Mouvement pour l'Égalité entre les Femmes et les Hommes
Migrant women who are victims of violence by an intimate partner.
Understanding and supporting
The objectives of the project
Although intimate partner violence affects all social groups, migrant women and women from ethnic minorities are in a situation of increased vulnerability. Indeed, these women are particularly vulnerable to violence and often face multiple forms of discrimination.
The overall objective of the project is to develop tools (a training kit, an European guide, basic guidelines, and a decision tree, etc.) that will enable frontline workers to assist women who are victims of violence, as well as society as a whole (victims, witnesses, perpetrators, …), to understand the norms underlying intimate partner violence and to embrace social change that promotes greater equality between women and men.
This 5-module training course will help you better understand this concept. A certificate of completion will be issued to you at the end of this course. Start watching this MOOC now on an emerging topic that is essential to the prevention of violence against women.
You can take this course whenever you want, in whatever order you prefer.
It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is also accessible on smartphones.
European guide
The European IPV-Migrants project aims to equip frontline professionals—lawyers, social workers, healthcare professionals, and legal practitioners—to better understand the specificities of these situations and to enhance the quality of the support provided to migrant women who are victims of domestic violence.
The main objective of the guide developed in this project is to provide theoretical and practical guidelines to better identify situations of violence, adapt listening, referral, and support strategies, and effectively refer those affected to the appropriate services. This guide also aims to equip professionals to better understand the specific obstacles faced by migrant women as they work to escape violence.
Tool "Facing violence against migrant women"
The tool “Facing violence against migrant women” developed as part of this project, is intended for frontline professionals. The goal is to equip them to effectively assist migrant women who are victims of intimate partner violence.
Social and cultural impacts
The IPV-Migrants project recognizes the importance of social and cultural factors in domestic violence among migrant women. It seeks to raise awareness in society of the social norms that cause violence and to promote positive change.
By respecting the values of migrant women, the project aims to create a safer and more egalitarian environment for them.
Formative Research
Primary Prevention
– An essential part of the IPV-Migrants project is formative research. This involves the in-depth analysis of social norms, attitudes and behaviors that contribute to domestic violence among migrant women.
– The project collects qualitative and quantitative information. He seeks to understand the reasons for the violence. It also aims to create actions to prevent it.
– The IPV-Migrants project focuses on the primary prevention of domestic violence among migrant women. This means it aims to prevent violence before it happens by addressing underlying risk factors. The project aims to reduce domestic violence by educating migrant women, witnesses and potential attackers.
Conclusion
Domestic violence, particularly that directed against migrant women, is a complex and multidimensional problem, deeply rooted in unequal power dynamics and exacerbated by migratory and patriarchal contexts. The various forms of violence—whether physical, psychological, economic, or institutional—fuel a cycle of domination that traps victims in oppressive relationships. Barriers such as economic dependence, language and cultural barriers, as well as stigma, make it difficult to report violence and access support resources.
There are specific frameworks in place, such as the Istanbul Convention at the European level, the legal framework in Belgium, and the new European Directive. But this current system is not enough to effectively address the challenges faced by migrant women who are victims of intimate partner violence.
Even though change takes time, every action counts, and all frontline professionals are encouraged to be particularly attentive to these difficult situations faced by migrant women.
Documents to consult
The legal framework as a source of domestic violence among migrants: the example of the right to family reunification in Belgium
Tools for exploring and measuring social gender norms : Literature review and state of play