Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VioMH-Mig (The Mental Health of Migrant Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Valencia, Spain.)
Reporting period: 2021-04-07 to 2023-04-06
This Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action Individual Fellowship is titled “The Mental Health of Migrant Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Valencia, Spain”. The project aimed to assess the differential exposures of intimate partner violence (IPV) across groups of migrant women living in the Valencian Community of Spain, including its impact on their mental health, their coping mechanisms and their experiences of accessing services. The study was important because the impacts of intimate partner violence on the mental health of migrant women living in Spain have been under-studied. In order to be able to provide essential services for survivors of violence, it is first important to understand the consequences, particularly for groups that are largely underserved. Studies with marginalised groups can help to highlight the additional challenges faced by these populations, and can draw attention to areas of inequity and gaps in public policy and services that exacerbate inequalities and negative experiences.
This project sought to answer these questions through a mixed methods study of migrant women living in the Valencian Community. This project had three main objectives: (1) To understand the state of intimate partner violence against migrant women living in Valencia, (2) To understand the impacts of intimate partner violence on the mental health of migrant women living in Valencia, (3) To understand migrant women’s experiences of accessing mental health care services in Spain after experiencing violence.
This project sought to answer these questions through a mixed methods study of migrant women living in the Valencian Community. This project had three main objectives: (1) To understand the state of intimate partner violence against migrant women living in Valencia, (2) To understand the impacts of intimate partner violence on the mental health of migrant women living in Valencia, (3) To understand migrant women’s experiences of accessing mental health care services in Spain after experiencing violence.
The Research Fellow conducted a mixed methods study to answer the research questions linked to the study objectives. An online quantitative survey was conducted with migrant women living in the Valencian Community of Spain. Participants were recruited through the use of social media advertising. The questionnaire asked about socio-demographic background information, symptoms of anxiety and depression, experiences of multiple forms of intimate partner violence including psychological, physical, sexual, economic and technology-facilitated abuse, and finally about experiences of accessing services in Spain. Almost 2000 migrant women (1,998) completed the survey. A high proportion (almost 60%) reported experiencing at least one of the acts of violence measured, and around one in five reported moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 migrant women survivors of intimate partner violence, and 8 service providers including psychologists, social workers, NGOs, lawyers and government services of for violence against women. Findings revealed that in addition to intimate partner violence, migrant women faced multiple other stressors and intersecting forms of violence that impact their mental health, including a lack of access to work, economic stressors, discrimination and the existence of bureaucratic violence when interacting with public services. Women described a range of experiences when accessing services for IPV and mental health. Some reported positive experiences where they felt heard and understood and where service providers reacted quickly and efficiently. Others reported negative experiences including being turned away from services, being re-traumatised or shamed due to a lack of knowledge, understanding and trauma-informed care, experiencing discrimination and experiencing logistical barriers to care such as a lack of information or language barriers.
The findings from the study have been summarised in six peer-reviewed publications, two of which have already been published/accepted for publication. The findings have also been disseminated through a 9 week series of art-based workshops held with migrant women that explored the themes of the project including experiences of being a migrant women, gender-based violence and mental health. A final art exhibition held for the general public where the themes of the research were discussed through art. These art workshops formed the basis of an art-therapy intervention that was developed by the Research Fellow as a result of the findings and was piloted with migrant women to assess its feasibility and acceptability.
In addition, the results of the study are also being disseminated through the production of information packs and guidance documents targeted at migrant groups and service providers, through the production of public policy recommendations, and through social media channels.
Qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 migrant women survivors of intimate partner violence, and 8 service providers including psychologists, social workers, NGOs, lawyers and government services of for violence against women. Findings revealed that in addition to intimate partner violence, migrant women faced multiple other stressors and intersecting forms of violence that impact their mental health, including a lack of access to work, economic stressors, discrimination and the existence of bureaucratic violence when interacting with public services. Women described a range of experiences when accessing services for IPV and mental health. Some reported positive experiences where they felt heard and understood and where service providers reacted quickly and efficiently. Others reported negative experiences including being turned away from services, being re-traumatised or shamed due to a lack of knowledge, understanding and trauma-informed care, experiencing discrimination and experiencing logistical barriers to care such as a lack of information or language barriers.
The findings from the study have been summarised in six peer-reviewed publications, two of which have already been published/accepted for publication. The findings have also been disseminated through a 9 week series of art-based workshops held with migrant women that explored the themes of the project including experiences of being a migrant women, gender-based violence and mental health. A final art exhibition held for the general public where the themes of the research were discussed through art. These art workshops formed the basis of an art-therapy intervention that was developed by the Research Fellow as a result of the findings and was piloted with migrant women to assess its feasibility and acceptability.
In addition, the results of the study are also being disseminated through the production of information packs and guidance documents targeted at migrant groups and service providers, through the production of public policy recommendations, and through social media channels.
This project has taken a detailed look at intimate partner violence and its association with mental health in migrant groups in Spain. It is a topic that has been under-studied in this population and the findings shed important light on their experiences, particularly through the use of mixed methods and the integration of narrative stories with quantitative data. The assessment of different forms of intimate partner violence makes a particularly novel contribution to the field. The Research Fellow separately investigated the impacts of different types of IPV on mental health, including psychological, physical, sexual, economic violence and technology-facilitated violence, an approach that is important to understanding the nuanced impact of varying IPV experiences. The addition of technology-facilitated abuse in the assessment of IPV experiences contributes to progress beyond the state of the art. This is an emerging form of IPV that is very under-studied, especially in relation to mental health and within migrant groups, and is becoming increasingly relevant and important as technologies continue to develop, particularly with the recent availability of Artificial Intelligence to the general public. An understanding and awareness of technology-facilitated violence is therefore essential to being able to detect its presence and address it.
Project results include peer-reviewed publications, information and resource packs for migrant groups, guidance documents for service providers, public policy recommendations, a 9 week series of art therapy workshops, a public art exhibition and dissemination event and the dissemination of findings through social media, including a dedicated Instagram page. The impact of these results is first to raise awareness about IPV, including more subtle and nuanced forms, such as technology-facilitated abuse that will help people to detect this form of violence. Secondly, to raise awareness about IPV and mental health in migrant groups and the need for appropriate services that are trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. The production of public policy recommendations, and guidance documents for service providers will help to improve service delivery for migrant women and the production of information and resource packs for migrant groups, as well as dissemination through social media channels, will reduce barriers to accessing services and care through the provision of information and guidance.
Project results include peer-reviewed publications, information and resource packs for migrant groups, guidance documents for service providers, public policy recommendations, a 9 week series of art therapy workshops, a public art exhibition and dissemination event and the dissemination of findings through social media, including a dedicated Instagram page. The impact of these results is first to raise awareness about IPV, including more subtle and nuanced forms, such as technology-facilitated abuse that will help people to detect this form of violence. Secondly, to raise awareness about IPV and mental health in migrant groups and the need for appropriate services that are trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. The production of public policy recommendations, and guidance documents for service providers will help to improve service delivery for migrant women and the production of information and resource packs for migrant groups, as well as dissemination through social media channels, will reduce barriers to accessing services and care through the provision of information and guidance.