Impacts of Culture on Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence among Fijian Indian Women

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to determine how cultural views impact Fijian Indian women’s perception of IPV. The first objective of this study identifies themes in Fijian Indian women’s perspectives regarding IPV. The second objective of this study determines the impact these themes have on Fijian Indian women. The lifetime economic cost for Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in the United States (U.S.) is 3.6 trillion dollars. Studies show that South Asian women are at a higher risk for experiencing IPV in the U.S. Fijian Indian women are part of the diverse South Asian diaspora; however, there is no published data on the experience Fijian Indian women have had with IPV. Ten Fijian Indian women, 18 years of age and older, who reside in California, were recruited through social media platforms. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview which took place either face-to-face or via zoom call. Results reveal that within the Fijian Indian community, women report a silencing and normalizing of the IPV experience. Contributing factors to this silencing and normalizing include familism/collectivism, shame and judgment, patriarchy/traditional gender roles, generational gap/learned behavior, and Hinduism’s gender hierarchy. When it comes to seeking help for IPV, women are more inclined to seek help within the family than from outside the family. According to these interviewees, health care providers and law enforcement end up being their last choice. Health care providers must understand the cultural nuances of the Fijian Indian community to provide holistic, patient-centered care, especially when it comes to providing care to a victim of IPV