Archer-Kuhn, BethAdebayo, Oluwakemi2025-02-132025-02-132025-01-31Adebayo, O. (2025). Exploring west African immigrant women's experience and perception about domestic violence and related supports in Alberta, Canada (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.https://hdl.handle.net/1880/120775Domestic or intimate partner violence among African immigrant populations in Western communities, particularly Canada, remains an overlooked public health issue. African immigrant women face compounded challenges, including social isolation, language barriers, unemployment, financial dependence, and legal obstacles, increasing their vulnerability to abuse. With the rise in scholarship exploring the incidence and prevalence of domestic violence, the specific experiences of African immigrant women remain underexplored. This qualitative study investigates West African immigrant women's perceptions and experiences of domestic violence in Alberta, Canada, focusing on definitions, coping strategies, and the influence of patriarchy, culture, and immigration on their responses to violence. Using a Radical feminist, intersectional and Gender Relations Theory in the African Context, the study examines the ways in which power and resources are distributed between men and women in society, while also acknowledging how the power imbalances compounded by culture, patriarchal ideologies, structure, racial, and immigration factors, shape these women's vulnerability to partner violence. Thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with six participants reveals that domestic violence is often defined as extreme, life-threatening incidents, with most non-physical violence under-recognized. Culturally influenced coping strategies and preferences for informal support services were common. The study underscores the need for culturally responsive interventions and policies to better support African immigrant women in abusive situations. This research aims to inform practitioners, policymakers, and agencies working with West African immigrant women, highlighting the importance of understanding these women’s unique experiences. The goal is to foster the development of culturally responsive programs and services that address the complexities of domestic violence among this population.enUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.domestic violenceintimate partner violencepartner violencewife beatingAfrican immigrant womenBlack African immigrantSpousal violenceFamily violenceSocial WorkPublic HealthLiterature--AfricanGender StudiesWomen's Studiesmaster thesis