Link between family violence and poor mental health

Many abused migrant women report experiencing symptoms of depression, feelings of isolation, lack of social support, low sense of self-efficacy, and hopelessness (Lee & Hadeed, 2009). These are all factors that have been associated with an increased risk of attempted suicide among victims of abuse. Suicide has been associated with family violence, and has been a response to victimisation in migrant cultures, both as an escape mechanism and as a way of retaliation by bringing shame to the abuser and his family (Ting, 2010).

In migrant women, psychological problems may be somatically expressed as physical symptoms including: fatigue; poor or disturbed sleep; headaches; chest and back pain; and menstrual difficulties (Crane & Constantino, 2003; Diez et al., 2009; Sutherland, Sullivan, & Bybee, 2001; Ying et al., 2000).