NCJ Number
210423
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 11 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2005 Pages: 846-875
Date Published
July 2005
Length
30 pages
Annotation
A statistical profile of immigrant girls and young women in Canada shows how their experiences of violence stem from the intersection of racism and sexism in their lives.
Abstract
Three of 5 focus groups of 52 girls consisted of an Iranian group, an African-Caribbean group, and a Latina group. The other two consisted of mixed groups of girls of color. The youngest participant was 13 years old, and the oldest was 22 years old. Questions asked in the focus groups pertained to their experiences as females of color; encounters with racism and sexism; their use of media, their friends, and support networks; leisure activities; their definitions of violence; their experiences of violence; locations of violent incidents; and where they turned for help. A thematic analysis of the data focused on violence and racism. Although none of the participants reported any personal experiences of intimate or gender-based violence, they all reported on the systemic and pervasive forms of violence they encountered daily. They were generally "walking a tightrope" between the demands of fitting into the dominant White culture and the often conflicting demands of their families. The racism inherent in the school system caused many of the girls to remain silent with school officials, notably school counselors, about school-related abuse. Secure and confidential gender-specific services are required to ameliorate the negative discriminatory experiences of young immigrant females. 3 notes and 91 references