The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Immigration and Refugee Children - Term Paper Example

? Psychology Assignment The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Immigration and Refugee Children Immigrants and Refugees Immigration is the movement where by an individual migrates into a country or nation for settlement, leaving their former native homeland. These people are known as immigrants. This process is usually done with certain motives, but usually compulsion, as migration is a difficult and stressful process but includes a lot of advantages. However the disadvantages include a lot of upheaval and changes in their lifestyles, occupation, and overall living. There are many reasons for which people step out of their comfort zone and bid farewell to their motherland. The two common types of motivation for immigration can be explained by the push and pull concept i.e. Push - the need to leave in order to survive i.e. earn a living Pull – the desire and attraction to a new and improved way of life These can further be categorized under these two possibilities: Opportunity Cost One of the most common reasons for immigration is poverty. People from third world or undeveloped economies choose to migrate to developed economies as they can achieve a better standard of living due to better job placements, higher paid salaries, better environment, improved health facilities, advanced education systems and other perks such as health insurance, government grants and bonuses etc. People desire a better life, better job and more money which is only possible in a developed economy. Economic Issues Another reason is because of the economic issues in their native country. Many industries that are not paid well in developing economies have a high rate in developing economies which is a high motivating factor. This will allow people who are trained to use their skills and benefit the economy they had shifted to as the same expertise was not being valued in their own economy. Political Freedom People in developing economies do not have political freedom. They are run by a planned or command economy and are therefore bound by the rules and regulations of the government. They do not have a say as to what they want and need, but are only told so. They are not allowed to exercise personal opinion and do not have civil rights and freedom of speech as people in developed economies do. Therefore, they decide to move to the modern mixed economic system. Religious Tolerance Due to strict religious views and cultures, people are forced to move away from these conservative societies to a place where there is a more open and broad minded approach. Some religions obligate their people into acts that they are not willing to do or embrace. They perform rituals and traditions that are undermining and wrongful. A perfect example could be the act of burying any female infant born as she is considered a disgrace to humankind. Family Reunification Unemployment is a world crisis that exists in almost every economy today, even the more advanced. However developed economies still manage to accommodate job vacancies through various methods, supplying firms and organizations government grants to create jobs and decrease this over-growing problem. Many people are therefore forced to leave their home towns as well as their family behind to earn their bread and butter elsewhere. After a certain amount of years, people manage to save up and move their families to their work place area to reunite and live together. Forced Immigration (Slavery) Many people have opened up agencies that encourage human trafficking i.e. smuggling people from one border to the other forcefully. Such has been the case with slavery, child labour and for females, prostitution. This is very common in poor countries as they are easily bribed by given false hope of a changed life, not knowing their fate would fall into these categories upon arrival. (Immigrants and Immigration Rate, Canada 1900 to 2009, 2010) A refugee is person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or a natural disaster. This is the worst form of transition, where people are forcefully fled from their countries to save their lives and preserve their freedom from imprisonment. They are different from migrants in that migrants choose to leave to enhance the prospects of their future and their families. Refugees are vulnerable. They have no state or government protection as it is they who threaten to persecute them, causing them to abandon the state or country. Even with the hopes of finding freedom elsewhere, countries unlawfully detain them and lock them up in cells and prisons. They are condemned to life sentences and dismissed rights and sustenance. Whether migrant or refugee, both parties are usually treated the same way, facing adaptability issues, mistrust, enmity and hatred, disapproval of acceptance and outright rejection from the people to where they’ve shifted. Government Immigration Policies Many governments have set a standard government immigration policy that helps overcome problems such as smuggling, human trafficking and illegal trespassing or staying of people who are not citizens of that country. An Immigration Act was passed in 1978 when Canada fist acknowledged and formally recognized refugees as a legitimate class of immigrants. This act was later improvised in 2001 by the federal government, introducing the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This legislation included the basic family refugee and economic classes however revised and raised the eligibility requirements to attain permission for stay. This legislation also allowed the government more power to deal with terrorism. People who are caught to be associated or linked to any form of migration that breaks the law or are suspected to become a security threat are either deported back to their country or detained for a life sentence of imprisonment and community services as a punishment. Other policies such as living their as a permanent resident, applying for nationality or citizenship of that country, studying and occupational immigration are all conditioned based. Those who seem reliable, fit and secure in every aspect are granted a green card, while those who stay only for education and work are given study and work visas with timely durations that allow them to stay till that duration. Other policies include: Integration – how these immigrants and refugees cope and blend in with its people, society and environment. How well they adapt their lifestyles and way of living i.e. how they dress, what they eat, their likes and dislikes, relationship building Language – how well they learn the foreign way of communication, their accent and pronunciation, whether they are able to properly speak and conduct a conversation Employment – whether they have the proper knowledge and skills to be employed, how well they perform their job, how well they adjust in the working environment and colleagues and coworkers Experience – how experienced they are about the country they moved to, whether they are experienced in terms of the people, skills, work, environment Cultural diversity – whether they adapt understand and respect race, religions, beliefs and ethnic groups without discrimination or racism Evaluation of foreign credentials – evidence of their previous life in their former country including birth certificates, educational diplomas/degrees, documentation of status, rights, family, marriage, entitlement to privileges for authenticity Below are the statistics of dropouts and crime associated with immigrant children at school: The Impact of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) on Immigrant and Refugee Children Intimate partner violence is the emotional, verbal, physical and psychological harm by a partner, usually a spouse or one with which an individual is close. It is the domestic violence and abuse by one partner in any intimate relationship including marriage, cohabitation, dating or within a family. Many immigrant and refugee children and women are a victim of this abuse. This is due to the unawareness of certain relationships and peoples intentions towards them due to ill-knowledge or simply innocence. In the diverse culture existing abroad, all types of relationships are developed that are against the norms and values of society. Relationships regarding the involvement of blood relatives, the same sex i.e. gay or lesbian, or the opposite sex but with wrong intentions are very much common in such communities. Although they are publicly condemned and even penalized, many rape and sexual assault crimes are still committed. There are several factors for which immigrant and refugee women and children are most likely attacked and victimized by such incidents. Traits such as country origin, age, marital status, the presence of mental and physical disability, education, family members in a household and income are all associated with a higher risk of IPV. (Tjaden, 2000) Violence against young adults and children is a major human rights as well as health problem across the globe. These immigrants are not of a homogeneous group and are affected by the factors mentioned above along with home and language, all of which influence both health and life circumstances. (Hymen, 1999) With the help of data from the 1999 General Social Survey and the Conflicts Tactics Scale (Straus, 1989) physical and sexual forms of IPV were measured against women by a current or ex-partner. Physical violence was assessed by interviewing the victims with structured questions about whether their partner: threatened to hit threw objects at her pushed, grabbed, or shoved slapped kicked, bit, or hit hit with something that could hurt and cause physical injuries i.e. scars, bruising beat up choked or threatened to use any sort of weapon such as a knife or gun Sexual violence was assessed by questioning women about the nature of harm and aggressiveness they’ve faced sexually i.e. if their partner or ex-partner pressurized them into any unwanted sexual activity by: compulsion such as emotional blackmailing, threats and ultimatums forcefully by holding down (in this case, rape) or hurting them in some other way Emotional abuse occurred if a victim agreed or answered positively to at least 1 of the statements below about their intimate partner: limiting her contact with close acquaintances i.e. family or friends degrading her or lowering her self-esteem by name calling and verbal abuse such as cursing and ridiculing her forbid any form of communication or contact with other men due to jealousy harmed or threatened to harm someone close to her that she cared about demanded explanations about her whereabouts and people with who she’d interact damaged or destroyed her personal possessions or property out of rage Financial abuse was examined by inquiring whether or not her partner prevented her from knowledge or access to their money or income upon seeking permission to attain the money or withdrawing/receiving it themselves for e.g. through a joint account (Johnson, 2001) Other factors that increase the chances of IPV include: Poverty and Unemployment of Parents Immigrants and refugees who travel and settle from foreign countries commonly belong to poor and undeveloped economies. Even after moving, the lead a poor life and require each member of the family to employ so that a sufficient amount of salary is earned to make two ends meet. Because there is an age limit at which children have to reach to legally work (i.e. 16 years of age) many kids under that age cannot work, but are obliged to due to family pressures. For this young generation, jobs such as becoming a maid or adulteress are usually the only option, both of which employ the unwillingness but forcefulness to violence. Cultural Differences Every culture has its own beliefs, traditions, religious practices and code of conduct. Many eastern and middle-eastern developing economies have a code of ethics that are very different from the versatile advanced nation’s culture. These cultures embrace moral codes and values such as for e.g. celibacy. Women abstain from any such intentions until after marriage with their spouse. For this purpose younger girls and women belonging from such cultures are highly targeted as IPV bait. Generation Gaps Generation gaps include elderly men who due to experience and attraction yearn to perform their violent activities on younger the younger population. Regarding refugees and immigrants, such sadist men usually have a taste for people of variant races, apart from their normal types of people. This factor again highlights them as they prey Cultural Shock The purpose of this analysis is to speculate IPV because of the rapid increase in the volume of this domestic violence. Thousands of women and children around the globe are constantly tormented and afflicted by verbal and physical abuse and fear of speaking up due to terrorization and shame. It is one of the most common troubling issues that require insight and awareness in order to lower its rate and victimization. Many people who migrate are not privileged with adjunct and rights in their own countries, therefore are incognizant as to how to prevent it and seek protection for themselves from occurrences in a country that has protective laws. It is therefore essential to discuss the matter to educate the people and teach them their rightful powers and how to exert them. Integration: Successes and Failures Many migrants and refugees have a hard time coping and adjusting to the new and different environment which they choose for settlement. Personality development takes place during the former years of a child, which once instilled are very difficult, yet not impossible, to alter. (Berry, 1997) Many children tend to mimic common activities i.e. how to replicate conversation, dressing, movements etc. However some have already matured from this development level and fail to retrieve this conduct. These people tend to stand out amongst the crowd in majority. However even those who tend to camouflage themselves still stand out as well, making them easy targets. The advantage of trying is that one can still bare the chances to overcome this hawk-eye as people will be aware of the fact that they are educated and easier to provoke than the clueless who are never ready for self-defense. Evaluation of Foreign Credentials Generally known, many people try to commit fraud and trespass borders and lands in search of freedom illegally. Advanced economies such as Canada and the US therefore established a checking system to ensure the people seeking accommodation and residence in their country are legally permitted to do so. Strict criteria’s, rules and regulations have been established to ensure a thorough scanning procedure in order to filter out the people who are unlawfully there and penalize them for their dishonor of their legislation. The standard procedure requires the confirmation and attestation of the individuals’ birth certificate, educational certificates, employment details and work experience, family history i.e. intermediate family’s documentation followed by other crucial data such as the visa and permit card of the country being entered, passport and identity card. This is quite a lengthy and hectic procedure however it is mandatory else one can be heavily penalized to an extent that can result into deportation, brutality, jail sentence or permanent lock up. This secures the safety of both the country and its citizens along with abiding by its motto or equality and justice to all. Requirement for Canadian Experience At the top of the priorities list, the two most basic and necessary genres are education and work experience. These two fields are among the most valuable assets new immigrants bring to developed economies, where almost each newcomer is either fully or partially a skilled-worker of which the higher achievers are selected for their labour market attributes. These newcomers may be number one on their lists, but not on the lists of the foreign employers who of course prefer their own people over those with whom they’re not very familiar. For this reason these newbies face hardships and barriers that may impede the recognition of their credentials and work experience. These factors include the course of their studies to be considered lower than the needs of the Canadian labour market compared to the high value of the same degree in their previous country. The criteria can therefore be called biased. (Mata 1999) although this may seem as a drawback, it can be seen in a positive way in that these individuals are given the opportunity to educate themselves in a country that obviously has more value for education. This can help improve their skills and further enhance their knowledge to their own benefit as well as the economies. Full-Time Parent Employment As families shift together for a new beginning, both parents are usually caught up with too many stressful activities that very much neglect their children. Kids being kids, they require full time and attention. Where that is insufficient, much development and understanding development of the child is compromised on. However because of extreme poverty situations, parents unwillingly do not find time to spare while struggling between making a home from scratch and putting food on the table. At this point usually two situations occur: one, where the children themselves are put to work where they are strongly in danger of IPV assault or other dangerous crimes such as kidnapping and abduction. Two; the people surrounding the neighbouring residential area remain aware of the news of their locality. Some may, by human nature, even pry and collect descriptive information over a passage of time such as whose home, at what time, and their whereabouts. This can make the environment at home for the children very unsafe and again prone to IPV. Language Policies and Barriers Language is a key element for any person in this world. Without communication, one is verbally handicapped. Every individual must know a language that is spoken and understood by all, the universal language being English. However along with this, every individual must know how to communicate and interact with others in order to convey, interpret and understand the meaning of what is being told or heard. A significant amount of newcomers (approximately 60%) were proven to have had very good command and knowledge of one of the two official Canadian languages i.e. French and English. Knowledge of these two languages especially from a foreigner is considered as a crucial aspect of a person’s occupation and act as a booster for professionalism, knowledge and academics. (McDade 1988) Language ability has also proven Canadian labour-market to flourish as a result of well-educated immigrants (Adamuti-Trache and Sweet 2005) Conclusion In conclusion to this study, it must be noted that all sorts of crime and deviance must be looked down upon. Children or women, no one deserves to suffer from any sort of violence and every human has the authority to exercise his or her rights irrespective of their race, gender, country or designated birth place. This analysis as well as many more should be used to educate the people of their lawful and abiding rights and should further enhance the knowledge of those who may already attain awareness about Intimate Partner Violence (IPV). It should help reach equality and justice for people all over the globe and unite us together to serve humanity with the removal of all deviant acts and conflicts. We must also cleanse our minds and souls to purity and punish those severely who are opposed to this and for vexing. Most importantly, every individual despite their genuine country or origin has the right to choose where he or she wants to live therefore we should welcome all people who are immigrants and refugees in our countries with warm wishes and tolerance; and be sympathetic and encouraging towards the innocent who have been victimized by this tragic event. Citations: The Association between intimate Partner Violence among Immigrant women in Canada Ilene Hyman, PhD, Tonia Forte, MSc, Janice Du Mont, Sarah Romans and Marsha M. Cohen 1996 Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, Nature, and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey 2000 Hyman I, Immigrant and visible minority women. In: Stewart DE, Cheung A, Ferris LE, Hyman I 1999 Straus M. Measuring interfamily conflict and violence: the Conflict Tactic Scales. J Marriage Fam. 1989 Johnson H, Bunge VP. Prevalence and consequences of spousal assault in Canada. Can J Criminol. 2001 Berry W, J. Immigration, Acculturation, and Adaptation Applied Psychology 1997 Mata, Fernando. The Non-Accreditation of Immigrant Professionals in Canada: Societal Dimensions of the Problem 1999 McDade. Kathryn. Barriers to Recognition of the Credentials of Immigrants in Canada 1988 Adamuti-Trache, Maria and Robert Sweet. Exploring the relationship between educational credentials and the earnings of immigrants. Canadian Studies in Population 2005 Figures for Migration: International 2009 Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2010 http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/91-209-x/2011001/article/11526/figures/fig-eng.htm Read More