Newcomers

Domestic violence occurs in every community at similar rates. However, violence against immigrant women* may look different because of the unique circumstances they are living in. They also face more barriers to accessing support.

Violence against immigrant women is distinct in the following ways:

  • The violence may include threatening to withdraw sponsorship.
  • They may be highly dependent on the abuser and isolated from others – especially if they has no friends, family or social or professional networks established in Canada.
  • They may be abused by someone other than their partner or in addition to their partner – such as a family member, a member of the community, someone who assisted in their immigration, a job recruiter or an employer.
  • If they have migrated into a specific community that is tightly bound and isolated from outside contacts, this may impact their ability to access support or intervention. This is especially true if community members support the abuser or minimize or justify his violence. Remember: many small communities may support an abuser and fail to support the woman being abused. This is not unique to newcomer communities.
  • In addition to living with domestic violence, immigrant women across Ontario may face discrimination on the basis of their immigration status. They also may face discrimination or profiling based on race, ethnicity, faith, language, ability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, and class.

If you are experiencing violence in your relationship, Nova Vita is here to help. Our Crisis and Support Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To connect with a crisis counsellor:
Call/Text 519-752-4357
Online Chat Service click here

Barriers to Accessing Support

Gaps in social services can prevent immigrant women from accessing support for domestic violence.

Immigration Status

  • If an individual does not have any immigration status in Canada (if she is “non-status”), they may be afraid to access services. Many services ask for proof of status. There may be fear in calling the police, because police may communicate status to Canadian border services.
  • Abusers may use immigration status to get power and control over the woman he is abusing. For example, if he is sponsoring her to become a permanent resident, he may threaten to withdraw sponsorship. The immigration and refugee system in Canada is complicated and every situation is different. If a woman living with abuse is concerned about her status in Canada, she should seek legal advice.
  • She may not meet narrow qualifications to be eligible to access support services.
  • With guidelines within the immigration system related to sponsorship and Conditional Permanent Residence, she may feel that even if she is being abused, she must stay with her partner for 2 years, Note: This policy has been revoked as of April 28th, 2017: www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/elminating-conditional-pr.html

Language Barriers

  • Immigrant and refugee women often speak multiple languages, but they could potentially not have a strong comfort level with English.
  • In some cases, the abusive partner may speak English, and be the one who interprets, making it difficult for her to have a conversation on her own.
  • It can be challenging to find services in their own languages or to access interpreters to be able to get the services they need.

Other Barriers

  • Individuals may not realize their rights, and may not have access to information about Canadian law.
  • Nearby shelters could be at capacity, and unable to accommodate her and her children, or may not understand/respect their cultural beliefs and practices.

Financial Barriers

  • In Ontario, immigrant and refugee women are overrepresented in the lowest paying and least stable jobs. Many of these jobs have irregular hours, making it difficult to access language classes and other services.
  • In Ontario, the cost of living is going up, particularly around the cost of market rent, childcare, transportation, and food.
  • Ontario shelter workers have told us that women cite the cost of rent as the #1 reason for not leaving an abuser. In 2024, the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights reported that unaffordable housing is a significant barrier to survivors of abuse. They report that survivors experience a high degree of discrimination in seeking housing in the rental market, experience many barriers to accessing rental market housing, and may remain or return to unsafe housing with their abuser because of lack of available housing options
  • They may not be able to afford the cost of transportation to services she requires.

Racism and Discrimination

  • Not all immigrant and refugee women are racialized (i.e. women of colour), because many immigrants come from European countries.
  • Immigrant and refugee women who are racialized may face racism from front line works/staff when they seek support for domestic violence.
  • When domestic violence happens in racialized communities, too often their whole culture is blamed and stereotyped. In contrast, when domestic violence happens in white communities, it is treated as an individual problem.

Federal and Provincial legislation impact immigrant women living with violence and immigrant communities as a whole:

  • OHIP Waiting Period: In Ontario, newcomers are not able to access health care for the first 3 months after arrival. This applies to economic and family class immigrants as well as Live-in Caregivers. Individuals who have refugee status on arrival, are in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program or have a full time work permit have access to OHIP without the 3 month wait.
  • Bill C-51, the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2015: Bill C-51 gives increased power to Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and increased opportunities for suspicion of terrorism to result in arrest. The Bill also impacts the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in the case of security certificates that allow Canada to detain and deport permanent residents who are considered to be a security threat, without the need to disclose evidence.
  • Bill S-7, Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act: This act impacts the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, the Civil Marriage Act, and the Criminal Code with a wide number of amendments, including on polygamy and consent to marriage. The language and focus of the act has been widely critiqued, including by OCASI, to perpetuate Islamophobia and xenophobia.

Supporting Newcomers Experiencing Violence

Supporting individuals experiencing violence is an essential endeavor. Newcomers may face unique challenges, and it is important to be mindful of these when offering support. Below are some tips to help when offering support:

  • Step away from blaming the culture; treat as individual problem.
  • Try to keep our own biases to self; stay open minded.
  • Refrain from jumping to conclusions.
  • Make use of interpreter or translator services if needed.
  • Reach out to other staff or organizations who might have expertise or knowledge in working with immigration or refugee communities for assistance.
  • Understand the immigration process.
  • Make “cultural safety” training mandatory for all staff.

For more information on how to support someone who may be experiencing abuse, remember BLOSSOM (Believe, Listen, Options, Support, Safety Plan, Offer Resources, Maintain Respect). Learn more at novavita.org/how-to-support-someone.

Learn More:

Local & National Resources for Newcomers Living With Violence

References:

*Includes gender-diverse individuals