Help-Seeking Behavior Among Abused Immigrant Women

The present study examines help-seeking behavior among abused Vietnamese American women to understand factors associated with their decisions to seek help. Using a qualitative method and data obtained from in-depth interviews with 34 abused Vietnamese American women selected from four different Vietnamese communities in the United States (Orange County, CA; Houston, TX; Boston, MA; and Lansing, MI) and 11 Vietnamese Americans who had contacts with Vietnamese American victims of domestic violence through their jobs, the study found that abused Vietnamese American women have sought help from their personal networks, the criminal justice system, and various victim service agencies. Data analyses suggest that the decisions of Vietnamese American women to reach out are complex and diverse and are shaped by various structural, cultural, and organizational factors. Acculturation on the part of abused women as well as victim services can facilitate the women’s efforts to seek help outside their personal networks.