How immigrant women cope with gender violence?

It is a qualitative study with the objective of identifying the strategies of Latin American immigrant women to cope with gender violence in couples. The qualitative data is gathered through semi-structured interviews and shows that personal resources that contribute the cessation or reduction of partner violence are related to coping strategies focused on solving problems and emotion, while resources that impede are fear, shame, loneliness and traditional beliefs. It highlights that the decision to leave an abusive relationship does not depend only on individual factors because although the women want to end the relationship, it´s important that they realize that they can count with support (social support, institutional support, material resources) to achieve this objective.

coping styles; gender; immigrants; violence; women