, particularly one of violence in her home. The calculus is fairly straightforward; the more comfortable a woman is within her new world, the better equipped she is to deal with the adverse circumstances into which d omestic abuse thrusts her. Surprisingly, the citizenship status of individuals has a direct bearing upon the frequency and severity of domestic violence. Generally, it is clear to the casual observer that non-citizens "have taken enormous risks and...continue to be threatened daily with a fear of deportation and the ever-looming presence of the INS." (Community Partnership 1) The stress associated with large-scale disruption of life and home can easily contribute to an environment of hostility between domestic partners. Specifically, studies show that "immigrant women who arrived before the age of 15 are at a higher risk of partner violence." (Frias 561) While the minutiae of various causes of this phenomenon may be debated, citizenship status appears to impact the resolve of these women to end the domestic abuse cycle. It could be posited that once citizenship is established, there is an emotional ownership of the new country that reduces a woman's willingness to tolerate abuse in the home. The economic situation of Hispanic women also has a role to play in domestic violence.