Cultural and Practical Barriers to Seeking Help for Intimate Partner Violence Among Korean Immigrants: Exploring Gender and Age Differences

Soon Cho, Y. Joon Choi, Jeong Yeob Han, Hanyoung Kim, Stephen T. Fife

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Immigrants in the United States, including Korean immigrants, are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV), yet they are less likely to seek help than non-immigrants. This qualitative study sought to understand barriers to seeking help for IPV among Korean immigrants and to explore age and gender differences in Korean immigrants’ understanding of these barriers. We conducted four focus groups with 38 adults grouped by age and gender. Thematic analysis was employed to understand Korean immigrants’ perceptions of IPV and barriers to help-seeking. As a result, four prominent themes emerged: (1) differential understanding of IPV, (2) Confucian cultural influences on IPV, (3) cultural barriers to help-seeking, and (4) practical barriers to help-seeking. Women participants showed an in-depth understanding of IPV, recognizing various forms beyond physical violence within the immigrant social context. Younger participants highlighted the intergenerational transmission of IPV. Cultural factors, rooted in Confucianism such as strict gender roles and women’s self-sacrifice, exacerbate IPV. Cultural barriers include shame culture, treating IPV as a private matter, and the emphasis on family unity. Practical barriers are linked to the challenges immigrants face. These insights illustrate the need for targeted IPV interventions tailored to distinct gender and age demographics within the community.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1508
JournalInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume21
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.

Keywords

  • Confucian culture
  • domestic violence
  • family violence
  • focus group
  • immigrant women
  • intimate partner violence
  • Korean American
  • Korean culture
  • Korean immigrant

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pollution
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis

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