Understanding the Scope of Protections Against Domestic Violence Available to Immigrant People in the United States and Other Countries Based on Relationship Status Versus the Nature of the Abuse [Note]
Citation
42 Ariz. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 143 (2025)Description
NoteAdditional Links
http://arizonajournal.orgAbstract
Relationships and immigration status have always been closely intertwined in our nation’s history. The relationship one is in can determine the types of immigration visas one can access and what protections they might be afforded. A foreign spouse of an American citizen gets priority for a visa and is extended protections should their American spouse abuse them. However, for immigrants with insecure status and no formal relationship with an abuser, these protections are much harder to obtain. By limiting protections based on one’s relationship status to their abuser rather than by focusing on the nature of the abuse itself, America is hindering domestic violence victims from accessing the help they need. This note looks at the domestic violence protections in America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Sweden for immigrants with insecure status who are not married to their abusers and argues that when countries take a narrow approach in defining domestic violence and limit its protections to spouses, they are not protecting victims of abuse as they claim they want to. It also argues that by broadening the definition of domestic violence and removing relationship status requirements, more people will seek protection against their abusers.Type
Articletext