This page is an excerpt from:

Helping Children Thrive: Supporting Woman Abuse Survivors as Mothers

Working with Women New to Canada

Women new to Canada experienced both emigration (leaving everything familiar behind) and immigration (getting used to strange new surroundings). Many speak neither official language and they may have no family here.

Among the community of new Canadians, there is great variability in attitudes and opinions, according to recency of emigration, education, proficiency in English, religious commitment, community support infrastructure, and personal experience. Women new to Canada experience the same emotions and reactions as all women who are abused - fear, shame, hope for change - but seeking assistance from our social and legal systems may be a daunting task because of beliefs about the family, barriers to service, and concerns about immigration issues.

Beliefs about the Family

• focus on needs of the family unit as a whole over her own needs

• family matters are private and not to be discussed with others

• belief that a husband's behaviour must be tolerated by a wife

• divorce may lead to ostracization from the community

• traditional ideas of gender roles: women are compliant, men are in charge

• need to project image of "good woman" to the community

• strong prescriptions against divorce

System Issues & Barriers

• language barrier prevents seeking advice and assistance

• fear of police rooted in experience of police as corrupt or arm of state repression in country of origin

• not wanting husband charged may prevent calls (or subsequent calls) to police

• fear of shelters and deep embarrassment if shelters are used

• fear of the Children's Aid Society

• going to a professional may be last resort after family or religious leader

Immigration Issues

• fear of consequences of divorce or criminal charge on her immigration status

• fear of deportation (and possibly having to leave children in Canada)

• belief they do not qualify for Ontario Works because of sponsorship

A Newcomer's Introduction to Canada: Family Life & Family Law, Citizenship and Immigration Canada.

Language is a significant barrier, preventing many women from finding and using social and legal services, or calling 9-1-1. Women may have been discouraged or prevented from learning English. Limitations with English can make it difficult to read street signs, get on the right bus to your office, use the Internet as a resource, read the telephone book, and use the telephone to find assistance.

Refugees and landed immigrants receive free language instruction through the federal Language Instruction for New Canadians (LINC) program. The web page of Citizenship and Immigration Canada has links to LINC Assessment Centres and LINC programs.

Studies show that women want and need services delivered in their own language.

What Service Providers Can Do

The onus is on us to modify our usual style of service delivery to accommodate her better. Some ideas to consider are:

• visit her at home whenever possible

• take extra time to build rapport and make her feel comfortable

• use interpreters (cultural interpreters if available) even if she seems to manage in English

• do not expect or ask for disclosure of intimate matters unless absolutely necessary for the intervention

• speak slowly and avoid using jargon or idiomatic expressions that do not translate easily

• ask what type of help she is looking for and direct her to the best place for assistance if unable to meet all her needs

• learn something about her homeland and culture or about the political situation if there has been a war or other catastrophic events

• look for resources in her language, like at www.hotpeachpages.net

Some helpful web sites

• www.settlement.org: information and answers for newcomers to Ontario

• RoseNet: the law and abused immigrant women

• www.hotpeachpages.net: links to informational material on woman abuse in over 60 languages, from Albanian to Welsh

• Family Safety, Family Harmony: Information on violence against women and the law in Ontario, a pamphlet in English, French, Arabic, Bosnian, Farsi, Somali and Urdu

Want to know more?

British Columbia Institute Against Family Violence (2002). Life in the Family: A Newcomer's Guide to Parenting Issues in Canada (ESL curriculum and video). Vancouver BC: B.C. Institute Against Family Violence.

Katrina Pacey (2003). Assisting Immigrant & Refugee Women Abused by their Sponsors: A Guide for Service Providers. Vancouver BC: B.C. Institute Against Family Violence.

Ekuwa Smith (2004). Nowhere to Turn? Responding to Partner Violence Against Immigrant and Visible Minority Women. Ottawa: Canadian Council on Social Development.

Women's Refuge Group of Western Australia (2003). Caught in the Crossfire: Identifying Needs of Accompanying Children from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds in Supported Accommodation Assistance Programs and Services. Perth AU: Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services.