Why are domestic violence/child maltreatment cases involving immigrants so challenging?
Service providers working with immigrant communities agree that three factors make addressing the intersection of domestic violence and child maltreatment in these communities more difficult: language, culture, and immigration status. Language The inability of an immigrant domestic violence victim to speak English can severely compromise her ability to escape violence and work constructively with child protection authorities. Caseworkers frequently assume families understand how the legal system can regulate family life in the United States or can find out what they need to know, Anita Gundanna of The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families explains. But much of this informationabout the rights and responsibilities of parents, the laws and regulations pertaining to family violence, and how to access the legal remedies available through family court or restraining ordersis available only in English (or, at best, English and Spanish). As a result, limited English proficient (L
