The Complications of Care: Family Violence in the Lives of Muslim and Christian Immigrant Women

There is little evidence to show that the prevalence of domestic violence amongst immigrant families differs from that in non-immigrant families in Canada. However, it is apparent that immigrant women experience unique challenges in situations of family violence due to the intersecting structural barriers that they face and the resultant ethnic, class, and gender inequalities. Religious beliefs and practices can further exacerbate these inequalities but they can also be a source of strength upon which immigrant women can and do draw when responding to situations of family violence. This paper highlights the value of care as it is exercised in the daily lives of immigrant women and their social support networks. Evidence is drawn from qualitative research with Christian and Muslim immigrant women living in the Canadian Maritimes. I argue that care can be the starting point for religious leaders, members of religious social networks, and secular service providers when initiating difficult but necessary conversations with immigrant women concerning domestic violence. A critical evaluation of the practices of care is required. Domestic violence contradicts the value of care whether it is understood in a religious or secular context. Thus disclosing family violence can be framed as an act of care. However, because the practice of care is impacted by gender, ethnic, and economic inequalities, disclosure is not straightforward. Women take more responsibility for unpaid care work in families than men, especially for young children. Racialized immigrant women are the most likely citizens to be unemployed or underemployed. Muslim women are subject to discrimination and Islamophobia. Caring social support that takes into account these structural in equalities is necessary as survivors seek safety.