Barriers to Accessing Intimate Partner Violence Resources Among Latina Immigrants

Intimate partner violence (IPV), which includes physical, psychological, and financial abuse, is widespread in the United States (U.S.). Latinas in the U.S. experience IPV at similar rates to the general population but face unique barriers to accessing resources. This rapid systematic review aimed to assess the factors that affect access to IPV resources among Latina immigrants in the U.S. Out of the 623 records identified from PubMed and Scopus, 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. They varied in sample size, study population, and data collection and analysis methods. The studies found that language, culture, socioeconomic status, and immigration status were barriers to accessing IPV services. Socioeconomic status was closely tied to immigration status. Many of the studies concluded that Latina women face institutional and structural violence at the hands of law enforcement officers, service providers, and healthcare professionals. Only two of the papers reviewed were published in the past five years, highlighting the need for more timely research, especially with rapidly changing immigration policies and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IPV. The studies mainly included women from Central America, so more research is needed on other subsets of Latinas. In order to increase access to IPV resources, service providers, law enforcement officers, and healthcare professionals must be culturally competent and speak Spanish or effectively use a translator. Larger scale reforms, like changes to the immigration system and services provided throughout the immigration process, are needed to increase access and reduce exposure to institutional and structural violence