Cultural Responsivity in Domestic Violence Intervention Approaches for Immigrants in the U.S.

Domestic violence (DV) is a pervasive problem with adverse health effects. While all communities can experience DV, immigrants are at a higher risk of DV victimization due to their unique positionality in the United States. Overall, there have been an increasing number of immigrants in the U.S. over the past few years. Even though empirical research has examined mainstream DV interventions and the extent to which they deter victimization, there is limited knowledge about culturally responsive interventions for immigrants. Therefore, it is imperative to highlight the intersectional needs of immigrant communities to become adept in responding to their needs. In this presentation, we will highlight and share the findings of our scoping review about culturally responsive interventions for immigrants in the U.S. Further, the presentation will reflect on our experiences as practitioners and researchers who have been engaged in developing and implementing culturally responsive interventions for immigrants. We hope to highlight micro, mezzo and macro level implications for practitioners engaged in service delivery.

Objectives:
• To understand the need for culturally responsive services for immigrants experiencing domestic violence
• To examine the extent to which culturally responsive interventions exist for immigrant communities in the context of domestic violence
• To deliberate on the role of practitioners while engaging with immigrants experiencing domestic violence
• Understand the difference between cultural responsivity and cultural competency
• Highlight overall implications for research, practice and policy drawing from our scoping review

Abha Rai, Ph.D., MSW is an Assistant Professor at the School of Social Work, Loyola University Chicago

Kristen Ravi, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor at the College of Social Work, University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

Radhika Sharma Gordon is a public health educator and nonprofit consultant who has worked in the Chicago area for more than 30 years.