Service providers’ Perception of Black Immigrant Domestic Violence Survivors’ Use of Support Services

ABSTRACT

The accessibility, acceptance, and effectiveness of domestic violence (DV) services and resources are crucial for survivors, but previous research indicates that Black immigrant survivors face barriers in receiving and using support from formal services. The purpose of this study was to investigate how service providers perceive the available services and resources for survivors of domestic violence, particularly for Black immigrant survivors, and assess the adequacy of these services. This study aims to explore the following questions: 1. How do service providers perceive the adequacy and accessibility of support resources and services for Black immigrant survivors of DV in Calgary? 2. To what extent do existing services and supports meet the needs of Black immigrant survivors of DV, as perceived by service providers? A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted with 10 domestic violence service providers in Calgary who were interviewed in-depth to address these questions. The findings revealed that while numerous services and support are available for domestic violence survivors, Black immigrant survivors face barriers in accessing these services due to limited culturally relevant services, language barriers, transportation issues, financial issues, and lack of training among professionals. This research significantly contributed to the body of knowledge and recommendations to facilitate positive experiences for Black immigrant survivors receiving formal services. Overall, the study highlights the need for culturally sensitive services and training for professionals to support Black immigrant survivors of domestic violence better. The implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed in the study.

KEYWORDS:

• Barriers
• Black immigrant women
• domestic violence
• formal support
• service providers

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.