Migrant women who are abused are under-served as patients

A Canadian study of migrant women who had experienced partner abuse found that health professionals’ responses were influenced by stereotypes about violence within migrant groups (Jiwani, 2001). Family doctors frequently missed the linkage between the effects of violence and women's somatic complaints. Mental health issues were often not dealt with trivialised or were undiagnosed. A failure to examine mental health symptoms in the context of women's lives was a major limitation on the disclosure of partner abuse (Jiwani, 2001).