“Slipping through the net”: support workers’ perspectives on domestic violence services for minority ethnic women

To advance more equitable access to supports for all victim-survivors of domestic violence (DV), this article evidences the complexity of Domestic Violence Support Service (DVSS) provision to minority ethnic women in Ireland. Drawing on semistructured interviews with DVSS providers, it shows how compounded structural and intersectional challenges affect support quality and limit providers’ capacity to understand and identify with these women’s experiences. The article reveals providers’ approaches and identifies systemic, institutional, and practical barriers to effective DV support. Using intersectionality and role-taking, the article offers a holistic understanding of structural and practical shortcomings that adversely affect both minority ethnic women and support workers.